1578 in literature

This article presents lists of the literary events and publications in 1578.

Events

 * December – Publication of John Lyly's didactic prose romance Euphues: the Anatomy of Wyt, originating the ornate English prose style known as Euphuism.
 * unknown date – Alonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga is sent on a mission to Zaragoza by King Philip II of Spain.

Prose

 * Diogo de Payva de Andrada – Defensio Tridentinæ fidei (posthumously published)
 * George Best – A True Discourse of the Late Voyages of Discoverie…under the Conduct of Martin Frobisher
 * John Florio – First Fruits
 * Jaroš Griemiller – Rosarium philosophorum
 * Gabriel Harvey – Smithus, vel Musarum lachrymae
 * John Lyly – Euphues: the Anatomy of Wit
 * Margaret Tyler, The Mirrour of Princely Deedes and Knighthood

Drama

 * Jan Kochanowski – Odprawa posłów greckich ("The Dismissal of the Greek Envoys")
 * George Whetstone – Promos and Cassandra

Poetry

 * See 1578 in poetry

Births

 * April 2 – Francesco Amico, Italian theologian
 * June – Mary Fitton, possible inspiration for Shakespeare's The Dark Lady (died 1647)
 * August 24 – John Taylor, English poet and waterman (died 1653)
 * unknown dates
 * Giambattista Andreini, Italian dramatist and actor (died 1650)
 * Jacob Bidermann, German dramatist (died 1627)
 * George Hakewill, English author and cleric (died 1649)

Deaths

 * May 4 – Martin Eisengrein, German theologian and polemicist (born 1535)
 * July 27 – Jane Lumley, English translator from Greek and Latin (born 1537)
 * August 11 – Pedro Nunes, Portuguese polymath (born 1502)
 * October 12 – Cornelius Gemma, Dutch physician, astronomer and astrologer (born 1535)
 * unknown date – Gabriele Giolito de' Ferrari, Italian printer (born c. 1508)
 * probable – Johann Stumpf, Swiss writer on history and topography (born 1500)