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Lactantius, Lucius Caecilius Firmianus (c. 250 – c. 325) De Mortibus Persecutorum [Of the Deaths of the Persecutors] [1692 Utrecht Variorum] [Kevin Guinagh’s Annotated Copy] This is the definitive 1692 Utrecht Variorum edition of Lactantius—the most scholarly and complete printing of its era—presented here in its ideal 17th-century state.
$1,250.00
It includes the seminal historical commentary of French scholar Stephanus Baluzius (Étienne Baluze). This specific copy serves as a remarkable ‘working laboratory’ of classical study, formerly belonging to the noted Latinist and translator Kevin Guinagh (author of Latin Literature in Translation and numerous other works on the classics). This copy preserves roughly two dozen pages of Kevin Guinagh’s working marginalia, where a modern Latinist actively engages the text—translating, correcting, and comparing passages across editions.
KEY FEATURES
+++ Visuals: Illustrated with an elaborate copperplate engraved frontispiece and a suite of high-contrast plates by the renowned Dutch engraver Gilliam van der Gouwen, depicting scenes of martyrdom and Roman judgment; with woodcut printer’s devices, including the Halman ‘Virescit Vulnere Virtus’ device.
+++ Scholarship: Includes the ‘Stephani Baluzii Miscellaneorum Liber Secundus,’ featuring the critical notes of Étienne Baluze that established this edition as the academic standard.
+++ Design: Features two distinct title pages with woodcut printer’s devices, including the Halman ‘Virescit Vulnere Virtus’ (Virtue flourishes from a wound) device.
+++ Binding: Original or very early full vellum; spine features two distinct black leather title labels (‘LACTANTII DE MORT. PERS.’ and ‘TRAJ: AD RHEN: 1692’) with bright gilt-stamping and decorative borders. Top edge stained reddish-brown.
+++ Specs: Octavo (8vo) confirmed by vertical chain lines and ‘A’ signature marks. 8.5 inches tall. Collation: [464 pp + 64 pp index].
+++ Provenance: From the library of Kevin Guinagh, with his personal ‘Quantum est quod nescimus’ bookplate and 20–25 pages of modern English scholarly marginalia in his hand. Includes a dealer sticker from Galloway & Porter (Cambridge).
CONDITION
+++ The Binding: Original or very early full vellum with two distinct black leather title labels; gilt-stamping remains bright. The vellum exhibits characteristic age-toning and mild splotching with minor bowing to the boards. Hinges and joints remain stiff and stable, square, and firm. The top edge staining remains dark and effective.
+++ Internal Text: Pages are complete, consecutive, and mostly bright. Occasional light foxing is present throughout, including a localized spot at page 161/162.
+++ Paper Anomalies: Three pages exhibit heavy period-toning consistent with 17th-century paper manufacturing flaws, likely due to a specific batch of paper with higher acidic content or a flaw in the mill slurry.
+++ The Plates: Dark, crisp impressions. The ‘Heads’ plate has a small closed tear at the foot of the gutter attachment (not affecting the image). Ghosting from plates is present on opposite pages, as typical for the era.
SCHOLARLY FEATURES
+++ Historical Context: Lactantius, often called the ‘Christian Cicero’ for his elegant Latin style, provides the essential first-hand account of the persecutions under Diocletian and the subsequent triumph of Constantine.
+++ Marginalia Analysis: A true ‘Scholar’s Dialogue,’ featuring Kevin Guinagh’s analytical pencil notes. These annotations cover historical debates such as ‘Peter in Rome’ and detailed comparisons of linguistic deviations between historical versions, marking this as a vital document of 20th-century classical translation.
+++ Artistic Merit: The engravings by van der Gouwen provide a visceral visual companion to the text, representing the high-water mark of Dutch Golden Age book illustration.
+++ Provenance Chain: Documentation of a complete scholarly lineage, including the personal ‘Quantum est quod nescimus’ bookplate of Latinist Kevin Guinagh, a dealer sticker from Galloway & Porter (Cambridge), and a previous bookseller’s typed summary.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Lactantius serves as the primary bridge between the classical Roman world and the emergence of Christian historiography. His work sought to demonstrate the ‘divine vengeance’ that befell the emperors who persecuted Christians, written with a Ciceronian polish that made him a favorite of Renaissance humanists and Enlightenment scholars alike.
The 1692 Utrecht edition is the ‘Variorum’ par excellence, representing the peak of 17th-century Dutch scholarship. By incorporating the notes of Étienne Baluze—the ‘Historiographer to the King’ and a giant of French historical criticism—this edition transformed a theological text into a rigorous historical specimen.
As an Association Copy, this volume links the 17th-century European academy with modern American classical scholarship. Kevin Guinagh, a prolific Latinist, used this copy as a working tool. His marginalia transforms the book from a static artifact into a living record of how classical texts are interpreted and translated across centuries.
SUBJECTS: Early Christian History, Roman Persecution, Latin Literature, 17th-Century Printing, Classical Scholarship, Kevin Guinagh, Variorum Edition, Illustrated Book, Association Copy, Annotated, History of Scholarship.
BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: Dibdin, Introduction to the Classics; Graesse IV, 66.
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