De Jure Belli ac Pacis Libri Tres, In Quibus Jus Naturae et Gentium...
Scarce German Edition of De Jure Belli ac Pacis Grotius, Hugo [1583-1645]. Becmann, Johann Christoph [1641-1717], Editor. De Jure Belli ac Pacis Libri Tres, In Quibus Jus Naturae et Gentium, Item Juris Publici Praecipua Explicantur, Cum Annotatis Autoris ex Postrema Ejus Ante Obitum Cura: Accesserunt Excerpta Annotationum Variorum Virorum Insignium in Totum Opus. Frankfurt an der Oder: Impensis Jeremiae Schrey, & Joh. Christoph. Hartmann, 1699. [xvi], 1326, [120] pp. Copperplate portrait frontispiece of Grotius facing a pictorial title page. Quarto (8" x 6-1/2"; 20.3 x 16.5 cm). Contemporary vellum, yapp-style fore-edges, early hand-lettered title to spine, edges rouged. Light rubbing and a few minor scratches and nicks, darkening and some tiny inkspots to spine, vellum beginning to crack through edges of pastedowns, minor worming to pastedowns and endleaves, small chip to upper-inside corner of front pastedown, edgewear, creases and a few minor tears to rear endleaves, partial crack in text block between front free endleaf and verso of frontispiece of Grotius. Title page printed in red and black. Moderate toning to interior, light soiling to title page, underlining, inkspots, smudges and minor tears to a few leaves. A very good copy overall. $750. * Second Becmann edition. First published in Paris in 1625, De Jure Belli ac Pacis laid the foundation of modern public international law, a system based on immutable morality-based law that superseded the personalities of individuals or nations. Though based on Christian natural law, Grotius advanced the novel argument that his system, like a mathematical axiom, would still be valid if it lacked a divine basis. In this regard he pointed to the future by moving it in a secular direction. Becmann, sometimes spelled Bekmann or Beckmann, was a renowned university professor, historian and librarian. He taught Greek, history, political science, and theology at Brandenburg University, Frankfurt an der Oder, and later became its rector. The voluminous notes in his editions show his broad range of expertise. The first edition was published in 1691, and the second edition was reissued for a final time in 1718. The pictorial title page of the second editon features an image of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I, who is allegorized as a peacemaker. All Becmann editions are scar.
Price: $750.00
Book number 85475