Bod-Inc: A-299
Annius, Johannes
Auctores vetustissimi (comm. Johannes Annius).
Analysis of Content
a2r Annius, Johannes: ‘Ad Christianissimos Hispaniarum reges Ferdinandum et consortem eius Elisabetham epistola.’ Letter to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Castile, Aragon, and León. Incipit: ‘Quibus efferendi sunt laudibus reges ac principes quibus mundus iuste disponitur . . .’ On Annius and his forgery of this work see Roberto Weiss, ‘An Unknown Epigraphic Tract by Annius of Viterbo', in Italian Studies Presented to E. R. Vincent, ed. C. P. Brand, K. Foster and U. Limentani (Cambridge, 1962), 101-20; E. N. Tigerstedt, ‘Ioannes Annius and Graecia mendax’, in Classical, Mediaeval and Renaissance Studies in Honor of Berthold Louis Ullman, ed. Charles Henderson, Jr, II (Rome, 1964), 293-310; C. R. Ligota, ‘Annius of Viterbo and Historical Method', Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, 50 (1987), 44-56; Walter E. Stephens, ‘The Etruscans and Ancient Theology in Annius of Viterbo', in Umanesimo a Roma nel Quattrocento, Atti del convegno su ‘Umanesimo a Roma nel Quattrocento', New York 1-4 dicembre 1981, ed. Paolo Brezzi and Maristella de Panizza Lorch (Rome, 1984); Roland Crahay, ‘Réflexions sur le faux historique: le cas d'Annius de Viterbo', Bulletin de la classe des lettres et des sciences morales et politiques de l`Académie Royale de Belgique, 5th ser., 69 (1983), 241-67. Annius's forgeries were recognised as such, by some, soon after their appearance; see Weiss, ‘Unknown Epigraphic Tract', 105 n. 4.
a3r Annius, Johannes: ‘Prefatio.’ Incipit: ‘Theologi officium est, rerum ueritatem precipue que ad res diuinas spectat . . .’
a3r [List of contents.]
b4v [Papal privilege of Alexander VI.]
A1r Annius, Johannes: ‘Comentaria super Myrsilum.’ Incipit: ‘[T]radunt Greci Myrsilum fuisse patria Lesbium, professione historicum, qui de bello Pelasgico in Thuscia et Latio contra Siculos scripserit . . . A fine huius exponere incipiam. Ruine Troiane fuerunt anno trecentesimo minus tribus . . .’ See Wifstrand Schiebe, ‘De Anni Viterbiensis Antiquitatum libris anno 1498° editis', Vox Latina, 28 (1992), 2-13.
A1r Myrsilus Lesbius [pseudo-; Annius, Johannes: De origine Italiae et Turrenorum.] Incipit: ‘Italiam coluere Greci, Arcades, Veneti, Lygures, Ardeates, Rutuli, Siculi . . .’
B1v Annius, Johannes: ‘Comentaria super fragmenta Catonis.’ Incipit: ‘[M]arcus Cato Porcius, Sempronius et alii uiri illustres Romani scripserunt de origine gentium et urbium Italie . . . Ergo Grecorum iactantia simul et ignominiosa origo Italiae per insaniam a Grecis falso obiecta . . .’ See Edoardo Fumagalli, ‘Un falso tardo-quattrocentesco: lo pseudo-Catone di Annio da Viterbo', in Vestigia. Studi in onore di Giuseppe Billanovich, ed. R. Avesani and others, 2 vols, Storia e Letteratura, 162-3 (Rome, 1984), I 337-63.
B2r Cato, Marcus Porcius [pseudo-; Annius, Johannes: De origine gentium et urbium Italicarum fragmenta.] Incipit: ‘Greci tam impudenti iactantia iam effunduntur . . .’
E3v Annius, Johannes: ‘Comentaria super epithetum Archiloci de temporibus.’ Incipit: ‘[A]rchilocus Grecus chronographus, floruit Olympico certamine uictor, floruit cum Simonide et Aristoxene Olympiade xxix . . . Vt diximus, quia ante Nynum tempora ignorauerunt Greci . . .’
E4r Archilocus Graecus [pseudo-; Annius, Johannes]: ‘De temporibus.’ Incipit: ‘Maseas(!) Phenix Damascenus libro nonagesimo septimo historiarum asserit ante Nynum ferme ducentis quinquaginta annis fuisse inundationem terrarum . . .’
E6r Annius, Johannes: ‘Comentaria super Methastenem.’ Incipit: ‘[M]etasthenes Persa fuit gente, ut titulus indicat . . . Dat regulas temporum Metasthenes, ut ex eis sciemus(!) iudicare . . .’
E6r Metasthenes Persa [pseudo-; Annius, Johannes: De iudicio temporum et annalium Persarum.] Incipit: ‘Qui de temporibus scribere parant, necesse est illos non solo auditu et opinione chronographiam scribere . . .’
F1r Annius, Johannes: ‘Comentaria super Vertunnianam Propertii. Prefatio.’ Incipit: ‘[Q]uoniam sepe meminit Berosus cognominum ac proprii nominis Noe . . .’
