[1] Most probably, Dantiscus received the collected works of Georg Sabinus (G. Sabinus, Poemata ab authore recens aucta et recognita, Argentorati: C. Mylius, May 1544). This is the only book by the author from roughly that period that corresponds to the description of its contents in the poetic letter, in which, among other things, “ioci dulces” are mentioned. The 1544 collection contains works of a playful character, including epigrams. This makes it possible to exclude the interpretation that Dantiscus is referring to the slender poem devoted to the deaths of Sabinus’ wife and his friend Pietro Bembo (cf. Georgius SABINUS to Ioannes DANTISCUS s.l., [after 1547-02-26], CIDTC IDL 6262⌊Ad Ioannem Danticum episcopum Varmiensemcf. Georgius SABINUS to Ioannes DANTISCUS s.l., [after 1547-02-26], CIDTC IDL 6262⌋, incipit: Ut fato miserabili), which probably reached him at the same time as the book in question and which, in early printed editions, is followed by a short dedicatory note accompanying the gift of the book (cf. Georgius SABINUS to Ioannes DANTISCUS s.l., [after 1547-02-26], CIDTC IDL 6262⌊Ad eundemcf. Georgius SABINUS to Ioannes DANTISCUS s.l., [after 1547-02-26], CIDTC IDL 6262⌋, incipit: Parvum suscipe).

[2] It may be assumed that Dantiscus offered Sabinus a printed edition of his De duabus Lucretiis. cf. Anna Skolimowska, "Manuscript Sources of Ioannes Dantiscus' “De duabus Lucretiis”" in: Respublica Litteraria in Action. New Sources, ed. by Katarzyna Tomaszuk, Warsaw-Cracow, 2016, p. 77-86, series: Corpus Epistularum Ioannis Dantisci 5, 3 ⌊Skolimowska 2016 Manuscriptcf. Anna Skolimowska, "Manuscript Sources of Ioannes Dantiscus' “De duabus Lucretiis”" in: Respublica Litteraria in Action. New Sources, ed. by Katarzyna Tomaszuk, Warsaw-Cracow, 2016, p. 77-86, series: Corpus Epistularum Ioannis Dantisci 5, 3 ⌋ has argued that such an edition, dated 1531, did indeed exist, even though no extant copy is known today.

[3] Alexander von Suchten was a nephew of Alexander Sculteti and an adversary of Dantiscus. He was accused of heresy and, in 1545, was sentenced to the loss of his property and of his Ermland canonry, which was subsequently taken over by Kaspar Hannau, the nephew of Dantiscus. After this, Suchten eventually found refuge in Königsberg at the court of Duke Albrecht von Hohenzollern, where he established close relations with Georg Sabinus, who was then residing there as rector of the local university (cf. ⌊NOWAK 2007–2008cf. ⌋, p. 337). In August 1547, under the auspices of the university (as indicated on the title page), Suchten published the poem Vandalus, dedicated to the legendary Polish ruler Wanda (A. Suchten, Vandalvs Illustri Principi D. Andreae comiti a Gorca castellano Posnaniensi et Maioris Poloniae supremo capitaneo dedicatus, in Academia Regii Montis: H. Weinreich, mense Augusto 1547). The book included a laudatory poem in praise of the author by Sabinus, who extolled Suchten as a poet, stylizing him as an ancient bard playing a harp made of tortoise shell, i.e. chelys (f. E2v). It appears that both the poem and the book were known to Dantiscus. He not only tactfully reminded Sabinus of his role in granting shelter to Suchten while he was fleeing justice, but also alluded to Sabinus’ poetic praise of him. Dantiscus ironically refers to Suchten as the bard at the court of Dido (Aeneis, 1.743–746), repeating the imagery of the harp (chelys), while at the same time castigating him for the improper use of the instrument to defame his fellow citizens. This may refer either to the inhabitants of Gdańsk, from which both Dantiscus and Suchten originated, or more broadly to the inhabitants of Prussia. The choice of Iopas may also be explained by the character of his song in the Aeneid, which was traditionally interpreted as an exposition of natural philosophy, focusing on astronomy and meteorological phenomena. In his later years, Suchten devoted himself to medicine and alchemy (on Suchten’s works in this field, see cf. ⌊PRINKEcf. ⌋, p. 338–348, and the earlier literature cited there); this literary allusion may therefore echo contemporary opinions circulating about his intellectual interests.