[CICUTA, Aurelio.]

Della disciplina militare del capitano Alfonso Adriano. Libri III. Nel primo si tratta dell'origine della guerra, e dell'elettione, & officio del capitan generale, con l'osservanza della religione. Nel secondo si dimostra il modo, che s'ha tenere nell'eleggere, e disciplinare i soldati novelli . . . Nel terzo si contiene come si debbono governar gli eserciti in campagna, cosi nel caminare, & alloggiare, come nel passar de'fiumi.

Venice, Lodovico degli Avanzi, 1566. Small 4to (210 x 150 mm), pp. [xxxvi], 232, 225–461, [1, register], [2, blank], [47], [1, blank], with numerous diagrams of military formations and several woodcut illustrations; p. 343 with the last paragraph of text blacked-out (as in all copies seen by Breman); title soiled; contemporary limp vellum, ‘Disciplina Militare’ lettered in gilt on front cover, both covers bordered with gilt rules and with a large central gilt device of two interlaced ‘C’s within a leafy wreath, spine with gilt ruled compartments each with a central ornament, all edges gilt; a little worn and cockled, but a very good copy. First edition. In post-Tridentine Italy, owning up to a knowledge of Machiavelli’s work was regarded as something best avoided and there were, inevitably, many writers who considered it prudent not to admit their debt to Machiavelli but incorporated or adapted portions of his writings in their own works while giving the impression that the words and ideas were their own. For example, ‘Cicuta’s praise of Roman military training and its contrast with the corruption of modern youth, and especially of the Italians, is based upon Machiavelli’s modification of Vegetius. This is evident from his description of the Swiss and the Germans: “nation barbare, osservano anchor tuttavia la vera antica militar disciplina”. Similarly, Cicuta’s convicition that the infantry were the “nervo dell’esercita” was a classical commonplace, but illustrated with examples drawn from Machiavelli’s Arte della guerra and Discorsi’ (Anglo, Machiavelli pp. 181, 528–9). The long chapter on siege warfare is illustrated with a woodcut view of Jerusalem beleaguered by Vespasian.Bertelli & Innocenti, Machiavelliana XVI/143; Breman, Books on military architecture printed in Venice 91; Cockle 535. Not in Adams.

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