Search Results: Authors starting with V from Patrick Olson Rare Books

RED DRAGON OF THE APOCALYPSE --- [32] p. | 8vo | a-b^8 | 152 x 100 mm --- First and only edition of this apocalyptic poem by the German theologian and mathematician, perhaps best known for preparing the 1544 editio princeps of the works of Archimedes. Venatorius here takes as his subject the seven-headed Red Dragon of the Apocalypse from Revelation, who tried (and failed) to massacre the Woman of the Apocalypse and her newborn son. Tradition long interpreted the allegory as Satan attacking the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus. Venatorius, a Lutheran reformer, here casts the Red Dragon as the Roman Church, bent on destroying the righteous Protestant followers of Christ. Even well before Luther, the Red Dragon figured in calls for church reform. "In a letter sent from London, dated September 1410, [Richard] Wyche revealed to [Jan] Hus that he had heard how the Antichrist afflicted Christ's loyal followers in Bohemia and how the red dragon of the Apocalypse was already preparing to… Read More

BOOK FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T WRITE GOOD --- [16], 319, [1] p. | 8vo | a^8 A-V^8 | 164 x 103 mm --- First edition of the Dutch Catholic teacher's last work, a students' guide to Latin composition. By copia, Verepaeus here means not abundance but ability, what he calls the facultas to properly use words and figures of speech (p. 17-18). In subsequent years, Praeceptiones de verborum et rerum copia and Praeceptiones de figuris would often appear separately. Editions stretch into the 18th century, demonstrating an enduring utility. Includes a verse encomium by Aegidius Vlieger. ¶ Written in a catechetical question-and-answer format, the author covers all the elements of good composition. He does address some grammar and the parts of speech, but generally ventures beyond these in pursuit of more advanced rhetorical topics. "What is the use of metaphor?" (p. 166-168), for example, and "What is synecdoche?" (p. 173-174). He discusses irony, too, providing classical examples and addressing its uses… Read More