Chapter VI

LORENZO DE’ MEDICI IN NAPLES. PEACE WITH KING AND POPE.

Lorenzo’s Arrival in Naples—Lorenzo and King
Ferrante—Impression produced in Florence by his Decision
and the Variety of Opinions—Uncertainty in Florence and in
the Romagna—Sixtus IV. and the Peace Negotiations—Sixtus
IV. on the Management of the Dispute—Lorenzo’s insecure
Position—The Dynasties of the Romagna—Diomede Carafa,
Count of Maddalini—Lorenzo’s Connections in Naples—The
Royal Family—The Duchess of Calabria—Lorenzo’s Return
Home—Proclamation and Conditions of Peace—Insecure Relations
with Sixtus IV.—Difficulties of the Affairs of Romagna—The
Ordelaffi—Forli in Possession of Girolamo Riario—The Condition
of Siena—The Duke of Calabria and the Sienese—Political
Agitation in Siena in Favour of the Nobility, at the
Instigation of the Duke of Calabria—Conquest of Otranto by the
Turks—Retirement of the Duke of Calabria from Siena—Florentine
Embassy to Sixtus IV.—Reconciliation and Peace 401

FOURTH BOOK.

_THE MEDICI IN RELATION TO LITERATURE AND ART._

FIRST PART.

HUMANIST AND POPULAR LITERATURE TO THE SECOND HALF OF THE FIFTEENTH
CENTURY.

CHAPTER I.

BEGINNINGS OF HUMANISM. COLUCCIO SALUTATI AND POGGIO
BRACCIOLINI. THE BOOK TRADE.

Contrast between Mediæval Culture and Humanism—Character
and Significance of Humanism—Florentine Education—Lapo da
Castiglionichio and Luigi Marsigli—The University—Greek
Studies—Manuel Chrysoloras—Early Study of Greek Learning in
Florence—Poggio Bracciolini and his Discoveries—The Manuscript
Business of the Fourteenth Century—Ancient Book Trade—Copyists
in the Universities and Monasteries—Scarcity of Books and
their High Prices—Increase of the Trade in Manuscripts—Paper
Manufacture 425

CHAPTER II.

LEONARDO BRUNI AND THE FLORENTINE HUMANISTS. FRANCESCO FILELFO.
COSIMO DE’ MEDICI.

Leonardo Bruni Aretino—Ambrogio Traversari—The Camaldula
Convent of the Angeli—Niccolò Niccoli—Niccoli’s Collection of
Books—Carlo Marsuppini Aretino—Beginning of the Translation
of the Iliad—Giannozzo Manetti—Higher Education and the
Universities—Jurisprudence and Statute Law—Palla Strozzi
and the University—Rinaldo degli Albizzi, and his Political
Writings—Francesco Filelfo of Tolentino in Florence—Filelfo
as Teacher and Politician—The Brothers Cosimo and Lorenzo de’
Medici in the World of Letters—Their Connection with Poggio
Bracciolini—Cosimo as a Collector—Ciriaco Pizzicolli of
Ancona—Roman Want of Culture—Enoch of Ascoli and Antonio of
Todi 440

CHAPTER III.

THE COUNCIL OF UNION AND PLATONISM. COSIMO DE’ MEDICI’S LATER
YEARS.

Pope Eugene IV. and the Papal Court in Florence—The
Greeks in Florence—Gemisto’s Plethon—Origin of the
Platonic Academy—Youth of Marsilio Ficino—John
Argyropulos—Philosophical Studies—Cristoforo Landino
Saint Antoninus Archbishop of Florence—Orlando
Bonarli as Archbishop—Epistolaries and
Dedications—Hermaphroditus—Literature and Life—Agnolo
Pandolfini—Villa Life—Franco Sachetti—Poggio Bracciolini’s
Country Life—Learned Connections of Florence with Foreign
Countries—William Grey, Earl of Worcester, and others—The
Humanists during the Last Years of Cosimo de’ Medici—Erudition
and the Vernacular 457

CHAPTER IV.

LIBRARIES AND THE BOOK TRADE. VESPASIANO DA BISTICCI.

Cosimo de’ Medici’s Library Establishments—San Giorgio Maggiore
in Venice—Library of the San Marco Convent—The Niccolo
Manuscripts—Library of the Abbey of Fiesole—Inscriptions of
the Codices—The Duke of Urbino and Vespasiano da Bisticci—The
Copyists of the Fifteenth Century—The Material Perfection of
the Copies—Prices—Manuscripts and Printed Matter 472

CHAPTER V.

LITERATURE OF THE VULGAR TONGUE. POPULAR AND SACRED POETRY OF
THE PEOPLE.

The Italian Language and Literature at the Beginning of the
Fifteenth Century—Fra Giovanni de’ Medici’s Book on Domestic
Life—Leon Batista Alberti and the Vulgar Tongue—Poetical
Competition in the Cathedral—Corruption of the Language in
the Hands of the Learned—The Vulgar Tongue—Caterina of Siena
Letters—Religious Sentiment among the People and in their
Literature—Sacred Poetry of the People—The Fraternities
and their Hymns—The Jesuits and their Poetry—Substance
and Melody of the Hymns—Feo Belcari; his Poems and Prose
Writings—Girolamo Benivieni—Lucrezia Tornabuoni de’ Medici
as a Sacred Poetess—Historical Writings in the Vulgar
Tongue—Gino Capponi—Buonaccorso Pitti—Jacopo Salviati—Neri
Capponi—Domenico Buoninsegni—Goro Dati—Giovanni Cavalcanti 482

_FIRST BOOK_

FLORENCE AND THE MEDICI TO THE DEATH OF COSIMO THE ELDER