PLINE LE JEUNE

First edition of these two works, illustrated with a frontispiece by Jongmann, and a title vignette for the first, and a title vignette for the second. Title pages in red and black.
Copy with the large arms of the city of Amsterdam stamped on the boards.
Dutch binding in full rigid gilt vellum. Spine with raised bands decorated with the arms of the city of Amsterdam. Boards stamped in the center with the arms of the city of Amsterdam, a first decorative border with the arms of the city of Amsterdam in the corners, a second wider decorative border. Traces of ties. Gilding slightly faded on the large arms of the boards. Spine yellowed. Despite the mentioned defects, a very handsome...

First edition of this translation by Pilet de Ménardière. A title vignette featuring the emperor's effigy (repeated after the preface).
Contemporary full vellum binding. Smooth spine with faded red ink title. Visible stitching.
This panegyric, as announced on the first page of text, was delivered by Pliny the Younger before the Senate, in the emperor's presence, when Pliny was Consul. In fact, the speech delivered by Pliny was much shorter than this one and it was written to thank the emperor for choosing him as consul; it was only later that Pliny reworked his text by expanding it historically and gave it this title. Some believe that Trajan and Pliny were close from the time of...