Secret History of Procopius, Newly Translated from the Greek with an Introduction by Richard Atwater

Procopius [of Caesarea] : The Secret History of Procopius: Newly Translated from the Greek with an Introduction by Richard Atwater. Chicago : Pascal Covici, 1927. First thus, limited edition. No. 153 of 760 copies printed, signed by translator Richard Atwater and typographer Douglas C. McMurtrie. Size is quarto (4vo), 10.25"/26cm h. Bound in publisher's dark blue cloth, gilt lettering and ornamentation handsomely debossed to spine and front board. Top edge gilt, fore- and tail-edges deckle. Plain white endpapers. [Xviii] pp prelim material, 286 numbered pp. Color illustrated frontispiece, artist signature "H.B.". Translator's introduction, author's foreword, XXX chapters, glossary. Condition notes: a worn but still lovely copy: wear, rubbing, and some discoloration to boards, spine ends worn/frayed with some loss of material, corners worn/bumped and frayed with board material showing. Loss of brightness to gilt lettering/ornamentation/top edge stain. Both endpaper hinges cracked, with relic tape repairs (see photos). Some pages show loss of small chips from deckled fore-edge. Both pastedowns show loss of some paper covering, revealing board material below. Former owner's nameplate to front pastedown. Booksellers' pencil notes to ffep, else unmarked. No dustjacket, possibly as issued. A handsome copy with a dated and somewhat sanitized translation; the custom font is quite striking and beautiful. Procopius was a late major Roman/early Byzantine historian who chronicled the reign and works of the Emperor Justinian and his infamous consort Theodora, both famously rendered in mosaic in the church of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. We personally inspect every book we offer.…