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'''''De viris illustribus''''' is a collection of 24 biographies of heroes of Greek and Roman antiquity (much like [[Plutarch]]'s [[Parallel Lives]]), written in [[Latin language|Latin]] by the 14th century [[Italy|Italian]] author Petrarch ([[Francesco Petrarca]]). There is as yet no English translation, however [[Harvard University]] has it under contract to appear in the [[I Tatti Renaissance Library]] sometime in 2007. <!-- per e-mail from Jennifer Snodgrass; Editor for Reference and Special Projects; Harvard University Press; 13 Dec 2006 -->
'''''De viris illustribus''''' is a collection of , written in [[Latin language|Latin]] by the 14th century [[Italy|Italian]] author Petrarch ([[Francesco Petrarca]]). There is as yet no English translation,
however [[Harvard University]] has it under contract to appear in the [[I Tatti Renaissance Library]] sometime in 2007. <!-- per e-mail from Jennifer Snodgrass; Editor for Reference and Special Projects; Harvard University Press; 13 Dec 2006 -->

* '''Liber I''' is 24 moral biographies of heroes of Greek and Roman antiquity (much like [[Plutarch]]'s [[Parallel Lives]])
* '''Liber II''' is 12 moral biographies of Biblical and mythical figures (much like that of [[Polybius]] History of ''[[Lives]]'')
<br />
<br />
==Liber I==
==Liber I==
Line 28: Line 33:
*[[Scipio Aemilianus Africanus]] <ref name="Scipio">Scipio Aemilianus Africanus on pages 204, 246, 249, 269</ref>
*[[Scipio Aemilianus Africanus]] <ref name="Scipio">Scipio Aemilianus Africanus on pages 204, 246, 249, 269</ref>


===References===
======
Petrarch's ''[[Africa (Petrarch)|Africa]]'' translated and annotated by Thomas G. Bergin and Alice S. Wilson; New Haven and London, Yale University Press; ISBN 0-300-02062-7
Petrarch's ''[[Africa (Petrarch)|Africa]]'' translated and annotated by Thomas G. Bergin and Alice S. Wilson; New Haven and London, Yale University Press; ISBN 0-300-02062-7


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==Liber II==
==Liber II==
These are the subjects of Petrarch's 12 biographies starting with the first person of the Bible. These Petrarch ''Lives'' influenced [[Giovanni Boccaccio]] ''Lives'' [[On Famous Women]] of 106 biographies starting with the first woman of the Bible, [[Eve (Bible)|Eve]]. Many of Giovanni Bocccaccio's ''Lives'' are related to Petrarch's ''Lives''. One example would be that the wife of famous Roman commander Petrarch wrote about in his grand epic poem of [[Africa (Petrarch)|''Africa'']], one [[Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus]], is [[Tertia Aemilia]]. Another example is that [[Olympias]] is the mother of the infamous [[Alexander III of Macedon]]. Another is that [[Deianira]] is the wife of [[Hercules]], sometimes known in Greek mythology as [[Heracles]] or Herakles. Of course, [[Eve (Bible)|Eve]] is the wife of [[Adam]].
These are the subjects of Petrarch's 12 biographies starting with the first person of the Bible. Petrarch influenced [[Giovanni Boccaccio]] ''Lives'' [[On Famous Women]] of 106 biographies with the first woman of the Bible. ''Lives'' Petrarch '''' of .
*[[Adam]]
*[[Adam]]
*[[Noah]]
*[[Noah]]
*[[Nimrod (king)|Nimrod]]
*[[Nimrod (king)|Nimrod]]
Line 49: Line 54:
*[[Jason]]
*[[Jason]]
*[[Hercules]]
*[[Hercules]]

Many of Giovanni Bocccaccio's '''Famous Women''' are related or connected to Francesco Petrarch's '''Famous Men''' of Liber I and Liber II in one fashion or another.
<br />
:* [[Eve (Bible)|Eve]] (first woman of the Bible) is the wife of [[Adam]] (first man of the Bible), whom are also known as [[Adam and Eve]].
:* [[Semiramis]], queen of the Assyrians and associated with being the first goddess of Western Asia, is the wife of [[Ninus]].
:* [[Tertia Aemilia]] is the wife of the famous Roman commander [[Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus]], first great Roman [[politician]].
:* [[Olympias]] is the mother of the infamous [[Alexander III of Macedon]], also known as the first Greek ruler to take title as Great.
:* [[Dido]] (a.k.a. Elissa) is the first queen of [[Carthage]]. [[Hannibal of Carthage]] was the famous general that fought [[Scipio Africanus]].
:* [[Deianira]] was the third wife of [[Hercules]], known for her infamous role in the "tainted blood" of [[The Shirt of Nessus]] story.

