Glasgow University Library : Alciato/Lefevre 1536

Alciato: Livret des emblemes,
Paris: Chrétien Wechel, 1536.

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The text transcribed here is the French version by Jean Lefevre from Alciati's Livret des emblemes, Paris: Chrétien Wechel, 1536 (the first of Wechel's two Latin/French editions of that year). from the Glasgow University Library copy SM23B. This edition in effect provides a parallel text: motto, woodcut and Latin text (in italic) on the verso; French motto and text (in bastard gothic) on the facing recto.

Lefevre's translation is the first emblematic text to be published in French; two further French translations of Alciati's emblems were subsequently published in the 16th century by Barthélemy Aneau and Claude Mignault. Links to the Aneau text are provided.

The text has been prepared by Alison Adams, Department of French, University of Glasgow. Editorial intervention has been kept to a minimum: 'long s', i/j and u/v have been normalised and apostrophes have been inserted according to modern usage; acute accents on final syllables have been added to ease comprehension. Since emendation inevitably implies interpretation, only the most manifest errors have been corrected. These are indicated by * in the text, and the original reading is noted below the main text.

Reference numbers: the prefix L (Lefevre) refers to the order in this edition; the prefix 'D' refers to Index Emblematicus: Andreas Alciatus, edited by Peter M. Daly, et al, Toronto: Toronto University Press, 1985, which itself follows the order of the edition of Padua: Tozzi, 1621. For ease of reference, the Latin titles given to the emblems in the Index Emblematicus follow the 'Daly' numbers given here.

Grateful acknowledgements to William Nixon for technical know-how, and a healthy can-do attitude.

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