The History of the Seven Wise Masters of Rome (Glasgow: R. Sanders, 1713).

THE| HISTORY| OF THE| Seven WISE MASTERS| OF| ROME.| Newly Corrected, and better Explained| in many places.| [vignette]| [rule]| GLASGOW,| Printed by Robert Sanders of Auldhouse;| and are to be sold in his Shop, opposite| to the College. M.DCC.XIII.

Description

[cheap design] p.[1] titlepage/ p.[2] preface/ p.[3]-80/ 8°.

Shelf-marks

{L: 12450.b.44}.

Bibliographical Reference

ESTC: t062902.

History of Publication

Source: one of the numerous adaptations of the Septem Sapientum published during the last two centuries. Cf. A. Esdaile (1912), p.124-26. A special page with the European history of the text would be welcome.

Self-classification

Title: "History".

Remarks

Allegorical history following a strict pattern. The preface dealing with the framing allegory offers an interpretation of all the stories included: Emperor Pontianus [the World] gives his son Dioclesian [Man] into the school of the Seven Wise Masters [septem artes liberales]. Dioclesian's Mother ["Reason or Divine Grace"] died at the beginning. Her sucessor [Sin] desires an affair with Dioclesian. She offers him her body, he resists. To take revenge on him she accuses him publicly of attempted rape - his death has to be his punishement. Her arguments are exemplary and interpreted Allegories and are outweighed by equal arguments brought forward by the Seven Wise Masters. The emperor finally decides to burn her at the stake.

o.s.