The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

[A Phoenix]

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

In sum, Bacon drew on Plutarch in his Essays (part of his more extensive classical learning) to shed light on normative and experiential facets of public life…His Essays reveal to some degree how selective recourse to a classical source, such as Plutarch, to identify challenges of public life can serve the management of vice in a tempered response to them, and the cause of the scientific world view, rather than the direct promotion of ancient virtue.

The resonance of Plutarch is spread broadly throughout Bacon’s work.

[Rebecca Kingston, Plutarch’s Prism Classical Reception and Public Humanism in France and England 1500-1800 (Cambridge University Press, 2022), pp. 293-94]

 

Plutarch’s influence on Shakespeare is hard to overestimate…Plutarch’s writings provided material for Titus Andronicus, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Timon of Athens, and, probably, for the nomenclature of The Winter’s Tale. It is, however, in Julius Caesar, Anthony and Cleopatra and Coriolanus that Shakespeare’s use of Plutarch is most thorough.

While the chronological spread of Plutarchan material across the canon suggests that Shakespeare was steeped in Plutarch the start and drew on him for each one of his dramatic genres, these three Roman plays dramatize material from Plutarch’s Lives, in the case of Antony and Cleopatra, the Morali as well.

Shakespeare repeatedly telescopes his source materials from the Lives, and his uses range from direct verbal echoes between text and source to artful rewriting of Plutarch. 

[Rene Weis, ‘Plutarch’ in Michael Dobson and Stanley Wells, eds., The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare (Oxford University Press, 2001), p. 348]

 

Read the new book here:

 https://www.academia.edu/145700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

[A Phoenix]

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

While he was in France (or even before) Bacon acquired a copy of Jacques Amyot’s translation of Plutarch’s Lives during which time Bacon had a passionate affair with Margaret of Valois (1553-1615). She was the daughter of Henry II of France and Catherine di Medici and the sister of three French kings Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III. On her marriage to King Henry III of Navarre, she became Queen of Navarre, and afterwards they assumed the French throne as King Henry IV and Queen Marguerite of France.

Through Jacques Colure, Abbot of St Ambrose in Bourges, the French translator of Plutarch’s Lives James Amyot, was appointed a tutor in the family household of the secretary of state. He in turn recommended him to Margaret d’Alencon (1492-1549), Princess of France. She became Queen of Navarre by a second marriage to Henry II of Navarre (1503-55). Her brother became King of France as Francis I. She was the mother of Jeanne d’Albret, whose son was King Henry of Navarre with whose wife Marguerite, Queen of Navarre Bacon had an affair while in France which inspired his Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet the greatest love story ever told.

 

Read the new book here:

 https://www.academia.edu/145700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

[A Phoenix]

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

It was through the influence of Margaret d’Alencon (1492-1549) Queen of Navarre, Amyot was made professor of Greek and Latin at Bourges. During his tenure there Amyot translated Aethiopica of Heliodorus (1547), for which he was rewarded by Francis I with the Abbey of Bellozane. At the suggestion of Francis I he began to research Plutarch’s Lives travelling to Italy and the libraries at Venice and Rome. In 1554 Amyot was appointed tutor to the two royal princes who became Charles IX and Henry III. In 1559 he issued the first edition of Plutarch’s Lives. On account of all these links and connections it is conceivable Margaret Valois, Queen of Navarre gifted Bacon a copy of the third edition of Amyot’s translation of Plutarch’s Lives printed in 1574, from which he translated out of the French into the English, a work described as the first great masterpiece of English prose.

 

Read the new book here:

 https://www.academia.edu/145700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

[A Phoenix]

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

On the title page of the first 1579 English translation the 11 italic letters in the name ‘Thomas North’ plus the addition of the date 1+5+7+9=22 provided a total of 33 Bacon in simple cipher and similarly, the 11 letters in the printer’s device plus the addition of the date equals 33 Bacon in simple cipher. There is a total of 66 words a double cipher for Bacon (33)/Bacon (33) which plus the 1 printer’s device 66+1=67 Francis in simple cipher. The 66 words plus the addition of the date and the 11 italic letters in the name ‘Thomas North’ plus 1 printer’s device produces a total of 100 Francis Bacon in simple cipher.

