The Book of the Courtier
early manhood he engaged in commerce at Naples, and had but little
learning in his youth, although he studied law for a time. Erudition and
authorship became the serious enthusiasm of his life, owing (it is said)
to a chance visit to the supposed tomb of Virgil at Naples. In middle
life he began the study of Greek at his friend Petrarch’s suggestion;
and although he never acquired more than what would now be deemed a
superficial knowledge of that language, as a Hellenist he had no
precursor in Italy. An ardent if somewhat unappreciative admirer of
Dante (whose _Divina Commedia_ he transcribed with his own hands), he
was the first Italian author to write for the common people, instead of
composing books suited only to the learned and patrician classes. His
style was formed by tireless study of classic models, and became a
standard for imitation by his successors.
Note 15 page 3. It is now known that the considerations that led
Boccaccio to underrate his poems and tales, were ethical rather than
literary.
Note 16 page 5. THEOPHRASTUS, (born 374; died 287 B.C.), was a native of
Lesbos, but resided at Athens. He was the chief disciple and successor
of Aristotle, and wrote also upon a great variety of subjects other than
philosophy. His best known work, the “Characters,” is a collection of
sprightly sketches of human types. La Bruyère’s famous book of the same
name was originally a mere translation from Theophrastus. The incident
mentioned in the text is thus described in Cicero’s _Brutus_: “When he
asked a certain old woman for how much she would sell something, and she
answered him and added, 'Stranger, it can’t be had for less,'—he was
vexed at being taken for a stranger although he had grown old at Athens
and spoke to perfection.”
Note 17 page 5. I. e., pages 39-54.
Note 18 page 5. The reference here is to Plato’s “Republic,” Xenophon’s
_Cyropædia_, and Cicero’s _De Oratore_.
Note 19 page 6. In the letter quoted in note 13, Vittoria Colonna wrote:
“I do not marvel at your portraying a perfect courtier well, for by
merely holding a mirrour before you and considering your inward and
outward parts, you could describe him as you have; but our greatest
difficulty being to know ourselves, I say that it was more difficult for
you to portray yourself than another man.”
Reduced from Alinari’s photograph (no. 2686) of a marble bas-relief, in
the National Museum at Florence, by some attributed to Mino da
Fiesole (1431-1484).
Note 20 page 6. More than 140 editions of THE COURTIER have been
published. Most of these are mentioned in the list printed before the
Index of this volume. A few of the editions there set down differ from
one another only in title-page; a few others, perhaps, exist only in
some bibliographer’s erroneous mention. Deductions to be made for such
reasons, however, are probably offset by other editions that the present
translator has failed to bring to light.
In the bibliographical notes appended by the brothers Volpi to their
(1733) edition, THE COURTIER is said to have been translated into
Flemish; while in his preface to the Sonzogno (1890) edition, Corio
speaks of the introduction of the book into Japan in the 17th century,
and also of a Russian translation by Archiuzow.
NOTES TO THE FIRST BOOK OF THE COURTIER
Note 21 page 7. “Courtiership” is a sadly awkward rendering of the
Italian _cortegiania_, which implies not only courtesy and courtliness,
but all the many other qualities and accomplishments essential to the
perfect Courtier or (what in Castiglione’s time was the same) the
perfect Gentleman.
Note 22 page 8. The extreme dimensions of the Duchy of Urbino were 64
miles from east to west, and 60 miles from north to south. Its
population did not much exceed 150,000.
Note 23 page 8. The first of the four dialogues is represented as having
been held on the evening of the day after the close of a certain visit
paid by Pope Julius II to Urbino on his return from a successful
campaign against Bologna. This visit is known to have lasted from 3
March to 7 March 1507. Castiglione returned from England as early as 5
March, on which date he wrote to his mother from Urbino: “We have had
his Holiness here for two days.” It seems probable that this fictitious
prolongation of his absence in England was simply a graceful excuse for
not himself appearing in the dialogues.
Note 24 page 8. There were a fief and Count of Montefeltro as early as
1154, and his son was made Count of Urbino in 1216, from which time
their male descendants ruled over a gradually increased territory until
1508, when the duchy passed to the female line. The name Montefeltro is
said to have originated in that of a temple to Jupiter Feretrius, which
in Roman times occupied the summit of the crag afterwards known as San
Leo, in the Duchy of Urbino.
Note 25 page 9. Such a rule as that of the usurping Cesare Borgia
(1502-3) can hardly have been welcome to a population accustomed to the
mild sway of the Montefeltro family.