==References==
*Preface to Petrarch's ''de Viris Illustribus'' by [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0018-2656(197405)13%3A2%3C132%3APPTDVI%3E2.0.CO%3B2-6 JSTOR]
*Most of Petrarch's works are here at [http://petrarch.freeservers.com/index2.html The Petrarchan Grotto]
*Original displays of Petrarch's works at [[Cornell University]] Library [http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/collector/petrarch/index.html Exhibition].
*Participating online group discussing all kinds of things about Petrarch's works. [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/petrarcaapudripassorgae/]
*Excellent site on many of Petrarch's works: [http://petrarch.petersadlon.com/ Francesco Petrarch and Laura deNoves].
*Made possible by support from the National Italian American Foundation [http://www.library.upenn.edu/exhibits/rbm/petrarch/ Petrarch at 700].
*Polybius, ''[http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plb.+1.1 &nbsp;Histories]'' of ''Lives'', Evelyn S. Shuckburgh (translator), London - New York, (1889)
*Both Liber I and Liber II of Petrarch's ''De Viris Illustribus'' in Latin only is located at [http://www.bibliotecaitaliana.it:6336/dynaweb/bibit/autori/p/petrarca/de_viris_illustribus_ii/ Bibliotecaitaliana].
*[[William Smith (lexicographer)|Smith, William]]; ''[[Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology]]'', [http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/1904.html "Logbasis"], [[Boston]], (1867)
*Petrarch in Print display at the University of Pennsylvania Library of ''De Viris illustribus'' translated into Italian by [http://www.library.upenn.edu/exhibits/rbm/petrarch/petrarch_18-01.html Donato degli Albanazi].
*Francis Petrarch Six Centuries Later: A Symposium. Studies in Romance Languages at Chapel Hill, North Carolina. [http://www.duke.edu/~frankbo/pdf/petrgercx.htm Petrarch: The German Connection]




{{lit-stub}}


[[Category:Medieval Latin literature]]
[[Category:Medieval Latin literature]]

Revision as of 20:14, 18 January 2007

De viris illustribus is a collection of two, written in the Vulgate Latin, by the 14th century Italian author Petrarch (Francesco Petrarca). There is as yet no English translation,
however Harvard University has it under contract to appear in the I Tatti Renaissance Library sometime in 2007.

  • Liber I is 24 moral biographies of heroes of Greek and Roman antiquity (much like Plutarch's Parallel Lives)
  • Liber II is 12 moral biographies of Biblical and mythical figures (much like that of Polybius History of Lives)


Liber I

These are the subjects of Petrarch's 24 moral biographies starting with the first person of Rome. Most of these are mentioned or written of in Petrarch's epic poem called Africa (written in hexameters) which he received the crown of poet laureate for in 1341 (first to be given this title in 1000 years). Petrarch's epic Latin poem has an English translation done in 1977, below.

Africa

Petrarch's Africa translated and annotated by Thomas G. Bergin and Alice S. Wilson; New Haven and London, Yale University Press; ISBN 0-300-02062-7

  1. ^ Romulus on pages 19, 20, 80, 116, 144, 232, 253, 270; Tomb of Romulus on page 216
  2. ^ Numa Pompilius on page 244
  3. ^ Tullus Hostilius on page 245
  4. ^ Ancus Marcius on page 245
  5. ^ Lucius Junius Brutus on pages 66, 67, 68, 254, 269
  6. ^ Horatius Cocles on pages 214 and 269
  7. ^ Cincinnatus on page 253
  8. ^ M. Furius Camillus on pages 213, 246, 247, 259
  9. ^ Titus Manlius Torquatus on page 248
  10. ^ Valerius Corvus Marcus on page 253
  11. ^ Publius Decius Mus on page 253
  12. ^ Lucius Papirius Cursor on page 253
  13. ^ Curius Dentatus on page 253
  14. ^ Gaius Fabricius Luscinus on pages 253 and 270
  15. ^ Alexander III of Macedon on pages 27, 185, 187, 252, 266, 267, 271
  16. ^ Pyrrhus of Epirus on pages 152, 185, 190, 253, 264
  17. ^ Hannibal of Carthage on pages 6, 23, 26, 43, 114, 123-129, 131-134, 142-145, 149-154, 184, 191-194, 261-262, 267, 269
  18. ^ Fabius Maximus on pages 14, 15, 144, 217, 244, 255, 263,
  19. ^ Claudius Marcellus Marcus on pages 14, 130, 147, 244, 253, 261
  20. ^ G. Claudius Nero on pages 200-204, 246, 260, 268
  21. ^ Livius Salinator Marcus on page 135
  22. ^ Cornelius Scipio Africanus on pages 51, 57, 70-82, 89, 94-99, 102-104, 115-116, 125, 127, 134-138, 163-164, 182, 189, 204, 242-243, 260
  23. ^ Cato the Elder on pages 28, 59, 246, 253
  24. ^ Scipio Aemilianus Africanus on pages 204, 246, 249, 269


Liber II

These are the subjects of Petrarch's 12 moral biographies starting with the first person of the Bible. Petrarch influenced Giovanni Boccaccio Lives On Famous Women of 106 biographies which starts with the first woman of the Bible. A theme on all these lists of Lives, either done by Petrarch or influenced by Petrarch, is that they all start with a first person of something.

Many of Giovanni Bocccaccio's Famous Women are related or connected to Francesco Petrarch's Famous Men of Liber I and Liber II in one fashion or another.

References

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