IMPORTANT BIBLICAL COMMENTARIES AND OTHER RELIGIOUS WORKS

EUCHERIUS LUGDUNIENSIS (OF LYON) + RADULPHUS FLAVIACENSIS [RODULFUS TORTARIUS - RAOUL OF TOURTIER]. [+ Commentaries by ERASMUS ROTERODAMUS].

[Eucherius:] Lucubrationes aliquot non minus piae quam eruditae, cura ac beneficio Ioannis Alexandri Brassicani iu- resulti recens editae, quarum haec est summa, : In Genesim Commentariorum Libri III; In Libros Regum Commentariorum Libri IIII; Formularum Spritalium Liber I...; Quaestiones in Vetus & Novum Testamentum; Nominum Hebraicorum ac aliorum...; Epistola Paraenetica ad Velerianum cognatum suum De conteptu mudi, Cum Scholiis D. Erasmi Roterodami. & [Radulphus:] In mysticum illum Moysi Leuiticum libri XX. post quingentos & amplius quaque scripti sunt annos, iam nunc primum publico donati. ...

Basel, Froben, 1531 + Coloniae, Petrus Quentell, 1536.

Folio. Bound together in a beautiful contemporary full calf binding over wooden boards. Blindstamped ornamental frames to boards. Five raised bands to spine. Remains of brass clasps to boards. Brass at corners of boards and brass strips to bottom edges of boards. A tear through the letter at the lower capital, no loss. Some scrathing of leather, mostly to back board and upper part of spine. The titles of the two works written in contemporary hand to the outer edge. The strong vellum cords, which go through the the wooden boards can be seen on the inside of the wooden boards, which also have some initials in red and blue paint, possibly from a painted leaf that has rubbed off? First title-page a bit dusty, otherwise very nice, clean, and crisp throughout.
[Eucherius:] Froben printer's device to title-page, to final leaf of the first part, to the half-title of the second part (Episcopi Commentariorum in libros Regum ad Veranium & Salonium) and to the last leaf of that part. Beautiful large woodcut initial at beginning of each new work. (8), 194, (2); 310, (2) pp.
[Radulphus:] Woodcut device to title-page. Numerous beautiful woodcut, allegorical initials, both large and smaller, throughout. (4 - title, dedications), (14 - index), (6), 314 pp.

First editions of both works, being the first edition of the works ["Several Studies"] of St. Eucharius, most of them printed for the first time here, as well as the first edition of Rodulfus Tortarius' (or Radulphus Flaviacensis) commentaries of Leviticus (the third of the Books of Moses), written in Latin, in 20 books.

Saint Eucherius, bishop of Lyon, (ca. 380 - ca. 449) was a high-born and high-ranking ecclesiastic in the Christian Church of Gaul. He is remembered for his letters advocating extreme self-abnegation. Henry Wace ranked him "except perhaps St. Irenaeus the most distinguished occupant of that see".

"St. Eucherius Bishop of Lyons, theologian, born in the latter half of the fourth century; died about 449. On the death of his wife he withdrew to the monastery of Lérins, where his sons, Veranius and Salonius, lived, and soon afterward to the neighbouring island of Lerona (now Sainte-Marguerite), where he devoted his time to study and mortification. Desirous of joining the anchorites in the deserts of the East, he consulted John Cassian, who, in reply, sent him some of his "Collationes", describing the daily lives of the hermits of the Thebaid. It was at this time that Eucherius wrote his beautiful letter "De laude Eremi" to St. Hilary of Arles (c. 428). Though imitating the virtues of the Egyptian solitaries, he kept in touch with men renowned for learning and piety, e.g. Cassian, St. Hilary of Arles, St. Honoratus, later Bishop of Marseilles, and Valerian, to whom he wrote his "Epistola parænetica de contemptu mundi". The fame of Eucherius was soon so widespread in southeastern Gaul, that he was chosen Bishop of Lyons. This was probably in 434; it is certain, at least that he attended the First Council of Orange (441) as Metropolitan of Lyons, and that he retained this dignity until his death. In addition to the above-mentioned letters, Eucherius wrote "Formularium spiritualis intelligentiæ ad Veranium", and "Institutiones ad Salonium", besides many homilies. His works have been published both separately and among the writings of the Fathers." (Catholic Encyclopedia).

His "Epistola paraenetica ad Valerianum cognatum, de contemptu mundi ("Epistle of exhortation to his kinsman Valerian, On the contempt of the world") is an expression of the despair for the present and future of the world in its last throes shared by many educated men of Late Antiquity, with hope for a world to come. Erasmus thought so highly of its Latin style that he edited and published it at Basel in 1520. His commentaries on the work are also included here.
His "Liber formularum spiritalis intelligentiae", which is addressed to his son Veranius is a defence of the lawfulness of reading an allegorical sense in Scripture, bringing to bear the metaphors in Psalms and such phrases as "the hand of God" The term anagoge [in Greek] is employed for the application of Scripture to the heavenly Jerusalem to come, and there are other examples of what would become classic Medieval hermeneutics.

Rodulfus Tortarius (also known as Raoul of Tourtier, Raoul de La Tourte, Radulphus Flaviacensis) (c.1063 - c.1122) was a French Benedictine monk of the Abbey of Fleury-sur-Loire, and a poet writing in Latin. He is known both for his style of writing, his biblical commentaries and religious works, and his literary and comic tales. His commentary on "Leviticus" is considered important and influential. The first edition of the work is rare.

Order-nr.: 47178