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Claudian's masterpiece in which Pluto, god of the Underworld, kidnaps Proserpina and takes her on his chariot into the depths of the earth. The girl asks for help from the virgin goddesses, Minerva and Diana, who can do nothing to oppose the ruler of the underworld. Won by Proserpina's graces, Hades tries to reassure her and paints her in tantalizing tones the kingdom of hell that awaits her.
One of the first editions printed in Italy of the Rape of Proserpina by Claudianus.
CONTENTS
While Proserpina and her companions are picking flowers, a frightening noise is heard coming from the bowels of the earth: it is Pluto, who emerges from the underground realm and takes Proserpina away on his chariot.
Proserpina was the daughter of Ceres. She was kidnapped by Pluto while she was picking flowers on the shores of Lake Pergusa in Enna and dragged away on her chariot; there she became the bride of Pluto and queen of the Underworld. According to Proclus (Epitome Oraculorum, reported by Marafiotus) and Strabone (lib. 6), instead the episode of the myth occurred in Hipponion (today Vibo Valentia). After her mother had asked Jupiter to free her, she was able to return to the surface, provided that she still spent six months a year with Pluto. Proserpina today accompanies Spring because the myth wants Ceres to bring cold and frost to earth during the months in which her daughter was absent, as a sign of pain, to then awaken nature in spring, to celebrate Proserpina's return.
Claudius Claudianus (Latin: Claudius Claudianus; Alexandria, circa 370 - Rome, 404) was a Roman poet and senator, supporter of General Stilicho.
Egyptian by birth, speaking Greek, he learned the Latin language from the texts of the classical authors. In this language he wrote almost all of the work.
In De raptu Proserpinae (in three books) he describes the abduction of the young Proserpina by the obscure Hades on the Sicilian fields, in which Claudian revives the spirit of the Virgilian epic and the plasticism of Ovid.
CONDITION REPORT
Probably printed in Milan in 1502 by Pietro Martire Mantegazza or by Albertino da Lessona, Bernardino Viani and Giovanni Rosso. Edit16SBN.
cf: Publishers and printers in Milan in the sixteenth century. Edited by Ennio Sandal, n. 444.
Spots on file F, marginal gore in the second half of the files, sporadic blooms. Full hardcover binding made with antique marbled paper. Papers [8], LII. Handwritten note on the back of the last page: - "Paid for six Paoli...".
Imprint m.do ns1. init ticu (3) 1502 (Q) CNCE 12666
FULL TITLES & AUTHORS
Claudianus de raptu Proserpinæ omní cura ac diligentia nuper impressus in quo mulTa quæ in aliis hactenus deerant ad studiosos rum utilitatem addita sunt opus me Hercle aureum ac omníbus expetendum
B. Mariani Carmen.
Hoc magnu dederat nomen tibi fedula mater Doctrinæ ut custos Ianitor atqe fores. Nec decepta fuít. Plures tua pectora fundunt Flores quam tellus ingeniosa ferat.
Curríte nunc luvenes scholars currite: lanus Eloquii pleno pectore fundit opes.
Mantegazza, Peter Martyr
Claudius Claudian 67221945
