Epistolarum selectarum, Centuria prima

8vo. (16), 254, (2) pp. *⁸, A-Q⁸. With the printer's device on the title-page. Contemporary vellum over boards.

Adams, L-815; Biblioteca Belgica, L-221; Voet, no. 1543; T. Deneire, “Laconicae cuspidis instar”. The Correspondence of Justus Lipsius: 1598. Critical Edition with an introduction, annotations and stylistic study, (Thesis: Louvain, 2009), p. 13; A. Gerlo, M.A. Nauwelaerts & H.D.L. Vervliet, eds., Iusti Lipsi Epistolae, (Bruxelles, 1978-1983), I, p. 20.

FIRST EDITION (there is also extant a variant with Leiden as printing place, where the volume was actually printed). On October 6, 1585 Lipsius asked Plantin's advice about the dedicatory letter to the volume. Personally he thought of Dirk van Leeuwen, ‘senator' of the Court of Holland and his close friend, but perhaps Plantin had someone else in mind. The work was finally dedicated to the magistrates of the city of Utrecht (Leiden, November 13, 1585).

The volume contains 86 letters by Lipsius and 14 addressed to him (cf. J. Papy, La correspondance de Juste Lipse: genèse et fortune des ‘Epistolarum Selectarum Centuria”, in: “Les Cahiers de l'Humanisme”, 2, 2001, pp. 223-236).

“[...] Juste Lipse, qui fut aussi, comme tous les grands humanists, un épistolier des plus zélés. Plus de 4.300 lettres écrites par Lipse ou lui adressées ont été conservées. Environ 800 lettres d'entre elles ont été publiées de son vivant” (A. Gerlo & H.D.L. Vervliet, Inventaire de la correspondance de Juste Lipse 1564-1606, Antwerp, 1968, p. 5).

“There is an obvious problem with publishing a letter that was originally destined only for one recipient. Lipsius criticized Coornhert for publishing their correspondence; ‘among the good it is the custom that letters written between two [men] perish with two. This sentiment, expressed by a man whose Centuriae of published correspondence spawned an entire genre, encapsulates the paradoxical rhetoric of Renaissance letter-writing and the friendship which it sustained; it was a seemingly private language geared (often) toward public consumption and use. And this unease is apparent in the preface of his first Centuria, where Lipsius professed to be ‘somehow willing unwilling' to publish the work. The publication of his later Ad Hispanos et Italos (1601), the first Centuria to appear after his reconciliation, was justified on account of the possible loss of the original letters - in other words, they were still published with the original recipient in mind. Lipsius also claimed that his letters offered general advice; ‘we offer counsel, warning, precautions, especially to young people, who I have always attempted to lead not just to pleasantries, [but] to usefulness, and to place them in mind and vigour above the common people'. The main aim of Lipsius' Centuriae, however, was to offer the reader a chance to get to know its author. Lipsius insisted on his sincerity: ‘not only (I am telling you the truth) do I not write twice, I hardly read them [my letters] twice. They emanate from me through a certain transparent channel straight from an open heart; they are as my mind or body is at the moment I write' ” (J. Machielsen, Friendship and Religion in the Republic of Letters; the Return of Justus Lipsius to Catholicism, 1591, in: “Renaissance Studies”, September 2011, pp. 4-5).

“From April 1583 to August 1585 Christopher Plantin had been living in Leiden and had established a second branch of his Officina. As soon as he was back in Antwerp, he realized that the political situation made it impossible to import or sell any works originating from the Leiden presses. On April 15, 1586 Plantin contacted Willem Breugel, member of the Council of Brabant and related to Lipsius. His Leiden partners had send him a few copies of Lipsius' Centuria prima, which he had submitted for approval to the responsible ecclesiastical book censors in Antwerp. Since they found no offence, he presented the Centuria to the States of Brabant, asking Breugel to insist that they too should allow the book's sale. To press home his petition, he stressed that neither the theologian Benito Arias Montano or his acquaintances in Spain, nor the Antwerp bishop Torrentius had any objections. The Council's answer must have been negative, for in the next letter to Breugel (dat. May 4) Plantin showed his appreciation for his efforts and regretted that Lipsius' whereabouts were an invincible stumbling block for the grant of a privilege. Thus he asked permission to sell the work on condition that the address on the title was changed: Lugduni Batavorum, ex officina Plantiniana would become Antverpiae, apud Christophorum Plantinum, thus indicating that he did not print, but was only selling the book in his Antwerp shop. Or should he perhaps totally refrain from the book's divulgation? In any case, he would do nothing against the express wish of the Chancellor or any councilor's advice. In these letters to Breugel Lipsius' name was avoided by using a formula as mon bon Signeur et amy […] Finally, Plantin was allowed to sell the book with its new address, but he was not granted a privilege. This implied a serious financial risk, for the printer could not claim the monopoly of the book's publication and sale within the Southern Netherlands or within the reign of the Spanish King. In those ‘Antwerp copies' - yet printed on Leiden presses! - letter 67, in the editio princeps addressed to Cornelius ab Egmont Nieuwenburghius, was replaced by one to the French lawyer Jacques Cujas. The Index Nominum was altered as well” (J. de Landtsheer, Justus Lipsius, 1547-1606, and the Edition of his ‘Centuriae miscellaneae, 1586-1605; some Particularities and Practical Problems, in: “Lias”, 25, 1998, p. 74).

