ALCIONIO (Pietro) Medices legatus de exsilio, Venice: Aldus, André d'Asola, November 1522. In-4, granite calf, triple gilt fillet framing the boards, smooth ornate spine (18th-century binding). Renouard, p. 95. Renouard describes the first edition as "very rare". This is an imaginary dialogue set in 1512, featuring the exiled Medici - John, Julius and Lorenzino - discussing the benefits of exile, just before their return to Florence in 1513. Its author, Pietro Alcionio (1487-1527), was a humanist and classical scholar. He studied Greek with Marcus Musurus, a famous editor of Aldus Manutius' Greek texts, before becoming a proofreader for the latter. In 1522, he was appointed professor of Greek in Florence, and published his work the same year. His Ciceronian style was so remarkable that Paul Manutius, Aldus' son and personal enemy, accused him of plagiarism, claiming that he had copied a lost work by Cicero, entitled "De Gloria", and that he had destroyed the only copy to conceal his deed. Copy in 18th-century binding. Binding damaged, headbands missing, corners dull, title-piece missing, label stuck in corner on first board. Spotting on title. On the latter is this note: "voy sur ce livre anecdotes de florence page 168." Some old reading marks and two handwritten notes in the margin.