PLUTARQUE. Les vies des Hommes illustres.

Famous edition of Plutarch’s Works translated by Jacques Amyot printed by Vascosan in Paris in 1567 and 1574.
It presents « Les Vies des hommes illustres [The lives of illustrious men] » in 6 volumes followed by « Œuvres morales [Moral works] » in 7 volumes.

Brunet describes it like that: “Very beautiful edition, of which well-preserved copies are always sought-after by curious people”.

The edition is dedicated to King Charles IX of France.

Amyot arrived very young in Paris in order to take the public courses of the college de France that Francis I of France had just founded. He translated into French all the works of Plutarch of which it is said that he made a French book of it.

Amyot was one of the creators of this fine 16^th century original and naïve language, flexible, abundant, colored, natural, picturesque and harmonious, and his translation, despite few inaccuracies, has not been erased since and remains as one of the most beautiful monuments of our ancient literature.

“It has, Racine writes, in the old style of the translator a grace that I do not think can be equaled by our modern language.”

Amyot’s Plutarch has always been sought-after by the most illustrious amateurs.

A precious copy preserved in its elegant green morocco by Derôme le Jeune, coming from Hector de Backer’s collection (n° 472) described like this:
“Very sought-after edition of this monument of French literature. Amyot made of Plutarch ‘a French book, written in a harmonious and smooth style, naïve and picturesque, the most beautiful model of the sixteenth century language”.
Very beautiful ruled copy, including in the sixth volume Lifes of Hannibal and Scipion l’Africain, translated by Charles de l’Ecluse, separated part of 160 pp. which is sometimes missing.”