The I Tatti Renaissance Library is a book series published by the

Harvard University Press Harvard University Press (HUP) is a publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University, and focused on academic publishing. It is a member of the Association of American University Presses. After the retir ...

, which aims to present important works of Italian Renaissance

Latin Literature Latin literature includes the essays, histories, poems, plays, and other writings written in the Latin language. The beginning of formal Latin literature dates to 240 BC, when the first stage play in Latin was performed in Rome. Latin literature ...

to a modern audience by printing the original

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...

text on each left-hand leaf (verso), and an English translation on the facing page (recto). The idea was initially conceived by Walter Kaiser, former professor of English and Comparative Literature at Harvard and director of the

Villa I Tatti Villa I Tatti, The Harvard Center for Italian Renaissance Studies is a center for advanced research in the humanities located in Florence, Italy, and belongs to Harvard University. It houses a collection of Italian primitives, and of Chinese ...

. Its goal is to be the

Italian Renaissance The Italian Renaissance ( it, Rinascimento ) was a period in Italian history covering the 15th and 16th centuries. The period is known for the initial development of the broader Renaissance culture that spread across Europe and marked the trans ...

version of the

Loeb Classical Library The Loeb Classical Library (LCL; named after James Loeb; , ) is a series of books originally published by Heinemann in London, but is currently published by Harvard University Press. The library contains important works of ancient Greek and ...

. James Hankins, Professor of History at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of highe ...

, is the General Editor. Many of the books in the series have never been translated into English before, and the series promises to increase the understanding of the Renaissance among the general public and non-specialist historians by making

primary source In the study of history as an academic discipline, a primary source (also called an original source) is an artifact, document, diary, manuscript, autobiography, recording, or any other source of information that was created at the time under ...

s accessible, thus giving a window into the minds of Renaissance thinkers themselves. The books of The I Tatti Renaissance Library have a consistent appearance: a pale blue cover, analogous to the red (Latin) or green (Greek) books in the

. They are, however, closer in size to a standard hardcover book than to the pocket-sized books of the Loeb series. A typeface named "ITRL", based on the work of Renaissance typographer

Nicolas Jenson Nicholas Jenson (c. 1420 – 1480) was a French engraver, pioneer, printer and type designer who carried out most of his work in Venice, Italy. Jenson acted as Master of the French Royal Mint at Tours and is credited with being the creator of on ...

, was specially designed for the series. The books are notable for their overall readability.

Anthony Grafton Anthony Thomas Grafton (born May 21, 1950) is an American historian of early modern Europe and the Henry Putnam University Professor of History at Princeton University, where he is also the Director the Program in European Cultural Studies. He i ...

said of the Latin texts: "though not full, critical editions,

hey Hey or Hey! may refer to: Music * Hey (band), a Polish rock band Albums * ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014 * ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980 * ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title ...

are correct, well punctuated and readable. The English translations have an unusual clarity, elegance and precision". The series is named after the

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico ...

, which houses the Center for Italian Renaissance Studies of

Publication history

* ''Famous Women'',

Giovanni Boccaccio Giovanni Boccaccio (, , ; 16 June 1313 – 21 December 1375) was an Italian writer, poet, correspondent of Petrarch, and an important Renaissance humanist. Born in the town of Certaldo, he became so well known as a writer that he was som ...

, ed. and trans. Virginia Brown, 2001 ** Paperback available in 2003 * ''History of the Florentine People, Volume 1'',

Leonardo Bruni Leonardo Bruni (or Leonardo Aretino; c. 1370 – March 9, 1444) was an Italian humanist, historian and statesman, often recognized as the most important humanist historian of the early Renaissance. He has been called the first modern historian. ...

, ed. and trans. James Hankins, 2001 ** ''Volume 2'' available in 2004 ** ''Volume 3'' available in 2007, trans. James Hankins and D.J.W. Bradley * ''Platonic Theology, Volume 1'',

Marsilio Ficino Marsilio Ficino (; Latin name: ; 19 October 1433 – 1 October 1499) was an Italian scholar and Catholic priest who was one of the most influential humanist philosophers of the early Italian Renaissance. He was an astrologer, a revive ...

