Les Oeuvres de Platon, traduites en francois avec des remarques. Et la vie de ce philosophe, avec l’exposition des principaux dogmes de sa philosophie.
Paris: Chez Jean Anisson, 1699. First edition of an important translation by André Dacier. Binding extremities a bit rubbed. Old ownership annotation on front pastedown of each volume (“Comte Frobenius de Furstemberg”). A very good, clean set. Contemporary calf, gilt-decorated spine, edges sprinkled red. Two volumes, twelvemo. [68 ], 548; [2], 614, [1] pp. With an extensive introduction and a life of Plato. Item #13214
This is the first attempt at a collected edition in French, though it includes only ten dialogues. The first full French translation did not appear until the nineteenth century Victor Cousin edition (1822-40). The following works of Plato had not been translated before: Alcibiades II, Euthyphro, Laches, Protagoras, and Les Rivaux. The Dacier Plato was translated into English as The Works of Plato Abridg’d (1701). The English edition constituted the first appearance in English of the first and second Alcibiades, Euthyphron, Theages, Laches, Protagoras, and second appearances of the Apology and Phaedo (which first appeared in English in 1675). The Dacier Plato was the most popular edition of Plato in the eighteenth century. In some later editions, responsibility is transferred to Dacier’s wife. André Dacier (1651-1722) and his wife Anne Lefevre (1654-1720) were highly respected Hellenist and Latinist scholars who also translated Aristotle, Homer and Epictetus. André Dacier was an editor of the Delphin and was librarian to the king.
Though many libraries have various editions of the Dacier Plato, this first edition is rare: OCLC lists five copies (Cornell, New York Public Library, Oklahoma, Cambridge, and the University of London).
Price: $1,950.00