Valerius [Wouters], Cornelius. Isque, November 20, 1575 (p. 1)

Giselinus, Victor. Isque, October 5, 1576 (p. 3)

Dousa, Janus. Leuven, April 3, 1577 (p. 5)

Falkenburgius, Gerardus. Isque, August 1, 1575 (p. 6)

Pighius, Stephanus [Wynants, Étienne]]. Wien, June 13, 1572 (p. 9)

Scaliger, Josephus [Justus]. Leuven, December 26, 1576(p. 11)

from id. La Roche-Posey, February 12, 1577 (p. 12)

Breugel, Willem. Isque, September 29, 1575 (p. 14)

Giselinus, Victor. [early in 1577?] (p. 24)

Ellinger, Andreas. Frankfurt/M., April 1, 1574 (p. 25)

from Muret, Marc-Antoine. Tivoli, August 21, 1569 (p. 27)

Ratlo, Alexander de. Leiden, September 22, 1583 (p. 29)

Lernutius, Janus. Leuven, June 13, 1577 (p. 32)

Delrio, Martin Anton. Antwerp, March 4, 1578 (p. 35)

Dousa, Janus. Leiden, April 3, 1580 (p. 36)

Pollio, Everardus. Leiden, October 5, 1582 (p. 43)

from Busbecq, Ogier [Ghislain de]. Paris, February 12, 1580 (p. 44)

Busbecq, Ogier [Ghislain de]. Leiden, March 7, 1580 (p. 46)

Leeuwius, Theodorus. Leiden, November 11, 1582 (p. 47)

Lernutius, Janus. Leiden, November 11, 1581 (p. 49)

Berchemius, Hieronymus. Leuven, October 13, 1576 (p. 51)

Lannoy, Philippe de. Antwerp, April 3, 1578 (p. 53)

Dousa, Janus. Leiden, June 29, 1581 (p. 65)

from Rataller, Georgius. Utrecht, July 31, 1580 (p. 66)

Rataller, Georgius. Leiden, August 2, 1580 (p. 68)

Leeuwius, Theodorus. Leiden, January 31, 1583 (p. 69)

Lernutius, [Janus] & Giselinus, Victor. Leiden, April 1, 1579 (p. 70)

Modius, Franciscus. Leiden, August 5, 1582 (p. 73)

from Scaliger, Josephus [Justus]. [Château de] Chantemille near Ahun, May 23, 1581 (p. 77)

Florentius, Nicolaus (p. 79)

Leeuwius, Theodore (p. 81)

Mercier, Josias. Leiden, March 15, 1582 (p. 85)

Ratlo, Alexander de. January 23, 1582 (p. 87)

from Busbecq, Ogier [Ghislain de]. Paris, January 28, 1582 (p. 89)

Raphelengien, François. September 11, 1583 (p. 91)

Sambucus, Johannes. Leiden, March 1, 1579 (p. 92)

Leeuwius, Theodore. Leiden, August 18, 1581 (p. 94)

from Gulielmius, Janus. Paris, January 3, 1584 (p. 95)

Gulielmius, Janus (p. 97)

Lernutius, Janus. Leiden, February 3, 1584 (p. 98)

Stewechius, Godeschalcus. Leiden, October 8, 1582 (p. 100)

Canterus, Theodorus [Canter, Dirk]. Leiden, March 15, 1581 (p. 102)

Leeuwius, Theodore. Leiden, June 24, 1583 (p. 105)

Schuermans, Gaspard. Leiden, November 6, 1583 (p. 108)

Giselinus, Victor. N.pl., December 1, 1583 (p. 109)

from Roeland, Gabriel. Antwerp, April 28, 1584 (p. 111)

Roeland, Gabriel. Leiden, May 7, 1584 (p. 112)

Clusius, Carolus [L'Ecluse, Charles de]. Leiden, May 7, 1584 (p. 113)

from Clusius, Carolus [L'Ecluse, Charles de]. Wien, July 10, 1584 (p. 114)