F1r Annius, Johannes: ‘Comentaria super Vertunnianam Propertii.’ Incipit: ‘[A]perienda sunt cognomina et cause cognominum Iani qui et Noe . . . Quasi dicat ne mireris Properti tot formas in hoc simulacro impressas . . .’
F2r Propertius, [Sextus: Elegiae.] Prop. 4. 2.
G1r Annius, Johannes: ‘Pro comentariis Phylonis questionale prohemium.’ Incipit: ‘[Q]veritur de genealogia Saluatoris sit certa et manifesta . . .’
G2r Annius, Johannes: ‘Comentaria super Phylonis breuiarium de temporibus. Prefatio.’ Incipit: ‘[E]xponemvs antea librum primum Phylonis, deinde secundum . . .’
G3r Annius, Johannes: ‘Comentaria super Phylonis breuiarium de temporibus.’ Incipit: ‘Hec est igitur prima pars Philonis quam ipse in quinque partes diuidit . . .’
G3r Philo [pseudo-; Annius, Johannes]: ‘Breuiarium de temporibus.’ Incipit: ‘[A]b Adam usque ad diluuium fluxerunt anni mille sexcenti quinquaginta sex . . .’
H8v Annius, Johannes: ‘Comentaria super Xenophontem de equiuocis.’ Incipit: ‘[Q]vis fuerit iste Xenophon nondum compertum habeo . . . Lactantius primo diuinarum institutionum libro . . .’
H8v Xenophon [pseudo-; Annius, Johannes]: ‘De equiuocis.’ Incipit: ‘[S]aturni dicuntur familiarum nobilium regum qui urbes condiderunt senissimi . . .’
K1r Annius, Johannes: ‘Comentaria super Sempronium de diuisione et chorographia Italie. Prologus.’ Incipit: ‘[C]aius Sempronius uir inter Romanos illustris cuius meminit Dionisius Halicarnasseus . . .’
K1r Annius, Johannes: Comentaria super Sempronium de diuisione et chorographia Italie.’ Incipit: ‘Huic libro titulus scriptus his uerbis premittitur . . .’
K1r Sempronius, Gaius [pseudo-; Annius, Johannes]: ‘De diuisione et chorographia Italie.’ Incipit: ‘[V]niuersa Italia a iugis Alpium oritur et in Leucopetram, fretumque Siculum terminatur . . .’
L4r Annius, Johannes: ‘Comentaria super Fabium Pictorem de aureo seculo et de origine urbis Rome ac uocabulorum eius.’ Incipit: ‘[Q]uintus Fabius Pictor illustris familia Fabia et bonarum disciplinarum gloria, ut qui etiam a nobilissimis auctoribus in testimonium aduocetur . . . Quia ex his ferme pendent omnium antiquitates et origines . . .’
L4r Fabius Pictor, Quintus [pseudo-; Annius, Johannes]: ‘De aureo seculo et de origine urbis Rome ac uocabulorum eius.’ Incipit: ‘[I]talie imperium penes duos populos principes extitit . . .’
N3v Annius, Johannes: ‘Comentaria super duo fragmenta Itinerarii Antonini Pii.’ Incipit: ‘[A]ntoninus Pius Cesar Augustus, etiam pietatis laudem confirmauit . . . Plinius in iii Naturalis Historiæ capitulo vi asserit se in partitione Italiae nolle sequi Augusti ordinem . . .’
N3v Antoninus Pius [pseudo-; Annius, Johannes]: ‘Itinerarium.’ Incipit: ‘[D]iuus Augustus quamuis totum orbem recte diuiserit ubi ait, orbis totus diuiditur in partes tris . . .’
N8r Annius, Johannes: ‘Super Berosum prefatio.’ Incipit: ‘[B]erosus fuit patria Babillonicus et dignitate Caldeus . . .’
N8r Annius, Johannes: ‘Super . . . Berosum prohemium.’ Incipit: ‘[B]erosus in primo libro tradit quid antecessit primum diluuium . . .’
O1v Annius, Johannes: ‘Comentaria . . . super primum librum Berosi . . .’ Incipit: ‘[I]n hoc primo libro Berosus, ut supra exposuimus, agit de his que precesserunt inundationem terrarum . . . Facit Berosus auditores attentos dociles et beniuolos . . .’
O1v Berosus Babylonicus [pseudo- Annius, Johannes: Ad emendandos antiquitatum errores.] Incipit: ‘[A]nte aquarum cladem famosam qua uniuersus periit orbis . . .’ On pseudo-Berosus and the Giants: see W. E. Stephens, ‘ “De historia gigantum": Theological Anthropology before Rabelais', Traditio, 40 (1984), 43-89, at 70-89.
Y5v [Annius, Johannes]: ‘Prefatio super supplementa Manethonis ad Berosum.’ Incipit: ‘[M]anethon sacerdos Egyptius historicus ut Eusebius dicit de temporibus . . .’
Y5v [Annius, Johannes]: ‘Comentaria.’ Incipit: ‘Post Caldeos historicos sequuntur Egyptii scriptores . . .’
