"JOHN BARCLAY: ARGENIS"
Translated and edited by Mark Riley, professor of Latin, with Dorothy Pritchard Huber
 Fans of literary best-sellers can add one from the 17th century to their collection, thanks to Latin professor Mark Riley and co-editor Dorothy Pritchard Huber.
They've translated John Barclay's Argenis-considered to be the greatest of all neo-Latin novels. The translation is the first since a German version was printed in 1891.
With his use of complex plots and a variety of characters, Barclay challenged the period's politics and religion. Most French and English novels of the 17th century borrow from Argenis, Riley explains.
The son of Scottish parents, Barclay was French-born in 1582 and died in 1621. Argenis, his most renowned novel, centers on the romantic interests of the fictional King of Sicily's daughter.
But Barclay's book was mostly celebrated for taking on the issues of the day. Argenis includes examples of a king's limitations of power, the treatment of religious minorities and bureaucracy.
The co-editors had unprecedented access to Barclay's original 1,200-page manuscript archived in Carpentras, France. "As the novel was printed and reprinted during the 17th and 18th centuries, many typos crept into the text," Riley says. "The manuscript helped us restore Barclay's original text."
They translated the book primarily by referring to two previous English translations published during the 17th century. "In adapting the translation, we did have to correct some errors and revise in a number of places," Riley says. "As a result this translation is readable, while still preserving some of the 17th century feel."
(MRTS AND VAN GORCUM & COMP., 2003, $60) |
