TORRENTINUS, H.

Elucidarius vel Vocabularius poeticus ab Hermanno Torrentino compositus: continens fabulas, historias, provincias, urbes, insulas, fluvios, et montes illustres. Item Vocabula et interpretationes Grecorum et Hebraicorum: una cum vocabulis communibus Saracenorum in latinum translatis: et alijs in fine adiunctis.

      By a brother of the Common Life Hagenau, Henricus Gran for Joannis Rynman, 1514. 4to. With woodcut borders including the printer's device on title, and woodcut initial in text. (60) lvs. Two popular historical, geographical and mythological dictionaries by Hermannus Torrentinus (1450-1520), or Van der Beke, containing proper nouns important in literature, history and mythology. Torrentinus was a pupil of Alexander Hegius at Deventer, and became a member of the Brethren of the Common Life. At about 1490 he was a teacher at Groningen. After his father died and his mother was left without support, Torrentinus left the Order and returned to his native town Zwolle, where he, though blind, taught untill his death. The first dictionary, of Latin words, was first published in 1498 at Deventer by Pafraet, under the title "Elucidarius carminum et historiarum". It was also issued under the title: "Parvum dictionarium poeticum". The second dictionary, of Greek, Hebrew and Arab words translated into Latin, was added to it in 1505. The book is well laid out, the text printed in a small "lettre bâtarde" in two columns, with 47 lines to a page, running titles and headings printed in large type. Until 1540 there were at least 40 editions under slightly different titles, making the Elucidarius one of the most popular reference works of the first half of the 16th century and certainly the most important 'classical dictionary' of its time. Torrentinus wrote several small books for use in his school, featuring texts by Virgil and Sabellico. The Elucidarius is in fact a concise encyclopaedia with data in the field of geography, classical literature, daily life, etc., gathered mainly from classical literature and put together in alphabetical order. Good copy, with ample margins.- (Wrappers gone; two quires loose in spine; margin title page sl. dam.; sl. waterst. at the end). VD16 T 1601.