Facetia (singular; plural: facetiae) is a European literary genre from the Renaissance consisting of short humorous stories, jokes, jests, witticisms or drollery, often obscene or coarse. hence the adjective "facetious".ФАЦЕЦИЯ, Soviet Encyclopedia of Literature (1929-1939)
The first printed joke book is Facetiae (full title: , English: A book of jokes by Poggius, the most famous Florentine orator) by Poggio Bracciolini, first published in 1470 and reprinted many times. Earlier manuscripts of this type are known, such as ("A Little Book with Facetiae about King Rudolph") by a Strasbourg clergyman , which contained anecdotes about Rudolf I of Germany (erroneously attributed to a certain Albertus Argentinensis); however, Bracciolini's is the first printed joke book.Libellulus de facetiis Rudolfi regis Alberti Argentinensis Libelluli de Facetiis Rudolfi Regis Quae Supersunt Since then many other authors printed collections of facetiae, first, in Latin and later, in other European languages.
Other notable collections (Polish Faceciae, Or...)Faceciae Polskie (Jokes of jokes, this is a new bundle of joke-serious jokes) It contains a number of facetious parodies of scientific and philosophical treatises: (A delineation of the main points of student debauchery, as practiced in some academies), p. 1. (A methodical discourse of the foot, its species, noises and appearance, compiled into a Thesis), p. 17. (A feudal disputation on cuckoldry), p. 43. (An inaugural disputation, theoretical and practical, on the law of drinking), p. 55. (In praise of the noble itch), p. 101. (A good woman, or, a century of practical legal questions of an illustrious nature: about women or wives), p. 139. (The joy of kisses, a historical and philosophical dissertation), p. 185. (An inaugural thesis on Virgins), p. 251. (A disputation on the law and nature of pens), p. 303. (On multi skilled students and teachers), p. 333. (Theses on cochleation), p. 379. , p. 445. (Theses on Hasion and the Hasible quality), p. 511. (Fleas, a short verse), p. 531. (A disputation on Cornelius, his nature and properties) p. 539. (On beani), p. 559.Facetiae facetiarumFacetiae facetiarum, hoc est joco-seriorum fasciculus novus, exhibens varia variorum autorum scripta, no tàm lectu jucunda et jocosa., 1645, from Catálogo Colectivo del Patrimonio Bibliográfico Madrileño
See also Schwank, short satirical tale, verse or play, in German literature Fabliau
References
Notes
Further reading
, Witz und Öffentlichkeit. Die Kunst der Fazetien. In: Werner Röcke, Helga Neumann (eds.): Komische Gegenwelten. Lachen und Literatur in Mittelalter und Früher Neuzeit. Schöningh, Paderborn u. a. 1999, ISBN 3-506-77269-4, Spp. 79–101. Hans Peter Buohler, „De urbanis et facetis“. Urbanitas in den Fazetien Poggios und Bebels. In: Wolfenbütteler Renaissance-Mitteilungen. 32, 2008/2010, , Spp. 1–24. Johannes Klaus Kipf, Cluoge geschichten. Humanistische Fazetienliteratur im deutschen Sprachraum (= Literaturen und Künste der Vormoderne. 2). Hirzel, Stuttgart 2010, ISBN 978-3-7776-1610-0.