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abstract This paper contributes to the study Sperone of a mostly neglected work of the fifteenth-century : Speroni’s Della Sperone Speroni’s collection of short treatises (“trattatelli”) published in the fifth volume of his Opera in 1740. Pace and the In particular, I focus on Della Pace (On Peace), probably a draft Problematic of a never-written longer treatise. I provide a transcription and English translation of the text as well as an Definition analysis of its content and linguistic aspects. The focus of Speroni’s text is the discussion of the meaning of Concord of ‘concord’, which goes beyond the classical definition and brings Teodoro katinis to an unconventional analysis of Ghent University, also its opposite terms: discord and Faculty of Arts and , conflict. By reading Speroni’s writing, Department of Literary Studies, we discover his original thought Blandijnberg 2, Ghent, nourished by Machiavelli’s and pre- Belgium Socratic influences. This paper looks [email protected] at Speroni not only as an author involved in literary debates, but also https://doi.org/10.5507/aither.2020.010 as a philosopher with an original perspective to be discovered.

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That which scholars consider dis- Venetian area. He is mostly known for ruptive in the history of ideas depends his contribution to the so-called ‘quarrel not on only on the level of accessibil- of language’ in which he argued for the ity of primary sources but also on what use of the Italian vernacular as a lan- we decide to draw our attention to. We guage that deserves to achieve the level naturally resist the idea that an author of complexity of and Greek, and whom the scholarly tradition and text- which should replace them in discuss- books have placed in a specific category ing and writing about high culture and could, in fact, surprise us with unex- sciences. Speroni argues for this in his plored writing containing revolutionary Dialogo delle lingue and contributes to the ideas that shed new light on his cultural development of the vernacular by writing profile and context. This is, I believe, the all his work in Italian and requiring the case of Sperone Speroni (1500–1588) use of the vernacular for the discussions with his short piece Della pace, which is within the ‘Accademia degli Infiammati’ one of several unexplored texts written in which he played a central role and by the author which is still which he also led as its princeps for sev- under-investigated. eral months between 1541 and 1542. His Speroni is usually considered a mem- interest and expertise in rhetoric as well ber of the larger group of Aristotelian au- as his practice of an exquisite eloquence thors operating in the sixteenth century plaid a central role in allowing him to

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participate in the ‘Accademia delle Notti ideas to go beyond Aristotle and even Vaticane’ in between 1560 and against him. He supports not only rhet- 1564, where he gave speeches under the oric but also the most extreme of the name of Nestor, the Homerian character sophistic tradition against both the Pla- which represents excellence in oratory. tonic and Aristotelian condemnation of Speroni is also mostly studied for his lit- it, while his political theories seems to erary production of dialogues, collected have much more place than we assumed and published for the first time in 1542, in his literary production with a clear and for the theory of dialogue in his Ap- critical approach towards any idealistic ologia dei dialoghi written between 1574 approach to the subject. and 1575 to defend his dialogues before This is an exciting moment in the the Catholic Inquisition which consid- investigation of the most original as- ered some of them, especially the Dialogo pects of Speroni’s style and philosophy della Discordia and Dialogo della Usura, and in order to elaborate further in a possible threat to Christian doctrine this direction I will provide a study of and public morality.1 This is, in short, his Della pace as an attempt to measure Speroni’s cultural identity according to Speroni’s originality using a political the scholarly tradition: an Aristotelian subject: the role and definition of con- author who follows the sixteenth cen- cord in the life of a republic. Against tury preference for the dialogical genre the humanist background and beyond and fights the humanistic tradition to the Aristotelian legacy and even Machi- impose the vernacular as a means of avelli’s influence, Speroni’s text reveals cultural communication. Only in recent aspects that deserve specific attention years have scholars reached a better un- and stand as a case study to cast a light to derstanding of some original aspects a hitherto unexplored part of the Italian related to his rhetoric and philosophy Renaissance. which have encouraged the addressing of Speroni’s unexplored texts – in fact Speroni’s Della pace as the majority of his literary production.2 a “trattatello” The more we explore, the more we dis- TheDella pace belongs to the collection cover that Speroni’s intellectual profile of so-called “trattatelli”, short treatises is much more complex than what the gathered in the fifth and last volume scholarly tradition had offered to us up of the edition of Speroni’s writings until few years ago. He uses, for example, published in in 1740 by Marco Platonic figures of speech to express his Forcellini and Natale Dalle Laste. anti-Platonic positions and Aristotelian The “trattatelli” are the part of Sper- oni’s production which have received 1 For a general presentation of the author the least degree of attention by schol- and his work, see Pozzi 1996 and Piantoni arship thus far, but which neverthe- 2018. 2 The most recent studies are the mono- less contain surprising and innovative graphs Katinis 2018 and Cotugno 2018. positions, for example a unique attack

