On the Donation of ConstantineHarvard University Press, 2008 - 116 pages Lorenzo Valla (1407-1457) was the leading theorist of the Renaissance humanist movement and the author of major works on Latin style, scholastic logic, and other topics. In On the Donation of Constantine he uses new philological methods to attack the authenticity of the most important document justifying the papacy's claims to temporal rule, in a brilliant analysis that is often seen as marking the beginning of modern textual criticism. Widely translated throughout Europe during the Reformation, the work was placed on the Church's Index of Prohibited Books. This volume provides a new translation with introduction and notes by G. W. Bowersock, commissioned for the I Tatti Renaissance Library, along with a translation of the Donation of Constantine document itself. |
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Acts of Sylvester adorned Aeneid Alexandria Troas apostles Augustus authority barbarian blessed Peter blessed Sylvester Caesar called Carlo Ginzburg Christian city of Rome claim clergy Constitutum Constantini consul crown decorated decree Decretum divine document Donation of Constantine dragon earth earthly Eugenius everything faith father Sylvester felt socks forger Fuhrmann Gallicanus give glory gold grant Gratian Greek hand heaven holy Roman church Holy Spirit honor imperial Italy Jesus Christ Judaea king kingdom Lateran palace Latin leprosy Livy Lord Lorenzo Valla matter Matthew Monumenta Germaniae Historica nations pagan Palea person Peter and Paul Phrygian tiara possession preme pontiff priests princes Quintilian rank Roman empire Roman pontiff rule ruler sacred satraps Savior Senate someone sons speak story successors suppose supreme pontiff sword talk TATTI RENAISSANCE LIBRARY temple territories things Thrace tion translation truth Valerius Maximus Valla's text venerable vicar Virgil words write