Oraffi, Pietro Marcellino. fl. 1611-1659.

Germanico Cesare Per istruttione d’un Ottimo Principe sop[r]a li 2. primi libri di C. Tacito Opera Politica distinta in quattro libri.

[Modena, 1647].

4to (200 x 146 mm.). MANUSCRIPT. Later foliation: [i], 30, [1 blank] leaves. In a single cursive hand in brown ink, two columns — wider for Italian text and narrower for Latin quotations.

CONTEMPORARY RICHLY GILT VELLUM over flexible boards (lightly soiled, gilt slightly damaged in two places), three outer frames of dotted and geometric rolls, blooms in the corners, inner frame of repeated foliage and flower volutes, inner corner fans made up of tear-shaped tools, main field with flames, bells and blooms, bouquets in vases and bells encircling the central oval medallion — the front panel’s empty and the rear’s with an incomplete armorial sketch, spine with geometric and dot rolls, eight pink silk ties with white borders, all edges gilt.

            UNPUBLISHED MIRROR OF PRINCES FOR CARDINAL RINALDO D’ESTE (1618-72) by his court theologian, who composed it at the beginning of the cardinal’s rule over the Duchy of Modena.
            Oraffi’s humanistic portrait of the ideal prince takes general Julius Caesar Germanicus (15 B.C.E.-19 C.E.) as its model. The Roman archetype of the young military hero, Germanicus famously avenged the Roman defeat at Teutoburg Forest (9 C.E.) and led successful campaigns across Central Europe and the Middle East before dying at thirty-three.
            Oraffi traces Germanicus’ biography, inserting Latin quotations from i.a., Tacitus, Vegetius, Seneca, Pliny the Younger, Cicero, Livy and Lucan to complement the Italian text. MACHIAVELLI’S POLITICAL PRAGMATISM INFORMS MANY OF ORAFFI’S RECOMMENDATIONS, which include deception and bribery.
            Though the title touts Germanico Cesare in four parts, only Book One was likely completed. The two other surviving manuscript copies, both in BnF ms. italien 132, are identical to ours. In good condition (upper blank margins with a narrow pale water stain).
¶See Gualdo’s Scena d’huomini illustri d’Italia (Oraffi).

Item #06992

Price: $24,500.00

Status: On Hold