Basilus, a foolish old duke, consults an oracle as he imperiously wishes to know the future, but he is less than pleased with what he learns. To escape the oracle's horrific prophecies about his family and kingdom he withdraws into pastoral retreat with his wife and two daughters. When a pair of wandering princes fall in love with the princesses and adopt disguises to gain access to them, all manner of complications, both comic and serious, ensue.
Part-pastoral romance, part-heroic epic, Sidney's long narrative work was hugely popular for centuries after its first publication in 1593,...

An anthology grounded in the historic and aesthetic context of a crucial figure in 16th century English literature

Feuillerat's edition of the complete works of Sir Philip Sidney in the series Cambridge English Classics has long been out of print. It has however been reissued with the omission of the poetical works. The prose works are divided among the four volumes as follows: volume 1, Arcadia, 1590; volume 2, Arcadia, 1593 and The Lady of May; volume 3, The Defences of Poesie, Political Discourses, Correspondence and Translation; volume 4, Arcadia (original version).

Feuillerat's edition of the complete works of Sir Philip Sidney in the series Cambridge English Classics has long been out of print. It has however been reissued with the omission of the poetical works. The prose works are divided among the four volumes as follows: volume 1, Arcadia, 1590; volume 2, Arcadia, 1593 and The Lady of May; volume 3, The Defences of Poesie, Political Discourses, Correspondence and Translation; volume 4, Arcadia (original version).

Feuillerat's edition of the complete works of Sir Philip Sidney in the series Cambridge English Classics has long been out of print. It has however been reissued with the omission of the poetical works. The prose works are divided among the four volumes as follows: volume 1, Arcadia, 1590; volume 2, Arcadia, 1593 and The Lady of May; volume 3, The Defences of Poesie, Political Discourses, Correspondence and Translation; volume 4, Arcadia (original version.)

Feuillerat's edition of the complete works of Sir Philip Sidney in the series Cambridge English Classics has long been out of print. It has however been reissued with the omission of the poetical works. The prose works are divided among the four volumes as follows: volume 1, Arcadia, 1590; volume 2, Arcadia, 1593 and The Lady of May; volume 3, The Defences of Poesie, Political Discourses, Correspondence and Translation; volume 4, Arcadia (original version).