Read the new book here:

 https://www.academia.edu/145700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

[A Phoenix]

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

There has never been a full-length study of the influence of Plutarch over Bacon nor a full-length comparative study of Plutarch and the Bacon and Shakespeare canons. For the first time here it will be seen Bacon made use of his own translation of Plutarch in both his acknowledged writings and his Shakespeare plays mirroring each over a period of many years and decades.

Read the new book here:

 https://www.academia.edu/145700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

 

 

[A Phoenix]

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

The first English translation by Bacon of Plutarch’s Lives is fulsomely dedicated to his royal mother in his readily recognisable Baconian prose:

 

TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCESSE ELIZABETH, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, OF ENGLAND, Fraunce, and Ireland Queene, Defender of the faith: &c. 

VNDER hope of your highnes gratious and accustomed fauor, I haue presumed to present here vnto your Maiestie, Plutarkes lyues translated, as a booke fit to be protected by your highnes, and meete to be set forth in Englishe. For vvho is fitter to giue countenance to so many great states, than such an highe and mightie Princesse? vvho is fitter to reuiue the dead memorie of their fame, than she that beareth the liuely image of their vertues? vvho is fitter to authorize a vvorke of so great learning and vvisedome, than she vvhome all do honor as the Muse of the vvorld? Therefore I humbly beseech your Maiestie, to suffer the simplenes of my translation, to be couered vnder the amplenes of your highnes protection. For, most gracious Souereigne, though this booke be no booke for your Maiesties selfe, vvho are meeter to be the chiefe storie, than a student therein, and can better vnderstand it in Greeke, than any man can make it Englishe: yet I hope the common sorte of your subiects, shall not onely profit them selues hereby, but also be animated to the better seruice of your Maiestie. For amonge all the profane bookes, that are in reputacion at this day, there is none (your highnes best knovves) that teacheth so much honor, loue, obedience, reuerence, zeale, and deuocion to Princes, as these liues of Plutarke doe. Hovve many examples shall your subiects reade here, of seuerall persons, and vvhole armyes, of noble and base, of younge and olde, that both by sea & lande, at home and abroad, haue strayned their vvits, not regarded their states, ventured their persons, cast avvay their liues, not onely for the honor and safetie, but also for the pleasure of their Princes?

Then vvell may the Readers thinke, if they haue done this for heathen Kings, vvhat should vve doe for Christian Princes? If they haue done this for glorye, vvhat should vve doe for religion? If they haue done this vvithout hope of heauen, vvhat should vve doe that looke for immortalitie? And so adding the encouragement of these exsamples, to the forvvardnes of their ovvne dispositions: vvhat seruice is there in vvarre, vvhat honor in peace, vvhich they vvill not be ready to doe, for their vvorthy Queene?

And therefore that your highnes may giue grace to the booke, and the booke may doe his service to your Maiestie: I haue translated it out of French, and doe here most humbly present the same vnto your highnes, beseeching your Maiestie vvith all humilitie, not to reiect the good meaning, but to pardon the errours of your most humble and obedient subiect and seruaunt, vvho prayeth God long to multiplye all graces and blessings vpon your Maiestie.1

 Thomas North, trans., The Lives Of The Noble Grecians And Romaines, Compared together by that Graue learned Philosopher and Historiographer Plutarke of Chæronea: Translated out of Greeke into French by Iames Amyot, Abbot of Bellozane, Bishop of Auxerre, one of the Kings priuy counsel, and great Amner of Fraunce, and out of French into Englishe, by  Thomas North Knight (London: printed by Thomas Vautoullier and John Wright, 1579), A2^r-v.

