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Artamène ou le Grand Cyrus
Title page, part 3
AuthorMadeleine de Scudéry and/or Georges de Scudéry
LanguageFrench
GenreRoman-fleuve
Publication date
1649–53
Publication placeFrance
Pages13,095

Artamène ou le Grand Cyrus (English: Artamène, or Cyrus the Great) is a novel sequence, originally published in ten volumes in the 17th century. The title pages credit the work to French writer Georges de Scudéry, but it is usually attributed to his sister and fellow writer Madeleine. At 1,954,300 words,[1] it is considered one of the longest novels ever published.

"Scudery’s major classical references and source-material comes from HerodotusHistories and Xenophon's Cyropaedia. Other sources include Plutarch, Justin, Polyaenus, Pliny, Ovid, Strabon, and the Bible."[2] However, it is a roman à clef about contemporary personages.[3]

References

  1. ^ Word count of the online edition using wc -w
  2. ^ Arabella’a Romances
  3. ^ John Conley (2016). "Madeleine de Scudéry". Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved 29 February 2016.


1893 text

Sir Walter Scott observes, in his “Life of Dryden,” that the romances of Calprenede and Scuderi, those ponderous and unmerciful folios, now consigned to oblivion, were, in their day, not only universally read and admired, but supposed to furnish the most perfect models of gallantry and heroism. Dr. Johnson read them all. “I have,” says Mrs. Chapone, “and yet I am still alive, dragged through ‘Le Grand Cyrus,’ in twelve huge volumes; ‘Cleopatra,’ in eight or ten; ‘Ibrahim,’ ‘Clelie,’ and some others, whose names, as well as all the rest of them, I have forgotten” (“Letters to Mrs. Carter”). No wonder that Pepys sat on thorns, when his wife began to recite “Le Grand Cyrus” in the coach, “and trembled at the impending tale.” — B. — [One is reminded of the 21st centuries’ bookstores full of “Romantic novels” — the modern era did not invent trashy literature. D.W.]


This text comes from a footnote on a diary entry in the 1893 edition edited by Henry B. Wheatley.

2 Annotations

First Reading

Michael Robinson  •  Link

Scudéry, Madeleine de, 1607-1701.
Artamenes, or The Grand Cyrus, an excellent new romance. Written by that famous wit of France, Monsieur de Scudery Governour of Nostre-Dame. And now Englished by F.G. Gent.
London : printed for Humphrey Moseley at the Prince’s Arms in S. Paul’s Church-yard, and Thomas Dring at the George in Fleetstreet, 1653.
[8], 80, 77-155, [1]; 208 p. ; 2⁰.

The continuation of Artamenes or The Grand Cyrus, that excellent new romance: written by that famous wit of France, Monsieur de Scudery, Governor of Nostre-Dame. And now Englished by F.G. Esq;
Variant title Third volume of Artamenes, or The Grand Cyrus, that excellent new romance: being the fifth and sixth parts
London : printed for Humphrey Moseley at the Prince’s Arms in St Paul’s Church-yard; and Thomas Dring at the George in Fleetstreet, M.DC.LIV. [1654]
[4], 289, 282-359, [1]; [6], 129, 134-206, 179, 182-188 p. ; 2

The fourth volume of Artamenes, or The Grand Cyrus, that excellent new romance: being the seventh and eighth parts. Written by that famous wit of France, Monsieur de Scudery, Governor of Nostre-Dame. And now Englished by F.G. Esq;
Variant title Fifth and last volume of Artamenes, or The Grand Cyrus, that excellent new romance: being the ninth and tenth parts, which finish the whole work
London : printed for Humphrey Moseley at the Prince’s Arms in St Paul’s Church-yard; and Thomas Dring at the George in Fleet-street, M.DC.LV. [1655]
[4], 195, [1], 166, 46, [2]; [4], 186, [2], 74, 77-232, [2] p. ; 2⁰.

Wing (CD-ROM, 1996), S2144 - all five volumes
Apparently re-issued as a set, with the same imprints, in June 1660, 'Transcript of the registers of the worshipful Company of Stationers ...' 1913-14, vol ii, p 269.

No copy in the PL; however SP notes EP reading the text in English. http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Artamenes, or, The Grand Cyrus an excellent new romance / written by that famous wit of France, Monsieur de Scudery ... ; and now Englished by F.G., Gent.
Scudéry, Madeleine de, 1607-1701., F. G., Gent.
London: Printed for Humphrey Moseley ... and Thomas Dring ..., 1653-1655.
Early English Books Online [full text]
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/…

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References

Chart showing the number of references in each month of the diary’s entries.

1660

  • Dec

1666

1667