DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.63447#0534
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THE HISTORICAL PAST OF ITALY.
“ immortal Ghibelline ” with the gentler races of civiliza-
tion, could find no better mode of speech than a confused
medley of homely proverbs. Hear the text of this great
oration,—
“ Come Asino sape,
Cosi Minuzza rape,
Si va Capra zoppa,
Se il Lupo non la ’intoppa.”
To add to the homeliness of his speech, Farinata, whose
mind was entirely absorbed by the impending catastrophe
which threatened Florence, when asked the text of his
discourse, made a blundering reply, saying it was,—
“ Come Asino sape, si va Capra zoppa,
Cosi Minuzza rape, se Lupo non la ’intoppa.”
Yet even the grotesque rudeness of the opening did not
affect the force of the celebrated . and successful appeal
that saved the “nobile e gentile citta ” from utter and
irrecoverable ruin.
Brunetto Latini, the master of Dante, was the first
Tuscan who cultivated what may be termed literary or
polite culture. His “ Tesoro,” which he claims to be
the sum of all human knowledge, is compiled from the
Bible, Aristotle, and Pliny. It was written in the French
language, as that most widely understood and spoken by
the class of readers our “man of much wisdom” (as
Ricordano Malaspina terms him) “ designed to benefit.”
Brunetto was also a citizen of decision, vigour, and
influence. He is supposed to have had much part in
the revolution of 1250, and in the formation of the
“Primo Popolo,” or Government of the “Anziani.”
The “Tesoro,” with an Italian translation, was first pub-
lished by Buono Giamboni, in 1474, about one hundred
and eighty years after the death of the author. Like his
great disciple; he had composed his work in exile, having
been banished after the Battle of Montaperti (a.d. 1260).
At last the silent ages found a voice to reveal to pos-
terity all that they had nursed, and all that they had
created; and not only did Dante Alighieri reveal the past,
but he awoke in the breasts of his countrymen a thousand
THE HISTORICAL PAST OF ITALY.
“ immortal Ghibelline ” with the gentler races of civiliza-
tion, could find no better mode of speech than a confused
medley of homely proverbs. Hear the text of this great
oration,—
“ Come Asino sape,
Cosi Minuzza rape,
Si va Capra zoppa,
Se il Lupo non la ’intoppa.”
To add to the homeliness of his speech, Farinata, whose
mind was entirely absorbed by the impending catastrophe
which threatened Florence, when asked the text of his
discourse, made a blundering reply, saying it was,—
“ Come Asino sape, si va Capra zoppa,
Cosi Minuzza rape, se Lupo non la ’intoppa.”
Yet even the grotesque rudeness of the opening did not
affect the force of the celebrated . and successful appeal
that saved the “nobile e gentile citta ” from utter and
irrecoverable ruin.
Brunetto Latini, the master of Dante, was the first
Tuscan who cultivated what may be termed literary or
polite culture. His “ Tesoro,” which he claims to be
the sum of all human knowledge, is compiled from the
Bible, Aristotle, and Pliny. It was written in the French
language, as that most widely understood and spoken by
the class of readers our “man of much wisdom” (as
Ricordano Malaspina terms him) “ designed to benefit.”
Brunetto was also a citizen of decision, vigour, and
influence. He is supposed to have had much part in
the revolution of 1250, and in the formation of the
“Primo Popolo,” or Government of the “Anziani.”
The “Tesoro,” with an Italian translation, was first pub-
lished by Buono Giamboni, in 1474, about one hundred
and eighty years after the death of the author. Like his
great disciple; he had composed his work in exile, having
been banished after the Battle of Montaperti (a.d. 1260).
At last the silent ages found a voice to reveal to pos-
terity all that they had nursed, and all that they had
created; and not only did Dante Alighieri reveal the past,
but he awoke in the breasts of his countrymen a thousand