John Barclay's Life and Literary Career
To the twenty-first century scholar, John Barclay is an elusive figure. The logical first step in tracing the events of Barclay's life requires one to consult the findings of David A. Fleming. Fleming's introduction to his translation of Barclay's Euphormionis Lusinini Satyricon (1973) includes one of the most comprehensive and reliable, albeit brief, biographies of the author. Kenneth Newton Colville's Fame's Twilight, first published in 1923 and reprinted in 1970, also includes a relatively substantial amount of information about Barclay. However, due to the lack of accurate primary accounts, Colville depends heavily upon conjecture and hearsay to fill the myriad holes in Barclay's biography.
John Barclay was born on January 28, 1582 in France at Pont-a-Mousson. The son of a “Scottish jurist of a noble blood,...
1796 words
Citation: Magrino, William. "Argenis". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 21 August 2009 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=26980, accessed 14 December 2025.]
