Elio Antonio de Nebrija (1444?–1522), Fernando Núñez de Toledo y Guzmán (1475?–1553), Juan de Vergara, Demetrios Doukas, Alfonso de Zamora (d. 1531), Alfonso de Alcalá, Pablo Coronel (1480–1534) and Diego López de Zúñiga (d. 1530), editors
The Complutensian Polyglot Bible printed in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Aramaic
Alcalá de Henares, Spain: Arnaldo Guillén de Brocar
Printed 1514–1517
Rare Book Division
The Complutensian Polyglot Bible printed in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Aramaic
The Complutensian Polyglot is the first multilingual printed edition of the Bible. The Old Testament is provided in parallel Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin—with the Hebrew text accompanied by an interlinear Latin translation. The New Testament is in Greek and Latin. Cardinal Francisco Ximénes de Cisneros (1436?–1517) commissioned and sponsored this earliest work to revive critical study of the Scriptures. The editors used a wide variety of manuscripts and required several translators and scholars, all of whom met at Complutense University of Madrid, to bring the work to life. This Bible, printed but initially unpublished, was issued after a papal commission determined its accuracy and Pope Leo X authorized its release. A complete set comprises six royal-folio volumes, “royal folio” indicating its size. Of the 600 sets printed, little more than 120 copies still exist; many were lost at sea in 1521 en route to Italy.
Currently on View at Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
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