The Delphin Classics or Ad usum Delphini was a series of annotated editions of the Latin classics, intended to be comprehensive, which was originally created in the 17th century.

The first volumes were created in the 1670s for Louis, le Grand Dauphin, heir of Louis XIV (“Delphini” is the Latinization (genitive) of Dauphin), and were written entirely in Latin. Thirty-nine scholars contributed to the series, which was edited by Pierre Huet with assistance from several co-editors, including Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet and Anne Dacier.[1] The main features included the main Latin texts; a paraphrase in the margins or below in simpler Latin prose (an ordo verborum); extended notes on specific words and lines, mainly about history, myth, geography, or natural sciences; and indices. One useful pedagogical feature of this series is that it keeps students reading and working in the target language (Latin).[2]

The original volumes each had an engraving of Arion and a dolphin, accompanied by the inscription in usum serenissimi Delphini (for the use of the most serene Dauphin). The collection includes 64 volumes published from 1670 to 1698.[3][4][5]

Beginning in 1819, a different series of Latin classics was published in England under the name Valpy's Delphin Classics by Abraham John Valpy.[6] That series was edited by George Dyer, who divided up the works of the same authors into 143 volumes. This series mainly reprinted the commentary of the original Ad usum Delphini series, with updated texts and bibliographies from editions published in the intervening century. Both series were popular in Europe and the Americas. The first American edition was published in Philadelphia in 1804[7] while one European edition was published in Bassan as late as 1844.[8]

The expression Ad usum Delphini was sometimes used to refer to other texts which were expurgated because they contained passages considered inappropriate for the youth. The expression is still used more generally in a pejorative sense to indicate any work that was censored for the sake of younger audiences (not just within context series of Latin texts and commentaries).

Publishing history

(Taken from Volpilhac-Auger p. 214.[9])

AuthorEditorDate and place of publication, Number of volumesLink to online edition
SallustusDaniel CrispinParis, 1674at Google Books
PhaedrusPierre DanetParis, 1675at Google Books another
FlorusAnne LefèvreParis, 1674at Google Books
TerentiusNicolas le CamusParis, 1675at Google Books
Cornelius NeposNicolas CourtinParis, 1675at Google Books
Velleius PaterculusRobert Riguez, S. J.Paris, 1675at Google Books
Panegyrici VeteresJacques de la Beaune, S. J.Paris, 1676at Google Books
JustiniusPierre Joseph Cantel, S. J.Paris, 1676at Google Books
ClaudianusGuillaume Pyrrhon (ou Pyron)Paris, 1677at Google Books
Julius CaesarJean Goduin, professeur à ParisParis, 1678at Google Books
Quintus CurtiusMichel le Tellier, S. J.Paris, 1678at Google Books
ManiliusMichel La Faye (ou Dufay); Pierre Daniel Huet, Remarques sur Manilius, et Julius Caesar Scaliger, NotesParis, 1679at Google Books
PlautusJacques de l'OuvreParis, 1679, 2 vol.at Google Books
Titus LiviusJean DouiatParis, 1679,6 vol.at Google Books
Valerius MaximusPierre Joseph Cantel, S. J.Paris, 1679at Google Books
BoethiusPierre Cally, professeur à CaenParis, 1680at Google Books
Dictys Cretensis et Dares de PhrygieAnne Dacier, fille de Tanneguy LefebvreParis, 1680at Google Books
LucretiusMichel La Faye (ou Dufav)Paris, 1680at Google Books
MartialisVincent Colesson, professeur de droitParis, 1680at Google Books
Aulus GelliusJacques Proust, S. J.Paris, 1681at Google Books
Aurelius VictorAnne Dacier, fille de Tanneguy LefebvreParis, 1681at Google Books
Sextus Pompeius Festus et Verrius FlaccusAndré DacierParis, 1681at Google Books
Cicero, Omnes qui ad artem oratoriam pertinent libriJacques Proust, S. J.Paris, 1682,2 vol.at Google Books
TacitusJulien PichonParis, 1682,4 vol.at Google Books
VergiliusCharles de la Rue, S. J.Paris, 1675 Paris, 1682at Google Books
EutropiusAnne Dacier, fille de Tanneguy LefebvreParis, 1683at Google Books
Cicero, OrationesCharles de Mérouville, S. J.Paris, 1684, 3 vol.at Google Books at Google Books
Juvenalis et PersiusLouis DesprezParis, 1684at Google Books
SuetoniusAugustin BabelonParis, 1684at Google Books
Catullus, Tibullus et PropertiusPhilippe DuboisParis, 1685,2 vol.at Google Books
Cicero, Epistulae ad FamiliaresPhilibert QuartierParis, 1685at Google Books
Plinius, Naturalis HistoriaJean Hardouin, S. J.Paris, 1685,5 vol.at Google Books
StatiusClaude BeraultParis, 1685, 2 vol.at Google Books
PrudentiusEtienne Chamillard, S. J.Paris, 1687at Google Books
ApuleiusJules Fleury, chanoine de ChartresParis, 1688, 2 vol.at Google Books
Cicero, Opera PhilosophicaFrançois L'Honoré, S. J.Paris, 1689at Google Books
Ovidius NasoDaniel CrispinLyon, 1689,4 vol.at Google Books
Horatius FlaccusLouis DesprezParis, 1691,2 vol.at Google Books
Plinius, Naturalis HistoriaJean Hardouin, S. J.Paris, 1723, 3 vol. in fol. (nouv. édition)1723 ed. at Google Books
AusoniusJules Fleury ; Jean-Baptiste SouchayParis, 1730at Google Books

