Opus tragoediarum aptissimisque figuris excultum. In quo tria millia errata atque inversa loca exemplorum depravatione & librariorum incuria diligentissime ad veterem lectionem nunc primum reformata. Cum expositoribus luculentissimis Bernardino Marmita & Daniele Gaietano

Very rare post-incunabula edition of Seneca's tragedies, illustrated with 10 woodcut figures in-text (6.5 x 8 cm), at the head of each of the ten tragedies. Numerous initials in black or criblé. Text of the tragedy in a central column with commentaries distributed around it, in Roman type. Title within a large engraved floral border. The editio princeps of Seneca's tragedies is considered to be that of 1484 in Ferrara (Andreas Gallicum).
Colophon: "Impressum Venetiis per Bernardinum de Vianis de Lexona Vercellensem. Anno Domini M.D.XXII, die VI Novembris."

Contemporary full vellum binding, with a raised-band spine remade in old vellum (18th or early 19th century). Manuscript title in black ink. Lacking the endpaper before the first title leaf. Front board detached from the visible sewing. Last leaves frayed at right margin. Lack to edge on lower board. A copy of fine freshness, except for the title leaf, slightly faded.

Edition prepared by Girolamo Avanzi who brought together his own commentaries on Seneca's Tragedies (which initially appeared in 1507 in Venice), and those of Daniel Galetanus and Bernardino Marmitae from the 1498 edition of the same Tragedies of Seneca. This professor of philosophy and philology worked in Padua, he prepared several editions of ancient texts, notably Catullus, Ausonius... He was Aldus Manutius's assistant in preparing editions of several ancient texts.

Ten tragedies by the author have come down to us, two of which pose problems regarding their attribution, Octavia and Hercules Oetaeus. The Trojan Women is an adaptation of Euripides' Troades. Seneca's theater contains no scenic dramaturgy or intrigue, it is a theater where, as in Euripides - to whom the author is very close -, the word is sovereign and commands the tragic outcome. The plays thus appear as a succession of declamations where action is absent, Seneca concentrating his writing on the internal tragedy of his characters after the irremediable act that precipitated them into madness, thus Medea after her crimes, or Hercules after his infanticide. The influence of this writing would be great at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th century, notably in Garnier.