THE mediaeval scribe in the fulness of a divinely-revealed cosmogony is wont to begin his story at the creation of the world or at the confusion of tongues, to trace the building of Troy by the descendants of Japheth, and the foundation of his own native city by one of the Trojan princes made a fugitive in Europe by proud Ilion's fall. Such, he was very sure, was the origin of Padua, founded by Antenor and by Priam, son of King Priam, whose grandson, yet another Priam, by his great valour and wisdom became the monarch of a mighty people, called from their fair hair, Galli or Gallici. And of...
THE mediaeval scribe in the fulness of a divinely-revealed cosmogony is wont to begin his story at the creation of the world or at the confusion of to...
DANTE ALIGHIERI: THE VITA NUOVA Translated by Thomas Okey Edited and introduced by Joanna Finn-Kelcey
Dante Alighieri's Vita Nuova is his 'Book of Memory', the poetic account of his love for Beatrice Portinari. It is one of the great poetry books of love in world literature.
The Vita Nuova or New Life draws on (and is part of) the dolce stil novo, the 'sweet style' of Italian poets such as Guido Cavalcanti, Guido Guinicelli, Cino da Pistoia and other stilnovisti.
Dante was an admirer of love poetry (he praised Arnaut Daniel in the Divina Commedia). Among the influences...
DANTE ALIGHIERI: THE VITA NUOVA Translated by Thomas Okey Edited and introduced by Joanna Finn-Kelcey
OF the original home of the earliest settlers in that province of North Italy known to the Latins as Venetia, little can be told with certainty. Historians and antiquarians are pleased to bring them, under the name of Heneti or Eneti, from Paphlagonia, and explain some characteristic traits they subsequently developed-the love of colour and of display, the softness of their dialect-by their eastern origin. They were an independent, thriving and organised community when the Roman Empire first accepted their aid in the fierce struggle against the invading Gauls, and so they continued to be...
OF the original home of the earliest settlers in that province of North Italy known to the Latins as Venetia, little can be told with certainty. Histo...