Y5v Manetho [pseudo-; Annius, Johannes]: ‘Supplementa Manethonis ad Berosum.’ Incipit: ‘[B]erosus inter Caldeos historicos probatior, deflorauit breuissimis annotationibus omnia Caldaica . . .’
Z8v Annius, Johannes: ‘Etrusca chronographia. Prefatio.’ Incipit: ‘[M]iror cur Latini suam chronographiam propriam a Iano principe et habitata prisca Italia sub aureo seculo . . .’
&1r Annius, Johannes: ‘Etrusca simul et Italica emendatissima chronographia.’ Incipit: ‘[O]mnis historia integra est et certissima reddit . . .’
&4r [First colophon.]
c1r Annius, Johannes: ‘Institutio de equiuocis prima.’ Incipit: ‘[A]ristoteles ubique docet aequiuoca nomina primum esse distinguenda . . .’
c4r Annius, Johannes: ‘Secunda institutio de definitione nominum Turrene, Volturrene, Etrurie et de forma ueteri eiusdem urbis.’ Incipit: ‘[U]bi iam origo quasi equiuoca Turrene, Volturne et Etrurie patuit . . .’
c4r Annius, Johannes: ‘Tertia institutio ubi sit tetrapolis Etruria.’ Incipit: ‘[Q]verentibus ubi sit tetrapolis Etruria . . .’
c7v Annius, Johannes: ‘Quarta institutio de excisis memoriis.’ Incipit: ‘[S]ex tabule memoratu digne excise marmoribus extant de antiquitate et rebus Etrurie . . .’
e3r Annius, Johannes: [Commentaria super Desiderium.] Incipit: ‘Diuiditur hoc transumptum ex decreto decitum(!) . . . Primum beneficium est restitutio lacus . . .’
e3v Desiderius [pseudo-; Annius, Johannes]: ‘Decretum Desiderii regis Italiae.’ Weiss, ‘Unknown Epigraphic Tract', 101-20.
f4r Annius, Johannes: ‘Ad consobrinum suum fratrem Thomam Annium . . . epistola responsiua'. ‘xl questiones.’ Incipit: ‘[Q]ueris innumera, dulcissime frater, de limitibus, gentibus et populis atque nominibus uetustissimis Thuscie . . .’
k1r [Annius, Johannes(?)]: ‘De primis temporibus et quatuor ac viginti regibus primis hispanie et eius antiquitate.’ Incipit: ‘Qui de temporibus emendatius scribunt, aiunt Deucalionem natum anno secundo Spheri Assyrie regis . . .’
k6r [Second colophon.]
Imprint
Imprint: Rome: Eucharius Silber, 10 July 1498, 3 Aug. 1498. Folio.
Remarks: Copies known with and without Papal privilege printed on b4v.
Collation
Collation: a8 b4 A–D6 E8 FG6 H I8 K L6 M N8 O–Y6 Z8 &4 c8 d–k6
Illustrations: Woodcut of Rome on M1v.
References
ISTC: ia00748000
GW: GW 2015;
Hain: HC *1130;
Goff: Goff A‑748;
BMC: BMC IV 118;
Proctor: Pr 3888;
Others: BSB‑Ink A‑541; CIBN A‑399; Sander 407; Sheppard 3075.
LCN: 14425155
Copies
Copy number: A-299(1)
Wanting the papal privilege on b4v.
Binding: Eighteenth-century gold-tooled calf; marbled pastedowns; the gold stamp of the Bodleian Library on both covers.
Size: 313 × 223 × 45 mm.
Size of leaf: 305 × 209 mm.
Marginal annotations, and some underlining in red. On k6v five distichs in brown ink, having the following incipits: ‘Si capuer . . . currit ventrem sibi . . . urpro . . . volabit' (one distich); ‘Parcite celestes nec sit mihi culpa fateri' (two distichs); ‘Nestoreos quisquis vitam producere in annos' (two distichs). On the verso of the front endleaf, a shelfmark, ‘C.II.V.6'.
Provenance: Cardinal Benedetto Lomellini (1517-1579); oval armorial stamp, lettered, on a2r. Bishop Bergonci; oval armorial stamp of a bishop, showing a tower with two turrets, a bird on each; for a similar device see Gelli 46 and pl. XIV no. 73, and Bragaglia 468. A pencil note on the endpaper suggests that it was once the property of Pius VI (Pope 1775-99), and that it was sold at the Meerman sale. Gerard Meerman (1722-1771); manuscript catalogue (MMW S 145 V, fol. 77r); acquired after 1756 (ex informatione Jos van Heel). Johan Meerman (1753-1815); sale, vol. III/2, p. 155, lot 861, purchased by Payne for fl. 33. Purchased by the Bodleian Library for £1. 1. 0 from Thomas Thorpe, Catalogue 1832, no. 100; see Library Bills (1829-32), no. 345 and Books Purchased (1832), 1.
Former Bodleian shelfmark: Auct. Q inf. 2.29.
SHELFMARK: Auct. Q sub fen. 2.28.
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