Ceporinus (Zurich, 1546)

Translated from the Greek by Enrico Prodi, University College London (2023)

On Jacobus Ceporinus’Art of Grammar, newly enlarged
and revised by Johannes Fries,
a little ditty by Conrad Gessner.

I haven’t found Phoebus,
The leader of the Muses, favourable,
Nor tasted the streams
Of Hippocrene, so that I might suddenly
Turn into a poet, Museless
As I am. But now – I know not how –
Comes flowing to me 
A yokel’s little ditty
(So far from it was my nature
That it was never filled with wonder,
Other than an experience such as this)
Upon seeing that Art
Of Arts – for in time it came before
All of them – beautified
In a novel way, wonderfully.
First it was Ceporinus,
A speaker of three languages, who wrote it;
Then Johannes Fries,
That most skilful craftsman,
Toiled over it anew
And enlarged it.

     So now, young men, with all your strength
Draw from the springs
Of the Greek language
Here, from a clear stream.
You are now indebted
To the best teacher,
Johannes Fries.
Rather, give thanks
In deeds and in words,
Fittingly remembering
His benefaction for your whole life.

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

Εἰς τὴν ἰακώβου Κηπωρινοῦ γραμματικην τέχνην, παρὰ φρισίου Ιωάννου νεωσὶ ηὐξημένην καὶ ἀνεσκευασμένην Κονράδου Γεσνήρου μελύδριον.

Οὐκ εὐμενῆ τὸν φοῖβον
Μουσηγέτην εὕρηκα,
Οὐδ᾽ ἱπποκρήνης ῥείθρων
Εγευσάμην, ὥς αἴφνω
Ἄμουσος ὢν ποιητής
Γενέσθαι: ἀλλά μοι νῦν 
Οὐχ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως σόλοικον.
Μελύδριον παραῤῥεῖ
(Οὔτως ἀποῦσαν φύσιν
Θαμβος πότ᾽ ἐπλήρωσεν,
Αλλ᾽ ἢ πάθος τοιοῦτον)
Ταύτην ὁρῶντι τέχνην
Τεχνῶν, χρόνῳ γὰρ πάσας 
Φθάνει, κεκαλλωπίσθαι
Νέῳ τρόπῳ θαυμαστῶς.
ἢν πρῶτα Κηπωρινός
Τρίγλωττος ὢν ἔγραψε:
Ἔπειτα δ᾽ ἀυτὴν καινῶς
Ὁ Φρίσιος Ιωάννης
Σοφώτατος τεχνητής
Ηὔζησεν [sic for Ηὔξησεν] ἐκπονήσας.

Νῦν δ᾽ ὦ νέοι πανσυδεί.
Ἑλλινικῆς ἐντεῦθεν
Εκ νάματος διαυγοῦς
Αντλεῖτε φωνῆς πηγὰς:
Διδασκάλῳ τ᾽ ἀρίστῳ
Τῷ Φρισίῳ Ιωάννῃ
Οφειλέται νῦν ὄντες.
Μᾶλλον, χάριν τελεῖτε 
Ἔργοισι καὶ λόγοισι,
Εὐποιΐας ἐν ζωῇ
ὅλῃ καλῶς μνησθέντες.

Conrad Gessner, Poem. In: Jacobus Ceporinus, Johannes Fries. Compendium Grammaticae Graecae Iacobi Ceporini, newly enlarged and revised by Johannes Frisius. Zurich: Froschauer, 1546.
Physical copy: Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, signature 73.W.123, digital pages here exhibited: 402 and 403.
Link: http://data.onb.ac.at/rep/10425A3A

VD-16 entry:

Jacobus Ceporinus, Johannes Fries. COMPEN||DIVM GRAMMATICAE || Graecae Iacobi CEPORRINI, ex || postrema authoris editione, nunc || primum opera Frisij Ioãnis Tigu||rini castigatum & auctum.|| ... || TIGVRI APVD CHRISTOPH.|| Froschouerum, Anno || M.D.XLVI.||
Zürich : Froschauer, Christoph d.Ä., 1546
Contributors: Walther, Rudolf d.Ä.; Gessner, Conrad
Permalink: http://gateway-bayern.de/VD16+W+2690

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