Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome Part 74

Georges Vicaire describes editions Nos. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14, 15.

Theodor Drexel (Georg) describes editions Nos. 1, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15.

Elizabeth R. Pennell describes editions Nos. 1, 3, 9.

Bernhold describes editions Nos. 2, 10, 11, 12.

Fabricius describes edition No. 2.

Baron Pichon describes editions Nos. 3, 21.

In the author's collection are editions Nos. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 27, 28, 29.

DESCRIPTION OF PRINTED EDITIONS

These summaries and descriptions of the known ma.n.u.script books and printed editions of Apicius are presented with a desire to afford the students a survey of the field treated in this volume, to ill.u.s.trate the interest that has existed throughout the past centuries in our ancient book.

Copies of any Apicius edition and commentaries are scarce; famous collectors pride themselves in owning one or several of them. Of the well-known collections of cookery books the most outstanding perhaps is that of Theodor Drexel, of Frankfurt on the Main, who owned nine different editions of Apicius. The Drexel catalogue forms the basis of a bibliography--Verzeichnis der Litteratur uber Speise und Trank bis zum Jahre 1887, bearbeitet von Carl Georg, Hannover, 1888, describing some 1700 works.

The Drexel collection, combined with that of Dr. Freund, is now in the Staatsbibliothek in Berlin and is undoubtedly the finest collection of its kind.

Another famous collection of cookery books is described in My Cookery Books, by Elizabeth Robins Pennell, Boston, 1903, listing three of the Apicii.

The Pennell collection was destroyed by a flood in London while being stored away in a warehouse during the world war.

The most important bibliography, well-known to bibliophiles, is the Bibliographie gastronomique par Georges Vicaire, Paris, 1890. Vicaire mentions eleven Apicius editions.

The Baron Pichon and the Georges Vicaire collections are both dispersed.

Despite ardent efforts over a period of many years the writer has been unable to secure either an Apicius ma.n.u.script or the editions No. 1 and 2. The existence of No. 2 on our list is doubtful. Therefore, we do not pretend having inspected or read each and every edition described herein, but by combining the efforts of the authorities here cited we have gathered the following t.i.tles and descriptions in order to present a complete survey of the Apician literature.

NO. 1 CA. A.D. 1483, VENICE

APITII CELII DE RE COQUINARIA LIBRI DECEM || SUETONIUS TRAQUILLUS DE CLARIS GRAMATICIS. || SUETONIUS TRAQUILLUS DE CLARIS RHETORIBUS || COQUINARIae CAPITA GRaeCA AB APITIO POSITA HaeC SUNT || EPIMELES, (_Etc. In fine_) IMPRESSUM VENETIIS PER BERNARDINUM VENETUM.

No date, but attributed to ca. 1483-6. Given as the earliest edition by most authorities. 4to, old vellum, 30 sheets, the pages not numbered. Georg-Drexel, No. 13; Pennell, p. 111; Vicaire, col. 29.

NO. 2, MILAN, A.D. 1490

APICIUS CULINARIS (_sic_) (CURA BLASII LANCILOTI _In fine_) IMPRESSUM MEDIOLANI PER MAGISTRUM GUILIERUM DE SIGNERRE ROTHOMAGENSEM. ANNO DOMINI M CCCC Lx.x.xX DIE VIII MENSIS JANUARII.

Large 8vo. Edition disputed by bibliographers.

Ex Bernhold, _praefatio_, p. IX, who (we are translating from his Latin text) says, "Here is the exterior of the book as extant in the Nuremberg library, most accurately and neatly described by the very famous and most worthy physician of that ill.u.s.trious republic, Dr.

Preus, a friend of mine for thirty years; whose integrity, of course, is above reproach; these are his own words--The book is made in the size called large octavo. It must be mentioned that the sheets are indeed large, so that the size might be styled an ordinary quarto.

Fabricius, in his Bibliotheca, the newest edition, quotes a copy under this name. The entire book consists of five parts [sheets, folded into eight leaves--sixteen printed pages--st.i.tched together] and two leaves. These five parts contain the text proper; these two sheets preceding them, are occupied by the t.i.tle page, the dedication and a kind of poetic address. The text itself commences with p. 5, I should say, though there is no regular pagination. However, there are nevertheless in the lower ends of the leaves, called the limp parts, some conspicuous letters on the first four leaves of the sheets, while the remaining four leaves though belonging to the respective parts, are blank. For instance aI., aII., aIII., aIIII. Then follows the next sheet or part, signed, bI., II., III., IIII. in the same manner, with the four following leaves blank. And thus in the same manner follows sheet c, d, e. The two leaves preceding the five parts which comprise the text proper, contain the t.i.tle of the book, Apicius Culinaris [_sic_] nowhere, to be sure, appears a note of the place or the date where and when the book was made, and on this whole first page, aside from the words already noted, there is nothing else in evidence than the picture of an angel, in the center of which there is the sign, IHS, and around the circle the following words are read, 'Joannes de Lagniano M.' At the feet of the angel s.p.a.ces may be seen that are inscribed with the letters, I.O.L. The next page, or the verso of the t.i.tle page, exhibits the dedication of Blasius Lancilotus, extending to the upper part of the third page. On this very same page occurs the poem by Ludovicus Vopiscus, addressed to Joannes Antonius Riscius, comprising five very beautiful distichs. The remaining part of the third page is finished off with the word, 'Finis,' while the fourth page is entirely blank. The text of Apicius commences with the fifth, as mentioned above, and from now on the leaves are numbered by letters, as previously described. At the end of the text, on the last page of the book, a poem is conspicuous, ent.i.tled, 'Antonius Mota to the Public,' consisting of four neat distichs, followed by another composition, containing five distichs by Joannes Salandus. And conclusion of the entire work is made with these words, 'Printed at Milan by Master Guiliermus de Signerre Rothomagensis, in the year of the Lord 1490, on the 8th day of the month of January.'

