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Dialogues

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Dialogues by Giovanni Gioviano Pontano offers a window into fifteenth-century Naples through engaging conversations on religion, philosophy, literature, and daily life. Volume 2 features the Actius, a dialogue led by the poet Jacopo Sannazaro, pioneering the study of poetic rhythm and Latin hexameter, and advancing the art of historical writing. This edition provides a new critical Latin text and the first English translation of Actius.
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Format: Hardback
$7199
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Ideal for scholars and enthusiasts of Renaissance humanism, Latin literature, and historiography, as well as readers interested in the cultural life of fifteenth-century Italy.

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Dialogues, Volume 2 by Giovanni Gioviano Pontano contains both a perceptive treatment of poetic rhythm, the first full treatment of the Latin hexameter in the history of philology, and a discussion of style and method in history writing. This is a new critical edition of the Actius and the first translation into English.

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Giovanni Gioviano Pontano (1429–1503) served five kings of Naples as a courtier, official, and diplomat, and earned even greater fame as a scholar, prose author, and poet. His Dialogues reflect his diverse interests in religion, philosophy, and literature, as well as in everyday life in fifteenth-century Naples. They are especially important for their vivid picture of the contemporary gatherings of Pontano and his friends in the humanist academy over which he presided from around 1471 until shortly before his death.

Volume 2 includes the Actius, named for one of its principal speakers, the great Neo-Latin poet Jacopo Sannazaro, and contains a perceptive treatment of poetic rhythm, the first full treatment of the Latin hexameter in the history of philology. The dialogue continues with a discussion of style and method in history writing, a landmark in the history of historiography. This is a new critical edition of the Actius and the first translation of this dialogue into English.

Series: The I Tatti Renaissance Library

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The I Tatti edition of Pontano's dialogues is praised for its high-quality Latin text and eloquent, accurate English translation, overcoming significant scholarly challenges. Reviewers commend the work as masterful, exemplifying academic excellence. -- Brian Maxson, Bryn Mawr Classical Review

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780674237186

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 15 September 2020

Country: United States

Imprint: Harvard University Press

Contributors:

  • Edited and translated by Julia Haig Gaisser

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 30.0mm

Width: 133.0mm

Height: 203.0mm

Weight: 562g

Pages: 480

About the Author

Julia Haig Gaisser is Eugenia Chase Guild Professor Emeritus in the Humanities and Professor Emeritus of Latin at Bryn Mawr College.

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  • Dialogues
    Giovanni Pontano (1426–1503), whose academic name was Gioviano, was the most important Latin poet of the fifteenth century as well as a leading statesman who served as prime minister to the Aragonese kings of Naples. His Dialogues are our best source for the humanist academy of Naples, which Pontano led for several decades. They provide a vivid picture of literary...
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