19th century London Valpy editions

AuthorEditorDate and place of publication, Number of volumesLink to online edition
Julius CaesarOpera Omnia (Complete Works).London, 1819 2 volumesat Google Books
VergiliusOpera Omnia (Complete Works).London, 1819 9 volumesat Google Books
SallustusOpera Omnia (Complete Works).London, 1820 2 volumesat Google Books
ClaudianusOpera Omnia (Complete Works).London, 1821 4 volumesat Google Books
EutropiusBreviarium historiae Romanae (Abridgment of Roman History).London, 1821 1 volumeat Google Books
Ovidius NasoOpera Omnia (Complete Works).London, 1821 10 volumesat Google Books
TacitusOpera Omnia (Complete Works).London, 1821 10 volumesat Google Books
CatullusOpera Omnia (Complete Works).London, 1822 2 volumesat Google Books
Cornelius NeposVitae excellentium imperatorum. (Lives of the Excellent Commanders).London, 1822 2 volumesat Google Books
FlorusEpitome Rerum Romanarum (Epitome of Roman History.London, 1822 2 volumesat Google Books
JustiniusHistoriae Philippicae (Philippic Histories).London, 1822 2 volumesat Google Books
JuvenalisOpera Omnia (Complete Works).London, 1822 2 volumesat Google Books
Velleius PaterculusHistoria Romana (Roman History).London, 1822 1 volumeat Google Books
PhaedrusFabulae Aesopiae (Fables of Aesop).London, 1822 2v olumesat Google Books
PropertiusOpera Omnia (Complete Works).London, 1822 2 volumesat Google Books
TibullusOpera Omnia (Complete Works).London, 1822 1 volumeat Google Books
AusoniusOpera Omnia (Complete Works).London, 1823 3 volumesat Google Books
BoethiusDe Consolatione Philosophiae (The Consolation of Philosophy).London, 1823 1 volumeat Google Books
LucretiusDe Rerum Natura Libri Sex. (Six Books on the Nature of Things).London, 1823 4 volumesat Google Books
MartialisEpigrammata (Epigrams).London, 1823 3 volumesat Google Books
Valerius MaximusFactorum Dictorumque Memorabilium Libri Novem (Nine Books on Memorable Deeds and Sayings).London, 1823 3 volumesat Google Books
Aulus GelliusNoctes Atticae (Attic Nights).London, 1824 4 volumesat Google Books
Prudentius.Opera Omnia (Complete Works).London, 1824 3 volumesat Google Books
StatiusOpera Omnia (Complete Works).London, 1824 4 volumesat Google Books
TerentiusComoediae Sex (Six Comedies).London, 1824 4 volumesat Google Books
ApuleiusOpera omnia (Complete Works).London, 1825 7 volumesat Google Books
Quintus CurtiusDe Rebus gestis Alexandri Magni libri superstites. (All the Books That Survive of the Histories of Alexander the Great of Macedon).London, 1825 4 volumesat Google Books
Dares de Phrygie and Dictys CretensisDe Bello Trojano (The Trojan War).London, 1825 1 volumeat Google Books
Horatius FlaccusOpera Omnia (Complete Works).London, 1825 5 volumesat Google Books
Sextus Pompeius Festus and Verrius FlaccusDe Verborum Significatione (On the Meaning of Words).London, 1826 3 volumesat Google Books
PliniusNaturalis Historiae Libri XXXVIILondon, 1826 15 volumesat Google Books
SuetoniusOpera Omnia (Complete Works).London, 1826 3 volumesat Google Books
Titus LiviusHistoriarum Libri Qui Supersunt. (History Books Which Have Survived).London, 1828 27 volumesat Google Books
ManiliusAstronomicon (Astrology).London, 1828 2 volumesat Google Books
Panegyrici VeteresPanegyrici Veteres (Old Panegyrics).London, 1828 6 volumesat Google Books
Aurelius VictorHistoria Romana (Roman History).London, 1829 2 volumesat Google Books
PlautusComoediae (Comedies).London, 1829 5 volumesat Google Books
CiceroOpera (Works).London, 1830 15 volumesat Google Books