"From this edition, the oldest as well as the rarest--with no other known earlier edition--all the variants given herewith have been collected by Goezius." Thus far Bernhold.

The existence of this edition is doubted by Brunet, according to Vicaire. This ancient description corresponds substantially to that of Vicaire of the following edition of 1498 which Vicaire proclaims to be the first dated Apicius edition. It is interesting to note, however, what Bernhold has to say of this 1498 edition.

"Without a doubt a repet.i.tion of the preceding edition," says he; and he goes on quoting the Bibliotheca Latina Fabricio-Ernestina (Jo.

Alberti Fabricii Bibliothec. Latin. edit ab Ernesti 1708) to the effect that two editions were printed at Milan, one of 1490 by Blasius Lancilotus and one of 1498 by Guiliermus de Signerre Rothomagensis.

Our inquiry at the Munic.i.p.al library of Nurnberg has revealed the fact that this copy of 1490 is no longer in the possession of the library there.

NO. 3, A.D. 1498, MILAN

APICIUS CULINARIUS (_in fine_) IMPRESSUM MEDIOLANI PER MAGISTRUM GUILERUM SIGNERRE ROTHOMAGENSEM, ANNO DNI MCCCCLx.x.xXVIII, DIE XX, MENSIS IANUARII.

(Ex Pennell, p. 111) First dated edition, 4to, 40 sheets, pages not numbered.

{Ill.u.s.tration: COLOPHON, MILAN EDITION, 1498

From the Lancilotus edition of Apicius, printed by Signerre, Milan, 1498, the first dated edition. The poems by Mota and Salandus are identical with the colophon of the 1503 Venice edition.

Note the date of this colophon and observe how easily it can be read for "the 8th day of January, 1490" which date is attributed to our Apiciana No. 2. This edition, as is noted, is doubtful, although several bibliographers speak about it.}

{Transcription:

Antonius mota Ad vulgus.

Plaudite sartores: caetari: plaudite ventres Plaudite mystili tecta per vncta coqui Pila sit albanis quaecunq; ornata lagaenis Pingue suum copo limen obesus amet Occupat insubres altissimus ille nepotum Gurges & vndantes auget & vrget aquas Millia s.e.x ventri qui fixit Apicius alto Inde timens: sumpsit dira venena: famem.

Ioannes salandus lectori.

Accipe quisquis amas irritamenta palati: Precepta: & leges: oxigarumq; nouum: Condiderat caput: & stygias penitrauerat vndas Celius: in lucem nec rediturus erat: Nunc teritur dextra versatus Apicius omni Vrbem habet: & tectum qui perigrinus erat: Acceptum motte nostro debebis: & ipsi Immortalis erit gratia: laus & honor: Per quem non licuit celebri caruisse nepote: Per quem dehinc fugiet lingua latina situm.

Impressum Mediolani per magistrum Guilermum Signerre Rothomagensem Anno dni. Mcccclx.x.xx viii.die.xx.mensis Ianuarii.}

This copy has on the fly leaf the book plate of "Georgius Klotz, M.D.

Francofurti ad Mnum" and the autograph of John S. Blackie, 1862.

Bernhold, p. XI. Not in Georg-Drexel. Vicaire, 28; he reads Appicius [_sic_] Culinarius. Pennell and Vicaire read Guilerum, Bernhold Guilierum.

Vicaire's description of this edition tallies with that of Bernhold's and his collaborator's account of the preceding edition. There are certain copies of this edition, bearing the following t.i.tles, Apicius de re coquinaria and Apicivs in re qvoqvinaria. Cf. Vicaire, 28-29.

NOTES TO NOS. 1, 2, AND 3

GESAMTKATALOG DER WIEGENDRUCKE, Leipzig, 1926, II, p. 510, places as the first printed edition Apicius in re quoquinaria [_sic_] printed by William de Signerre at Milan, on the 20th day of January, 1498. The second place is given APICIUS DE RE COQUINARIA printed by Bernardinus de Vitalibus at Venice, no date, circa 1500 (our No. 1). This cla.s.sification follows that of Brunet in 1840. Neither the Gesamtkatalog nor Brunet make any mention whatsoever of the doubtful 1490 Milan edition (our No. 2).

Vicaire, col. 33, mentioning this edition citing Bernhold, quotes Brunet as doubting the existence of this 1490 edition, but we fail to notice this expression of doubt since our Brunet is altogether silent on the subject, same as the other bibliographers.