A public commission, in 1516 was appointed to find a way of ending the interminable strife between rival academic parties, they asked Eck to prepare new commentaries on Aristotle and Peter of Spain. And so in 1516 & 1517 he published These two commentaries on the Summulae of Petrus Hispanus, and on the Dialectics, Physics and lesser scientific works of Aristotle, which became the textbooks of the university.


“A ducal commission, appointed to find a means for ending the interminable strife between the rival academic parties, entrusted Eck with the preparation of fresh commentaries on Aristotle and Petrus Hispanus. He had a marvellous capacity for work, and between 1516 and 1520, in addition to all his other duties, he published commentaries on the Summulae of Petrus Hispanus, and on the Dialectics, Physics and lesser scientific works of Aristotle, which became the text-books of the university. During these early years Eck was still reckoned among the “modernists,” and his commentaries are inspired with much of the scientific spirit of the New Learning. His aim, however, had been to find a via media between the old and new; his temper was essentially conservative, his imagination held captive by the splendid traditions of the medieval church, and he had no sympathy with the revolutionary attitude of the Reformers. Personal ambition, too, a desire to be conspicuous in the great world of affairs, may have helped to throw him into public opposition to Luther. He had won laurels in a public disputation at Augsburg in 1514, when he had defended the lawfulness of putting out capital at interest; again at Bologna in 1515, on the same subject and on the question of predestination; and these triumphs had been repeated at Vienna in 1516. By these successes he gained the patronage of the Fuggers, and found himself fairly launched as the recognized apologist of the established order in church and state. Distinguished humanists might sneer at him as “a garrulous sophist”; but from this time his ambition was not only to be the greatest scientific authority in Germany but also the champion of the papacy and of the traditional church order. ” (See T. Wiedemann, Dr Johann Eck (Regensburg, 1865).)

311J  Aristotel & Johann  Eck (1486-15430

Aristotelis Stragyrite [sic] Dialectica, cu[m] qui[n]q[ue] vocibus Porphyrii Phenicis, (Malchus), Argyropilo [sic] traductore, a Joanne Eckio theologo facili explanatione declarata adnotationibus compendiarijs illustrata ac scholastico exercitio explicata ..

     bound with

Ioan. Eckii … In summulas Petri Hispani extemporaria et succincta s[ed] succosa explanatio p[ro] sup[er]ioris Germaniae scholasticis.

Ad 1) [Augsburg] [Augustae Vindelicorum], Excusa in officina Millerana Augustæ Vindelicoru[m], ad V. Cal. Maias [27 Apr.] 1517.

Ad2) [Augsburg] Augustae Vindelicorum, ex officina Millerana, mense Maio 1516)   $6,900

Folio 12 x 8 ¼ inches.  Ad1) A-O6 P8 a-z6 : Aa-Gg6 Hh4 Ii6.  Ad2) A-S6, T-V4 (T4, V4 blank.  Both first Editions This copy is bound in a coeval pigskin binding over wooden boards both original clasps and catched, ornately blind stamped  in a of roll stamped floral motif as well as a small narrative made up of eight (postage sized) stamps. There are numerous wood cut diagrams and and two very interesting depictions of Communication (see cover and right) There are also two red and black Printers devices both Signed H.B., i.e. Hans Burgkmair. Of the: Imperial double-headed eagle with arms of Ingolstadt, Freiburg and Tübingen (cf. privilege granted by Emperor Maximilian, t.p. verso).

First book is a Translation of: Aristotles Organon (translation of Topics and De sophisticis elenchis  by Boethius; cf. Cranz, p. 197, 199. 

A public commission, in 1516 was appointed to find a way of ending the interminable strife between rival academic parties, they asked Eck to prepare new commentaries on Aristotle and Peter of Spain. And so in 1516 & 1517 he published These two commentaries on the Summulae of Petrus Hispanus, and on the Dialectics, Physics and lesser scientific works of Aristotle, which became the textbooks of the university.

The second book is Eck’s comments on Peter Spain. 

Ad 1 ) VD 16, A3530; BM STC German, 1455-1600, 43; Cranz, F.E. Aristotle 1501-1600 (2nd ed.), 107.830; Riley, L.W. Aristotle texts & commentaries, 146; Lohr D-F page 722  #1. (123:)                                                                                                                                                                                                                            and                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Ad 2) Adams; E-57, VD 16, J 671,  Burghard, A.C. Burgkmair,; 106; Metzler, J. Eck (in Tres orationes funebres, p. lxvii-cxxxii),;