List of Classical Colloquia

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This page lists colloquies (Latin colloquia), which are scripted dialogues (a form of textbook) written for language instruction and practice in Classical languages such as Latin or Ancient Greek. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

This list includes colloquies from any time period: ancient, medieval, Scholastic, Renaissance, or later times including the present day.

For the purpose of this list, we use the same definition of "Classical languages" as is used at Classics departments at major European and North American universities, and indeed the same definition used at the Wikipedia Classics page: Latin and Ancient Greek.

However, colloquies in other classical languages can also be listed here, provided that they take the same form: a scripted dialogue whose main purpose is to show examples of useful phrases in the target language, for pedagogical purposes.

Especially significant or influential works and authors are highlighted in yellow, below.

List of Classical Colloquia

YearAuthorTitlesLatGrkOther langComment
900 Ælfric of Eynsham Ælfric’s Colloquy [5] [6] yesno Old Eng.
200anonymous Hermeneumata Pseudodositheana [7]  ; ἙρμηνεύματαyesyesParts were attributed to Dositheus Magister, hence the name Pseudodositheana. [8] Composed as a Greek-Latin schoolbook in late antiquity, probably around the third century CE. The work was originally composed to help Greeks learn Latin, but in the medieval West, it came to be widely used as a source for Latin-literate authors to learn about Greek. [9]
1400anonymousManuale Scholarium [10] yesnoGermanLatin dialogues between medieval university students (primarily two students, Camillus and Bartoldus) partly insulting and rowdy. [11]
1518 Desiderius Erasmus Colloquies [12]

Colloquia familiaria;
Familiaria Colloquia

yesnoOften cited with the simple title "Colloquies" or as Colloquia familiaria
1594 (2020) Gretser, Jacob (1594) and Fergus Walsh (ed., 2020)Four Greek Dialogues [13] [14]

Progymnasmata Latinitatis

noyesEnglishTranslated by Jacob Gretser (1594) from Pontanus' Progymnasmata Latinitatis (1578) [14]
1587 Posselius, Johannes (Senior)  [ de ]De formulis colloquiorum quotidianorum [15]

De formulis colloquiorum quotidianorum libellus [15]  ;
Καθημερινῆς ὁμιλίας βιβλίον

yesnoThis work was later expanded by Posselius's son, Posselius, Johannes (Junior)  [ de ], and published under the title Familiarium Colloquium Graece et Latine Libellus, with added dialogues and material. [16] [17]
1656 (2017) Posselius, Johannes (Junior)  [ de ] (1656); bedwere (ed., 2017)Book of Domestic Dialogues [18] [19]

Book of Domestic Dialogues in Greek and Latin [18] [19]  ;
Οἰκείων διαλόγων βιβλίον Ἑλληνιστὶ καὶ Ῥωμαϊστί;
Familiarium Colloquium Graece et Latine Libellus

yesyesEnglishFamiliarium Colloquium Graece et Latine Libellus is generally ascribed to Johannes Posselius (Junior)  [ de ]. However, some sources suggest this work is an expansion of an earlier work titled Καθημερινῆς ὁμιλίας βιβλίον (De formulis colloquiorum quotidianorum libellus) written by his father Johannes Posselius (Senior)  [ de ]. The younger Posselius is credited with the definitive and widely published versions that circulated during the 16th and 17th centuries, often with added dialogues and material. [16] [17]
1871 Blackie, John Stuart Greek and English Dialogues, for Use in Schools and Colleges [20] [21] noyesEnglish
1657 Corderius, Maturinus, Charles Hoole (trnsl.)School Colloquies [22] [23] [24]

"Colloquia" ; "Colloquiorum scholasticorum libri quatuor"; [25]
"M. Corderius's School Colloquies, English and Latine"

yesCorderius possessed special tact and liking for teaching children, and wrote several books for them; the most famous is his Colloquia (Colloquiorum scholasticorum libri quatuor), which has passed through innumerable editions, and was used in schools for three centuries after his time. [25]
1533 (?) Maturinus Corderius Distichs of Cato [26]