Hautenus, Joannes [Hout, Jan van]. (p. 116)

Lernutius, Janus. January 23, 1582 (p. 140)

Benci, Francesco. March 23, 1584 (p. 142)

from Muret, Marc-Antoine. Roma, February 8, [1584?] (p. 144)

Ortelius, Abraham. Leiden, December 29, 1584 (p. 145)

Wiltius, Henricus [Wilt, Hendrik van]. Leiden, August 11, 1582 (p. 147)

to the Magistrates of the City of Antwerp. Leiden, January 8, 1584 (p. 150)

from Marnix, Philip. Antwerp, December 19, 1583 (p. 151)

Lydius, Martin. Leiden, November 22, 1583 (p. 153)

Prunius, Cornelius [Pruynen, Cornelis]. Leiden, November 13, 1583 (p 156)

Lampsonius, Domenicus. Leiden, May 31, 1584 (p. 158)

Leeuwius, Theodore. f March 1, 1585 (p. 160)

Amico cuidam [Dousa, Janus]. Leiden, August 23, 1584 (p. 164)

Busbecq, Ogier [Gislain de]. Leiden, August 23, 1584 (p. 166)

Torrentius, Laevinus. Leiden, January 2, 1585 (p. 168)

Vulcanus, Bonaventura. (p. 170)

Gulielmius, Janus. Leiden, September 19, 1584 (p. 173)

Cuiacius, Jacobus [Cujas, Jacque de]. Leiden, October 3, [1584?] (p. 175)

Leeuwius, Theodore. Leiden, September 9, 1584 (p. 177)

Dammius, Andreas (p. 178)

Giselinus, Victor (p. 182)

Dousa, Janus (p. 184)

Moretus, Joannes [Moerentorf, Jan]. Delft, September 11, 1583 (p. 185)

Benedictus, Georgius [Werteloo, Georg Benedikt]. Leiden, 1584 (p. 186)

Gulielmius, Janus. Leiden, May 18, 1584 (p. 187)

Camerarius, Joachim. Leiden, May 17, 1584 (p. 190)

Donellus [Doneau], Hugo. (p. 191)

Raphelengien, François. Leiden, December 19, 1584 (p. 193)

Pollio, Everardus. Leiden, December 17, 1584 (p. 196)

Lydius, Martin. Leiden, December 17, 1584 (p. 197)

Wincelius [Winckele], Roland [de]. April 5, 1584 (p. 199)

[Giselinus], Victor. Leiden, August 22, 1585 (p. 201)

Raphelengien, François. Leiden, November 29, 1584 (p. 204)

Melissus [Schede], Paul. Leiden, December 1, 1584 (p. 207)

from Pincaeus, Renatus [René de Pince]. Paris, July 25, 1584 (p. 208)

Pincaeus, Renatus [René de Pince]. Leiden, September 23, [1584?] (p. 209)

Lernutius, Janus. Leiden, August 1, [1584?] (p. 210)

Memmius, Erricus. Leiden, September 28, 1584 (p. 214)

Rantzau, Heinrich von. Leiden, February 13, 1585 (p. 215)

Busius [Buys], Paulus. Leiden, July 11, 1583 (p. 216)

Tinnius, Florentius [Thin, Floris]. Leiden, June 20, 1585 (p. 223)

from Dudith, Andreas. Beslau, March 17, 1584 (p. 225)

Dudith, Andreas, Leiden, 1584 (p. 228)

Gruterus, Janus [Gruyter, Jan de]. Leiden, April 18, 1585 (p. 231)

Metkerchus, Adolphus [Meetkerke Adolf van]. November 11, 1582 (p. 232)

Collinus, [Marcus] Valerius. August 31, 1585 (p. 234)

from Torrentius, Laevinus. Leuven, April 5, 1584 (p. 236)

Torrentius, Laevinus. Leiden, May 6, 1584 (p. 243)

Wiltius, Henricus [Wilt, Hendrik van]. Leiden, December 1, 1584 (p. 246)

Rotarius [Radermacher], Johannes. Leiden, December 17, 1583 (p. 247)

Egmondus, Petrus [Egmont, Pieter van]. Leiden, October 22, 1585 (p. 250)

Born near Louvain in the town of Overlise, Justus Lipsius distinguished himself as a student of the classics first at the Jesuit college at Cologne and subsequently at the university in Louvain. Shortly after completing his studies, he published a precocious volume of Variae Lectiones (1569), a collection of philological observations on classical texts. Written in a polished Ciceronian style and dedicated to no less a figure than Cardinal Granvelle, chief minister of Philip II in the Low Countries, the volume quickly captured the attention not only of the powerful prelate but also of Europe's scholars.