INTERNATIONAL ISSUE NO. 8/2020 Teodoro Katinis 179 Sperone Speroni’s Della Pace and the Problematic Definition of Concord against Socrates (Contra Socrate) and (IIIr-v) of Speroni’s manuscripts. The a surprising defense of the sophists (In same hand wrote a note above the index difesa dei sofisti).3 These short writings stating that those contents are copied were in all probability drafts for what in the 1740 edition. Speroni did not, maybe Speroni intended to develop as however, provide any title for his text more extensive treatises, or speeches and the structure and disposition of his to be delivered, or letters, or even dia- sentences suggest that this was mostly logues to add to his collection published a list of private notes. The sequence of the in 1542. A deeper understanding of the first four sentences follows, for example, genesis and their final destination in a symmetric order in the manuscript and Speroni’s literary and intellectual tra- they are ordered as a list of sequential jectory would need an exploration and thoughts (“La pace è … / comunemente philological study of the 17 volumes of …/ la guerra e’ … / comunemente ….”). Speroni’s manuscripts in the Biblioteca Even the collection title “trattatelli” Capitolare of , which goes beyond is not in the manuscript but was instead the purpose of this contribution.4 provided by the editors of the 1740 edi- The transcription that I offer in tion (neither by Speroni nor by the later the Appendix is from the 1740 edition hand mentioned above). Although it is which is much more readable than Sper- unclear how Speroni viewed this collec- oni’s autograph in manuscript E.13/XI tion of short writings of his, it is worth (287r-288v) kept in the Biblioteca Cap- noticing that for the text entitled (by itolare of Padua, especially if one does someone else) Della pace the category not have access to a direct examination “trattatello” fits quite well with what of the source. As a matter of fact, the should have been the final result ac- library has been under restoration for cording to an indication in the very text a long time and it is currently not possi- (p. 438) in which Speroni refers to his ble to consult its archive in person. Nev- work (or to the final version that would ertheless, the reproduction is enough have emerged) as “questo trattato”. I do to verify that there is no relevant differ- not want to speculate about what the ence between Speroni’s autograph and final version of this writing would have the 1740 edition, and it is also useful been, but I do have to admit that I regret to reveal other aspects of the original. that we do not have it. I believe that the First of all, the title Della pace is writ- implications and the further elaboration ten in a different hand and pen on the of what it is here in nuce would have been upper left-hand corner of the first page, of the most interest for the history of the same hand that wrote the index of Renaissance literature. This would in all contents at the beginning of volume XI probability also be true for several other “trattatelli” by Speroni which propose 3 See the textual Appendix in Katinis 2018, very original perspectives. p. 149–160. 4 On Speroni’s manuscripts, see Bellinati As a draft of some possible nev- 1989 and Grata 2013. er-completed final work, Speroni’s Della

