Herodotus / Ηρόδοτος, “Herodoti Halicarnassei Historiae lib. IX. & De vita Homeri libellus… Apologia Henr. Stephani pro Herodoto…”, Henricus Stephanus (Henri Estienne), [Paris], 1566. Folio, [32], 256, 12, [22].

RARE copy, COMPLETE with all the 4 folding plate sheets including five woodcuts of: Babylon, Tour of Babylon, Semiramis Palace, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Babylon’s floating bridge. ADAMS indicates only one copy (King’s library) with all the 4 folding plates. Latin translation of the humanist Lorenzo Valla. Includes Estienne’s  famous “Apologia pro Herodoto” (‘Apology on behalf of Herodotus’) for which he was accused as considered objectionable by the Geneva consistory and he was compelled to cancel the pages containing them.

Printer’s woodcut device to title, text in Latin. Restoration covering tears mainly to the Babylon plan plate (minor to the others), missing a paper strip of 18x2cm on left edge of Semiramis Palace woodcut.  Full contemporary leather binding with 5 raised bands, with extensive external wear and a small loss at the rear cover and front corners. Inside overall in very fine condition, with just light signs of small marginal water-stain on few sheets. Manuscript ex-libris of 1712 and modern ex-libris small stamp on title page. ADAMS H 403.