The History of the Seven Wise Masters of Rome

Step into the fascinating world of medieval storytelling as this carefully edited volume reveals the tangled roots of the famous “Seven Wise Masters” narrative. The author traces the tale from a bustling Indian origin, through its split into Eastern and Western families, and follows the Western branch as it reshapes the story for medieval Europe. Along the way, you’ll meet the prince falsely accused by a queen, the seven sages who spin counter‑stories, and the literary lineage that links this cycle to Boccaccio’s Decameron and Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.

Beyond the plot, the book offers a treasure trove of historical context: notes on early chap‑book editions, the impact of the Reformation on textual changes, and vivid commentary on the German woodcuts that once illustrated these pages. The introduction also maps the spread of translations—from a 13th‑century Latin version to Wynkyn de Worde’s 1520 English printing—making it a compelling guide for anyone curious about how a single story traveled across languages, cultures, and centuries.