Gaius Sallustius Crispus (86-34 B.C.) was a Roman historian. He had acted as governor of Africa Nova.
Bartolomeo Liviano d’Alviano (1455-1515). Venetian general who fought the Holy Roman army in 1508 and defeated it.
The preface to the book is to the famous Venetian general Bartholemeo Liviano. The first part of the book (De Coniuratione Catilinae) deals with the conspiracy of Lucius Sergius Catilina against the Roman Republic in 63 B.C. The second part of the book (Eiusdem De Bello Jugurthino) concerns the war against Numida. The final part of the book is “Eiusdem oratio contra M. T. Ciceronum” which is an attack on Cicero, along with other additional pieces.
6.75 inches x 4.5 inches. Printer’s mark of the dolphin and anchor on the cover and on the title page. Chapters are marked by spaces where decorated letters would go. Contemporary ownership entries handwritten on title page, including the years 1621, 1722, 1877 and 1911. Marginal handwritten notes throughout the book. At the end of the book it is mentioned that the book is registered and contains a sample of the alphabet used. The registration is in Venice to Aedibus Aldi and Andraeae A Sulani (i.e., Aldius Manutius and Andrea Torresani).
There are two ex libris plates at the beginning of the book: “Dr. Jur Utr Konrad Weidling” and “Dr. Jur Fritz Weidling”. These lithography book plates were probably produced by the book plate artist Joseph Sattler (1867-1931). Fritz Weidling was Friedrich Wilhelm Weidling (1821-1902) and Konrad Weidling (1861-1911) was his son. Konrad wrote a number of books, some concerning the German booktrade. Friedrich was part of the publishing firm of Haude & Spenersche Buchhandlung (F. Weidling) in Berlin.
Aldus Manutius (1450-1515) was born near Rome. He was a scholar who acted as tutor to the children of the Duke of Capri. He then entered the printing business and later combined with an established printer, Andrea Torresano. The printer’s mark used for the business was the Anchor and Dolphin. The anchor was the symbol for slowness and the dolphin was the symbol for speed. Together they stood for the motto “Make haste slowly.”
Andrea Torresani of Asola (1451-1529). Venetian printer who learned the printing trade from Nicholas Jenson and obtained Jenson’s fonts. Aldus Manutius married Torresani’s daughter and so the two men went into a printing partnership.