1516 in literature
This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1516.
Events
- March 1 – Desiderius Erasmus publishes a new Greek translation of the New Testament, Novum Instrumentum omne, in Basel. This year Erasmus also writes The Education of a Christian Prince although it is not published until 1532.
- c. December – Thomas More's Utopia, combining fiction and political philosophy and completed this year, is published in Leuven in Latin.
- unknown dates
- *Samuel Nedivot's the 14th century Hebrew Sefer Abudirham in Fez is the first book printed in Africa.
- *Paolo Ricci translates the 13th century Kabbalistic work Sha'are Orah by Joseph ben Abraham Gikatilla into Latin, as Portae Lucis.
New books
Prose
- Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa
- *Dialogus de homine
- *De triplici ratione cognoscendi Deum
- Bartolomé de las Casas – Memorial de Remedios para las Indias
- Erasmus – Novum Instrumentum omne
- Robert Fabyan – The New Chronicles of England and France
- Marsilio Ficino – De triplici vita
- Thomas More – Utopia
- Andre Pauernfeindt – ''Ergründung der ritterlichen kunst des fechtens durch freyfechter czu Vienn''
Poetry
- Ludovico Ariosto – Orlando Furioso
- Baptista Mantuanus
- *Agellaria
- *''De sacris diebus''
Births
- March 26 – Conrad Ges(s)ner, Swiss naturalist, bibliographer and poet
- April 23 – Georg Fabricius, Saxon historian, classical archaeologist and epigrapher and poet
- December 21 – Giuseppe Leggiadri Gallani, Parmese-born poet and dramatist
Deaths
- March 22 – Baptista Mantuanus, Mantuan Carmelite reformer, humanist and Latin poet
- December 13 – Johannes Trithemius, German lexicographer and chronicler