''Argenis'' is a
book
A book is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images, typically composed of many pages (made of papyrus, parchment, vellum, or paper) bound together and protected by a cover. The technical term for this physic ...
by
John Barclay. It is a work of historical
allegory
As a literary device or artistic form, an allegory is a narrative or visual representation in which a character, place, or event can be interpreted to represent a hidden meaning with moral or political significance. Authors have used allegory th ...
which tells the story of the religious conflict in France under
Henry III of France
Henry III (french: Henri III, né Alexandre Édouard; pl, Henryk Walezy; lt, Henrikas Valua; 19 September 1551 – 2 August 1589) was King of France from 1574 until his assassination in 1589, as well as King of Poland and Grand Duke of ...
and
Henry IV of France
Henry IV (french: Henri IV; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry or Henry the Great, was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 1610. He was the first monarch ...
, and also touches on more contemporary English events, such as the
Overbury scandal. The tendency is royalist, anti-aristocratic; it is told from the angle of a king who reduces the landed aristocrats' power in the interest of the "country", the interest of which is identified with that of the king.
Some early editions
* 1621 - Paris, Nicolas Buon (Latin)
* 1622 - London, Eliot's Court Press (Latin)
* 1623 - Frankfurt, Danielis & Davidis Aubriorum & Clementis Schleichij (Latin)
* 1625 - London, G. Purslowe for Henry Seile (First English edition)
* 1626 - Johann Barclaÿens Argenis Deutsch gemacht durch Martin Opitzen. Breslau. (First German edition)
* 1627 - Leiden, Elzevir (First printing by Elzevir)
* 1629 - Venice, G. Salis, ad instantia di P. Frambotti (Italian translation by
Francesco Pona)
* 1630 - Elzevir (Second printing by Elzevir)
* 1630 - Elzevir (Third printing by Elzevir)
* 1636 - London, Syne of the Tygres Head (Second English edition)
* 1644 - Amsterdam, J. Janssonius (Second German edition)
* 1697 - Warszawa, Drukarnia OO. Pijarów, (Polish translation by
Wacław Potocki)
* 1995 - New York, (Fourth printing by Argenis Jimenez)(English edition)
Originally published in Latin in 1621, King James asked for it to be translated into English. The first such translation was undertaken by
Ben Jonson
Benjamin "Ben" Jonson (c. 11 June 1572 – c. 16 August 1637) was an English playwright and poet. Jonson's artistry exerted a lasting influence upon English poetry and stage comedy. He popularised the comedy of humours; he is best known for t ...
, but his version was lost in a fire which also destroyed many of his other works. Later translations were made by Kingsmill Long (1625), and Robert Le Gruys (1628).
Clara Reeve translated it as ''The Phoenix'' (1772).
References
* ''The Cambridge Companion to Writing of the English Revolution'' - Neil Howard Keeble (2001)
External links
''Argenis''- Edited and translated by Mark Riley & Dorothy Pritchard Huber (2004)
''Argenida''- Scans of a Polish poetic translation by
Wacław Potocki, Warszawa 1697
''Argenis'' in Latin- 2nd edition. Paris, Nicolas Buon, 1622.
First German editionBarclay, John (Übers. Martin Opitz): Johann Barclaÿens Argenis Deutsch gemacht durch Martin Opitzen. Breslau, 1626.
{{Authority control
1621 books
17th-century Latin books