Read the new book here:

 https://www.academia.edu/145700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

 

[Allisnum2er]

11 hours ago, A Phoenix said:

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

On the title page of the first 1579 English translation the 11 italic letters in the name ‘Thomas North’ plus the addition of the date 1+5+7+9=22 provided a total of 33 Bacon in simple cipher and similarly, the 11 letters in the printer’s device plus the addition of the date equals 33 Bacon in simple cipher. There is a total of 66 words a double cipher for Bacon (33)/Bacon (33) which plus the 1 printer’s device 66+1=67 Francis in simple cipher. The 66 words plus the addition of the date and the 11 italic letters in the name ‘Thomas North’ plus 1 printer’s device produces a total of 100 Francis Bacon in simple cipher.

Read the new book here:

 https://www.academia.edu/145700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

Hi A.P.

Here are some ideas.

Facing the title page, I was intrigued by two letter C ( CC = 33 ?) :

- the one of 'COMPARED' that is clearly misaligned

- the elongated one of 'Chaeronea'

I wondered if from one of them, I could find an alignement of letters allowing to form the word BACON.

Here is a possibility :

Interestingly, the misaligned letter C of 'COMPARED' is the 39th character, 39 being the simple cipher of F. BACON.

Is it intended or coincidental ? I don't know.

It would be interesting to see if we find the same alignement and the same misaligned C in other copies of the Book.

[Light-of-Truth]

3 hours ago, Allisnum2er said:

Hi A.P.

Here are some ideas.

Glad you jumped in Yann. I was curious if there was a Middle Way. 😉

When I first saw your post I was out and on my iPhone so my weak blurry eyes could not see the line you drew. You did mention an "alignment" but I had no idea what you were referring to. My goal was to study when I get back home and that I wold draw a line from the same F to the same B that you already did. Imagine my surprise when I actually saw the line and you had already done the work! LOL

Bacon is all over this page, and I suspect you already thought about this with double Ts:

[Light-of-Truth]

3 hours ago, Allisnum2er said:

Is it intended or coincidental ? I don't know.

Ultimately, is there a definite answer? 

It may be coincidence, or it may hint at a deeper order visible only to those who pierce the veil and consider Eternity and Infinity.

[A Phoenix]

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

The dedication to Queen Elizabeth is followed by an Address to the Reader, which is in effect a little Baconian essay, the form in which Bacon would later quote, refer and allude to Plutarch, in many of later essays: 

THE profit of stories, and the prayse of the Author, are sufficiently declared by Amiot, in his Epistle to the Reader: So that I shall not neede to make many wordes thereof. And in deede if you will supply the defects of this translation, with your owne diligence and good vnderstanding: you shall not neede to trust him, you may proue your selues, that there is no prophane studye better then Plutarke. All other learning is priuate, fitter for Vniuersities then cities, fuller of contemplacion than experience, more comme[n]dable in the students themselues, than profitable vnto others. Whereas stories are fit for euery place, reache to all persons, serue for all tymes, teache the liuing, reuine the dead, so farre excelling all other bookes, as it is better to see learning in noble mens liues, than to reade it in Philosophers writings. Nowe for the Author, I will not denye but loue may deceiue me, for I must needes loue him with whome I haue taken so much payne: but I beleue I might be bold to affirme, that he hath written the profitablest story of all Authors. For all otherwere sayne to take their matter, as the fortune of the contries whereof they wrote fell out: But this man being excellent in wit, learning, and experience, hath chosen the speciall actes of the best persons, of the famosest nations of the world. But I will leaue the judgement to your selues. My onely purpose is to desire you to excuse the faults of my translation, with your owne gentlenes, and with the opinion of my diligence and good entent. And so I wishe you all the profit of the booke. Fare ye well.1

1. Thomas North, trans., The Lives Of The Noble Grecians And Romaines, Compared together by that Graue learned Philosopher and Historiographer Plutarke of Chæronea: Translated out of Greeke into French by Iames Amyot, Abbot of Bellozane, Bishop of Auxerre, one of the Kings priuy counsel, and great Amner of Fraunce, and out of French into Englishe, by  Thomas North Knight (London: printed by Thomas Vautoullier and John Wright, 1579), A3^r.

