The Swerve (49 page)

childhood of, 111–12, 122

children of, 210, 212–13, 215

at Cluny abbey, 176–77

coat of arms of, 111

competitiveness of, 34–38, 44, 112–13, 144–45

at Constance, 15, 19–20, 31, 34, 162–78, 180, 206, 294
n

correspondence of, 13, 20, 21, 33, 34, 44, 45–46, 130, 137–38, 150–54, 172–73, 178–81, 203, 207–9, 268
n
, 295
n

cynicism of, 133, 142–54, 291
n
–92
n

death of, 217–18, 291
n

De rerum natura
copy of, 49–50, 203–5, 208–10, 225, 300
n

De rerum natura
discovered by, 11–13, 22, 23–24, 49–50, 62, 65, 88–89, 93, 109, 181, 182–85, 202, 203–5, 218, 221–22, 225, 226, 231, 244, 256, 262

education of, 112–13, 121–22, 138–41

in England, 206–8

essays of, 21, 133, 138, 147–49, 150, 212–13, 214, 216–17, 294
n

family of, 112, 113, 137, 206, 210, 212–14

finances of, 20–22, 113, 121–22, 141–42, 151, 179, 207, 208, 210–11, 212, 215, 301
n

in Florence, 20–21, 22, 34, 49, 110, 113–34, 162, 210–18

at Fulda abbey, 44–50, 181

German travels of, 14–21, 31, 33–34, 35, 36, 44–50, 173–77, 206

handwriting of, 112–13, 115–16, 121, 130, 135, 155–56, 179

as humanist, 18–19, 23, 24, 29, 30, 33–34, 46–47, 48, 51, 54, 120–34, 138–54, 162–63, 172–73, 178–79, 204, 205–6, 208, 210, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 221–22

illegitimate children of, 210, 213

Italian background of, 17, 21–22, 30, 31, 34, 43, 45, 111, 174, 176, 210–18

Jerome of Prague’s execution witnessed by, 172–73, 177–79

as Latinist, 18, 19, 31–32, 49, 52, 112–13, 120–22, 130, 131–34, 135, 149, 155, 179, 180, 182, 206, 217, 221–22

as layman, 29, 44, 137–38, 179

legal background of, 113, 122, 136–37

letters of recommendation of, 45, 113, 134

as linguist, 31

marriage as viewed by, 127–29, 133, 212–13, 214, 215

marriage of, 212–14, 301
n

melancholy of, 49, 133, 142–57, 216–17

mistress of, 210, 213

monks as viewed by, 36–37, 180

as moralist, 146–47, 178–79

Niccoli’s relationship with, 126–34, 137–38, 151, 152–54, 176, 203, 207–10, 211, 212, 213, 221

as notary, 122, 135, 137

official fees charged by, 21

in papal curia, 18, 19–21, 22, 31, 33, 36–37, 44, 45, 135–41, 144, 150–58, 161, 162–63, 165, 168–69, 170, 171, 180, 181, 205–6, 269
n

patrons of, 19–21, 33–34

personal freedom of, 137–38, 153–57

personality of, 31–32, 36–37, 41, 137–38, 142–52, 208–9, 213

physical appearance of, 14–15, 268
n

political influence of, 19–21

property holdings of, 211

provincial background of, 111, 112–13, 135

ransom paid by, 212

in Ravensburg, 15

reputation of, 34–35, 111, 112–13, 138–45, 210, 212, 213, 215–18, 221–22

retirement of, 151

rheumatism of, 173–76

in Rome, 121–56, 205–12

in Rome insurrection (1433), 211–12

in St. Gall monastery, 34–35, 177, 178–79, 180

Salutati’s relationship with, 122–26, 130, 131, 152

as scholar, 116, 128–29

as scribe, 32–33, 37–38, 49, 112–13, 115–16, 121, 130, 133–34, 135, 152, 154, 155–56, 173–77, 179, 206, 296
n

