8vo. LIV,(76),772;(90 index) p. Calf 21 cm (Ref: STCN ppn 238643581; Schweiger 2,348 & 857; Dibdin 2,3/4; Moss 2,437/8; Fabricius/Ernesti 3,137: 'sine dubio optima editio'; Graesse 2,529; Ebert 7187) (Details: Mottled calf. Gilt back with 5 raised bands. Red morocco shield in the second compartment) (Condition: Binding somewhat worn & scratched. Head & tail of the spine chafed. Corners slightly bumped. A nice copy) (Note: The Roman historian Eutropius took part in the campaign of the emperor Julian against the Persians (A.D. 363), and later was 'magister memoriae' of the emperor Valens. He wrote a survey in 10 books, the 'Breviarium ab urbe condita', of Roman history till 364 A.D. 'The work is short, but well balanced, showing good judgement and impartiality. It was translated in Greek by Paenius about 380'. (OCD 2nd ed. p. 424/5) His work was consulted by later christian writers. The historian Rufius Festus also wrote a Roman history. His work ends with the accession of the emperor Valens, and 'represents ultimately the epitomized Livian tradition and a compendious imperial history'. (OCD 2nd ed. 435). This 1762 edition is a socalled 'Variorum' edition. It offers a 'textus receptus' which is widely accepted, accompanied with the commentary and the annotations of various specialists, taken, or excerpted from earlier useful, normative or renewing editions. Editions like these, 'cum notis Variorum', were useful, but never broke new ground. The production of these books sometimes overloaded with knowledge, was the specialty of Dutch scholars of the 17th and 18th century. The British ancient historian Edward Gibbon, 1737-1794, held Eutropius and Rufus Sextus, and also its Dutch editor Verheyk in high esteem. We only need to repeat the words of Dibdin to recommend this edition: 'This is the celebrated Variorum edition, which Mr. Gibbon declares to be 'superior to all others, even to that of Havercamp'. It is indeed a very admirable performance, and contains, besides the treasures of all preceding editions, some excellent notes of Verheyk, enlarged indexes. At page XXI and the following pages of the preface, Verheyk gives a copious account of the materials, and particularly of the MSS. from which his edition is composed. On a careful and impartial survey of the variety and excellence of the matter contained in it, we may safely pronounce it one of the very best and most elegant productions of the 18th century, and exceeded by no Variorum edition of a Roman classic.' Jan Hendrik Verheijk was Rector of the 'Schola Latina' of Amsterdam. He died in 1784. Verheijk also produced an edition of Antonius Liberalis (1764), contributed to the Hesychius edition of Alberti (1766), and published a revised edition of the Latin/Dutch lexicon of Hannot (1771) (Van der Aa 19,168) (Collation: +-3+8, 4+4 (minus blank leaf 4+4); *-5*6; A-2K8, 2L-3D4, 3E-3K8. 3L6; a-l4 ,m1) (Photographs on request)