Reception and influence

The Ad usum Delphini collection was referred to by E.T.A. Hoffmann in Lebensansichten des Katers Murr (1819).[10]

„Sie sind, unterbrach ihn der Prinz, ein spaßhafter Mann.“ — Ganz und gar nicht, fuhr Kreisler fort, ich liebe zwar den Spaß, aber nur den schlechten, und der ist nun wieder nicht spaßhaft. Gegenwärtig wollt' ich gern nach Neapel gehen, und beim Molo einige gute Fischer- und Banditenlieder aufschreiben ad usum delphini. (English translation: "You are, the prince interrupted, a jolly man." - Not at all, Kreisler continued, I love fun, but only bad, and it's not fun again. At present I would like to go to Naples and write down some good fishermen's and bandit songs ad usum delphini at the Molo.)

The Ad usum Delphini collection was referred to by Edward Bulwer-Lytton in Devereux, Book IV (1829):[11]

let me turn to Milord Bolingbroke, and ask him whether England can produce a scholar equal to Peter Huet, who in twenty years wrote notes to sixty-two volumes of Classics, for the sake of a prince who never read a line in one of them?" "We have some scholars," answered Bolingbroke; "but we certainly have no Huet. It is strange enough, but learning seems to me like a circle: it grows weaker the more it spreads. We now see many people capable of reading commentaries, but very few indeed capable of writing them."

Honoré de Balzac III: Ève et David, later Les souffrances de l'inventeur, (1843):[12]

History is of two kinds--there is the official history taught in schools, a lying compilation ad usum delphini; and there is the secret history which deals with the real causes of events--a scandalous chronicle.

There is a reference to the Delphin Classics in Part I, Chapter 5 of Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure (1895),[13] where young Jude, trying to educate himself by reading while delivering bread from a horse and cart,

"plunge[s] into the simpler passages from Caesar, Virgil, or Horace [. . .] The only copies he had been able to lay hands on were old Delphin editions, because they were superseded, and therefore cheap. But, bad for idle school-boys, it did so happen that they were passably good for him."[14]

References

  1. Wood, James, ed. (1907). "Delphin Classics" . The Nuttall Encyclopædia. London and New York: Frederick Warne.
  2. "Favorite Commentaries: Terence Tunberg" in Dickinson Classical Commentaries Blog March 4, 2013 accessed on Jan. 23, 2019.
  3. Volpilhac-Auger, Catherine. "La collection Ad usum Delphini : entre érudition et pédagogie." In: Histoire de l'éducation. n° 74, 1997. Les Humanités classiques, sous la direction de Marie-Madeleine Compère et André Chervel. pp. 203-214. Volpilhac-Auger says the volumes were published mainly between 1673 and 1691, but that the last appeared in 1730.
  4. "Classici latini in edizione monolingue | Edizioni Accademia Vivarium Novum". vivariumnovum.it. Archived from the original on 2021-10-06. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
  5. Volpilhac-Auger, Catherine, Martine Furno, and Université de Grenoble 3. 2005. La Collection Ad Usum Delphini. Des Princes. Grenoble: ELLUG.
  6. Delphin Classics (A. J. Valpy) - Book Series List, publishinghistory.com. Retrieved on 1 April 2017.
  7. Caesar, Julius (1804). "C. Julii Cæsaris quæ extant, interpretatione et notis".
  8. "Q. Horatii Flacci opera interpretatione et notis illustravit Ludovicus Desprez ... In usum serenissimi delphini". 1844.
  9. Volpilhac-Auger, Catherine. "La collection Ad usum Delphini : entre érudition et pédagogie." In: Histoire de l'éducation. n° 74, 1997. Les Humanités classiques, sous la direction de Marie-Madeleine Compère et André Chervel. pp. 203-214, p. 214. Also at Open Edition Books
  10. Lebensansichten des Katers Murr Project Gutenberg Retrieved on 23 April 2020.
  11. Edward Bulwer-LyttonDevereux Project Gutenberg Retrieved on 23 April 2020.
  12. Honoré de Balzac Eve and David, translated by Ellen Marriage 1999 Project Gutenberg Retrieved on 23 April 2020.
  13. Jude The Obscure at Project Gutenberg Project Gutenberg Retrieved on 23 April 2020.
  14. Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy, Part 1, Chapter 5 , adelaide.edu.au. Retrieved on 2 April 2017.
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