(HISTORY; CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY; RARIORA) Gaius SALLUSTIUS CRISPUS (86 BC-34 BC) Crispi Sallustii De coniuratione Catilinae: Et bello Iugurtino cum duobus expostoribus Laurentio Valla: Et Io. Chrisostomo Brixiano fidelissime correcta. Addite sunt noñullae eiusdem orationes ex libris historiarum excerpte: cum invectivis in Ciceronem: & Ciceronis in Sallustium nuperrime omnia ex vetustissimis codicibus qua diligentissime castigata. Ex libris Petri Criniti de historicis ac orationibus latinis. (Colophon: Impressum Mediolani in Aed. Leonardi De Vegiis Anno Domini 1510, Die 8 Novembri) Large 4to (285 x 205); [2], 160 leaves, fascinating large woodcut vignette on first page, paperboards binding(probably later), some marginal annotations in an ancient hand. Fine copy on large and paper. Very rare edition. Two of the most famous of Sallust historical works, De coniuratione Catilinae, on the conspiracy of the year 63 BC, and the Bellum Iugurthinum, on the war fought against Jugurtha, King of Numidia (112-105 BC), probably written between 44 and 40 BC. The commentary of the Bello Iugurtino by the humanist Johannes Chrysostomus Soldus (Giangrisostomo Soldi, fl. c. 1450-1500) was first printed in 1495 and often republished. Soldus is described by early writers as a dominican friar, but this information has not been confirmed by any Dominican biographer. The existence of some namesake (a Cristoforo Soldi of Brescia, author of a Cronaca in mid-fifteenth century, a later Johannes Chrisostomus, Dominican theologian and some others Johannes Brixiensis) add to the confusion. The commentary was originally dedicated to the author’s brother, in order to help him in the teaching of Sallust’s work: “For this purpose, he sought to explain both the ideas and the subject matter and to clarify the grammar and word orde. Many passages offered an occasion to comment on Roman customs, institutions, history and rethoric, and to insert long digressions on virtues and vices” (Osmond & Ulery, p. 293). The commentary to the De coniuratione Catilinae is by the well-known humanist, rhetorician, educator and scholar Lorenzo Valla (c. 1407-1457). Ref: SCHWEIGER III, p. 869; GRAESSE, VI (I), p. 237; PATRICIA J. OSMOND, ROBERT. W. ULERY, JR. Sallustius Crispus, Gaius, In: Catalogus Translationum et Commentariorum vol VIII, 2003, pp. 183-326; CLEMENTINA MARSICO Valla, Lorenzo In: Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani