Manuzio, Aldo, 1449 or 50-1515, printer.
Gregory, of Nazianzus, Saint. Poems.

The first printing of any substantial part of the New Testament in the original Greek, preceding the Complutensian text by 10 years and the Erasmus-Froben text by 12 years.

Since the Gregory is set up with Greek text and Latin translation facing each other, the two pages of the center of each gathering would be blank. Aldus filled them with St. John's Gospel, printed serially, adding a note at the end of each section directing the reader to the next, and announcing at the end of the volume that the conclusion would be printed in another of his publications (it never was).

This experimental text, issued as a ballon d'essai without benefit of papal privilege, was printed from a mss. of Byzantine character, much superior to the Erasmian recension.

Contains "In Sancta et magna Dominica Paschae Evangelivm Secvndvm Ioannem". (Chapters 1-5 and part of chapter 6) --edited by Aldus Pius Manutius. Also Cantica Joannis Damasceni, Cosmae hierosolymitani cantica tredecim, etc.

The text of chapter 4 of St. John's Gospel is complete to verse 58.

Printer's device on last leaf of text ; emendations and corrections to the text are on the following (final) 3 leaves.

Signatures: AA-NN ; quinterniones. OO uero est duernio. BB, DD, FF, HH, KK, MM quaterniones. -- colophon.

Imprint taken from colophon.

Text in Latin and Greek.

Small quarto, red morocco leather, gilt borders, dentelles and edges.

Without pagination.

Part of vol. I of the Collection of ancient Christian poets.

Physical description: [468] p. ([234] double leaves) ; 22 cm. (4to)