 

https://www.academia.edu/14700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

[A Phoenix]

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

The first English translation of Plutarch’s Lives Bacon dedicated to Queen Elizabeth and what is seen as his earliest extant work he addressed to the same, entitled A Letter of Advice to the Queen, written in or during the winter of 1584-5. The political and intelligence tract directly concerns matters of religion, politics and the state, at home and abroad. One of his pieces of advice relates to the indoctrination of Catholics, especially children and young men:

As for schoolmasters (the lamentable and pitiful abuses of whom are easy to be seen, since the greatest number of Papists is of very young men), your Majesty may use therein not only a pious and godly mean in making the parents of each shire to send their children to be virtuously and religiously brought up at a certain place for that end appointed; but you shall also, if it please your Majesty, put in practice a notable stratagem used by Sertorius in Spain, which coming to my mind I am bold to present to your Majesty, by choosing such fit and convenient places for the same as may surely be at your devotion; and by this means you shall, under colour of education, have them as hostages of all the parents’ fidelity that have any power in England.¹

1. Spedding, Letters and Life, I, p. 50.

For the book:

https://www.academia.edu/14700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

[A Phoenix]

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

In The Oxford Francis Bacon Early Writings 1584-1596 (Oxford Clarendon Press, 2012), its joint editors Stewart and Knight provide the following note:

a notable Stratagem vsed by Sertorius in Spaine-Quintus Sertorius (c.123-72 BC), a Roman stateman and military commander who, defying the Senate, became the independent ruler of most of Spain for eight years.  Plutarch recounts (‘Sertorius’. xiv.2) how he bound the Spaniards to him: ‘by that he did vnto their children. For he sent generally for all the noble mens young sonnes, through all the contries and prouinces subiect vnto him: and brought them to the godly citie of Osca: where he prouided them of schoolmasters to teache them the Greeke and Latine tongue: bearing their parentes in hande, that iw to no other ende, but to make them (when they came to be men) meete to be imployed in the seruice of the common weale, albeit in deede it was but a finer deuise of him, to haue them as Ostages for their faith and loyaltie towards him’. ‘Life of Sertorius’ in The lives of the noble Grecians and Romanes, trans., Thomas North, Thomas Vautrollier: London: 1579 3G5^r.¹  

1. Alan Stewart with Harriet Knight, eds., Early Writings 1584-1596 (Oxford Clarendon Press, 2012), pp. 748-49. For Sertorius see also Michael Kiernan, ed., The Advancement of Learning (Oxford Clarendon Press, 2000), pp. 159/341.

For the Book:

https://www.academia.edu/14700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

[Light-of-Truth]

14 hours ago, A Phoenix said:

THE profit of stories, and the prayse of the Author, are sufficiently declared by Amiot, in his Epistle to the Reader: So that I shall not neede to make many wordes thereof.

How similar the exact half-way point (Middle) of the Sonnets! Oh my!

Last 2 Lines of Sonnet 77 and the first 2 of Sonnet 78:

https://www.light-of-truth.com/pyramid-GMT.php#Day182

These offices,so oft as thou wilt looke,
Shall profit thee,and much inrich thy booke.

SO oft haue I inuok'd thee for my Muse,
And found such faire assistance in my verse,

 

[A Phoenix]

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

In A Letter of Advice to the Queen Bacon proceeds to provide further observations on points of strategy in the management and security of the state and the mercifulness of her nature:

For, as compel them you would not, kill them you would not, so in reason trust them you would not; trust being in no case to be claimed but where the trusted is of one mind with the trusting; reason ever commanding every wise man to fly and avoid that evil shamefacedness which the Greeks call δυσωπία which is, not to seem to doubt them who give just occasion of doubt.1

 

1. Spedding, Letters and Life, I, p. 52.

For the Book:

https://www.academia.edu/14700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

[A Phoenix]

 

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

 

In The Oxford Francis Bacon Early Writings 1584-1596 (Oxford Clarendon Press, 2012), its joint editors Stewart and Knight again provide the following note:

that evill shamefacednes which the Greekes call δυσωπία dysopia (Gr.): the timidity which moves a person to grant an unjustified request. Plutarch describes dysopia variously as the ‘defeat at the hands of the shamelessly insistent’ (Life of Brutus, vi. 5; trans., North, Lives, 4V^r) and as ‘a foolish and rusticall shamefacednes; no evill signe in itself, howbeit the cause and occasion of evill and naughtinesses (Moralia, 532D); trans., Holland, O4^r).¹

