Opera. Con : De divinis institutionibus; De ira dei; De opificio dei vel de formatione hominis; De phoenice carmen. Epitome divinarum institutionum [cap. LVI-LXXIII]. Ed : Johannes Andreae, bishop of Aleria. Add : Venantius Fortunatus

This edition of the works of Lactantius, printed in Venice by Simon Bevilaqua in 1490, belongs to the period of the incunabula, the earliest phase of printing following the invention of the movable type press. Lactantius, an early Christian author often referred to as the Christian Cicero due to his elegant Latin style, was frequently published during the Renaissance as humanists sought to reconcile classical rhetoric with Christian theology. The inclusion of works like De divinis institutionibus served as a bridge between pagan literary traditions and the intellectual foundations of the early Church.

The edition was edited by Johannes Andreae, the Bishop of Aleria, who was a pivotal figure in the dissemination of classical and patristic texts in Rome during the mid-15th century. Working in collaboration with the printers Sweynheym and Pannartz, Andreae helped establish the textual standards that would define early scholarly printing. Bevilaqua’s 1490 production reflects the high demand for these authoritative editions among the European clerical and academic elite, who valued the clarity and stability that printed, standardized texts provided over traditional, error-prone manuscript copies.