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Letter #6263

Ioannes DANTISCUS to Georgius SABINUS
s.l., [after 1547-08-01]

English register:

Dantiscus has read with pleasure the addressee’s book [most likely a copy of his collected works published in 1544]. While he ought to reciprocate, he has nothing to offer in return. He has not occupied himself with verse composition for a long time, yet, not wishing to appear ungrateful, he sends his own work about Lucretia [most likely a copy of the printed edition of De duabus Lucretiis]. He asks for the addressee’s indulgence should the piece not be to his liking; should the verse please him in any way, however, he will send more.

Iopes [Alexander von Suchten] has neither earned the addressee’s patronage nor is he worthy of his verse. Rather, he deserves censure and punishment, as he has slandered Dantiscus’ fellow citizens [of Gdańsk (Danzig) and fled from justice.

Dantiscus joins the addressee in mourning the death of his wife [Anna Schwarzerdt] and that of Pietro Bembo.



Early printed source materials:
1SABINUS 1558 (Ioannes Dantiscus episcopus Varmiensis Sabino s(alutem)) p. X7v-X8r (in extenso)
2SABINUS 1563 (Ioannes Dantiscus episcopus Varmiensis Sabino s(alutem)) p. 331-332 (in extenso)
3SABINUS 1578 (Ioannes Dantiscus episcopus Varmiensis Sabino s(alutem)) p. 331-332 (in extenso)
4SABINUS 1581 (Ioannes Dantiscus episcopus Varmiensis Sabino s(alutem)) p. 331-332 (in extenso)
5SABINUS 1589 (Ioannes Dantiscus episcopus Varmiensis Sabino s(alutem)) p. 331-332 (in extenso)
6SABINUS 1606 (Ioannes Dantiscus Episcopus Varmiensis suo Sabino s(alutem)) p. 3[03]-305 (in extenso)
7DANTISCUS 1764 (Ad eundem) p. 155-156 (in extenso)

Prints:
1DANTISCUS 1938 (Jedenastozgłoskowce do Jerzego Sabina) No. 18.3, p. 192-194 (Polish translation, Jan Michał HARHALA)
2Dantisci Carmina (Hendecasyllabi ad Georgium Sabinum) No. XLVI.3, p. 214-216 (in extenso)
3Antologia 1956 (Jedenastozgłoskowce do Jerzego Sabina) No. 3, p. 230 (Polish translation, Edwin JĘDRKIEWICZ; in extenso)
4DANTISCUS 1973, 1987 (Hendecasyllabi ad Georgium Sabinum / Jedenastozgłoskowce do Jerzego Sabina) No. 3, p. 96-99 (in extenso; Polish translation, Anna KAMIEŃSKA)
5Antologia 1985 (Jedenastozgłoskowce do Jerzego Sabina) No. 3, p. 232--233 (Polish translation, Edwin JĘDRKIEWICZ)
6STARNAWSKI 2007 p. 36 (excerpt)

 

Text & apparatus & commentary Plain text Text & commentary Text & apparatus

 

Perlegi cupide tuum libellum,
Leporis, salis, eruditionis
Plenum, quem toties videre avebam.
Ex hoc ingenii libens acumen
Amplexus, numeros iocosque dulces
Transcurri; neque Pegasum volantem,
Quem clarum tibi stemma iussit esse
Caesar, praeterii, nec hoc, amicis
Quidquid Pierides tuae dicarunt.
Dignas hinc tibi gratias referre
Deberem siquidem, sed est supellex,
Scis, quam curta mihi, sub hac palaestra
Iam pridem qui Heliconidas reliqui.
Ingratus tamen esse nolo totus:
Si Lucretia nostra non placebit,
Quam mitto, veniam dabis; placere
Quod possit tibi forte, deinde mittam.
At patrocinio tuo tuisque
Doctis hendecasyllabis, Sabine,
Indignus fuit ille sordidatus,
Pro quo tot precibus simul profusis
Exposcis veniam, licet sit usto
Dignus stigmate, contumax Iopas,
Qui tangens fidibus chelyn malignis
Infames voluit meos fideles
Cives reddere, dixerat fidem quos
Infregisse; docere quod nequibat.
Poenas ferre graves calumniator
Coram iudicio, quod ergo fugit,
Leges quas statuere, debuisset.
Quod porro quereris, gemis dolesque
Mortem coniugis optimique Bembi,
Tecum condolui, piis utrisque,
Orans, Manibus ut quies beata
Detur cum superis; et hanc utrisque
Nobis, quando vocabimur, petamus!
Nulli cedere nam solet propinquans
Cunctis terminus a Deo locatus.