1. Alan Stewart with Harriet Knight, eds., Early Writings 1584-1596 (Oxford Clarendon Press, 2012), p. 750.

For the Book:

https://www.academia.edu/14700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

[A Phoenix]

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

The Bacon collection of manuscripts known as The Northumberland Manuscript contains seventeen writings comprising letters, prose essays, religio-political treatises, dramatic devices and plays, and one held copies of his two Shakespeare plays Richard II and Richard III, whose outer cover also contains references and links to his narrative Shakespeare poem The Rape of Lucrece and another three of his Shakespeare plays Love’s Labour’s Lost, Romeo and Juliet & The Merchant of Venice.1 The first work in the collection of Bacon-Shakespeare manuscriptsis the dramatic device entitled Of Tribute; or Giving that which is due (c.1592) that comprises the following four speeches 1] The Praise of Worthiest Virtue, Fortitude; 2] The Praise of the Worthiest Affection, Love; 3] The Praise of the Worthiest Power, Knowledge; 4] The Praise of the Worthiest Person, Queen Elizabeth.2

 Of which Professor Vickers knowingly observes:

This accelerating structure is proto-dramatic, and has some interesting parallels with Love’s Labour’s Lost, written at much the same time and (in part, at least) out of a similar rhetorical background.³

As with the dedication addressed by Bacon to Queen Elizabeth in his translation of Plutarch’s Lives, the speech The Praise of the Worthiest Person, Queen Elizabeth is profuse and extensive:

No praise of magnanimity, nor of love, nor of knowledge, can intercept her praise that planteth and nourisheth magnanimity by her example, love by her person, and knowledge by the peace and serenity of her times; and if these rich pieces be so fair unset, what are they set, and set in all perfection.4

 In the first of the speeches The Praise of Worthiest Virtue, Fortitude Bacon writes:

All came about him being unarmed, and as a stag at bay, yet he never ceased to put himself in defence and to the avoid the blows by the declining of his body, impoyning of their weapons, and all the means of an unarmed man.5

 

Throughout the passage points out Professor Vickers Bacon draws on Plutarch:

Bacon draws on Suetonius, ‘Life’ of Julius Caesar, 82, and Plutarch, ‘Life’ of Caesar, 66…The reading of the Alnwick MS [The Northumberland Manuscript] which Spedding defended as a version of the French empoigner, to grasp. It is supported by historical sources…In Amyot’s French translation the passage [includes]: …empoigna…⁶

1. A. Phoenix, The Bacon-Shakespeare Manuscript (Hitherto known as the Northumberland Manuscript) which originally Contained Copies of his Shakespeare Plays Richard II and Richard III (2022), passim.

2. Frank J. Burgoyne, Collotype Facsimile & Type Transcript Of An Elizabethan Manuscript Preserved at Alnwick Castle, Northumberland (Longmans, Green, and Co., 1904), pp. 1-27; Brian Vickers, ed., Francis Bacon A Critical Edition Of The Major Works (Oxford University Press, 1996), pp. 22-51/514-31; Alan Stewart with Harriet Knight, eds., The Oxford Francis Bacon: Early Writings 1584-1596 (Oxford Clarendon Press, 2012), pp. 235-97/801-19.

3. Brian Vickers, ed., Francis Bacon A Critical Edition Of The Major Works (Oxford University Press, 1996), p. 516.

4. Spedding, Letters and Life, I, p. 126.

5. Brian Vickers, ed., Francis Bacon A Critical Edition Of The Major Works (Oxford University Press, 1996), p. 27.

6. Ibid., p. 519. See also Alan Stewart with Harriet Knight, eds., Early Writings 1584-1596 (Oxford Clarendon Press, 2012), p. 802.

