Diodōrou tou Sikeliōtou Bibliothēkēs Historikēs ta Sōzomena = Diodori Siculi Bibliothecae Historicae Libri qui Supersunt

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by Siculus Diodorus

Diodōrou tou Sikeliōtou Bibliothēkēs Historikēs ta Sōzomena
DiodorusDiodoriSiculi1746.jpg

Title page from Diodōrou tou Sikeliōtou Bibliothēkēs Historikēs ta Sōzomena, George Wythe Collection, Wolf Law Library, College of William & Mary.

Author Siculus Diodorus
Editor {{{editor}}}
Translator {{{trans}}}
Published Amstelodami: Sumptibus Jacobi Wetstenii
Date 1746
Edition {{{edition}}}
Language Greek and Latin in parallel columns
Volumes 2 volume set
Pages {{{pages}}}
Desc. Folio (41 cm.)
Location Shelf N-5
  [[Shelf {{{shelf2}}}]]
Frontispiece, volume one.
Diodorus was born in Sicily in the first century BCE, which led to his moniker “Siculus” (of Sicily). He likely began researching his history around 60 BCE when he visited Egypt, yet he traveled to Rome around 56 BCE and stayed there to finish the books. Diodorus knew Latin and had access to many materials while in Rome. He had great respect for Julius Caesar, a rising political figure at the time, yet nothing indicates that Diodorus himself had any connection with key Roman players.[1]


The Greek historian wrote a series of forty books, commonly called The Library about Greece, Sicily and Rome from mythological times to 60BCE. Though some of the books are fully preserved, there are many which remain only in fragments. Diodorus used a variety of sources which sometimes makes his writing confusing, as he uncritically compiled his history of events and stories. However, it is of vital importance for its use, and therefore preservation, of sources.[2]

Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library

Listed in the Jefferson Inventory of Wythe's Library as "Diodorus Siculus. 2.v. fol." and given by Thomas Jefferson to his grandson Thomas Jefferson Randolph. The Brown Bibliography[3] lists the 1746 edition published in Amersterdam based on a Jefferson copy now owned by the University of Virginia. George Wythe's Library[4] on LibraryThing states "Precise edition unknown. Several folio editions were published." The Wolf Law Library followed Brown's recommendation and purchased the edition published in Amsterdam in 1746.

Illustration, volume one.

Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy

Bound in sprinkled halfcalf with title labels in leather on backs. Purchased from Lynge & Son.

Images of the library's copy of this book are available on Flickr. View the record for this book in William & Mary's online catalog.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Diodōrus" in Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World, ed. John Roberts (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007).
  2. ↑ "Diodō'rus Si'culus" in The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature, ed. M.C. Howatson (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011).
  3. ↑ Bennie Brown, "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," (unpublished manuscript, May, 2012) Microsoft Word file. Earlier edition available at: https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433.
  4. ↑ LibraryThing, s.v. "Member: George Wythe," accessed on April 21, 2013.

External Links

Read volume two of this book in Google Books.

Category:Greek

Category:Latin

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