scribes employed by, 33, 35, 50, 179

script used by, 38, 84, 121, 130

sense of humor of, 20, 31, 36–37, 142–45

sexuality as viewed by, 174–76

social position of, 14–22

statue of, 217–18

taxes of, 22, 210, 215

Terranuova as birthplace of, 34, 111, 218

Terranuova palazzo of, 22, 210–18

tomb of, 271, 218

translations by, 145–46, 217

Valla’s relationship with, 149–50, 213, 215, 221–26, 303
n

wealth of, 20–22, 113, 151, 210–11, 215, 301
n

writings of, 21, 133, 138, 142–45, 146, 147–49, 150, 152, 212–13, 214, 216–17, 291
n
–92
n
, 294
n

poison, 159–60, 170–71

politics, 8, 11–12, 91–93, 122–27, 150, 154, 215–16, 228–33, 263

Pollaiolo, Antonio, 217

Pollio, Gaius Asinius, 61, 275
n

Polycleitus, 290
n

polytheism, 89, 100

Pompeii, 54–59

Pompey, 61, 247, 281
n

Ponte Vecchio, 111

Pope, Alexander, 15–16

Porticus Octaviae, 275
n

poverty, 147–48, 219

Prague, 167, 239

prayer, 17, 24–25, 27, 37, 41, 45, 250–51

“prayerful reading,” 24–25, 27, 37

priests, 31, 134, 137–38, 141, 143, 145, 179, 199, 210

Prignano, Bartolomeo, 293
n
–94
n

Primavera
(Botticelli), 10

Prime Mover, 96

printing press, 32, 38–39, 204, 219, 248–50, 256, 262, 279
n

Pro Archia
(Cicero), 24

Procida, 158

Propertius, 23, 24

prophesies, 67, 226–27

prostitutes, 140, 158, 164

Protestants, 144, 149, 173, 237–38, 250, 253, 289
n

protokollon
(“first glued”), 56

Providence, 96, 101, 230–31

Psalms, 24, 43

psalters, 43, 96

Ptolomaic dynasty, 87, 88, 280
n

Ptolomey II Philadelphus, King of Egypt, 88

Ptolomey III Euergetes, King of Egypt, 280
n

Pulci, Luigi, 225

pumice stones, 40

punishment, 26, 27–28, 75–76, 103–6, 170, 240, 230–31, 255

Purgatory, 46, 158, 159

Puritans, 257, 259

Pythagoreans, 100

 

Qenoanda, 82

“Quadratus” manuscript, 204

Quarrie, Paul, 248–49

Quevedo, Francisco de, 250

Quintillian, 23–24, 95, 177, 178–79, 270
n
, 283
n
, 296
n

 

Rabanus, Maurus, 46–47, 49, 272
n

Rabelais, François, 142

Rabirius, Gaius, 23–24

Ralegh, Walter, 8

rape, 148, 170, 191, 286
n

Raphael, 9, 252

Raudense, Antonio, 222–24

reading, 24–29, 37, 61–62

reading rooms, 61–62

Redondi, Pietro, 255, 306
n

Reformation, 144, 149, 173, 237–38, 250, 253, 289
n

relics, 15, 45–46, 90

religion, 62, 67–68, 71, 75, 98–99, 150, 183, 184, 193–97, 199, 249, 299
n

see also
Catholic Church

reliquaries, 90

Renaissance, 7–13, 110–24, 129–31, 135, 159, 219–21, 240–41, 290
n

Republic
(Plato), 175

republicanism, 114, 124–25, 134

resurrection, 98–101, 120, 171, 231–32

rhetoric, 24, 28–29, 31, 97, 119–20, 177

Richental, Ulrich, 162, 164, 165, 168–69, 173, 295
n

Robert of Geneva, 293
n
, 294
n

Roman Curia, 18, 19–21, 22, 31, 33, 36–37, 44, 45, 135–41, 144, 150–58, 161, 170, 180, 181, 205–6, 205, 269
n

Roman Empire, 18, 24, 28, 47, 48–49, 53, 59–60, 62, 63, 67–68, 69, 75, 81, 84–85, 89–108, 116–22, 129, 131, 132–33, 151, 156–57, 194–95, 275
n
, 289
n

Roman Forum, 63, 85, 156

Roman Republic, 67, 79–80, 129–30, 178

Rome, 11, 18, 20, 21, 34, 63, 85, 90, 94, 97, 122, 125, 137, 151–52, 156–59, 161–62, 240, 293
n

