![Sibylline Oracles
Opsopoeus, Johannes, ed. [in Greek, transliterated as] Sibulliskoi chrësmoi, [then in roman] hoc est Sybillina oracula. Paris:1599.
The Sibylline Oracles knew all, but understanding their pronouncements was not always easy. The efforts of scholar Onofrio Panvinio (1529–68), translator Sebastien Castellion (1515–63), and editor Johannes Opsopäus (1556–96) are brought together here and are supplemented by twelve finely engraved portraits of “the oracles” by Karel van Mallery (1571–ca. 1635).
The pronouncements are here in the original Greek, with Latin translation (including sidenotes) on the facing page. These are enhanced by Panvinio’s study of the Oracles, extensive elogia (testimonies by the ancient authors Plato, Ovid, Aristoteles … ), and Mallery’s engravings of the sibyls, all preceding the actual printing of the prophecies with notes and supplemental material by Opsopäus.
The volume begins with a most handsome emblematic engraved title-page signed C. De Mallery involving a ship at sea against a sky labeled “Lutetia” (for Paris) surmounting an elaborate architectural frame containing the title and incorporating elegant symbolic ladies and more, followed on the next leaves by a dedication to the esteemed French collector Jacques-Auguste de Thou (Thuanus, 1553–1617). Beautiful floriated woodcut initials, factotum initials, head- and tailpieces decorate the text, which is an exquisite example of printing.
—————————————-O WORLD of men wide-scattered, and long walls,The cities huge and nations numberless,Throughout the east and west and south and north,Divided off by various languagesAnd kingdoms; other things, the very worst,Against you I am now about to speak.
- Opening of Book XI, translated by Milton S. Terry, 1899.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwbfef7sjK1qabm59o1_500.jpg)
Sibylline Oracles
Opsopoeus, Johannes, ed. [in Greek, transliterated as] Sibulliskoi chrësmoi, [then in roman] hoc est Sybillina oracula. Paris:1599.
The Sibylline Oracles knew all, but understanding their pronouncements was not always easy. The efforts of scholar Onofrio Panvinio (1529–68), translator Sebastien Castellion (1515–63), and editor Johannes Opsopäus (1556–96) are brought together here and are supplemented by twelve finely engraved portraits of “the oracles” by Karel van Mallery (1571–ca. 1635).
The pronouncements are here in the original Greek, with Latin translation (including sidenotes) on the facing page. These are enhanced by Panvinio’s study of the Oracles, extensive elogia (testimonies by the ancient authors Plato, Ovid, Aristoteles … ), and Mallery’s engravings of the sibyls, all preceding the actual printing of the prophecies with notes and supplemental material by Opsopäus.
The volume begins with a most handsome emblematic engraved title-page signed C. De Mallery involving a ship at sea against a sky labeled “Lutetia” (for Paris) surmounting an elaborate architectural frame containing the title and incorporating elegant symbolic ladies and more, followed on the next leaves by a dedication to the esteemed French collector Jacques-Auguste de Thou (Thuanus, 1553–1617). Beautiful floriated woodcut initials, factotum initials, head- and tailpieces decorate the text, which is an exquisite example of printing.
—————————————-
O WORLD of men wide-scattered, and long walls,
The cities huge and nations numberless,
Throughout the east and west and south and north,
Divided off by various languages
And kingdoms; other things, the very worst,
Against you I am now about to speak.
- Opening of Book XI, translated by Milton S. Terry, 1899.