 

 

For the Book:

https://www.academia.edu/14700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

[A Phoenix]

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

During the period or shortly after Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece were working through the printing presses of Richard Field the same printer was also engaged in printing the second edition of Plutarch’s Lives. The title page is similar to the 1579 edition with some small changes in the type of print used on certain lines and its orthography. The imprint differs from the first edition from ‘Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautrollier and John VVight, 1579’ to ‘Imprinted at London by Richard Field for Thomas VVight, 1595’.¹

The imprint (the ‘W’ is printed 2 ‘VV’s) contains 46 letters and the addition of the date 1+5+9+5=20: 46+20=66 a double cipher for Bacon (33)/Bacon (33) which plus the 1 printer’s device provides a total of 67 Francis in simple cipher.

 

 

For the Book:

https://www.academia.edu/14700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

[A Phoenix]

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

Above the address To the Reader appears the Baconian Archer Headpiece.¹ The Baconian device is found in several important works of the period including Bacon’s Novum Organum (printed by John Bill, 1620) and Shakespeare First Folio (printed by William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623).² The same Jaggard family that printed and published several early editions of Bacon’s Essays (John and William Jaggard) and following the First Folio, a 1624 edition of his Essays by Elizabeth Jaggard.³

1.  Thomas North, trans., The Lives Of The Noble Grecians And Romaines, Compared Together By That Grave Learned Philosopher And Historiographer Plutarke of Chæronea: Translated out of Greeke into French by Iames Amyot, Abbot of Bellozane, Bishop of Auxerre, one of the Kings priuie counsell, and great Amner of France, and out of French into English, by  Thomas North Knight (London: printed by Richard Field for Thomas Wight, 1595)., A3^r.

2. A. Phoenix, The 1623 Shakespeare First Folio: A Baconian-Rosicrucian-Freemasonic Illusion (1623), pp. 239-48.

3. A. Phoenix, ‘The Secret, Hidden, and Obscured, Relationship Between Francis Bacon and the Jaggards, Printers and Publishers of his Essays and the First Folio of the Shakespeare Works’, (2021), pp. 1-51.

Book:

https://www.academia.edu/14700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

[A Phoenix]

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

In the years leading up to the publication of the two quarto editions of Hamlet, two Plutarch translations appeared in 1602 and 1603. This is somewhat unfortunate has there is no record of Sir Thomas North being alive after 1601. For most sane and rational people this would prove problematic or at least give some pause for thought. Rather than that however, in light of these two Plutarch publications, conveniently his death has been pushed back to c.1603, for no other reason, than to attempt to accommodate the new translations and substantial revisions, in The Lives of Epaminondas printed by Richard Field in 1602 and the new edition of Plutarch’s Lives printed by Richard Field in 1603.

Book:

https://www.academia.edu/14700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

[A Phoenix]

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

Following the two translations by Bacon the next year Field printed his Sir Francis Bacon His Apologie, In Certaine imputations concerning the late Earle of Essex.1 Assuming the persona of his literary mask Thomas North (whom there is no record of him being alive in 1602) its true author dedicates to his royal mother Queen Elizabeth:

TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCESSE ELIZABETH, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, OF ENGLAND, FRAUNCE, AND IRELAND, QUEENE, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, &C.

