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The most influential Dutch translation of the 'lives' of Plutarch

PLUTARCH.
T'Leven der doorluchtige Griecken ende Romeynen, tegen elck anderen vergeleken door Plutarchus van Chaeronea. Wt de Griecsche sprake overgeset door M. Iaques Amyot. Mitsgaders het leven van Hannibal, Scipio den Africaen, uyt het Latyn verfranscht by Carolus Clusius. Voorder het leven van Epaminondas, Philippus van Macedonien, Dionysius den ouden, Augustus Caesar, Plutarchus ende Seneca: ende noch het leven vande negen treffelijcke krijgs-oversten, beschreven door Aemilius Probus. Met een cort begrijp op elcx leven: leeringen op de kant, chronijck ende leer-registers: alles versamelt ende uytgegeven by S.G.S. Tesamen van nieus tot gemeen nut verduyscht, door A.V.Z.V.N.. ende ten deele by eenen anderen beminder.

Engraved allegorical frontispiece, dated 1644 with Romulus and Theseus - the subjects of the first two 'lives' presented as a pair - holding a cloth with the engraved title and an oval portrait of Plutarch at the top. Printer's device on the title with the motto 'Durate'.

Engraved allegorical frontispiece, dated 1644 with Romulus and Theseus - the subjects of the first two 'lives' presented as a pair - holding a cloth with the engraved title and an oval portrait of Plutarch at the top. Printer's device on the title with the motto 'Durate'.



Delft, Adriaen Gerritsen van Beyeren & Felix van Sambrix, 1644. Folio. Contemporary calf with large gilt centre-piece on both sides, spine in compartments, with gilt red morocco label. Engraved allegorical frontispiece, dated 1644 with Romulus and Theseus - the subjects of the first two 'lives' presented as a pair - holding a cloth with the engraved title and an oval portrait of Plutarch at the top. Printer's device on the title with the motto 'Durate'. (6), 548, (4) lvs.

Second edition of this second and most important and influencial Dutch translation by A. van Zuylen van Nyeveld (A.V.Z.V.N.) of the famous Vitae (or Parallel Lives) of Plutarch, originally composed in Greek ca. 100-120 AD, and designed to encourage mutual respect between Greeks and Romans. The lives are presented in pairs, for example: Theseus - Romulus, Demosthenes - Cicerto, Alexander the Great - Caesar, etc. By exhibiting noble deeds and characters, they were also written to provide patterns of good behavior and moral and ethical values. Plutarch's influence has been very profound in Western civilisation. Italian humanists had translated Plutarch's work into Latin long before the Greek editio princeps was published in Florence in 1517. Especially through its translations into Latin, as well as in the vernacular (f.e. the famous French translation by Jacques Amyot in 1559 - also the basis for this Dutch translation: see title-page - and the English translation by Sir Thomas North in 1579) the Lives could gain an enormous impact by providing later biographers and literary authors an outstanding model. It is very well known for example that authors like Montagne, Corneille, Racine, Rouseau, Schiller and Shakespeare heavily drew upon the Lives. is certainly also the case in the Netherlands were the first translation by M. Everart was published Jan Claesz. van Dorp in Leiden in 1601 (Geerebaert CXXXI, 1). This second Dutch translation was first printed only two years later by Jan Paedts & Jan Bouwens in Leiden in 1603. This edition has been edited by the Remonstrant pastor Simon Goulart Senlisien (S.G.S.; 1575-1628) who also added many annotations and summaries of the Lives. The present copy is from the second edition of this translation, published by a 'company' ('in compagnie') of several printers. Apparently there are also copies with an imprint in which David van Hoogenhuysen in Utrecht is mentioned as one of the printers.

Good copy.- (Some soiling and a waterstain in the lower part of the leaves; hinges weak).
Geerebaert, p. 67, nr. 3.

Related Subjects: Biography  Classical Antiquity  History  Literature 

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