The Swerve

Omar, Caliph, 282n–83n

  omnes cives studiosi (all learned citizens), 131

  On Avarice (Poggio), 21, 133, 138, 147

  On Nobility (Poggio), 147

  On Pleasure (De voluptate) (Valla), 222–26, 303n

  “On some verses of Virgil” (Montaigne), 247

  On the Excellence and Dignity of the Roman Court (Castiglionchio), 138–42, 144

  On the Immense and the Numberless (Bruno), 239

  On the Laws (De legibus) (Cicero), 155–56

  On the Misery of Human Life (Poggio), 147

  On the Nature of Things (De rerum natura) (Lucretius), see De rerum natura (Lucretius)

  On the Republic (Cicero), 43

  On the Unhappiness of Princes (Poggio), 214

  On the Vicissitudes of Fortune (De varietate fortunae) (Poggio), 147, 294n

  Opticks (Newton), 261

  Orations (Cicero), 208

  oratory, 31, 70, 93, 177–78

  Order of St. Francis, 147–48

  Orestes, 91, 92

  Orsini family, 135

  Osiris, 89

  Ovid, 23, 43, 49, 52, 53, 54, 84

  Oxford, University of, 172, 208, 243

  Pachomius, Saint, 24–25

  Pacuvius, Marcus, 23–24

  Padua, 121, 239–40

  paganism, 10, 13, 19, 53–54, 75–78, 86–108, 117–18, 123, 129, 150, 222–24, 258, 283n, 284n, 286n

  pain, 8–10, 11, 26–27, 103–4, 195–98, 224–26, 228, 231

  painting, 9, 10, 70, 104, 202, 252, 305n

  Palatine Hill, 157, 275n

  Palazzo della Signoria, 124

  palazzos, 110, 124

  Palestine, 67, 98

  palimpsests, 43, 271n–72n

  Palladas, 91

  Palmer, Ada, 274n

  Pan, 63

  Pannelli, Lucia, 210

  papacy, 18, 122, 135–36, 137, 139, 161, 165, 166, 205–6, 293n–94n

  see also specific popes

  papal bulls, 137

  papal seals, 139

  papal states, 135–36, 161

  paper, 15, 40, 56

  papyrology, 64–65, 71

  papyrus, 28, 40, 54–59, 62–65, 71, 260, 280n

  papyrus rolls, 28, 40, 54–59, 62–65, 68, 69, 71, 77, 82–83, 88, 260, 280n, 283n

  parchment, 17–18, 28, 38, 39–40, 42–43, 62, 82, 260, 283n

  Paris, 24, 160, 226

  Paris, University of, 160, 172

  Passover, 236

  patriarchs, 163, 169

  patrons, 70–72, 85, 233

  Patro the Epicurean, 274n

  Paul, Saint, 96

  Paulus, Aemilius, 60

  Pazzi conspiracy, 213

  peasants, 36, 100, 111

  Pedianus, Asconius, 209

  Pedo, Albinovanus, 23–24

  pens, 39, 85–86

  Pergamum, 281n

  perpetual motion, 244–45

  Perpignan, 205

  Perseus, King of Macedon, 60

  Persia, 67

  Peruzzi family, 113

  Petrarch, 23, 29, 115, 116, 117, 119–21, 123, 124, 130–33, 157, 214, 288n, 289n

  Philip, King of Macedon, 50

  Philodemus, 58–59, 65–66, 71, 77

  philology, 149

  philosophy, 1–5, 28, 51, 58–59, 65–70, 71, 72–80, 91–95, 117, 120, 132, 182–202, 220–21, 252–54, 277n

  pi, 87

  Piaggio, Antonio, 58

  Piazza della Signoria, 113, 219

  Piero della Francesca, 218

  Piero di Cosimo, 242

  piety, 94–96, 114, 147–48

  Piglio, Benedetto da, 162

  pilgrims, 15, 45, 158–59

  Pisa, University of, 250–51

  Piso, Lucius Calpurnius, 65–66, 79

  Pistoia, Zomino (Sozomeno) da, 162

  Pitti family, 110, 113, 126

  Pitti Palace, 126

  Pizzolpasso, Francesco, 163

  plague, 18, 113, 153, 196

  planets, 239, 254

  Plato, 62, 73, 91, 96, 98, 175, 221, 252, 284n, 304n

  Platonism, 96

  Plautus, 94, 95, 300n

  pleasure, 8–10, 11, 75–80, 82, 103–9, 195–98, 222–26, 228, 231

  plenary indulgences, 158, 159

  Pliny the Younger, 48

  poetry, 2–3, 50, 54, 59, 68–69, 70, 80, 104, 121–22, 132, 198, 200, 201–2, 221, 247, 259–60

  Poggio Bracciolini, Gian Francesco:

  antiquities collected by, 210–11, 212

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

  in Arezzo, 112–13

  attacks against, 111, 112–13, 133, 142–45, 210, 212, 213, 215, 221–22

  avarice as viewed by, 21, 133, 138, 147

  background of, 111, 144–45, 212

  at Baden, 173–76, 177

  as bishop of Winchester’s secretary, 206–8

  in Bologna, 113, 214

  books and manuscripts recovered by, 11–15, 22, 23–24, 29, 30, 31–36, 40, 42–43, 47–49, 53, 54, 62, 86, 88, 130, 131, 152–54, 176–81, 206–11, 212, 215, 218, 228, 300n