THE Princely bountie of your blessed hand (most gracious Soueraigne) comforting and supporting my poore old decaying life, of right challengeth the trauels in my studie, the labours of my bodie, and the prayers of my deuotions to be wholly imployed for your Highnesse, and altogether dedicated to your seruice. Wherein whilest I striue to bring in open shew some small performance of my most humble dutie to your sacred Maiestie, mine owne vnworthinesse amazeth me with trembling feare for my presumption, but that your Highnesse matchlesse grace to so many your most admirable vertues offer my pardon. Vnder which I present in all humblenesse into your Maiesties sacred hands this my second translation of the late addition of fifteene other liues, vnto those former in Plutarch, published for benefite of my country, vnder protection of the most royall name of your most gracious Maiestie. And albeit in respect of my selfe I offer but dutie, which I wish I could in other and better sort performe: yet I am the rather emboldned herein, for that the famous memorie of renowmed Emperours, mightie Kings, worthie Chieftaines and Generals of armies yea and of two famous Philosophers Plutarch and Seneca, being the whole subiect of this second translation, is worthily published vnder your Maiesties patronage. Whose rare vertues and wonderfull wisedome, neither former mightie kings, nor learned Philosophers might equall: from whose blessed fortunes many oppressed Kings, and distressed kingdomes haue sought and found their succors and whose most honourable and most happy peaceable gouernement, is worlds wonder to all posteritie. Wherefore most gracious and most blessed Soueraigne, I beseech your Princely fauour to accept with grace the simple performance of your poore vnworthie seruant his most humble seruice, whose soule with heartiest prayer according to his most bounden dutie, continually calleth vnto God for preseruation of your most royall person, in all honour, health, and happinesse, and so still to raigne ouer vs.

 

                          Your Maiesties most humble and obedient seruant. Thomas North.2

 

1. Sir Francis Bacon His Apologie, In Certaine imputations concerning the late Earle of Essex. Written to the right Honorable his very good Lord, the Earle of Deuonshire, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (London: printed for Felix Norton, 1604). Gibson, No. 68, see also, page 334.

190. Thomas North, trans., The liues of Epaminondas, of Philip of Macedon, of Dionysius the Elder, and of Octauius Cæsar Augustus: collected out of good authors. Also the liues of nine excellent chieftaines of warre, taken out of Latine from Emylius Probus, by S. G. S. By whom also are added the liues of Plutarch and of Seneca: gathered together, disposed, and enriched as the others. And now translated into English by Sir Thomas North Knight (London: printed by Richard Field, 1602), A2^r-v.

Book:

https://www.academia.edu/14700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

[A Phoenix]

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

The life of the Roman tragedian Seneca and the other lives in The liues of Epaminondas, of Philip of Macedon, of Dionysius the Elder, and of Octauius Cæsar Augustus: collected out of good authors. Also the liues of nine excellent chieftaines of warre, taken out of Latine from Emylius Probus, by S. G. S. By whom also are added the liues of Plutarch and of Seneca were reprinted together with a separate title page in the new 1603 edition of Plutarch’s Lives.  

The new Plutarch edition includes many authorial revisions and amendments made by Bacon (it will be recalled there is no record of his literary mask Thomas North being alive post 1601) which reprints the same dedication to his royal mother Queen Elizabeth and Archer headpiece above the address To the Reader,¹ as found in his Novum Organum and above the dedication to his Shakespeare First Folio.  

1. Thomas North, trans., The Lives Of The Noble Grecians And Romaines, Compared Together By That Grave Learned Philosopher And Historiographer, Plutarke of Cheronea. Translated out of Greeke into French by Iames Amyot Abbotof Bellozane, Bishop of Auxerre, one of the Kings privy counell, and great Amner of France. With the liues of Hannibal and of Scipio African: translated out of Latine into French by Charles de l‘Esclvse, and out of French into English, By Sir Thomas North Knight. Hereunto are also added the liues of Epaminondas, of Philip of Macedon, Dionysus the elder, tyrant of Sicilia, of Augustus Caesar, of Plutarke, and of Seneca, with the liues of nine other excellent Chiefetaines of warre: collected out of Aemylius Probus, by S. G. S. and Englished by the aforesaid Translator (London: printed by Richard Field for George Bishop, 1603), A3^r-A4^r.

