INSTITOUTA THEOPHILOU ANTIKENSOROS, Institutiones Theophilo...

1587. [Geneva]: Apud Guillelmum Laemarium, 1587. [Geneva]: Apud Guillelmum Laemarium, 1587. First Edition by Godefroy Justinian I [483-565 CE], Emperor of the East. Theophilus, Antecessor [6th-7th C. CE], Editor. Godefroy, Denis [1549-1622], Editor and Translator. INSTITOUTA THEOPHILOU ANTIKENSOROS. Institutiones Theophilo Antecessore, Graeco Interprete. Imper. Iustiniani Institutionum Libri IIII. Paratitla & Notae ad Eundem Theophilum Graecum, Latinumque Ipsis Institutionibus Latinis ek Parallelou Coniunctum Commissumque. Graeca Titulorum de Verborum Significatione, Et de Regulis Iuris Fragmenta Hinc & Inde Collecta. [Geneva]: Apud Guillelmum Laemarium, 1587. [viii], 308, 329, [7] pp. Final leaf blank. Main text in Greek with parallel Latin translation and side-notes. Octavo (10" x 6-1/2"). Especially attractive contemporary vellum, blind and black-stamped fillets, rules and corner fleurons to boards, black-stamped image of Lady Justice, "M M E T" and "1587" to center of front board, black-stamped image of Lucretia to center of rear board, blind fillets and early hand-lettered title to spine, edges rouged, early hand-lettered title to fore-edge of text block. Moderate soiling, spine darkened, corners and spine ends bumped and lightly worn, faint early manuscript annotations to front board, front joint cracked with some worming, front free endpaper lacking. Moderate toning to text, light soiling, later owner signatures and small faint owner stamp to title page. $1,950. * First edition by Godefroy, one of two issues from 1587. Compiled around 161 CE, the Institutes is an elementary treatise on Roman private law that served as a standard text for 300 years. After its rediscovery during the medieval era it became a staple of European legal education. Along with the Code, Novels and Digest, it is one of the four works known collectively as the Corpus Juris Civilis, a title coined by Godefroy. Theophilus's important Greek paraphrase of the Institutes was first issued in 533 CE and was the standard edition in the East. His phrasing and notes made it a valuable edition for Western jurists as well. Indeed, several passages in the Latin text of the Institutes are difficult to understand unless they are compared to Antecessor's version. Also published in Geneva in 1587 by Eusthatius Vignon, Godefroy's translation with commentary went through later editions in 1598, 1608 and.