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pace presents some ambiguities in the a universal law that rules the natural writing and also in the logic of certain and human world, a necessary and ben- passages. These issues cannot be avoided eficial figure that is unjustly condemned but, nevertheless, the text appears to be by men and gods. This dialogue in Lu- quite clear in the points Speroni wants cian style might have been inspired by to make and allows for an outline of Spe- Desiderius Erasmus’ Praise of Folly, al- roni’s work. though Speroni replaces Folly with a dif- ferent character. Scholars have usually A work outline viewed the staging of Discord’s self-de- Speroni begins his argumentation with fense before Jove as a paradoxical work certain clarifications: peace is com- and a rhetorical exercise that demon- monly intended as a union, but not in strates the power of eloquence against the sense of unification in one substance common sense. This paradoxical aspect of different things, but more in the sense of Discord’s defense is called into doubt, of concord of different things. In par- however, by the Della pace in which Sper- ticular, since this text focuses on the oni clearly recognizes discord as created peace within a city, we deal with the by God for the benefit of the world at all concord of different citizens’ opinions levels and argues for this directly, in- and wills. The internal conflicts be- volving no dialogical mask.5 The uncer- tween contraries, such as reason and tain date of composition of the Della pace affection or desire, is a natural state of does not allow for a determination of being both in the city as well as in each the chronological proximity to the Dia- man, while concord, even the imper- logo della Discordia but, regardless of the fect one, is difficult to achieve. Indeed, date of composition, the very presence the author claims as a universal truth, of this “trattatello” in Speroni’s literary a Weltanschauung sketched in a few lines production demonstrates that discord that echoes Heraclitus’ idea of polemos as was for Speroni not only a mythological a universal law, that the entire world is figure for a paradoxicalmise-en-scène but ruled by conflict. According to Speroni, instead a main factor to take into con- the world is made up of contraries, nev- sideration when we talk about political ertheless concord is an effort to be done life in a broader natural context. for specific political benefit. Speroni In his Della pace, Speroni argues that also invites us to consider that discord if discord in nature exists for a good rea- is created by God to give life to the world son, one can argue the same about the through contraries (night and day, dif- disagreement between men’s wills; in- ferent seasons, etc). The world would not deed, this gives birth to the virtues. The exist without conflict and discord. political peace, in contrast, stems from This reasoning echoes the self-de- fense that the goddess Discord provides 5 Katinis 2018, p. 92. On this dialogue, see in Speroni’s Dialogo della Discordia also Fournel 1990, p. 191–195; Buranello in which Discord presents herself as 1999; Katinis 2015.

INTERNATIONAL ISSUE NO. 8/2020 Teodoro Katinis 181 Sperone Speroni’s Della Pace and the Problematic Definition of Concord concord – and not from a true unification that, far from being perfect harmony, that is impossible to reach – of different aims at establishing a safe environment wills, which allow for man’s happiness, for the citizens. This is a fictional (“sim- but only the type of happiness envisaged ulata”) and conventional peace which by the philosopher that looks at the in- is not true friendship but only refrains terests of the public sphere, not by the from attacking each other. Christian. The latter seeks out a perfect It is worth noting that this disen- concord and true peace for each man, chanted perspective does not spare bibli- which is true well-being (“salute” from cal figures such as Job and the Apostles. the Latin “salus” in the double sense of Speroni wrote that the correct reading health and salvation) but impossible to of the Sacred Texts to describe the for- achieve in the city and very difficult to mer (“erat timens Deum”) as well as the reach for any individual. Speroni con- words pronounced by the latter (“quid siders the ideal men proposed by Chris- erit nobis?”) would demonstrate that tianity above human possibilities, while even these high examples of sanctity the Christian principle that calls for demonstrate that our deeds always aim treating others as you would want them at obtaining a prize and avoiding a pun- to treat you is against human nature. ishment. In other words, even the most Each man, as any other animal, wants by religious men follow human nature that nature to control others and use them to encourages them to act in their own satisfy his own desires, while he avoids interest which consists of avoiding de- the opposite. Taking a distance from the struction and prolonging life. humanist ideal of human dignity above As it is for true peace, true friend- instinctual nature (or at least the possi- ship, harmony and virtue among men bility of that), Speroni does not perceive are also impossible to achieve. Indeed, any difference between human behavior towards the end of his writing, Speroni and any other animal that hunts and proposes several examples of earthly, kills to survive, although men also need i.e. imperfect, friendship (“mondana to build a republic to survive so that amicizia”) among relatively vicious men their instinct to subjugate each other (“viziosi”, “non boni”), such as Theseus has to also confront other needs. Given and Pirithous, Pylades and Orestes, all this, true peace among men would and Patroclus and Achilles, to demon- only be possible in a Christian republic strate that this kind of friendship is the which is above the actual republics as an norm among men. In summary, Sper- ideal Christian man is above men’s na- oni suggests being aware that when we ture. The actual republics do not strive talk about peace, friendship, concord, therefore for true peace but only for the and similar concepts related to human kind of concord that prevents any public nature and human communities, we harm. The purpose of Speroni’s writing should refer not to an ideal form but only is precisely to clarify the meaning of the to a version of them that is applicable in only peace possible in nature, a peace our imperfect earthly world.

