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Mishnah Bava Kamma in Hebrew with accompanying Latin translation and commentary by the Christian-Hebraist Constantin L’Empereur (1591–1648). This is one of two tractates translated by L’Empereur, the other being Middot (Leiden, 1630). L’Empereur’s purpose, he was an orthodox Calvanist and anti-rabbinic, here as in his other writings, was to refute Jewish religious contentions. Nevertheless, he is credited with pursuing his goals with tact and moderation.
The Hebrew title is Bava Kamma mi’Masekhet Nezikin followed by the Latin text, De Legibus Ebraeorum forensibus. Liber Singularis. ex Ebraeorum pandectis versus & commentariis illustratus: per Constantinum L'Empereur ab Opwyck. The title page has the Elziver pressmark, The only other decorative material in the book are head-pieces at the beginning of the dedication and of the tractate, and a small number of historiated letters. The volume begins with a dedication to Caspar Vosbergius ([3-23); commendatory verse by Antonius Thysius (24); and a detailed table of contents (25-48), all in Latin, a tractate title page, and the text. The volume concludes with two indices, the first of biblical verses, the second of subjects. The text is comprised of the text in two columns, the Hebrew in the left column, the Latin in the right column, and L’Empereur’s lengthy and erudite commentary.
President Thomas Jefferson looked into this edition, for there is a copy, in the Library of Congress, in which he initialed the pages at signatures I(J) and T. At the bottom of page 65, he wrote a T before the I (J) and on page 145, he added a J after the T, and periods after both initials.
Title: De Legibus Ebraeorum forensibus... ex Ebraeorum pandectis versus & commentariis illustratus: per Constantinum L'Empereur ab Opwyck... |
