4to. (VIII),334,(40 index) p., frontispiece; 26 engraved plates. Vellum. 29 cm (Ref: STCN ppn 843242159; Schweiger 2,685; Geerebaert 122,26,b; OiN 273) (Details: Large paper copy. Third volume of 3 only. Back with seven raised bands. Boards blind stamped. The frontispiece, made by J. Goeree and J. van Vianen, depicts Ovid in despair being sent into exile by the emperor Augustus. Engraved plates of gods & goddesses and the like in the translation of the Fasti.) (Condition: Vellum age-toned, soiled & spotted. Paper partly yellowing. 3rd and last volume only) (Note: This third volume of a set of three contains a Dutch prose translation of part of the works of the Roman poet Ovid, 43 B.C. - 17 A.D. It contains a translation of the 'Tristia', 'Epistulae ex Ponto', 'Fasti', 'Ibis', 'Nux', 'Consolatio ad Liviam Elegiae', 'Medicamina Faciei Femineae'. § Ovidius 'is perhaps the most consistently influential and popular writer of the classical tradition. His central position is suggested by the many surviving manuscripts of his works and their early publication in printed editions. (...) Most would agree that it is his Metamorphoses that has had the greatest influence, but his other major poems, the Heroides, Tristia, Fasti, and particularly his racier works, the Amores, Ars amatoria, and Remedia amoris, have played their part in maintaining his reputation as a writer of enduring importance and appeal.' (The Classical Tradition, Cambr. Mass. 2010, p. 667) The huge number of editions and translations suggests that Ovid's appeal lies also beyond the bounderies of the scholarly world. The editor and annotator of this work, Ludolf Smids, confesses in the preface of the first volume that he thinks that his readers probably know little Latin. In the preface of the 2nd volume (the Metamorphoses), he is more precise about his public. There he states that everyone has read this 'weergaloos Konstwerk' (inimitable work of art) thoroughly. Painters, sculptors, and engravers draw on this famous source for inspiration. 'Want wie (buiten de Letterkundige) beroemd sich niet de Metamorphosis door en door geleesen te hebben, aangesien sy is de rijke schatkamer en het volgepropte wapenhuys van Schilders, Beeldhouwers en Graveerders, die niet ontkennen hunne Ifigeniaas, Medeaas, Nioben, Altheën, en andere wonderstukken, deselve ontleend te hebben'. In the preface to this last volume Smids declares once more that he did not publish the translation and did not write his annotations for scholars and the like, but for painters, sculptors, engravers and draughtsmen, and for young students (jonge Leerlingen van Taalen en Weetenschappen). § The dates of the translator Abraham Valentijn are unknown. He was living in the Dutch town of Dordrecht, at least from 1666, where he first was praeceptor (teacher of classical languages) of the local 'Schola Latina', and later Conrector. His Ovid translation was first published in Leiden 1678, and was reprinted twice. He also published a prose translation of Juvenal, which had some success, for it was reprinted several times. (Van der Aa 19,24) § More is known about the editor and annotator of this translation, Ludolf Smids, 1649-1720. He came to Leiden, where he became Doctor of Medicine in 1673. He went to live in Amsterdam, where he spent more time on the study of history, antiquities, poetry and numismatics than as medical practioner. He wrote plays, poetry, and several books on numismatics. He also translated the 'Mostellaria' of Plautus into Dutch. (Van der Aa, 17/2, 760) (Provenance: On the front pastedown in ink: 'J.H. Verheijen'. This is the Dutch painter and draughtsman Jan Hendrik Verheijen, 1778-1846. See his Wikipedia article) (Collation: pi2 (including frontispiece), *2, A - Z4, Aa - Zz4, Aaa4 (leaf Aaa4 blank) (26 plates at page 146, 154, 157, 160, 164, 177, 179, 181, 198, 215, 220, 223, 227, 241, 243, 261, 262, 264, 268, 278, 281, 283, 285, 296, 305 & 307) (Photographs on request)