Auli Gellii Noctes Atticae
by Aulus Gellius
| Auli Gellii Noctes Atticae | |
 Title page from Auli Gellii Noctes Atticae, George Wythe Collection, Wolf Law Library, College of William & Mary. | |
| Author | Aulus Gellius |
| Editor | Joannes Fredericus Gronovius |
| Published | Amstelodami: Apud Ludovicum Elzevirium |
| Date | 1651 |
| Edition | Editio nova et prioribus omnibus docti hominis cura multo castigatior |
| Language | Latin |
| Pages | [48], 498, [126] |
| Desc. | 12mo (14 cm.) |
| Location | Shelf J-4 |
Aulus Gellius (c. 125–after 180 CE) was a Roman miscellanist -- one who collects or compiles writings on miscellaneous topics. The only information about him is from Attic Nights.[1] Gellius spent most of his life in Rome, though he spent a year in Athens for his education.[2] A judge of private cases, Gellius was more interested in ancient law than in modern practice.[3]
Throughout the centuries, Gellius has been seen as “an ancient litteratus with whom [people have] a community of interests.”[4] He collected material throughout the winter nights in Attica and later arranged it for the “amusement and instruction of his children."[5] In this compilation of Greek and Roman writing, Gellius “quotes and discusses portions of some two hundred and seventy-five ancient authors” including more than eighty passages from Cicero, sixty difficult sentences from Virgil, and choice information about Julius Caesar.[6] The thousands of passages contained in his work make Gellius a valuable source for much early Latin literature that is not extant.[7]
Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library
Listed in the Jefferson Inventory of Wythe's Library as "Auli Gellii noctes Atticae. p.f." and given by Thomas Jefferson to his grandson Thomas Jefferson Randolph. The precise edition owned by Wythe is unknown. George Wythe's Library[8] on LibraryThing indicates this, adding "Probably a portion of the work only." The Brown Bibliography[9] lists the quarto edition published in Leiden in 1706 based on the copy Jefferson sold to the Library of Congress.[10] Brown also mentions a second Jefferson copy—one in duodecimo, published in Amsterdam in 1651—sold by his grandson, Francis Eppes in 1873. This copy matches Jefferson's Wythe inventory designation of "p.f." (by which he always meant a size smaller than octavo) better than the quarto version sold to the Library of Congress. The Wolf Law Library purchased a copy of the 1651 Amsterdam edition.
Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy
Bound in quarter calf with marbled boards. Spines feature gilt bands and decoration and a black morocco label with gilt lettering. Includes the armorial bookplate of Charles Voiriot with the French motto "Libre et Brave" (Free and brave) on the front pastedown and an unsigned bookplate on the title page verso. Stamped on the front free endpaper with "Ch. Voiroit" written above and "Chambery" written below the stamp. Purchased from Liseronsblancs.
Images of the library's copy of this book are available on Flickr. View the record for this book in William & Mary's online catalog.
