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Influential work which became an important source for the study of mythology for more than a century

POMEY, Franciscus.
Pantheum mythicum, seu fabulosa deorum historia, hoc epitomes eruditionis volumine breviter dilucidéque comprehensa.

With engraved allegorical frontispiece by G. Schouté, title printed in red and black with woodcut vignette with view of Utrecht, and 27 engraved plates, 4 of which are folding, of classical gods and heroes, by J. van Vianen, woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces.

With engraved allegorical frontispiece by G. Schouté, title printed in red and black with woodcut vignette with view of Utrecht, and 27 engraved plates, 4 of which are folding, of classical gods and heroes, by J. van Vianen, woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces.

With engraved allegorical frontispiece by G. Schouté, title printed in red and black with woodcut vignette with view of Utrecht, and 27 engraved plates, 4 of which are folding, of classical gods and heroes, by J. van Vianen, woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces.

With engraved allegorical frontispiece by G. Schouté, title printed in red and black with woodcut vignette with view of Utrecht, and 27 engraved plates, 4 of which are folding, of classical gods and heroes, by J. van Vianen, woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces.

With engraved allegorical frontispiece by G. Schouté, title printed in red and black with woodcut vignette with view of Utrecht, and 27 engraved plates, 4 of which are folding, of classical gods and heroes, by J. van Vianen, woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces.



Editio septima, denuo recensita, à quampluris erroribus repurgata, & aenis figuris ornata. Utrecht, Willem vande Water, 1717. 8vo. Contemp. vellum with title written on spine. With engraved allegorical frontispiece by G. Schouté, title printed in red and black with woodcut vignette with view of Utrecht, and 27 engraved plates, 4 of which are folding, of classical gods and heroes, by J. van Vianen, woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces. (16), 298, (14) pp.

Rare seventh enlarged, corrected, and finely illustrated edition of this influential school book on classical mythology and fable-teaching. The Pantheon, gives the fabulous histories of the gods, and most illustrious heroes, in a short, plain, and familiar method, by way of dialogue. This important manual became a highly important source for the study of mythology for over a century. Mythology was an important part of Jesuit education and this work, written by a member of the order, became a standard text for school children. Pomey had intended to write a series of works on antiquity under the title Epitome Eruditionis of which this was the first volume.

In our copy the frontispiece is newly engraved by G.Schouté (dated 1716) after the original, but the plates by J. van Vianen are the original plates for the Dutch editions, albeit by now having grown a little worn. Many Latin and Dutch editions were illustrated with the engraved plates by Jan van Vianen, one of the most important book-illustrators in the first half of the 18th century, and a pupil of Romeyn de Hooghe. Each of the 27 plates depicts a lively scene from the life of a mythical god or hero, with two or three ancient coins depicting the same god or heroe above, below, or in a corner, and with their attributes: Venus, Mars,Jupiter,Terminus, Janus, Aeolus, Orion, etc.

First published in 1659  by François Antoine Pomey (1619-1673), a French humanist and  Jesuit teacher at various French Collèges, the book was very popular, also at schools in The Netherlands, and stayed in use for over a century, not only in Latin, but also translated into French, English (1698, by Andrew Tooke), and Dutch. It went into many editions, including the translations, with many English versions appearing in the 18th century. All 17th- century editions are very scarce and, except for the 1697 edition, contained no illustrations. Pomey (1619-73) drew heavily on earlier writers, especially Boccaccio, Giraldi and Conti, and his work became one of the main sources of classical mythology for the general reader. It was not only read by children, since we find Bayle writing to his brother: "Do for pity's sake learn how each god was represented . . . The Pantheum Mythicum describes nicely enough how each god is turned out. Take good note as you read".

Good copy.- (Binding half loose, pastedown of front cover dam.).
Backer-Sommervogel VI, cols. 976; Cat. De Koning 70 (10th ed. of 1777, in a Prize-binding); not in Cat. Van Rijn, etc.

Related Subjects: Children's Books  Education  Fable Books  Greek & Latin  Mythology  Schoolbooks 

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