Washington University Libraries present a book talk by Michael Sherberg, PhD, associate professor of Italian in Arts & Sciences, at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, in Olin Library, Ginkgo Reading Room, Level 1.
Sherberg’s lecture — titled “Boethius in the Renaissance: What Recent Acquisitions Teach Us” — will discuss three 16th-century translations of Boethius’ influential 6th-century work, Consolation of Philosophy, and what the translations tell modern scholars about the politics and poetics of translation in the Renaissance.
The event is free and open to the public, with a reception following.
The Department of Special Collections houses a significant number of early printed editions of Consolation of Philosophy, and it recently acquired first editions of two additional mid-16th-century Italian translations.
Boethius’ book, which he composed while in prison awaiting execution, left a mark on authors in the centuries after him, including Dante and Chaucer.
For an introduction to the WUSTL Libraries’ Boethius collection and Sherberg’s study of it, visit Sherberg’s guest post on WUSTL Libraries’ Rare Books blog at wulibraries.typepad.com/rarebooknews/2011/01/one-text-many-formats-boethiuss-consolation-of-philosophy.html.
For more information about the talk, call Special Collections at (314) 935-5495. To receive updates about Special Collections’ rare book unit, visit its Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Rare-Books-Washington-University-Libraries-in-St-Louis/154885781229531.