  Bruni’s relationship with, 172–73, 178, 205, 210, 216, 295n

  Catholicism of, 29, 44, 75–76, 137–38, 172–73, 176, 177–78, 179, 182–84, 217–18

  as chancellor of Florence, 215–17

  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, 294n

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

  cynicism of, 133, 142–54, 291n–92n

  death of, 217–18, 291n

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

  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, 294n

  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, 301n

  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, 301n

  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, 269n

  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, 268n

  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, 296n

  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, 303n

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

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

  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, 275n

  Polycleitus, 290n

  polytheism, 89, 100

  Pompeii, 54–59

  Pompey, 61, 247, 281n

  Ponte Vecchio, 111

  Pope, Alexander, 15–16

  Porticus Octaviae, 275n

  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, 293n–94n

  Primavera (Botticelli), 10

  Prime Mover, 96

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

  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, 289n

  protokollon (“first glued”), 56

  Providence, 96, 101, 230–31

  Psalms, 24, 43

  psalters, 43, 96

  Ptolomaic dynasty, 87, 88, 280n

  Ptolomey II Philadelphus, King of Egypt, 88

  Ptolomey III Euergetes, King of Egypt, 280n

  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, 270n, 283n, 296n

  Rabanus, Maurus, 46–47, 49, 272n

  Rabelais, François, 142

  Rabirius, Gaius, 23–24

  Ralegh, Walter, 8

  rape, 148, 170, 191, 286n

  Raphael, 9, 252

  Raudense, Antonio, 222–24

  reading, 24–29, 37, 61–62

  reading rooms, 61–62

  Redondi, Pietro, 255, 306n

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

  relics, 15, 45–46, 90

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

  see also Catholic Church

  reliquaries, 90

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

  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, 295n

  Robert of Geneva, 293n, 294n

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

  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, 275n, 289n

  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, 293n

  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, 301n

  Rudolph of Saxony, 163

  Rule of St. Ferreol, 38

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

  Rustici, Cencio, 162

  Sack of Rome (1413), 11, 49, 161–62

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

  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, 289n

  Sammonicus Serenus, Quintus, 60–61

  Samos, 72–73

  San Clemente basilica, 90

  San Marco convent, 110, 290n

  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, 295n

  Schaffhausen, 170, 174

  Schofield, Michael, 277n

  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, 274n

  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, 296n

  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, 269n

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

  Seneca, 43, 77

  Septuagint, 88

  Serapeon, 88, 89, 90, 280n–81n

  Serenus, Septimus, 272n

  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, 299n–300n

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

  Socrates, 246, 295n

  sodomy, 171, 219

  Sofia, 233–36

  Sophocles, 58, 61, 81, 280n

  sorcery, 17, 18–19

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

  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

  Spinoza, Baruch, 10, 68

  spirits, 62, 194–95

  Starace, Tommaso, 64

  statues, 55, 62, 63, 88, 90, 117, 158, 209, 211, 212

  Stobaeus, Joannes, 82

  Stoicism, 69, 82, 96, 104–5, 240, 244

  Strozzi family, 113, 301n

  Suetonius, 275n

  suffering, 75–76, 101, 103, 106–9, 183, 195–98

  suicide, 53–54, 94, 109

  Sulla, Lucius Cornelius, 273n, 275n

  superstition, 2, 6, 10–11, 18–19, 36, 72, 74–75, 183, 184, 193–97, 199, 249, 299n

  Suso, Henry, 108

  swerve (clinamen) principle, 7–13, 188–89, 297n

  Switzerland, 29, 152, 162, 206

  Symeon Stylites, Saint, 68

  Symonds, John Addington, 146

  synagogues, 91

  Syria, 62, 67

  Tacitus, 63

  Tantalus, 76

  Tasso, Torquato, 242

  taxation, 15, 22, 33, 49, 56, 111–12, 126, 287n, 289n

  telescopes, 239

  Temple of Apollo, 275n

  Temple of Daphne, 62

  Temple of Jupiter, 156

  Temple of Peace, 275n

  temples, 62, 67, 88, 89, 90, 156, 275n

  Tennyson, Alfred Lord, 54

  Teresa, Saint, 108

  Terranuova, 34, 111, 211, 210–18

  Terranuova Bracciolini, 218

  Tertullian, 47–48, 99–100, 101, 284n, 285n, 300n

  Teutonic knights, 14, 15

  Theodosius I, Emperor of Rome, 89–90

  theology, 16, 17, 27, 65, 75–76, 94–108, 120, 136–37, 163, 208, 252–54, 282n–83n, 285n

  Theophilus, 90, 91

  Theophrastus, 304n

  Thirty Years’ War, 14–15

  Thomas Aquinas, Saint, 252–53