Les Vies Des Hommes illustres Grecs & Romains, comparees l'une avec l'autre par Plutarque de Chaeronaee (1559, 3 folio volumes); Les Oeuvres Morales & Mesleees de Plutarque (1572, 4 folio volumes) by Plutarch / Plutarque, trans. Jacques Aymot - 1572

Paris: Michel de Vascosan, 1572. Very Good. 7 folio volumes in all, each measuring 14.75 inches tall (37.5 cm), bound in early 18th century acid-bitten calfskin, heavily gilt decorated spines, with the old gilt stamp of Les Mis d'Estampes on each cover, and also the more recent gilt stamp of the Chateau Vertcoeur (a castle built in 1902, 22 km south of Paris now under the dominion of the De Gaulle family). Very good, light general wear to bindings, a few outer joints with subtle strengthening; inner hinges likewise strengthened with ultra-thin pH-neutral tissue. "Les Vies" with printed title page in the first of the three volumes and manuscript titles for the second and third volumes, so exquisitely done that they appear at first glance to have been printed. (8) 734 [ie 1468] (49: index) pp. "Les Oeuvres Morales" in 4 volumes also has a printed title page in the first volume and manuscript title pages of the same quality as the ones in "Les Vies." (12) 668 [i.e. 1336] (90: index) pp. Editio Princeps of both sets, one of the masterpieces of French Renaissance translation. It was from the Aymot translation that North made his English translation of Plutarch, thereafter known as "Shakespeare's Plutarch" for his heavy usage of it for his historical plays. Montaigne called Aymot's edition "Nostre Breviare," and it became an enormously influential set. Another pair of these sets sold separately at a Romantic Agony auction in 2012 for over 8,000 Euros including buyer's premium -- and they had no remarkable provenance or bindings. Very good condition, with occasional small waterstain or mark, the vast majority of pages bright and unmarked and in excellent condition. Complete in all regards, with handsome bindings and fine typography.