1574 - The Demogorgon
Giovanni Boccaccio (Tuscany, 1313-1375) is recognized as one of the great writers and poets of all time. He is especially remembered today, of course, for The Decameron. But Boccaccio was also deeply influenced by Neoplatonism and the project of reconciling Platonic philosophy with Christianity.
The Genealogia Deorum Gentilium represents Boccaccio’s monumental effort to synthesize and systematize the vast body of classical mythology. It played a crucial role in preserving and transmitting knowledge of classical mythology during the Renaissance and beyond. More interesting, perhaps, is the pride of place that Boccaccio gives to the Demogorgon, the progenitor of all the gods, who lurks in darkness and gloom and who is so horrible that his name cannot even be uttered. It is from Boccaccio’s descriptions that the Demogorgon became an important figure in literature, as, for instance, in Spencer’s The Faerie Queene, Milton’s Paradise Lost, Shelley’s Prometheus Bound, Melville’s Moby Dick, and most recently, Stranger Things. This is a chance to own an excellently preserved, 16th century book in which the Demogorgon legend began in earnest.
1574. Giovanni Boccaccio; Gioseppe Betussi, trans. LA GENEOLOGIA DE GLI DEI DE GENTILI [On the Genealogy of the Gods of the Gentiles]. Venice: Appresso Giouan. Antonio Bertano. Later quarter vellum over paper boards. 4to; *8 A-2I8 2K8 (lacking final blank? leaf); ff. [8] 263. Italic type with Roman; text in Italian. With woodcut device on title page, woodcut initials, and ornaments. Edit16 6362; USTC 814876. 7 7/8 x 6 in. Boards with edgewear, scuffs, faint writing, and staining, corners bumped, slight loss to tail of spine; title page with small stains, pages lightly toned with scattered foxing, minor edgewear to several pages and minor cracking at hinges, occasional small stain or damp stain with residue on 03-O5 and X8; an excellent and extremely clean and crisp copy of this significant work.
Giovanni Boccaccio (Tuscany, 1313-1375) is recognized as one of the great writers and poets of all time. He is especially remembered today, of course, for The Decameron. But Boccaccio was also deeply influenced by Neoplatonism and the project of reconciling Platonic philosophy with Christianity.
The Genealogia Deorum Gentilium represents Boccaccio’s monumental effort to synthesize and systematize the vast body of classical mythology. It played a crucial role in preserving and transmitting knowledge of classical mythology during the Renaissance and beyond. More interesting, perhaps, is the pride of place that Boccaccio gives to the Demogorgon, the progenitor of all the gods, who lurks in darkness and gloom and who is so horrible that his name cannot even be uttered. It is from Boccaccio’s descriptions that the Demogorgon became an important figure in literature, as, for instance, in Spencer’s The Faerie Queene, Milton’s Paradise Lost, Shelley’s Prometheus Bound, Melville’s Moby Dick, and most recently, Stranger Things. This is a chance to own an excellently preserved, 16th century book in which the Demogorgon legend began in earnest.
1574. Giovanni Boccaccio; Gioseppe Betussi, trans. LA GENEOLOGIA DE GLI DEI DE GENTILI [On the Genealogy of the Gods of the Gentiles]. Venice: Appresso Giouan. Antonio Bertano. Later quarter vellum over paper boards. 4to; *8 A-2I8 2K8 (lacking final blank? leaf); ff. [8] 263. Italic type with Roman; text in Italian. With woodcut device on title page, woodcut initials, and ornaments. Edit16 6362; USTC 814876. 7 7/8 x 6 in. Boards with edgewear, scuffs, faint writing, and staining, corners bumped, slight loss to tail of spine; title page with small stains, pages lightly toned with scattered foxing, minor edgewear to several pages and minor cracking at hinges, occasional small stain or damp stain with residue on 03-O5 and X8; an excellent and extremely clean and crisp copy of this significant work.
Giovanni Boccaccio (Tuscany, 1313-1375) is recognized as one of the great writers and poets of all time. He is especially remembered today, of course, for The Decameron. But Boccaccio was also deeply influenced by Neoplatonism and the project of reconciling Platonic philosophy with Christianity.
The Genealogia Deorum Gentilium represents Boccaccio’s monumental effort to synthesize and systematize the vast body of classical mythology. It played a crucial role in preserving and transmitting knowledge of classical mythology during the Renaissance and beyond. More interesting, perhaps, is the pride of place that Boccaccio gives to the Demogorgon, the progenitor of all the gods, who lurks in darkness and gloom and who is so horrible that his name cannot even be uttered. It is from Boccaccio’s descriptions that the Demogorgon became an important figure in literature, as, for instance, in Spencer’s The Faerie Queene, Milton’s Paradise Lost, Shelley’s Prometheus Bound, Melville’s Moby Dick, and most recently, Stranger Things. This is a chance to own an excellently preserved, 16th century book in which the Demogorgon legend began in earnest.
1574. Giovanni Boccaccio; Gioseppe Betussi, trans. LA GENEOLOGIA DE GLI DEI DE GENTILI [On the Genealogy of the Gods of the Gentiles]. Venice: Appresso Giouan. Antonio Bertano. Later quarter vellum over paper boards. 4to; *8 A-2I8 2K8 (lacking final blank? leaf); ff. [8] 263. Italic type with Roman; text in Italian. With woodcut device on title page, woodcut initials, and ornaments. Edit16 6362; USTC 814876. 7 7/8 x 6 in. Boards with edgewear, scuffs, faint writing, and staining, corners bumped, slight loss to tail of spine; title page with small stains, pages lightly toned with scattered foxing, minor edgewear to several pages and minor cracking at hinges, occasional small stain or damp stain with residue on 03-O5 and X8; an excellent and extremely clean and crisp copy of this significant work.