, ed. James Hankins, trans. Michael J.B. Allen, 2001 ** ''Volume 2'' available in 2002 ** ''Volume 3'' available in 2003 ** ''Volume 4'' available in 2004 ** ''Volume 5'' available in 2005 ** ''Volume 6'' available in 2006 * ''Humanist Educational Treatises'', ed. and trans. Craig W. Kallendorf, 2002 ** Paperback available in 2008 * ''On Discovery'',

Polydore Vergil Polydore Vergil or Virgil (Italian: ''Polidoro Virgili''; commonly Latinised as ''Polydorus Vergilius''; – 18 April 1555), widely known as Polydore Vergil of Urbino, was an Italian humanist scholar, historian, priest and diplomat, who spent ...

, ed. and trans. Brian P. Copenhaver, 2002 * ''Biographical Writings'',

Giannozzo Manetti Giannozzo Manetti (1396 – 1459) was an Italian politician and diplomat from Florence, who was also a humanist scholar of the early Italian Renaissance. Manetti was the son of a wealthy merchant. His public career began in 1428. He partici ...

, ed. and trans. Stefano U. Baldassarri and Rolf Bagemihl, 2003 * ''Momus'',

Leon Battista Alberti Leon Battista Alberti (; 14 February 1404 – 25 April 1472) was an Italian Renaissance humanist author, artist, architect, poet, priest, linguist, philosopher, and cryptographer; he epitomised the nature of those identified now as polymaths. H ...

, ed. Virginia Brown, ed. and trans. Sarah Knight, 2003 * ''Commentaries, Volume 1'',

Pius II Pope Pius II ( la, Pius PP. II, it, Pio II), born Enea Silvio Bartolomeo Piccolomini ( la, Aeneas Silvius Bartholomeus, links=no; 18 October 1405 – 14 August 1464), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 August ...

, ed. Margaret Meserve and Marcello Simonetta, 2004 ** ''Volume 2'' available in 2007 ** ''Volume 3'' available in 2018 * ''Invectives'',

Francesco Petrarca Francesco Petrarca (; 20 July 1304 – 18/19 July 1374), commonly anglicized as Petrarch (), was a scholar and poet of early Renaissance Italy, and one of the earliest humanists. Petrarch's rediscovery of Cicero's letters is often credited ...

, ed. and trans. David Marsh, 2004 ** Paperback available in 2008 * ''Later Travels'',

Cyriac of Ancona Cyriacus of Ancona or Ciriaco de' Pizzicolli (31 July 1391 – 1453/55) was a restlessly itinerant Italian humanist and antiquarian who came from a prominent family of merchants in Ancona, a maritime republic on the Adriatic. He has been called ...

, ed. and trans. Edward W. Bodnar, 2004 * ''Short Epics'', Maffeo Vegio, ed. and trans. James Hankins and Michael C.J. Putnam, 2004 * ''Silvae'',

Angelo Poliziano Agnolo (Angelo) Ambrogini (14 July 1454 – 24 September 1494), commonly known by his nickname Poliziano (; anglicized as Politian; Latin: '' Politianus''), was an Italian classical scholar and poet of the Florentine Renaissance. His sc ...

, ed. and trans. Charles Fantazzi, 2004 * ''Humanist Comedies'', ed. and trans. Gary R. Grund, 2005 * ''Italy Illuminated, Volume 1'',

Flavio Biondo Flavio Biondo (Latin Flavius Blondus) (1392 – June 4, 1463) was an Italian Renaissance humanist historian. He was one of the first historians to use a three-period division of history (Ancient, Medieval, Modern) and is known as one of the f ...

, ed. and trans. Jeffrey A. White, 2005 * ''Lyric Poetry. Etna'',

Pietro Bembo Pietro Bembo, ( la, Petrus Bembus; 20 May 1470 – 18 January 1547) was an Italian scholar, poet, and literary theorist who also was a member of the Knights Hospitaller, and a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. As an intellectual of the ...