Romeo and Juliet
(Shakespeare), 9, 242–43

Romulus Augustulus, Emperor of Rome, 94

Roncalli, Angelo, 171

Rothenburg ob der Tauber, 15

Rowland, Ingrid D., 233

Rucelli family, 110, 301
n

Rudolph of Saxony, 163

Rule of St. Ferreol, 38

rules, monastic, 24–28, 37, 38, 43, 47, 103, 147–48, 270
n
, 272
n

Rustici, Cencio, 162

 

Sack of Rome (1413), 11, 49, 161–62

sacrifices, 90, 101, 183, 184, 194, 298
n

St. Gall monastery, 34–35, 177, 178–79, 180

St. Mark monastery, 176

St. Peter’s Basilica, 46, 156, 240

saints, 10, 15, 93, 129

see also specific saints

Salutati, Coluccio, 120, 122–26, 130, 131, 134, 135, 214, 289
n

Sammonicus Serenus, Quintus, 60–61

Samos, 72–73

San Clemente basilica, 90

San Marco convent, 110, 290
n

Santa Croce basilica, 111, 217, 218

Santa Maria del Carmine church, 111

Santa Maria Novella church, 110

Santayana, George, 186

Santo Spirito church, 111

satire, 138–41, 233–36

satyrs, 63, 195

Savonarola, Girolamo, 219–21, 252

Scaevola, Mucius, 295
n

Schaffhausen, 170, 174

Schofield, Michael, 277
n

School of Athens
(Raphael), 252

schools, 28, 59, 91, 104, 151, 211, 226

science, 8, 59, 60–61, 71, 73–75, 87, 239, 253, 254–57, 261–63

Scipio, 274
n

scribes (
scribae
), 17–18, 32–33, 35, 37–41, 47, 49, 50, 84–86, 88, 109, 112–16, 121, 130, 133–34, 135, 152, 154, 155–56, 173–77, 179, 206, 296
n

script, 38, 84, 121, 130

scriptoria, 38–41, 109

scrolls, 39–40, 89

sculpture, 9, 104, 129

secretarius domesticus
(apostolic secretary), 141–42, 154, 155–58, 161, 170, 180, 181, 205–15, 221, 224, 269
n

self-discipline, 6, 28, 37, 41, 77, 78–79, 94–97, 104–9, 195, 228, 244, 285
n
–86
n

Seneca, 43, 77

Septuagint, 88

Serapeon, 88, 89, 90, 280
n
–81
n

Serenus, Septimus, 272
n

Severus, Cornelius, 23–24

sexual intercourse, 99–100, 109, 143–44, 197–98, 247

sexuality, 1–2, 75–78, 99–100, 109, 143–44, 147, 166, 197–98, 247

Shakespeare, William, 3, 9, 75, 76, 77, 206, 233, 242–43

sheep, 40, 42, 156

shepherds, 68–69

“Should an Old Man Marry?” (
An seni sit uxor ducenda
) (Poggio), 212–13

shrines, 15, 129, 158

Siena, 10

Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, 161, 162, 168, 169, 170

signs, 43–44

silence, rule of, 27–28, 43, 47

silent reading, 27–28

Silius Italicus, 48, 208

sillybos
(tag), 63

simony, 170

sin, 16, 95, 104–5, 118, 119, 138

sine law, 239

Sisyphus, 76

Sixteen Standard-bearers of the Militia, 127

skepticism, 30, 94–95, 244–46, 261–62

slaves, 37, 53, 67, 72, 84–86, 94, 104, 113, 125, 230–31

Smith, Martin Ferguson, 2–3, 299
n
–300
n

social hierarchy, 14–20, 71, 73, 110, 113–15, 135

Socrates, 246, 295
n

sodomy, 171, 219

Sofia, 233–36

Sophocles, 58, 61, 81, 280
n

sorcery, 17, 18–19

soul, 11, 19, 46, 73–76, 96, 98, 136, 171, 192–93, 196–97, 220, 231–32, 249, 251, 288
n

space, 186–89, 196–97, 237, 239, 244, 256

Spain, 11–12, 87, 113, 122, 136, 160, 163, 164, 205, 249–50

Spenser, Edmund, 243, 260–61