A couple of months ago, I bought yet another copy of Montaigne’s Essays, the English translation of which caught my attention.[1] It struck me as rather archaic but pretty mesmerizing, as well. Besides, the translator’s name was presented in an unusual way: J. Florio. What could the initial be standing for? Curious, today I searched the World Wide Web with the unusual name. And I was amazed by what I discovered. John Florio (1553–1625), known in Italian as Giovanni Florio, was a linguist and lexicographer, a royal language tutor at the court of James I, and a possible friend and literary influence on William Shakespeare. Born in London, he was also the translator of Montaigne into English. Wow! Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) was his contemporary, no less. Having learned all this, I felt ashamed for waiting so long to look up the lofty translator’s name. Alas, my curiosity is only a shadow of what it used to be! One fine day, Montaigne, Florio, and I will be remembered as contemporaries of sorts.

Footnote

1. Montaigne, M., Essays, translated by J. Florio, Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books, 2005.