Anacreon and the Anacreontic Odes Translated by Henricus Stephanus and Elie André in an Italian Edition of 1712

This paper focuses on the trilingual edition of the Anacreontic songs published by the Neapolitan publisher and printer Domenico Parrino in 1712 (Anacreontis et Sapphonis Carmina, Graece, Latine, Italiceque conversa. Notas et animadversiones addidit Tanaquilus Faber, quibus multa veterum emendatur). In this edition, the Latin translations are the work of Henry Etienne and André Elie. Some considerations are made on the broad fortune of Stephanus’ and André’s translations of “Anacreon”, and on the editorial and social framework within which such a precious trilingual collection is set. The edition was dedicated to the noble Francesco Maria Spinelli (whereas the first edition by the same publisher and printer, which appeared in 1700, was dedicated to another notable, Francesco Pignatelli). Some reflections are also made on the function of giving humanistic translations of Greek classics as a gift.