, ed. and trans. Mary P. Chatfield, trans. Betty Radice, 2005 * ''Baiae'', Giovanni Gioviano Pontano, ed. and trans. Dennis G. Rodney, 2006 * ''Letters, Volume 1'',

, ed. and trans. Shane Butler, 2006 * ''Baldo, Volume 1'', Teofilo Folengo, ed. and trans. Ann E. Mullaney, 2007 ** ''Volume 2'' available in 2008 * ''Ciceronian Controversies'', ed. Joann Dellaneva, trans. Brian Duvick, 2007 * ''History of Venice, Volume 1'',

, ed. and trans. Robert W. Ulery, Jr., 2007 ** ''Volume 2'' available in 2008 ** ''Volume 3'' available in 2009 * ''On The Donation of Constantine'',

Lorenzo Valla Lorenzo Valla (; also Latinized as Laurentius; 14071 August 1457) was an Italian Renaissance humanist, rhetorician, educator, scholar, and Catholic priest. He is best known for his historical-critical textual analysis that proved that the ''Do ...

, ed. and trans. G. W. Bowersock, 2007 ** Paperback available in 2008 * ''Commentaries on Plato, Volume 1: Phaedrus and Ion'',

, ed. and trans. Michael J. B. Allen, 2008 ** ''Volume 2: Parmenides, Part 1'', ed. and trans. Maude Vanhaelen, 2012 ** ''Volume 2: Parmenides, Part 2'', ed. and trans. Maude Vanhaelen, 2012 * ''Essays and Dialogues'', Bartolomeo Scala, ed. and trans. Renee Neu Watkins, 2008 * ''Lives of the Popes, Volume 1: Antiquity'',

Bartolomeo Platina Bartolomeo Sacchi (; 1421 – 21 September 1481), known as Platina (in Italian ''il Platina'' ) after his birthplace (Piadena), and commonly referred to in English as Bartolomeo Platina, was an Italian Renaissance humanist writer and gastro ...

, ed. and trans. Anthony F. d' Elia, 2008 * ''Poems'',

Cristoforo Landino Cristoforo Landino (1424 in Pratovecchio, Casentino, Florence – 24 September 1498 in Borgo alla Collina, Casentino) was an Italian humanist and an important figure of the Florentine Renaissance. Biography From a family with ties to the ...

, ed. and trans. Mary P. Chatfield, 2008 * ''Writings on Church and Reform'',

Nicholas of Cusa Nicholas of Cusa (1401 – 11 August 1464), also referred to as Nicholas of Kues and Nicolaus Cusanus (), was a German Catholic cardinal, philosopher, theologian, jurist, mathematician, and astronomer. One of the first German proponents of Re ...

, ed. and trans. Thomas M. Izbicki, 2008 * ''Christiad'',

Marco Girolamo Vida Marco Girolamo Vida or Marcus Hieronymus Vida (1485? – September 27, 1566) was an Italian humanist, bishop and poet. Life Marco was born at Cremona, the son of the consular (patrician) Guglielmo Vida, and Leona Oscasale. He had two brother ...

, ed. and trans. James Gardner, 2009 * ''Latin Poetry'',

Jacopo Sannazaro Jacopo Sannazaro (; 28 July 1458 – 6 August 1530) was an Italian poet, humanist and epigrammist from Naples. He wrote easily in Latin, in Italian and in Neapolitan, but is best remembered for his humanist classic '' Arcadia'', a masterwor ...

, ed. and trans. Michael C. J. Putnam, 2009 * ''Odes'',

Francesco Filelfo Francesco Filelfo ( la, Franciscus Philelphus; 25 July 1398 – 31 July 1481) was an Italian Renaissance humanist. Biography Filelfo was born at Tolentino, in the March of Ancona. He is believed to be a third cousin of Leonardo da Vinci. At t ...

, ed. and trans. Diana Robin, 2009 * ''Republics and Kingdoms Compared'', Aurelio Lippo Brandolini, ed. and trans. James Hankins, 2009 * ''Book on Music'', Florentius de Faxolis, ed. and trans. Bonnie J. Blackburn and Leofranc Holford-Strevens, 2010 * ''The Hermaphrodite'', Antonio Beccadelli, ed. and trans. Holt Parker, 2010 * ''Sacred Painting. Museum'',

Federico Borromeo Federico Borromeo (18 August 1564 – 21 September 1631) was an Italian cardinal and Archbishop of Milan, a prominent figure of Counter-Reformation Italy. Early life Federico Borromeo was born in Milan as the second son of Giulio Cesare Borrom ...

