Origin of the work:
1662
Editions:
1662 Amsterdam
1670 Prague (published by V. J. Rosa)
1974 Prague, Vybrané spisy J. A. Komenského, vol. VII, various eds.
1983 Prague, J. A. Comenii Opera omnia, vol. 4
Contents:
This is a Czech verse adaptation of various separate Latin verses, loosely attached to Cato’s Distich (see the entry for Cato).
It is not certain whether the verses entitled „Jiný autor takto ty řádky udělal“ („Another author would do the lines this way“), „Jiný je takto učinil“ („Another did it thusly“) and „Jinší takto zpíval“ „One sang it thus“) were already held by Comenius at its 1662 publication, or whether they were first added by Rosa for the 1670 edition.
On the other hand, the verses headed „Přidávají se některý zpěvomluvy český od jiného původu sepsaný“ („Several addition Czech Singspiels compiled from other sources“), „Pastýřské rozmlouvání o narození Páně“ („A shepherd recounting of the Nativity of the Lord“), „Bájka o vlku a jehňátku“ („The myth of the wolf and the lamb“) and „Následující zpěvomluvy jsou ex prima ecloga Virgilii vytažený“ („The following Singspiels are drawn ex prima ecloga Virgilii“) are Rosa’s creations, with which he complemented Comenius’ collection.
For further study, see also:
J. A. Comenii Opera omnia, vol. 4. Prague 1983, pp202-203