From the Library's collection of about three thousand printed books from the 15th to the 19th century, we conclude that the Patmian monks had a liking for the neoplatonism of Ammonius Saccas and Simplicius, as well as for ancient tragedies, poetry collections and anthologies of epigrams. The Library holds eleven incunabula, almost all of which are the editiones principes of the texts they contain and represent part of the printing activity of the Italian and Greek printers during the Italian Renaissance.
A fine example is the Anthology of Various Epigrams that was printed in Florence and edited by Janus Lascaris. In the copy held by the Monastery, some of the illuminated capitals have been repainted by one of the owners. The pages are full of the commentary and handwritten notes, and the book bears an indiscernible owner's note.
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