Juue[n]cus presbiter immensam eua[n]gelice legis maiestate[m] heroicis versibus [con]cludens

Juvencus, a 4th-century Spanish priest, was "the first of the Latins to attempt to provide to educated Christian readers a substitute for the perilous beauties of the classical poets" (Raby). His sole surviving work, this Gospel harmonization is composed in Virgilian hexameters and draws heavily on Matthew, mostly ignores Mark, and cherry picks from Luke and John. It was a medieval classroom staple, and the incunable printings with heavily leaded text type were ready for interlinear student notes. This edition opens with comments on the author by, i.a., St. Jerome, Petrarch and Trithemius. Two copies in U.S. libraries. In good condition (some fingersoiling, blank marginal worming, about twenty leaves lightly browned), one quire misfolded, a blind impression of a woodcut visible on the final blank. Title inscriptions of Hubertus Gobelius (c. 1600) and of ?his descendant, Cornelius Gobelius (possibly the count palatine and Bamberg diplomat, 1611-54); 19th-century stamp of Göttingen University Library (deaccessioned Nov. 1961).
¶Juvencus' Four Books of the Gospels Evangeliorum Libri Quattuor ed. McGill (2016); Raby, Christian Latin Poets 17-8; ISTC ij00675000; Goff J-675.