History in Motion
Translation and the Political Afterlives of the Past in Early Modern Europe
Keywords:
Pierre Matthieu, Biography, History, Translation, Early ModernAbstract
This article examines the relationship between translation and life-writing in early modern European historiography through two political biographies by the French historiographer Pierre Matthieu (1563–1621). It argues that translation in Matthieu’s historical writing operates on two levels: as a temporal reinterpretation of the past and as a linguistic transfer across languages. In works such as his biographies of Sejanus and Philippa the Catanian, Matthieu uses historical exempla to criticize the political influence of royal favorites in contemporary France, including Concino Concini and Leonora Galigaï. Drawing on classical and medieval sources, these narratives were translated into Italian, Spanish, and English, where they were adapted to comment on influential figures such as the Duke of Lerma, the Count-Duke of Olivares, and the Duke of Buckingham. The article contends that Renaissance historiography was inherently translational, with historians acting as mediators who transferred meaning both vertically from past to present and horizontally across languages and political contexts, ensuring the continued relevance of historical narratives.Downloads
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