[Rarebooks] FS: Two by Iamblichus, 1570 and 1813

[Michael John Thompson]

Two works by Iamblichus, 1570 and 1813

We can offer:


IAMBLICHUS. DE MYSTERIIS ÆGYPTIORUM, CHALDÆORUM, 
ASSYRIORUM... PROCLUS: in Platonicum Alcibiadem 
de anima, atque dæmone.Idem De sacrificio & 
magia. PORPHYRIUS: De diuinis atq; dæmonib. 
PSELLUS: De dæmonibus. MERCURII. Trismegisti 
Pimander. Eiusdem Asclepius. Lugduni [Lyon]: apvd 
Ioan. Tornaesivm [Jean de Tournes] 1570. Early 
Printing. Early edition. Small octavo, 12.2 cm 
tall, 543, [1] p. Signatures a-z8, A-L8, complete 
as issued. Translated into Latin from the 
original Greek by Marsilius Ficinus. Printer's 
device with motto "Quod tibi fieri non vis. 
Alteri ne feceris" on title page / Circular 
woodcut vignette with motto "Nescit labi virtus" 
on verso of leaf L8. Woodcut initial letters 
throughout. Nicely bound in early 19th Century 
calf, rebacked (perhaps in the early 20th 
Century), the spine with raised bands and titled 
and nicely decorated gilt in compartments. Likely 
a bit trimmed, but with no loss to the text. 
Short closed tear to lower margin of leaf a3, 
small inkstain on leaf o8, short tear lower 
margin of L8 (final leaf). Underlining in a very 
old ink hand throughout the text. Overall a very 
good copy, clean & pleasing. Caillet 5491, with 
the notation “Edition Fort Rare”.

¶ Marsilio Ficino’s edition of these important 
neo-Platonic texts. First published in 1497 by 
Aldus Manutius, a second Aldine edition was 
issued in 1516. There are several 16th Century 
editions, of which ours appears to be the second 
edition issued by Jean de Tournes, the earlier 
edition being 1549. A seminal work on occult and 
magical philosophy. Included in this work are THE 
DIVINE PYMANDER of Hermes Trismegestus; 
Iamblichus ON THE EGYPTIAN MYSTERIES, Michael 
Psellus’ works on Demonology, Proclus’ works on 
Magic and Sacrifice, Porphyry’s works on Magic & 
Demonology, etc, etc.                $1,250.00

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IAMBLICHUS. KIESSLING, M. Theophilus [Editor]. 
IAMBLICHU CHALKIDEOS LOGOS PROTREPTIKOS EIS 
PHILOSOPHIAN / IAMBLICHI CHALCIDENSIS EX 
COELE-SYRIA: ADHORTATIO AD PHILOSOPHORIAM. 
Lipsiae (Leipzig): F.C.G. Vogelii 1813 First 
Edition. First Edition. Octavo, finely rebound in 
quarter mottled calf over the original paste 
paper boards, the spine with raised bands and 
decorations within the compartments, gilt tooled 
title label, all done in period style by The 
Byzantium Bindery. xvi, 388pp, [4] pp publisher's 
catalogue at rear. Facing Greek and Latin texts 
with commentary. Old number in ink on title leaf; 
a nearly fine copy in a pleasing binding.

¶ Iamblichus (ca. 245 - ca. 325,) was known as a 
magician and a Neoplatonist philosopher. He 
studied under Porphyry, a pupil of Plotinus, the 
founder of Neoplatonism. It was with Porphyry 
that Iamblichus had a falling-out over his ideas 
on the practice of Thuergy, or what we would 
today call Ceremonial Magic; in his book 'De 
Mysteriis Aegyptiorum' he makes his defense and 
explanation of his theories of Thuergy and Magic. 
In his 'Exhortation to Philosophy' a compelling, 
didactic work, we find elements of a subtle 
Hellenistic program of evangelization aimed at 
winning souls over to the cause of Philosophy. 
The result is an elegant compendium of 
Pythagorean and Platonic dogmas, which together 
provide the basis for a set of practical and 
moral instructions that purport to purify the 
soul / intellect and prepare it for the divine 
and theoretical sciences, which alone form the 
medium for the soul's unification with the 
highest Good at the summit of Being. It was 
commonplace in Iamblichus' day for ecclesiastics 
to compose large, scathing pedagogical works, 
which execrated and condemned the pagan tradition 
he loved, so Iamblichus promptly followed suit 
with his 'Exhortation'; although wisely without 
making an overt assault upon the Christian faith. 
The 'Exhortation' is animated with the 
impassioned convictions of a visionary, a sage, 
and philosophic doctrinaire, whose magnanimity 
and concern for the individual soul is utterly 
noble and unselfish. (Excerpted from a review of 
the Phanes Press edition).           $1,500.00

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With thanks for looking


/mjt



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