455

Lucius Annaeus Seneca (ca. 4 BCE-65 CE)

His Tenne Tragedies.

London: Marsh, 1581.
 Quarto, lacking title page and first blank (title supplied in manuscript facsimile); bound in 18th century speckled boards; rebacked (some water staining to contents); ex libris Holcombe Ingleby (1854-1926) with his armorial bookplate inside front board; (water staining to contents lacking final leaf Ff4 ?blank; colophon leaf present); 7 x 5 in.


STC 22221; ESTC S117108; Greg III, 1105-1106; Pforzheimer 867; rare at auction.

"The influence of Seneca upon the Elizabethan drama has been traced, among others, by Professors Cunliffe, F.L. Lucas, and Kastner and Charlton. There is not much that can here be added except to say that it was probably greater than even the numerous identifiable pilferings and paraphrases would seem to indicate. Besides the unquestionable responsibility for the five-act division of the modern European tragedy, it is perhaps not exaggerating to claim for Seneca the development of blank verse as a vehicle of the English drama, instead of the old fourteener or heroic couplet, received considerable support from its being obviously the nearest equivalent to the solemnity and weight of the Senecan iambic." (Pforzheimer.)

These tragedies were translated into English by Jasper Heywood, Alexander Neville, Thomas Newton, and John Studley.

  • Condition: A3-4 (lacking A1-2, preliminary blank and title), B-Z8, Aa-Ee8, Ff1-3 (lacking Ff4).

    Please contact us to request a condition report:
    Devon Eastland, Senior Specialist: [email protected]
    Grace Meschery-McCormack, Cataloguer: [email protected]


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