The Yale Edition of The Complete Works of St. Thomas More
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Volume 3, Part 1, Translations of Lucian
St. Thomas More; Edited by Craig R. Thompson
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Format: ClothPrice: $125.00
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In 1505 and 1506, More and Erasmus found a world of profit and delight in turning some of Lucian of Samosata’s writing into Latin. More translated the Cynicus, Minippus, Philopseudes, and Tyrannicida, and both he and Erasmus wrote declamations replying to the latter work—the only surviving example of literary competition between the two friends.
More’s Latin versions of Lucian provide valuable evidence of his tastes and scholarship a decade before Utopia was conceived, and they have an important place in the development of his literary career. Except for two letters, these translations and More’s reply to Tyrannicida are his earliest extant Latin prose compositions and were the first to be published. In his lifetime, they were printed more frequently than any other of his writings, even Utopia.
In this volume, the first scholarly edition of this material, More’s Latin translations of the Cynicus, Menippus, Philopseudes, and Tyrannicida are accompanied by facsimiles of the Greek edition More probably used. An English translation of the dialogues appears in the Appendix. The volume also contains More’s dedicatory letter to Ruthall and his declamation in reply to Lucian, with the editor’s translations of both. Mr. Thompson also provides full textual notes, a bibliography, and commentary. In his introduction, he discuss the various texts of More’s translations and, in tracing the history of More’s interest in Greek and in Lucian, he considers the significance of these early exercises in More’s literary career.
More’s Latin versions of Lucian provide valuable evidence of his tastes and scholarship a decade before Utopia was conceived, and they have an important place in the development of his literary career. Except for two letters, these translations and More’s reply to Tyrannicida are his earliest extant Latin prose compositions and were the first to be published. In his lifetime, they were printed more frequently than any other of his writings, even Utopia.
In this volume, the first scholarly edition of this material, More’s Latin translations of the Cynicus, Menippus, Philopseudes, and Tyrannicida are accompanied by facsimiles of the Greek edition More probably used. An English translation of the dialogues appears in the Appendix. The volume also contains More’s dedicatory letter to Ruthall and his declamation in reply to Lucian, with the editor’s translations of both. Mr. Thompson also provides full textual notes, a bibliography, and commentary. In his introduction, he discuss the various texts of More’s translations and, in tracing the history of More’s interest in Greek and in Lucian, he considers the significance of these early exercises in More’s literary career.
"This volume maintains the high standard of editing and production that we have come to expect from this edition. The introduction, textual notes, commentary and bibliography provide all the assistance needed for an appreciation of the early pieces of More's literary work. Facsimiles of the Greek edition which More probably used here on pages facing his Latin translations. This was the Aldine edition of 1503."—The Heythrop Journal
"All that can or need be said is set out in Professor Thompson's exceptionally elegant and impressive introduction; the whole handsome volume us a triumph of the editorial art."—New England Quarterly
"The present edition is the first scholarly edition of these translations. along with More's Latin translations the volume includes facsimiles of the Greek edition most likely used by More as well as modern English translations of the dialogues. the editor has provided English translations of More's declamation in reply to Lucian and his dedicatory letter to Thomas Ruthall. full textual notes, a helpful bibliography and a brief commentary are also provided."—Church History
"This edition contains textual notes and the usual highly competent scholarly apparatus, together with such extras as facsimiles of the Greek editions probably used by More and English versions of the texts. The volume is—as usual—superbly produced."—The Tablet
"This introduction is a fine piece of scholarship, and the volume as a whole makes a valuable contribution to the study of English humanism."—Journal of Ecclesiastical History
ISBN: 9780300014723
Publication Date: September 10, 1974
Publication Date: September 10, 1974
296 pages, 6 1/8 x 9 1/4
