8vo. (XXXII),556;LII p. Overlapping vellum 19 cm (Ref: STCN ppn 840028938; Schweiger 2,878; Dibdin 2,385; Ebert 20018; Fabricius/Ernesti, Bibliotheca Latina, 1,243) (Details: 6 thongs laced through the joints. Engraved title, executed by R. a Persyn (Reinier van Persyn), depicting in the foreground the arrest of King Jugurtha in front of a triumph chariot; in the background battle scenes; on the upper part is depicted a seated Janus Bifrons, giving a throne to a king, and a sceptre to a soldier) (Condition: Vellum slightly spotted. Both pastedowns detached) (Note: 'One of the most widely read and influential of Roman historians, along with Caesar, Livy, and Tacitus, Sallust (86-34 BC) has been studied, quoted, and imitated not only as a historian but also as a moral philosopher, political thinker, and stylist.' Until 1600 more than 200 editions of his work appeared. Sallust was used in the 16th and 17th century to support absolute theories of government. But, 'on the other hand, it was the republican Sallust, ennemy of tyrants, whom John Milton admired and who bolstered the cause of liberty in the Lowlands during the war with Spain and, later, in France and on the American continent'. (The Classical tradition, Cambr. Mass., 2010 p. 856) Sallustius furnished indeed weapons to the supporters and opponents during the rebellion of the Netherlands against the Spaniards, a war of independence that lasted 80 years, from 1568 till 1648. Numberless pamphlets appeared during this war, and many are full of reminiscences and quotations of classical authors. Sallust also was widely used, everyone chose his favourite argument. This was possible because Sallustius preached party politics under a cloak of grave and philosophic impartiality. § The editor of this Sallustius edition, Antonius Thysius, emphasizes another aspect of the author's world view, the corrupting power of wealth. Sallustius is disgusted by the corruption he sees around him, decay which was caused by the power and wealth Rome had acquired. Thysius argues in his preface that the Republic of the Netherlands is in the same situation as the Roman republic. Wealth has brought glory and strength, for republic and its civilians, but it created also the loss of the honest and patriotic frugality of old which made the country great. Thysius warns that Rome, having conquered the world, was conquered by itself, by discord (dissensio), by the rage for wealth (divitiarum nimio studio) and poverty amidst astonishing wealth. (p. *2 verso) The implicite warning of Thysius is that the Netherlands, having at last obtained their independence in 1648, must remain frugal, and not lose itself in religious dissention. The Dutch jurist and classical scholar Anthony Thys, or in Latin Antonius Thysius, 1603-1665, was since 1637 professor of poêsis of the University at Leiden, where he also lectured on 'jus publicum', after 1663 as professor. He delivered several speeches on patriotic topics at the end of the Eighty Years' War. In 1655 he succeeded Daniel Heinsius as librarian of the University. His Sallustius was a success, it was repeated in 1654, 1659, 1665 (ex recensione J.F. Gronovii), 1677 and 1689. He also produced an edition of Justinus (1650), of the tragedies of Seneca (1651), Valerius Maximus (1651), Lactantius (1652), Velleius Paterculus (1653) and Gellius (1666). (NNBW 5, 924/26) Thysius was not a great scholar. He produced 'Variorum' editions, in which he skillfully compared and contrasted the excerpted material of brighter minds. Such editions were very popular and contained everthing a student required. It offered the 'textus receptus' which was widely accepted, and was accompanied with the commentary and the annotations of specialists, taken from earlier useful, normative or renewing editions. Editions like these, 'cum notis Variorum', were useful, but never broke new ground. The production of this kind of editions was the specialty of Dutch scholars of the 17th and 18th century. Thysius, who calls Sallustius 'primum nomen inter Historicos Latinos', declares in the preface that he produced the edition on the request of the publisher. He compiled several editions, even consulted manuscripts, and also used his own judgement. 'Itaque quicquid ex variarum editionum collatione, ex manuscriptis, quorum nobis itidem copia fuit, vel ex praestantissimorum virorum scriniis, vel nostro quoque ingenio ad illustrandum autorem conferre potuimus, in hunc florentissimum autorem maximo studio atque industria congessimus'. (p. 3* recto) (Provenance: On the front flyleaf the name of 'H.L. Oort'. This is probably Henricus Lucas Oort, 1864-1925. See for him: 'Biografisch lexicon voor de geschiedenis van het Nederlands protestantisme', 1,231) (Collation: *-2*8, A-2Z8 (2P8 blank)) (Photographs on request)