This initial work had significant and lasting effects on Lipsius' career; the most immediate was his appointment as Latin secretary to Granvelle, who took the young man to Rome, where he was introduced to international power politics as well as to the treasures of Italian libraries, including the Vatican's. An equally significant result of the cardinal's patronage was the opportunity it afforded Lipsius to make the acquaintance of Marc-Antoine Muret, the French scholar who was perhaps the most famous Latinist of his age.

A recent convert to the anti-Ciceronian movement, Muret in turn made a convert of Lipsius. The first fruit of this interest was Lipsius' famous edition of Tacitus (1575), and its culmination was Politicorum libri sex (1589), a compilation of classical political wisdom directed explicitly at the social and religious crises of the sixteenth century. These works won him a reputation as a ‘politician', or student of prudentia, which was never equaled or corrected, at least in Italy, by the fame of his later works.

A corollary interest was the style and philosophy of Seneca. Lipsius' most famous and influential work, De constantia (1584), is a synthesis of Christianity and Stoic philosophy. The crowning achievement of his career are two studies of Stoicism, Manuductio ad stoicam philosophiam and its sequel Physiologia stoicorum (both 1604), and his monumental edition of Seneca (1605).

After two years in the service of the cardinal, Lipsius returned briefly to Leuven, only to leave again in 1571, apparently fearing the strife that had broken out anew between his countrymen and their Spanish rulers. He went to the Viennese court of Maximilian II, where he met such renowned literary figures as Ogier Busbecq, Joannes Sambucus, Joannes Crato, and Stephanus Pighius, who urged that he stay in Vienna. He was unable to find the kind of patronage for which he had hoped, however, and he moved on to Bohemia, Meissen, and Thuringia. While in Thuringia, news of continued turmoil in Brabant deterred his return home, so he secured a recommendation from the Protestant scholar Joachim Camerarius, whom he had met in Leipzig, and this led to an invitation from the Duke of Saxe-Weimar to serve as professor of history at the Lutheran University of Jena in 1572.

Popular among students, Lipsius aroused the jealousy of elder colleagues and the suspicion of Protestant authorities. In March 1574, he left Jena for Cologne and evidently made his peace with the Church. It was in Cologne that he wrote five books of Antiquae lectiones, which are almost exclusively concerned with an enthusiastic examination of Plautus. After a few months, Lipsius returned to Leuven, and in 1576 he proceeded to the degree of doctor of laws, an undertaking that has been ascribed to his association with Muret and an interest in jurisprudence derived from Tacitus. In addition to resuming his work on Tacitus during this brief residence in his homeland, he also published his important Quaestiones epistolicae (1575).

But Lipsius was not yet to find peace. In 1578, with the news of the victory of Don Juan of Austria at Gembloux, he again became apprehensive at the prospect of an invasion by Spanish troops. He fled Louvain, and Spanish soldiers did indeed ransack his deserted house, confiscating and destroying his books and papers. He took brief refuge in the Antwerp home of his friend and publisher, Christopher Plantin. Then, in 1579, he accepted the temporary position of professor of history and law at the Leiden University.

Notwithstanding its explicitly Calvinist make-up, Leiden was a remarkably open university in the beginning, and in Holland Lipsius found a haven from his home province for nearly thirteen years. While there he published his Electa (1580); his Satyra Menippaea: Somnium (1581); his Saturnalia (1582); his De Amphitheatro (1584); his De Amphitheatris quae extra Romam (1584); notes on Valerius Maximus, Seneca, and Velleius Paterculus; and his De recta pronuciatione Latinae Linguae (1586); as well as the major works on constancy and politics. It was there, also, that he delivered the lectures on letter-writing that later became Epistolica institutio of 1591.

By 1591, however, the atmosphere, if not the statutes, of Leiden had become more stridently Calvinist, and Lipsius returned to the southern provinces of the Low Countries, where he was again reconciled to the Catholic Church, largely through the good offices of his boyhood masters, the Jesuits, and he accepted the post of professor of Latin at Leuven. He remained in Leuven for the rest of his days, resisting numerous appeals from foreign courts and especially from Italian churchmen (cf. M. Laureys, ed., The World of Justus Lipsius: A Contribution Towards his Intellectual Biography: Proceedings of a colloquium held under the auspices of the Belgian Historical Institute in Rome, Rome, 22-24 May 1997, Bruxelles, 1998, passim; and H.D.L. Vervliet, Lipsius' jeugd, 1547-1578: analecta voor een kritische biografie, in: “Mededelingen van de Koninklijke Vlaamsche Academie voor Wetenschappen, Letteren en Schone Kunsten van België, Klasse der Letteren”, 31/7, 1969, pp. 9-12).

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