Book:

https://www.academia.edu/14700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

[A Phoenix]

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

Concurrent with the publication of the 1603 edition of Plutarch’s Lives was the beginning of the composition of The Two books of The Advancement of Learning. As pointed out by his great editor Spedding, the first book of the Advancement was written in 1603, with the second book probably begun sometime in 1604 and eventually published in 1605.¹

With Bacon again absorbed in the reading and revising of the new 1603 edition of Plutarch’s Lives prior and while it was going through the presses of Richard Field, it was still flooding his consciousness as he commenced writing and completing his landmark work The Advancement of Learning. His translation of Plutarch’s Lives permeates and one may even say saturates the text of his Advancement of Learning. Professor Kiernan, the modern editor of the Advancement (Oxford Clarendon Press, 2000), identifies more than 30 instances where Plutarch is used as a source or reference by Bacon in the text.²

1. Spedding, Letters and Life, III, p. 248.

214. Michael Kiernan, ed., The Advancement of Learning (Oxford Clarendon Press, 2000), pp. 8/209, 9-10/210, 10/211, 12/213, 14/214, 17/217, 19/219, 42/241, 43/242, 44-45/243, 45/244, 47/245, 48/246, 49/247, 61/262, 67/266, 73/274, 124/321, 136/329, 140/331, 145/334, 156/339, 159/341, 161/342, 163/345, 169/348, 173/350, 177/352, 182/356.

Book:

https://www.academia.edu/14700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

[Light-of-Truth]

6 hours ago, A Phoenix said:

Wherefore most gracious and most blessed Soueraigne, I beseech your Princely fauour to accept with grace the simple performance of your poore vnworthie seruant his most humble seruice, whose soule with heartiest prayer according to his most bounden dutie, continually calleth vnto God for preseruation of your most royall person, in all honour, health, and happinesse, and so still to raigne ouer vs.

Bacon to his Mommy.

[A Phoenix]

 

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

A new edition of Plutarch’s Lives (1612/1610) printed by Richard Field appeared with the date 1612 on its title page. The second part of the volume ‘The liues of Epaminondas, of Philip of Macedon, of Dionysius the elder, and of Octauius Cæsar Augustus’, has its own separate title page dated 1610. It seems likely the volume was originally earmarked for publication in 1610 but for some unknown reason there was some kind of delay prior to its publication in 1612. It was around the time Bacon was composing The Winter’s Tale wherein many of the characters in the play are taken from Plutarch’s Lives.

 

Book:

https://www.academia.edu/14700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc

[A Phoenix]

The Bacon-Shakespeare Plutarch’s Lives

The names in The Winter’s Tale found in Plutarch are helpfully specified by the editors of the Arden editions of the play:

[which] contains the names Leontes, Camillus, Antigonus, Cleomenes, Dion, Polyxemus, Archidamus, Autolycus, Hermione, and Aemylia, and although Paulina is not there, Paulinus is. Leontes is in Plutarch only as a name of a tribe…In Plutarch the names occur chiefly in the lives of Camillus and of Agis and Cleomenes; and Shakespeare was possibly indebted to the Lives for rather more than the names; Camillus, for example, is kind and noble man in Plutarch as Camillo is in the play, where he is mainly Shakespeare’s creation.¹

 For new names he turned to Plutarch’s Lives…

CAMILLO Italian form of Latin ‘Camillus’ associated with Marcus Furius Camillus, a fifth century BC statesman who forgave Rome for exiling him and rescued the city from the Gauls (his life is in Plutarch’s Lives).

ANTIGONUS …is from Plutarch’s Lives…

CLEOMENES, DION, Greek names from Plutarch’s Lives…

HERMIONE…Hermione was also linked to Hermes (Mercury), messenger of the gods, and Shakespeare may have derived his Hermione from ‘herm’ a Greek word from Sir Thomas North’s translation of Plutarch’s Lives…

 RCHIDAMUS …is in Plutarch’s Lives…²

1.  J. H. Pafford, ed., The Winter’s Tale (The Arden Shakespeare, 1986), pp. 163-65, at p. 163; Geoffrey Bullough, ed., Narrative And Dramatic Sources Of Shakespeare (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1975), VIII, p. 124.

2. John Pitcher, ed., The Winter’s Tale (Arden Shakespeare, 2010), pp. 140-43. 

 

Book:

https://www.academia.edu/14700554/Francis_Bacon_his_Literary_Mask_Sir_Thomas_North_and_the_Secret_Translation_of_Plutarch_s_Lives_1579_a_Major_Source_for_his_Shakespeare_Plays

For a 2 minute video exploring the main points of evidence see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH8Xfw9-zc