Note 26 page 9. “DUKE FEDERICO” DI MONTEFELTRO, (born 1422; died 1482),
was a natural son of Count Guidantonio di Montefeltro, as appears from
the act of legitimation issued by Pope Martin V and also from his
father’s testament, by virtue whereof (as well as by the choice of the
people) he succeeded his half-brother Count Oddantonio in 1444. In his
boyhood he resided fifteen months as a hostage at Venice. Later he
studied the theory and practice of war at the Mantuan court, and was
trained in the humanities by the famous Vittorino da Feltre. In 1437 he
married Gentile Brancaleone, who died childless in 1457. Nearly the
whole of his life was spent in military service, as paid ally, now of
one prince, now of another. In this capacity he became not only the most
noted commander of his time, but always displayed perfect and
exceptional fidelity to the causes that he undertook. In 1450 he lost an
eye and suffered a fracture of the nose in a tournament; contemporary
portraits represent his features in profile. In 1454 he began the
construction of the great palace at Urbino. In 1460, at the suggestion
of Francesco Sforza (whom he had aided to become Duke of Milan), he
married the latter’s accomplished niece Battista Sforza, who bore him
seven daughters and one son, Guidobaldo. In 1474 he was made Duke of
Urbino and appointed Captain General of the Church by Pope Sixtus IV,
and was unanimously elected a Knight of the Garter. He died of fever
contracted during military operations in the malarial country near
Ferrara. The vast sums spent by him on public buildings, art objects and
books, and upon the maintenance of his splendid household, were not
extorted from his subjects, but were received from foreign states in
return for war service. Thus at the close of his life he drew a yearly
stipend equivalent to about £330,000.
It is not easy to draw a picture of his character that shall seem
unflattered. Vespasiano, who by years of labour collected his famous
library for him, says that his “establishment was conducted with the
regularity of a religious fraternity, rather than like a military
household. Gambling and profanity were unknown, and singular decorum of
language was observed, whilst many noble youths, sent there to learn
good manners and military discipline, were reared under the most
exemplary tuition. He regarded his subjects as his children, and was at
all times accessible to hear them personally state their petitions,
being careful to give answers without unnecessary delay. He walked
freely about the streets, entering their shops and workrooms, and
enquiring into their circumstances with paternal interest.... In summer
he was in the saddle at dawn, and rode three or four miles into the
country with half-a-dozen of his court ... reaching home again when
others were just up. After mass, he went into an open garden and gave
audience to all comers until breakfast-time. When at table, he listened
to the Latin historians, chiefly Livy, except in Lent, when some
religious book was read, anyone being free to enter the hall and speak
with him then. His fare was plain and substantial, denying himself sweet
dishes and wine, except drinks of pomegranates, cherries, apples, or
other fruits. After dinner and supper, an able judge of appeal stated in
Latin the causes brought before him, on which the duke gave judgment in
that language;... When his mid-day meal was finished, if no one appeared
to ask audience, he retired to his closet and transacted private
business, or listened to reading until evening approached, when he
generally walked out, giving patient ear to all who accosted him in the
streets. He then occasionally visited ... a meadow belonging to the
Franciscans, where thirty or forty of the youths brought up in his court
stripped their doublets, and played at throwing the bar, or at
wrestling, or ball. This was a fine sight, which the duke much enjoyed,
encouraging the lads, and listening freely to all until supper-time.
When that and the audiences were over, he repaired to a private
apartment with his principal courtiers, whom, after some familiar talk,
he would dismiss to bed, taxing them with their sluggish indulgence of a
morning.”
Enlarged from a negative, specially made by Alinari through the courtesy
of Professor I. B. Supino, of a medal, in the National Museum at
Florence, by Andrea Guazzalotti (1435-1495). See Armand’s _Les
Médailleurs Italiens_, i, 48, no. 1.
Note 27 page 9. In a Greek epigram written in a book borrowed from Duke
Guidobaldo, Poliziano (see note 105) praises the lender as the worthy
son of a father who never suffered defeat, ἀνικήτοιο πατρὸς γονόν.
History shows that this phrase was a rhetorical exaggeration, but it
became almost proverbial.
Note 28 page 9. Although long since despoiled of its treasures, the
palace is still one of the architectural monuments of Italy. Many
writers have described its magnificence,—some of the fullest accounts
being those by Bernardino Baldi (1553-1617); Fr. Arnold (_Der
Herzogliche Palast von Urbino_; Leipsic: 1857); J. A. Symonds (“Italian
Byways;” London: 1883; pp. 129-155); Charles Blanc (_Histoire de la
Renaissance Artistique en Italie_; Paris: 1894; ii, 87-90); and Egidio
Calzini (_Urbino e i Suoi Monumenti_; Florence: 1899; pp. 9-46). Baldi’s
description will be found reprinted as an appendix to Rigutini’s (1889
and 1892) editions of THE COURTIER.
For more than fourteen years Duke Federico employed from thirty to forty
copyists in transcribing Greek and Latin MSS. Not only the classics, but
ecclesiastical and mediæval authors, as well as the Italian poets and
humanists were represented in his library, which contained 792 MSS.
Ultimately the collection was sent to Rome, where it forms part of the
Vatican Library.
Note 29 page 9. Born in 1422, Duke Federico was in fact sixty years old
when he died.
Note 30 page 9. In his Latin epistle to Henry VII of England,
Castiglione says that Duke Guidobaldo began to be afflicted with gout at
the age of twenty-one years.
Note 31 page 10. ALFONSO II of Naples, (born 1448; died 1495), was the
eldest son of Ferdinand I and Isabelle de Clermont. As Duke of Calabria,
commanding the papal forces, he defeated the Florentine league in 1479,
and in 1481 drove the Turks out of southern Italy. On his father’s death
in 1494, he succeeded to the crown of Naples; but having rendered
himself obnoxious to his subjects, he abdicated in favour of his son
Ferdinand just before the arrival of Charles VIII of France, and took
refuge in a Sicilian convent, where he soon died, tortured by remorse