Jeremias De Dekker

1610 (age 56)

Dordrecht, Netherlands

Dekker entered his father’s business at an early age, he found leisure to cultivate his taste for literature and especially for poetry, and to acquire without assistance a competent knowledge of English, French, Latin and Italian. His first poem was a paraphrase of the Lamentations of Jeremiah (Klaagliedern van Jeremias), which was followed by translations and imitations of Horace, Juvenal and other Latin poets. A complete collection of his poems, edited by Brouerius van Nideck, was published at Amsterdam in 1726 under the title Exercices poétiques. Selections from his poems are included in Siegenbeck's Proeven van nederduitsche Dichtkunde (1823), and from his epigrams in Geijsbeek's Epigrammatische Anthologie. Dekker died at Amsterdam in November 1666.

Jeremias De Dekker

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poet

Background

Dekker was born in Dordrecht (historically in English named Dort). His father was a native of Antwerp, who, having embraced the reformed religion, had been compelled to take refuge in the Netherlands.

Education

Dekker received his entire education from his father.

Career

Dekker entered his father’s business at an early age, he found leisure to cultivate his taste for literature and especially for poetry, and to acquire without assistance a competent knowledge of English, French, Latin and Italian.

His first poem was a paraphrase of the Lamentations of Jeremiah (Klaagliedern van Jeremias), which was followed by translations and imitations of Horace, Juvenal and other Latin poets.

A complete collection of his poems, edited by Brouerius van Nideck, was published at Amsterdam in 1726 under the title Exercices poétiques. Selections from his poems are included in Siegenbeck's Proeven van nederduitsche Dichtkunde (1823), and from his epigrams in Geijsbeek's Epigrammatische Anthologie. Dekker died at Amsterdam in November 1666.

Achievements

The most important of Dekker's original poems were a collection of epigrams (Puntdichten) and a satire in praise of avarice (Lof der Geldzucht). The latter was his best-known work. Written in a vein of light and yet effective irony, it was usually ranked by critics along with Erasmus's Praise of Folly.

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