, ed. and trans. Kenneth S. Rothwell, Jr., 2010 * ''Genealogy of the Pagan Gods, Volume 1'',

, ed. and trans. Jon Solomon, 2011 * ''Humanist Tragedies'', ed. and trans. Gary R. Grund, 2011 * ''Letters to Friends'',

Bartolomeo Fonzio Bartolomeo or Bartolommeo is a masculine Italian given name, the Italian equivalent of Bartholomew. Its diminutive form is Baccio. Notable people with the name include: * Abramo Bartolommeo Massalongo (1824–1860), Italian paleobotanist and liche ...

, ed. Alessandro Daneloni, trans. Martin Davies, 2011 * ''Modern Poets'', Lilio Gregorio Giraldi, ed. and trans. John N. Grant, 2011 * ''Dialectical Disputations, Volume 1: Book I'',

, ed. and trans. Brian P. Copenhaver and Lodi Nauta, 2012 ** ''Volume 2: Books II-III'', 2012 * ''Dialogues, Volume 1: Charon and Antoninus'',

Giovanni Pontano Giovanni Pontano (1426–1503), later known as Giovanni Gioviano ( la, Ioannes Iovianus Pontanus), was a humanist and poet from Cerreto di Spoleto, in central Italy. He was the leading figure of the Accademia Pontaniana after the death of Antonio ...

, ed. and trans. Julia Haig Gaisser, 2012 * ''Poems'',

Michael Tarchaniota Marullus Michael Tarchaniota Marullus ( el, Μιχαήλ Μάρουλλος Ταρχανειώτης; it, Michele Marullo Tarcaniota; c. 1458 – 10 April 1500) was a Greek Renaissance scholar, poet of Neo-Latin, humanist and soldier. Life Michael Tarc ...

, trans. Charles Fantazzi, 2012 * ''Latin Poetry'', Girolamo Fracastoro, trans. James Gardner, 2013 * ''Notable Men and Women of Our Time'',

Paolo Giovio Paolo Giovio (also spelled ''Paulo Jovio''; Latin: ''Paulus Jovius''; 19 April 1483 – 11 December 1552) was an Italian physician, historian, biographer, and prelate. Early life Little is known about Giovio's youth. He was a native of Com ...

, ed. and trans. Kenneth Gouwens, 2013 * ''On Exile'',

, ed. Jeroen De Keyser, trans. W. Scott Blanchard, 2013 * ''On Methods, Volume 1: Books I-II'',

Jacopo Zabarella Giacomo (or Jacopo) Zabarella (5 September 1533 – 15 October 1589) was an Italian Aristotelian philosopher and logician. Life Zabarella was born into a noble Paduan family. He received a humanist education and entered the University of Padua ...

, ed. and trans. John P. McCaskey, 2013 ** ''Volume 2: Books III-IV. On Regressus'', 2014 * '' On the World and Religious Life'',

Coluccio Salutati Coluccio Salutati (16 February 1331 – 4 May 1406) was an Italian humanist and notary, and one of the most important political and cultural leaders of Renaissance Florence; as chancellor of the Republic and its most prominent voice, he was effec ...

, trans. Tina Marshall 2014 * ''On Married Life. Eridanus'', Giovanni Gioviano Pontano, trans. Roman Luke 2014 * ''The Lepanto Battel'', Andrew Lemons, Sarah Spence, Elizabeth R. Wright (ed. and transl.), 2014 * ''Correspondence'',

, ed. and transl. Brendan Cook, 2014 * ''Political Writings'',

, ed. Stefano U. Baldassarri, trans. Rolf Bagemihl,, 2014

References

External links

The I Tatti Renaissance Library
at

.
Villa I Tatti - The Harvard University Center for Renaissance Studies
{{DEFAULTSORT:I Tatti Renaissance Library, The Renaissance works Dual-language series of texts Harvard University Press books Renaissance Latin literature Translations into English