Petrarch: A Bibliography

APPENDIX III CATALOGUE OF PETRARCH’S WORKS

The number of his Latin works is very large. Those that are written in prose include (a) seven treatises of a philosophical and religious character; (b) four that are historical and geographical; (c) three polemical writings; (d) four orations; (e) two works of an autobiographical character; (f) four collections of letters; (g) some psalms and prayers; and (h) the translation of Boccaccio’s story of Griselda.

(a) His so-called philosophical works comprise his treatises concerning:

(1) ‘The Antidotes for Good and Evil Fortune’ (De Remediis Utriusque Fortunae).
(2) ‘The Solitary Life’ (De Vita Solitaria).
(3) ‘The Repose of the Cloister’ (De Otio Religiosorum).
(4) ‘The Best Methods of Administering a State’ (De Republica optime administranda).
(5) ‘The Duty and Virtues of a General’ (De Officio et Virtutibus Imperatoris).
(6) ‘The Means of Avoiding Avarice’ (De Avaritia Vitanda).
(7) ‘True Wisdom’ (De Vera Sapientia).

(b) His historical and geographical works comprise:

(1) ‘Remarkable Occurrences’ (De Rebus Memorandis).
(2) ‘Lives of Celebrated Men’ (De Viris Illustribus Vitae).
(3) Epitome of the ‘Lives of Celebrated Men’ (Vita rum Virorum Illustrium Epitome).
(4) ‘Handbook of a Syrian Journey’ (Itinerarium Syriacum).

(1) ‘Invectives against a Certain Physician’ (Contra Medicum quendam Invectivae).
(2) ‘Defence against the Calumnies of an Anonymous Frenchman’ (Contra cuiusdam Anonymi Galli Calumnias Apologia).
(3) ‘Dissertation concerning his own Ignorance and that of many’ (De sui ipsius et multorum Ignorantia).

(d) His orations embrace his

(1) Speech on receiving the laurel crown.
(2) Speech to the Council of Venice.
(3) Speech at Novara.
(4) Speech at Paris to King John and his Court.

(e) His works of an autobiographical character comprise:

(1) ‘Letter to Posterity’ (Epistola ad Posteros). See Appendix II.
(2) ‘Dialogues with St. Augustine concerning Contempt of the World’ (De Contemptu Mundi). See Appendix I.

(f) His collections of letters embrace:

(1) ‘Concerning Familiar Things’ (De Rebus Familiaribus).
(2) ‘Miscellaneous Letters’ (Variae).
(3) ‘Letters without a Title’ (Sine Titulo).
(4) ‘Letters of Old Age’ (De Rebus Senilibus).

(g) His Latin poems comprise:

(1) His epic ‘Africa’.
(2) Twelve Eclogues, containing in allegorical form bitter criticisms of the Court of Avignon.
(3) His poetical Epistles.

In the Italian language only one specimen of his prose writings exists, his speech at Milan, considered by many a translation of an address originally delivered in Latin.

His Italian poems included in his Canzoniere comprise:

(a) Lyrics.

(1) ‘In the Life of Madonna Laura.’
(2) ‘On the Death of Madonna Laura.’
(3) ‘On Miscellaneous Subjects.’

These are all found together in a single Vatican manuscript.

(b) His epic poem, the ‘Triumphs’ of

(1) Love.
(2) Chastity.
(3) Death.
(4) Fame.
(5) Eternity.1

[1 ]Koerting, pp. 528, 529, 530.