#  Ovid et al. (Basel, 1544) 

 



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Translated from the Greek in verses by Enrico Prodi, University College London (2022)

**Eleven verses of eleven syllables**   
**by Conrad Gessner of Zurich**  
**to studious boys**

Nigro’s hendecasyllables

(Come, boys!) with both your hands receive:  
Amid these pages you may learn  
Mutations wondrous and diverse  
Of prior kind to different form.  
‘Twas not by chance that men of old  
Contrived these tales and spoke these myths,  
But something nobler they concealed,  
Just like the kernel in the husk.  
So, fresh-faced boys, this book receive,  
Nigro’s hendecasyllables.

The Greek text transcribed by Elena Lu, Harvard (2024, see below for the page images):

Conradi Gesneri Tigurini ad studiosos pueros Hendecasyllabum hendecastichum.

Νίγρου ἑνδεκασύλλαβον ποίημα  
Χέρσιν ἀμφορτέρησι δεῦτε παῖδες  
Δέξασσθε. Ενθάδε \[*sic*\] γὰρ μαθεῖν ἔνεστι  
Τρέψεις θαυμασίας τε ποικίλας τε  
Φύσιος προτε´ρης ἐς εἴδος ἄλλο.  
Οὐκ εἰκη δὲ παλαιοὶ ἄνδρες αὕτως  
Πλάττοντες τάδε, φημίσαντο μύτους,  
Αλλὰ σεμνοτέρας τινὰς μαθήσεις,  
Ωσπερ ἐν λέπεϊ πυρῆνα, κρύψαν.  
Λάβετ᾽ οὖν τόδε παῖδες εὐπρόσωποι  
Νίγρου ἑνδεκασύλλαβον ποίημα.

   ![Gessner on Franciscus Niger's Ovid Epitome: Greek Poem](/sites/g/files/omnuum9491/files/styles/hwp_1_1__960x960_scale/public/gzp1565/files/1983909-maximum.jpg?itok=GU_FEcgS) 

 

Publius Ovidius Naso, *Bartholomaeus Bologninus, Franciscus Niger, Johannes Franciscus Quintianus, Jacob Bonus: Bartholomaei Bolognini Bononiensis Epitome elegiaca in Pub. Ovidii Nasonis Libros XV. Metamorphoseon; Francisci Nigri Bassianatis Epitome Sapphica in eosdem Pub. Ovidii Libros Metamorphoseon; item Jo. Francisci Quintiani Stoae Poetae laureati Disticha elegiaca et quaedam Sapphica quoque in singulas Fabulas Metamorphoseos Ovidianae; Praeterea Jacobi Boni Epidaurii Dalmatae De Raptu Cerberi Libri tres*. Basel: Robert Winter, \[1544\]; digitized page 197: Conrad Gessner, Poem on Franciscus Niger's part. Universitätsbibliothek Basel, Shelf Mark: CC X 4:2. Persistent Link: <https://doi.org/10.3931/e-rara-7589>.

Title in VD 16:

Publius Ovidius Naso, *BARTHOLOMAEI || BOLOGNINI BO/||noniensis Epitome elegiaca in Pub.|| Ouidij Nasonis Libros XV.|| Metamorphoseon.|| FRANCISCI NI/||gri Bassianatis Epitome Sapphica || in eosdem Pub. Ouidij Libros || Metamorphoseon.|| ITEM IO. FRANCISCI QVIN-||tiani Stoae Poetae laureati Disticha elegiaca || et quaedam Sapphica quoque in singu-||las Fabulas Metamorphoseos || Ouidianae.|| PRAETEREA IACOBI BONI || Epidaurij Dalmatae De Raptu Cerberi || Libri tres.|| Vnà cum indice rerum memorabi-||lium diligentissimo.||*, BASILEAE.||(IN OFFI-||CINA ROBERTI VVINTER,|| ANNO M D XXXVIII || MENSE MARTIO.||)(ANNO || M.D.XLIIII.||) (Basel: Winter, Robert, \[1544\]).

\#Bologninus #Niger \[Franciscus Niger\] #Quintianus #Bonus #Baselpublisher