4to. Book I: [12], 1338 pp., [21 index], 1 folding plate, 1 table / Book II: 2 Bl., 193 pp., [2], A collection of 37 fables, often published with the Cursus Grammaticalis, also published in Arabic, Persian and Turkish, full ivory vellum binding, soiled and rubbed (back cover with defect), worm trails mainly at front by spine (not affecting text) scuffs, light foxing throughout, Ex-Libris, otherwise clean internally and in good condition, published by Leopoldi Voigt, Vienna, 1703.

Synopsis

Johann Baptist Podesta (1625-1698) came from Istria, studied in Rome, arrived in Vienna in 1674 and founded the first chair of Oriental Studies at the University of Vienna. His intention to build an “Arabic or Turkish Truckherey” was approved, but was not executed, and instead his works were printed by Voigt (Durstmüller).
Paraemiae Locmani Sapientis ex Grammatica Arabica Thomae Erpenii. A collection of 37 fables, often published with the {i} Cursus grammaticalis {/ i}, published in Arabic, Persian and Turkish in 1636 as “Grammatica Arabica” (Smitskamp 70) by the Orientalist Thomas Erpenius. The fables are said to have been composed by the legendary pre-Islamic sage Lokman (Luqman, ca. 1100 BC), but all of them have in fact been attributed to Aesop and translated during the scientific heyday of Islam.
Bibliographic references: Father 280th Mayer, Vienna, I, 292, note 122; Durstmüller I, 110th; Brunet IV, 750: “Ouvrage qui se trouve très-difficilement”; Graesse V, 374: “Le 3e vol. Manque ordinairement”; Not at Smitskamp.