"Epicurus at Leontium" - Ludwig Gottlieb Portman, c. 1802-1803

Charles · March 11, 2021 at 12:49 AM

A Dutch illustrator. The caption reads:

; maar ontdek er de Spooren van het geluk niet - Epicurus

; but do not discover the Traces of Happiness. - Epicurus

I have a Dutch friend, perhaps he is willing to provide a better translation.

Cassius · March 11, 2021 at 7:12 AM

Presuming that is not part of a book or larger context, the inscription almost looks as if it was intended to be a quotation, but the translation doesn't really make much sense. Maybe" traces" is "limits" (?) but the "do not discover" doesn't seem appropriate.

Charles · January 27, 2022 at 2:21 PM

I did some digging on this piece today since I figured I'd upload it to the gallery. It's from a Dutch Almanac from 1803. "Almanak, van vernuft en smaak, voor het jaar MDCCCIII" (Almanac, of ingenuity and taste 1803 Volume 1). While reading through it, I discovered an 8.5 page long section titled "Epicurus bij Leontion" which is just the same as the illustration. Since I cannot read Dutch I don't know what the text says, however it appears to be a casual reading of the subject of the philosophy. Once I get a translation down from my Dutch friends I'll post it here.

Cassius · January 27, 2022 at 4:20 PM

If you don't have a Dutch friend I think there is a Marco on the Facebook page who is definitely Dutch.

Marco · March 9, 2022 at 1:48 PM

Charles, I'm from Belgium, speaking Dutch. Can I read the text?

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"Epicurus at Leontium" - Ludwig Gottlieb Portman, c. 1802-1803

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