PLATO. Les Oeuvres des Platon Traduites en François avec des remarques... Paris: Jean Anisson, 1699. 12mos. [68], 548; [2], 614, [1] pp. 2 volumes. With an extensive introduction and biography of Plato. Contemporary full calf, spines tooled and lettered in gilt in compartments, five raised bands, edges sprinkled red. FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST FRENCH ATTEMPT AT A COLLECTED EDITION OF PLATO.
Condition
Bindings worn, scuffed, ownership markings on both fps. ("Comte Frobenius de Furstemberg"), offsetting to endleaves, some occasional soiling, foxing in text. Very good.
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First edition of an important translation by André Dacier. This is the first attempt at a collected edition in French, though it includes only 10 dialogues. The first full French translation didn't appear until the 19th century (Victor Cousin, 1822-1840). The following works of Plato had not been translated into French before: Alcibiades II, Euthyphro, Laches, Protagoras, Les Rivaux. Though many libraries have various editions of the Dacier Plato, this first edition is rare; OCLC lists only 5 copies (Cornell, NYPL, Oklahoma, Cambridge, and the University of London).