HOMERUS (fl. c. 8th century B.C.). Ilias. Translated by Laurentius Valla (c.1407–1457). Brescia: Baptista Farfengus, for Franciscus Laurinus, 6 September 1497.

Early edition of Homer’s Iliad, in a contemporary Dutch binding from Sint-Truiden Abbey. A large copy. The eminent humanist and Renaissance scholar Lorenzo Valla translated many works out of Greek for the court of Alfonso V of Aragon including the present Latin prose edition of the Iliad, widening the dissemination of Homer across Renaissance Europe. This copy’s early annotations in both Latin and Greek show scholarly engagement. Its manuscript endleaves are from an unidentified Latin text, possibly a uroscopy or larger medical text. H 8775*; Bod-inc H-142; BMC VII 986; BSB-Ink H-320; CIBN H-177; GW 12898; Goff H-312; ISTC ih00312000.

Median folio (322 × 216mm). 88 leaves (of 90, lacking 2 preliminary leaves). Contemporary manuscript initials (first and last leaves lightly soiled, few small stains, small wormholes in final quire). Contemporary Netherlandish calf over paper boards attributed to Sint-Truiden Abbey, Limburg, panel design tooled in blind, Greek and Latin manuscript titling in blind on covers, spine lettered in gold, remains of four ties, manuscript endleaves from a Latin ?uroscopy (upper board detached, cracks, few small wormholes). Provenance: contemporary annotations in Latin and Greek in one hand throughout – Howard Lehman Goodhart (1884–1952; label; gifted to his daughter:) – [Phyllis Goodhart Gordan (1913–1994; leather label)]; by descent.