LATIN TRANSLATION OF DIONYSIUS OF HALICARNASSUS’ DE THUCYDIDIS HISTORIA IUDICIUM BY ANDREAS DUDITHIUS

Abstract

Thucydides, one of the greatest Greek historians, has been admired for centuries after writing his account of the Peloponnesian war. His critics were fewer than his admirers, but he was not exempt from critique. Dionysius of Halicarnassus wrote the treatise Περὶ Θουκυδίδου χαρακτῆρος, judging harshly the Athenian historian. Andreas Dudithius, a Renaissance scholar and diplomat, translated the treatise into Latin, encouraged by his friend Paolo Manuzio who published the translation in 1560. Dudithius dedicated the translation to his sponsor Nicolaus Olahus, bishop of Estergom and a historian. In the preface, Dudithius states that his translation will not be ad verbum. In his use of Latin he emulates classical models. In the context of humanist translation Dudithius is closer to the learned and influential Leonardo Bruni than to the adherents of the ad verbum style such as Andreas Divus and Alonso of Cartagena.