The Earthly Republic
Italian Humanists on Government and Society
Published on 1. November 1978
Book
Paperback/Softback
352 pages
978-0-8122-1097-2 (ISBN)
Description
The gradual secularization of European society and culture is often said to characterize the development of the modern world, and the early Italian humanists played a pioneering role in this process. Here Benjamin G. Kohl and Ronald G. Witt, with Elizabeth B. Welles, have edited and translated seven primary texts that shed important light on the subject of "civic humanism" in the Renaissance.
Included is a treatise of Francesco Petrarca on government, two representative letters from Coluccio Salutati, Leonardo Bruni's panegyric to Florence, Francesco Barbaro's letter on "wifely" duty, Poggio Bracciolini's dialogue on avarice, and Angelo Poliziano's vivid history of the Pazzi conspiracy. Each translation is prefaced by an essay on the author and a short bibliography. The substantial introductory essay offers a concise, balanced summary of the historiographcal issues connected with the period.
Included is a treatise of Francesco Petrarca on government, two representative letters from Coluccio Salutati, Leonardo Bruni's panegyric to Florence, Francesco Barbaro's letter on "wifely" duty, Poggio Bracciolini's dialogue on avarice, and Angelo Poliziano's vivid history of the Pazzi conspiracy. Each translation is prefaced by an essay on the author and a short bibliography. The substantial introductory essay offers a concise, balanced summary of the historiographcal issues connected with the period.
Reviews / Votes
"An enlightening and stimulating source book and as good an introduction to Renaissance humanism as one can find."-Speculum"The translations are fluent and accurate. The introductions to each of the authors, with bibliographies, effectively summarize contemporary American and continental scholarship."-Church History
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Pennsylvania
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 224 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
522 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8122-1097-2 (9780812210972)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Benjamin G. Kohl (1938-2010) was Andrew W. Mellon Professor of the Humanities at Vassar College. Ronald G. Witt (1932-2017) was Distinguished Professor of Medieval and Renaissance History at Duke University.
Content
Preface
Abbreviations
General Introduction
-Benjamin G. Kohl and Ronald G. Witt
Francesco Petrarca
Introduction
-Benjamin G. Kohl
How a Ruler Ought to Govern His State
-Translated by Benjamin G. Kohl
Coluccio Salutati
Introduction
-Ronald G. Witt
Letter to Peregrino Zambeccari
-Translated by Ronald G. Witt
Letter to Caterina di messer Vieri di Donatino d'Arezzo
-Translated by Ronald G. Witt
Leonardo Bruni
Introduction
-Ronald G. Witt
Panegyric to the City of Florence
-Translated by Benjamin G. Kohl
Abbreviations
General Introduction
-Benjamin G. Kohl and Ronald G. Witt
Francesco Petrarca
Introduction
-Benjamin G. Kohl
How a Ruler Ought to Govern His State
-Translated by Benjamin G. Kohl
Coluccio Salutati
Introduction
-Ronald G. Witt
Letter to Peregrino Zambeccari
-Translated by Ronald G. Witt
Letter to Caterina di messer Vieri di Donatino d'Arezzo
-Translated by Ronald G. Witt
Leonardo Bruni
Introduction
-Ronald G. Witt
Panegyric to the City of Florence
-Translated by Benjamin G. Kohl