1578 in literature
# 1578 in literature

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.
* 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)
* 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
* Margaret Tyler, The Mirrour of Princely Deedes and Knighthood

### 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)
* July 27 – Jane Lumley, English translator from Greek and Latin (born 1537)
* 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)
