Description

Editio Romana of the Odes of Pindar: This is the first separate edition and the first Greek book to be printed in Rome. Produced by Zacharias Kallierges, a native Cretan and Renaissance humanist, it is considered “the most important Pindar edition ever” (Fogelmark). Kallierges had set up the first Greek-owned printing press in Venice in 1499 and later moved to Rome.

Pindar’s Odes: Pindar, the classical ancient Greek lyric poet, is renowned for his four books of epinikia or “victory odes,” written between 520 and 460 BCE. These odes honor victorious athletes at the Panhellenic Games: Olympian, Pythian, Isthmian, and Nemean. Pindar’s work is highly prized, with later writers like Horace admiring his vigorous writing.

Kallierges’ Contribution: Kallierges’ edition includes a significant apparatus of scholia (annotations and explanations) crucial to the scholarly understanding of Pindar. This edition is acknowledged as textually superior and has extensive annotations surrounding the comparatively small text.

Historical Context: Before arriving in Rome, Kallierges had established two presses in Venice and was likely close to Aldus Manutius, who played a critical role in publishing classical texts. Aldus’s edition of Pindar, the editio princeps, did not include the extensive scholia that Kallierges’ edition introduced.