Italian Didactic Poetry in the Sixteenth Century

333 Pages·16.335 MB·English

by  Sena, Dante S

r
FORDHAM UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE SCHOOL
Jay...!!?*...... ...51
19
This dissertation prepared under my direction by
.........................................................................S.* Sena....................................
entitled ITALIAN DIDACTIC POETRY
IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY
has been accepted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the-
Degree of P.?.c^or Philosophy
Alexander Ausili
(Faculty Adviser)

ITALIAN DIDACTIC POETRY
IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY
By
DANTE S. SENA
H*A»* Fordhsoa UniTersity, *40
- DISSERTATION
SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF-THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF ROMANCE LANGUAGES AT FQKDHAM UNI-VERSITY
NEW YORK
1951
ProQuest Number: 10992719
All rights reserved
INFORMATION TO ALL USERS
The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted.
In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript
and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed,
a note will indicate the deletion.
uest
ProQuest 10992719
Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author.
All rights reserved.
This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code
Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC.
ProQuest LLC.
789 East Eisenhower Parkway
P.O. Box 1346
Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346

iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I. INTRODUCTION............................................................................... 1
The Revived Interest for Didactic
Works in the Cinquecento
Prose Works
Latin Poems
II. THE AGRICULTURAL POEMS IN ITALIAN.............................. 56
Luigi Alamannis La coltivazione
Giovanni Rucellai: Le api
Alessandro Tessauros Sereide
Luigi Tansillo: II podere
III. THE MORAL POMS.............................. 165
Luigi Tansillo: La balia
IY. LITERARY CRITICISM.. .......................... 174
Gerolamo Muzi o s Arte poetioa
V. THE RECREATIONAL POEMS.................................. 200
Erasmo di Yalvason: La oaccia
Tito Giovanni Scandianese: Caccia
Bernardino Baldi: Nauti ca
Gregorio Ducchi: Scaocheide
VI. CONCLUSION..... ................ 303
APPENDIX...................................... 305
Excerpts
BIBLIO GRAPH! .............................................. 322
L -J
ITALIAN DIDACTIC POETRY IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY
L
1
r i
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
In a period such as the Renaissance it was quite natural that
/
the scholars and litterateurs, who were imbued with the classical
spirit of the ancients, should have a passionate predilection for
even the minor genres of Graeco-Roman literary endeavour. Besides
this all-pervading love for elegant foxm and consummate finesse
there was a keen desire of displaying one’s virtuosity in coping
with abstruse, even prosaically arid, scientific subjects practic­
ally unknown to the ancient world* This is best exemplified in the
didactic works of the Cinquecento both in prose and poetry*
Among the didactic prose works dealing with morals the Galateo
of the Florentine, Giovanni Della Casa, is of prime importance; it
is a treatise on Renaissance etiquette. The author uses as his
sources the moral and rhetorical works of Cicero, Plutarch, Aris­
totle and Theophrastus. Della Casa, however, by no means possessed
a ll the qualities which he over-scrupulously describes, having led
the life of a carefree Epicurean at Rome before writing his book*
The Galateo is in the form of a treatise which describes the
instructions of an illiterate old man to his ward. Among the first
suggestions is the exhortation to please others by good manners in
view of the fact that man cannot be a hermit. In doing this, how­
ever, the golden mean is to be kept. If one tries to please others
exclusively he becomes adulatory or buffoonish in manner.
Any act or thought displeasing to the senses is to be avoided
and allusions to objects which disgust the imagination are to be
2
r ~i
completely suppressed. One is to refrain from grinding one*s teeth,
whistling and shrieking; he is not to sing unless he has a pleasant
voice. Coughing and sneezing should be disguised as much as possible.
In yawning one is not to bray like an ass or indulge in inarticulate
vociferations like those produced by a mute who is attempting to
speak. Smelling or tasting food which others are to eat is most un­
desirable.
The author imagines that a certain bishop named Giovanni Matteo
Giberti charges one of his most experienced servants, Galateo (a nom
de plume for Galeazzo Florimonte), to advert gently a noble knight,
Count Ricciardo, whom he has entertained, of a displeasing noise
which he is in the habit of making with his mouth while at table.
The count receives the counsel graciously and determines to amend
this defect. Here Della Casa indignantly reproaehes those who make
disgusting noises while eating, just as if they were swine in the
swill:
Ora che crediamo noi, che avesse il Vescovo,
e la sua nobile brigata detto a coloro, che noi
veggiamo talora, a guisa di porci, col grifo nella
broda tu tti abbandonati, non levar mai alto il viso,
e mai non rimuover gli occhi, e mol to meno le mani
dalle vivande, e con ambedue le gote gonfiato, come
se essi sonassero la tromba, o soffiassero nel
fuoco, non mangiare, ma trangugiare? . . A
Further, one is not to sleep or be restless in company; neither
should one read letters or cut fingernails in the presence of others.
1. Giovanni.' Della Casa, Opere, 3 vols., Firenze, Hanni, 1707, II,
12.
L
Care mast be taken not to turn one’s back to people and not to nudge
them constantly with the elbow.
In apparel one is to conform to the general fashion. One should
adapt himself to a moderate degree to the desires of others and is not
to be excessively punctilious. Good subjects of conversation are to
chosen. Religious matters are not to be taken lightly. Sad subjects
are to be avoided, as also continuous reference to one's family and
dreams. Moderation is desirable in formal greetings. Deliberate
contradiction of another's opinions is a sign of enmity:
. . . il porsi volentieri al contrario ad a ltri
^ opera di nimist£, e non d'amieizia . .
.1
People should not always be intent upon avid victory in conversa­
tion. Mockery of others is also an evil. Gentle joking with friends
is more amiable and desirable than not joking at all with them.
One's vocabulary should be clear at all times. Archaic words
are to be avoided. The author discusses jargon and words so special
to Florence as to be understood exclusively by Florentines.
Obscene language is to be completely absent from conversation.
Della Casa objects to some realistic passages in Dante. Rhetoric is
to be studied carefully. In speaking one's voice should have a
moderate volume; people who stammer should try to correct their de­
fect. Enunciation is to be very clear; superfluous pomposity in
language is to be avoided. Some people always take the floor and
do not give others an opportunity to speak.
The author describes beauty and ugliness. Beauty is propor­
tion of different parts among themselves in an harmonious whole;
1. Della Casa, £. c it., p. 1*2.
0