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SAXO GRAMMATICUS. Historiae Danicae, Libri XVI. Stephanus Johannis Stephanius Summo Studio recognovit, Nortisque uberioribus illustravit.
Sora (Denmark): Joachim Moltke, 1644, 1645. Two volumes bound in one. The text of the History of Denmark, and Stephanius's Notes to the History, with separate titlepage, imprint and pagination for the Notes. 4to., 19th century half calf, marble boards, pp. 4 p.l., 384, (22) index; 60, 252, (24) index. Lacking the final blanks in both volumes o/w a fine copy. Engraved architectural title to first volume, large woodcut heraldic vignette on second title, woodcut initials and ornaments. Numerous woodcut illustrations in volume two.
Written between 1185-1216, at the instigation of his mentor Archbishop Absolon, Saxo's "Historia Danica" chronicles the legendary and historical kings of Denmark down to 1186 in sixteen books. Making no distinction between history and myth, Saxo depended for his sources on ancient traditions and songs as well as earlier lists of Danish kings and short chronicles. Thus in the earlier history he uncritically relates the traditions about half mythical kings and heroes, such as Fredfrode, Amleth (Hamlet) and the giant starkather. In the later books (x-xvi) his account becomes fuller and much more reliable, culminating in the excellent treatment of his contemporaries, King Valdemar I and Absalon. Widely read through the Middle Ages, Saxo's history was first published, from a MS afterwards lost, in Paris 1514 by the Danish humanist Christiern Pedersen, and later reprinted at Basel, 1534, and Frankfort 1576. Of later editions, the above by Stephen Stephanius 1644 is most valued, particularly for its valuable notes. Acclaimed as the first national historian of Denmark, Saxo's work, in spite of its critical shortcomings, has "great scope and imaginative power as an interpretation of ancient legendary lore."
Bib. Dan. III 9; Brunet V, 175, Graesse VI, 287.
$2,000.00
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