HENRI ESTIENNE to those

devoted to reading Isocrates, greetings.

A decorative woodcut headpiece featuring elaborate symmetrical scrollwork, floral motifs, and foliate designs.

A large historiated woodcut initial 'I' set within a square frame. The background of the letter depicts a figure, possibly a scholar or orator, in a landscape with classical architectural elements.

The writings of Isocrates the Athenian—that most celebrated orator, adorned with such high praise by the most famous Greek and Latin writers alike—now come forth to you from the same workshop original: "officina"; referring here to the Estienne family's printing house from which, some years ago, the orations of those ten orators of greatest name were produced. However, I mention only Isocrates on the front of this work as if the entire volume were his, even though they are not all by one man. Indeed, you also have a certain short work by the other Isocrates, the Apolloniate Isocrates of Apollonia, a student of the more famous Isocrates the Athenian; or rather (if we believe Dionysius of Halicarnassus), it is not even by him, but by a third man who was his companion. The book attributed to the latter of these two "other" Isocrates is the one you see titled Exhortation or Exhortations to Demonicus. Truly, this Exhortation original: "Paraenesis"; a speech or letter containing moral advice or instructions is of such a quality that it could be seen as not unworthy of even that most famous and primary Isocrates of Athens. For this reason, it should not be judged worthy of reproach to join this short work to the works of the other—unless, perhaps, someone should argue that they ought to be joined, but in such a way that it is placed at the end. Yet the same would have to be done for the two works which immediately follow it, since they share the same subject matter. And indeed, I did not hide my own suspicion in one of my Diatribes that even those works are not entirely free from false attribution original: "ψευδεπιγραφῆς" (pseudepigraphês); the practice of assigning a work to a famous author to give it more authority..

Furthermore, I have included the translation of Hieronymus Wolf A German humanist (1516–1580) famous for his translations of Isocrates and Demosthenes, not only because no other exists (except for a few small books) so far as I know, but also because it seems to deserve some praise, especially in certain passages. For I freely admit that there are also places where he does not satisfy me at all. I also wanted to include the arguments Summaries or introductions to the themes of the speeches which he prefixed to each oration and letter, in both Greek and Latin, as well as his short notes pointing out rhetorical techniques. I also felt that a place should be given here to his prefaces; for I am usually strongly in disagreement with those who, with their own new prefaces, push out the old prefaces of the authors themselves (if they can be compared to these). Why do I say I strongly disagree? Rather, I not only disagree, but I complain gravely about them in the name of the republic of letters original: "republ. literariae"; the international community of scholars and intellectuals. Nevertheless, I must admit there are some prefaces from which certain things could be omitted.

As for my own contribution, I wanted seven Diatribes original: "Diatribas"; here meaning scholarly essays or critical dissertations rather than "rants" on this writer to be my offering, until I can give you other and indeed greater things during a time of greater leisure. If I could have added the eighth, for which you have only the title along with the others, I would have already fulfilled part of the work I promised. But those who know how small a span of time I have had, after my return from Germany, for that contribution [sym-]...