"The Cato" ;
Catonis Disticha ;
Disticha de moribus nomine Catonis inscripta

yesnoFrenchLatin collection of proverbial wisdom and morality by an unknown author from the 3rd or 4th century AD. The Cato was prized not only as a Latin textbook, but as a moral compass. Cato was in common use as a Latin teaching aid in the 18th century when it was used by Benjamin Franklin. It was one of the best-known books in the Middle Ages and was translated into many languages. It was still used in schools in parts of Britain in the 19th century. [27] Corderius made the French translation, enriching it with commentaries on classical authors. His work was aimed at children with a summary, verses and an analysis of the structure. It was actually a grammatical treatise. [28] [29]
1659 Charles Hoole Pueriles Confabulatiunculæ [30]

"Children's Talk. English and Latin"

yesnoEnglish Charles Hoole also translated Cordier's Disticha Catonis into English
1525 Schottenius, Hermann Colloquia Sive Confabulationes Tyronum Literatorum [31] [32]

Tyronum literatorum colloquia, sive Confabulationes

yesno
800anonymous De raris fabulis

"On uncommon tales"; [33]
"On curious tales"; [34]
"On rare expressions" [35]

yesnoGlosses in:
Old Cornish
Old Welsh
Old English		Purpose was teaching spoken Latin to monastic oblates. [36] For this reason they mostly concern daily life in a monastic environment, [37] although there are also references to trade and pilgrimage. [36]
800anonymousColloquia e libro De raris fabulis retractatayesnoThis is a new set of colloquies, based edits to De raris fabulis [38]

Recent Editions of Classical Colloquia

Listed here are editions that were recently published and/or translated and/or digitally transcribed, in a convenient format for modern readers.

Year or centuryOrig.
Author		TitleDetails
1929anonymous De raris fabulis Stevenson, W. H., ed. (1929). "De raris fabulis". Early Scholastic Colloquies. Clarendon Press. pp. 1–10.
2004anonymous De raris fabulis Gwara, Scott, ed. (2004). De Raris Fabulis, "On Uncommon Tales": A Glossed Latin Colloquy-Text From a Tenth-Century Cornish Manuscript. University of Cambridge, Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic.

Older Editions and Archives

Listed here are references or links to older books or archived books, which are probably available only as digital scans or in hard copy. (See above for a separate list of recent published editions.)

