1578 in literature

Template:Short description Template:Refimprove Template:Year nav topic5 This article presents lists of the literary events and publications in 1578.

Events

• December – Publication of John Lyly's didactic prose romance Euphues: the Anatomy of Wyt, originating the ornate English prose style known as Euphuism.<ref name=Lyly>Template:Cite book</ref>
• unknown date – Alonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga is sent on a mission to Zaragoza by King Philip II of Spain.

New books

Prose

• Diogo de Payva de Andrada – Defensio Tridentinæ fidei (posthumously published)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• George Best – A True Discourse of the Late Voyages of Discoverie...under the Conduct of Martin Frobisher
• John Florio – First Fruits
• Jaroš Griemiller – Rosarium philosophorum
• Gabriel Harvey – Smithus, vel Musarum lachrymae
• John Lyly – Euphues: the Anatomy of Wit<ref name=Lyly/>
• Margaret Tyler, The Mirrour of Princely Deedes and Knighthood<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Drama

• Jan Kochanowski – Odprawa posłów greckich ("The Dismissal of the Greek Envoys")
• George Whetstone – Promos and Cassandra

Poetry

• See 1578 in poetry

Births

• April 2 – Francesco Amico, Italian theologian
• June – Mary Fitton, possible inspiration for Shakespeare's The Dark Lady (died 1647)
• August 24 – John Taylor, English poet and waterman (died 1653)
• unknown dates
  • Giambattista Andreini, Italian dramatist and actor (died 1650)
  • Jacob Bidermann, German dramatist (died 1627)
  • George Hakewill, English author and cleric (died 1649)

Deaths

• May 4 – Martin Eisengrein, German theologian and polemicist (born 1535)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• July 27 – Jane Lumley, English translator from Greek and Latin (born 1537)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• August 11 – Pedro Nunes, Portuguese polymath (born 1502)
• October 12 – Cornelius Gemma, Dutch physician, astronomer and astrologer (born 1535)
• unknown date – Gabriele Giolito de' Ferrari, Italian printer (born c. 1508)
• probable – Johann Stumpf, Swiss writer on history and topography (born 1500)