Poetica astronomica. Ed: Jacobus Sentinus and Johannes Lucilius Santritter

125쪽

HYGINUS. Poetica astronomica. Edited by Jacobus Sentinus andand J. L. Santritier. J l4 October, l482.

There is more poetry than astronomy in this VPoetica astronomica ' a collection os stories and myths connected with the stars. The book is basedon the 'Κatasterismi of Eratosthenes, an Alexandrian scholar of the third century B.C. Eratosthenes was a librarian, and So was 'Hyginus. SuetoniUS in his Eminent Grammarians'' wrote this note about him: 'C. Iulius Hyginus, a ireedman of Augustus, was a natiVe of Spatia, although Some say he was born at Alexandria, and that when that city wasiahen, Caesar brought him, then a boy, to Rome. He clos ely imitated Cornelius AleXander, a Greeli grammarian, who ior his antiquarian knowledgewas called by many Polyhistor. He was in charge of the Palatine Library: this, however, did not prevent him irom giving instruction to many scholarS. He was one of the most intimate frien is of the poet Ovid, and of the historian Caius Licinus, who has related that Hyginus died very poor. VBesides the 'Poetica astronomica'' IHyginus wrole also a 'Fabularum liber, V containing some three hundred mythological legends and celestialgenealogieS. To RatdolUs edition of the 'Poetica astronomica'' are appended three pages of Latin verse by Jacobus Sentinus and Johannes Santritier. Thelaiter WaS a native of Hetthronia, and was Sometimes mentioned alter the Latiniged nam e of his city as 'de fonte salutis. V A mathematiciari an dastronomer, he helped Ratdolt in his publications. But Santritier was also a printer, and it seems that alter Ratdolt leti Venice he took his place as a publislier of mathematical bookS. The typographical qualities of this litile volume are rem arkable. The woodcut initials - or are they oi metal ῖ - are delightiui, and the illustrations