See Also

References

  1. ↑ "Erasmus' Colloquies: Latin and the Good Life". Centre for Renaissance and Reformation Studies. 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  2. ↑ "Spoken Latin in the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance". 2019-12-04. Retrieved 2025-12-05.
  3. ↑ Eleanor Dickey (2016). Learning Latin the Ancient Way. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 4. ISBN   978-1-107-09360-7.
  4. ↑ Deneire, Tom (2014). "School Colloquia". Brill's Encyclopaedia of the Neo-Latin World. Brill. doi:10.1163/9789004271296_enlo_B9789004271029_0124. ISBN   978-9004265721.
  5. ↑ Early Scholastic Colloquies at the Internet Archive
  6. ↑ Ælfric (1991) [27 Jun 1905]. Garmonsway, G. N. (ed.). Colloquy. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press. ISBN   978-0859890984.
  7. ↑ Corpus glossariorum latinorum at the Internet Archive
  8. ↑ Boucherie 1868 , p. 271-272
  9. ↑ [Christine Franzen], 'Introduction', in Ashgate Critical Essays on Early English Lexicographers Volume 1: Old English, ed. by Christine Franzen (Farnham: Ashgate, 2012), xv-lxxiii (p. xxxiv).
  10. ↑ The Manuale scholarium; an original account of life in the mediaeval university at the Internet Archive
  11. ↑ "Manuale Scholarium – a guide to student life in 15th century Germany". Manuscripts and More: Special Collections & Archives at the University of Liverpool Library. 2021-09-28. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  12. ↑ The colloquies of Erasmus at the Internet Archive
  13. ↑ Gretser Greek Dialogues Ed. Walsh at the Internet Archive
  14. 1 2 "Fergus Walsh Projects". Fergus Walsh. 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  15. 1 2 Kathēmerinēs homilias biblion: De formulis colloquiorum quotidianorum libellus. 1587. Retrieved 2026-01-15. Note: Printed book does not include author or publisher or location
  16. 1 2 "WorldCat record for Oikeiōn dialogōn biblion hellēnisti kai rōmaisti". WorldCat (Database record notes). OCLC . Retrieved 2026-01-15. Ascribed generally to Johannes Posselius the Younger; also considered to be the same as the work which Posselius the Elder wrote under the title: Kathēmerinēs homilias biblion. Cf. BM, Allg. Deut. Biog., Zedler, J.H. Grosses vollst. Univ.-Lex
  17. 1 2 "WorldCat record for [Oikeion dialogon biblion Ellenisti k[a]i Romaisti]". WorldCat (Database record notes). OCLC . Retrieved 2026-01-15. Ascribed generally to Johannes Posselius the Younger; also considered to be the same as the work which Posselius the Elder wrote under the title: Kathēmerinēs homilias biblion. Cf. BM, Allg. deut. Biog., Zedler, J.H. Grosses vollst. Univ.-Lex
  18. 1 2 FAMILIĀRIUM COLLOQUIUM GRÆCĒ ET LATĪNĒ LIBELLUS at the Internet Archive
  19. 1 2 Possel, Johann (1676). Oikeiōn dialogōn biblion Ellēnisi kai Rōmaisi, Familiarium colloquiorum libellus Graecè & Latinè, auctus & recognitus. Frankfurt: typis & impensis Balthasaris Christophori Wustii [Balthasar Christoph Wust]. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
  20. ↑ Greek and English dialogues, for use in schools at the Internet Archive
  21. ↑ Blackie, John Stuart (1871). Greek and English Dialogues, for Use in Schools and Colleges. London and New York: MacMillan & Co.
  22. ↑ Mathurin Corderius's school-colloquies at the Internet Archive
  23. ↑ Colloquia. English and Latin. Selections: Maturini Corderii Colloquia scholastica, anglo-latina, in varias clausulas distributa: observato utriusque linguae idiomate at the Internet Archive
  24. ↑ Michael Meckler (2006). Classical Antiquity and the Politics of America: From George Washington to George W. Bush. Baylor University Press. p. 185. ISBN   978-1-932792-32-4.
  25. 1 2 Wikisource-logo.svg  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain :  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Corderius". Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 138.
  26. ↑ Maturinus, Corderius (1551). Disticha de moribus, nomine Catonis inscripta, cum latina et gallica interpretatione (Maturini Corderii). Epitome in singula fere disticha. Dicta sapientum, cum duplici quoque interpretatiuncula . Retrieved 2026-01-16.
  27. ↑ The National Cyclopaedia of Useful Knowledge. Vol. V (First ed.). London: Charles Knight. 1848. p. 440.
  28. ↑ 2011 September 9th, Francisco González Echeverría VI International Meeting for the History of Medicine, Barcelona. New Discoveries on the biography of Michael De Villeneuve (Michael Servetus) & New discoveries on the work of Michael De Villeneuve (Michael Servetus)
  29. ↑ 2000 "Find of new editions of Bibles and of two 'lost' grammatical works of Michael Servetus," González Echeverría, Francisco Javier. Abstracts, 37th International Congress on the History of Medicine, September 10–15, 2000, Galveston, Texas, U.S.A., pp. 22-23.
  30. ↑ Hoole, Charles (1659). Childrens talke, English and Latine, etc. Pueriles confabulatiunculæ Anglo Latinæ in varias clausulas distributæ, etc. London. Retrieved 2026-01-16.
  31. ↑ "CONFABVLATIONES TYROnum literariorum ad amussim Colloquiorum Erasmi Roterodami, Authore Hermanno Schottennio Hesso. AB AVTHORE RECOGnitae, et auctae trigintae Conuiijs lepidissimis". Freiburger historische Bestände – digital. 1553. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  32. ↑ Colloquia Sive Confabulationes Tyronum Literatorum at the Internet Archive
  33. ↑ Hall 2009 , p. 205; Gwara 2004a
  34. ↑ Gwara 2017.
  35. ↑ Charles-Edwards 2013, p. 647.
  36. 1 2 Gwara 2007.
  37. ↑ Hall 2009, p. 205.
  38. ↑ Gwara 2007; Gwara 2017.

Bibliography

Secondary literature

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