GratI Falisci Cynegeticon. by GRATIUS - 1654

First English Edition GRATIUS. [WASE, Christopher, translator]. GratI Falisci Cynegeticon. Or, A Poem of Hunting By Gratius the Faliscian. Englished and Illustrated By Christopher Wase Gent. London: Printed for Charles Adams, 1654. First English edition. Twelvemo (5 7/16 x 3 3/16 inches; 138 x 8 mm). [94], 86 pp. Includes "Certaine illustratrions of the Cynegeticall poem of Gratuis" which begins on C6r. The poem has Latin and English texts on facing pages. 19th century half red morocco over marbled cloth. Spine stamped and lettered in gilt. Drab grey endpapers. Edges speckled red. Edges lightly rubbed. Previous owner's old ink notes on the blank verso of the title-page, and leaves a3, C7 and C8. Paper flaws at bottom outer corner of leaves A11, A12, E11, E12, no loss of text. Leaf B9 remargined and center of leaf B10 expertly repaired, with no loss of text. A very nice copy. "Nothing in known respecting this author [Gratius], except that Ovid speaks of him as a contemporary. The poem is heroic, and consists of 536 lines: its style is hard and prosaic; it describes the weapons and arts of the chase, horses and hounds; but the science is rather Greek than Italian, and the information contained in it is principally derived from Xenophon." (A History of Roman Classical Literature, Browne, 317). ESTC R1966. Wing G1581. HBS 64602. $1,250