Declamatio Lepidissima Ebriosi Scortatoris Aleatoris de uitiositate Disceptantium

Bologna: Benedicto Hectoris, 1499. Hardcover. Green and blue marbled boards, green calf spine. Near fine. 4to; 20 x 10 cm. The Initial spaces with printed guide letters; large Lombard intials supplied in red, printed in marginalia. Printer's device and register on final leaf. Imprint from colophon, which reads in full: Impressum Bononiae a Benedicto Hectoris Diligenter & eme[n]date Anno Salutis Milesimo undequingentesimo. Illus[trissimo] lo[hannes] Ben[tivolio] Reipu[blicae] Bononiensis ha benas feliciter modera[n]te./

Superb Incunable satire by noted Renaissance scholar Filippo Beroaldo (1453-1505), a leading humanist, against drunkeness, prostitution and gaming. Dedicated by the author to Siegmun Gossinger, Canon of Breslau, who had been asked whom he found to be more objectionable, a drunkard, gambler or libertine. The author confronts the issue in the form of a witty dispute, arising over a will which a father disinherits the most remorseless of his three sons, of whom one is a drunkard, the other a libertine, and the third a gambler. The prose is made up of the allegation of the drunkard against the two brothers, and their mutual rationalization against the drunkard, both of the parties quoting many classical and scriptural authorities in their favor. [GOFF B471] [POLAIN 618]. Housed in 20th century marbled board binding. Interior clean, boards lightly rubbed.