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Machiavelli and beyond be and focusing on what it actually is.6 Speroni’s disenchanted representation Speroni connects the political conflict of human nature and the limits of any to a more general state of being, beyond idealistic republic is a clear statement the political sphere, which consists of of anti-Platonism and suggests that his a representation of reality that goes be- thought is under the influence of Nic- yond human nature and includes it in colò Machiavelli’s work. It should not a broader prospective, a position con- be surprising, however, that Speroni firmed in the dialogue on discord pub- never quotes Machiavelli. The date of lished in 1542 and already mentioned Della pace is unknown, but even if Sper- above. The entire subject ofDella pace is oni wrote this before the inclusion of also treated with a constant parallel re- Machiavelli’s writings on the Index of flection on the linguistic issues and the Prohibited Books (1559) by the Catholic shifting meanings of discussing peace. Inquisition, the condemnation of the Both these aspects (the almighty discord evil Segretario would have discouraged and the linguistic approach) go beyond any explicit reference even before that Machiavelli’s legacy and represent the date. As is the case for many other au- most original contribution of Speroni thors, however, who wrote about pol- to the subject. itics after the publication of Machia- velli’s works, his revolutionary theo- The ambiguity ries should not be disregarded and it of language is almost impossible to overestimate Words are misleading and language is his influence in the fifteen century and haunted by a paradox: it explains and beyond. Indeed, Speroni seems to have hides, communicates and confuses at learned Machiavelli’s lessons on many the same time. The first lines of Sper- levels, but more than a repetition of his oni’s text point to a broader linguistic thought, he seems influenced by his view in the background, and not an op- disenchanted pragmatism upon which timistic one, starting with the keyword he built his own discourse. He follows in the title, peace, but also its opposite, Machiavelli’s so-called “negative anthro- war. The less than straightforward rela- pology” as it is pictured in the treatise Il tionships between the words and their principe and in the play La mandragola. meaning might depend on the fact that He implicitly agrees with Machiavel- li’s rejection of any imaginary republic 6 The most recent study on the role of conflict in Machiavelli is Pedullà 2018, (Il principe XV) and his consideration of while Vasoli (1996, p. 290) found analo- conflicts as legitimate and useful aspects gies with Machiavelli’s political thought of political life (Discorsi sopra la prima in Speroni’s Apologia dei dialoghi IV. A wider exploration of Machiavelli’s in- deca di Tito Livio I, 4 and 6). Speroni also fluence in Speroni is still neglected as embraces the necessity of considering well as a study on his political philos- ophy spread not only in several of his only the “verità effettuale”, avoiding “trattatelli”, but also in his Dialoghi and any discourse on what reality should Apologia dei dialoghi.

INTERNATIONAL ISSUE NO. 8/2020 Teodoro Katinis 183 Sperone Speroni’s Della Pace and the Problematic Definition of Concord any word has several meanings, or nu- effort to be carried out for the benefit of ances within the same meaning, includ- the community and finally for the sur- ing a common use but also other less vival of the citizens. common, so that it is impossible to find A different word meaning can lead to a permanent stable signification, meta- an uncommon thinking path. I do not physically and meta-historically guaran- want to emphasize too much this aspect teed, that reassures us on the meaning of the text, but if we avoid the linguistic of each word. problem that Speroni himself poses at Although the focus of the Della pace the beginning, we risk a misunderstand- is not linguistic, this text begins with ing of the entire text. This entanglement a linguistic concern (“la pace è nome between res and verba leads us back to equivoco … La guerra anch’essa è equi- the dawn of the onto-linguistic problem voca”) which emphasizes the equivocal- discussed in Plato’s Cratilus, a text that ity of the two key terms that demarcate, Speroni should have known, as well as as opposites and implying each other, all the rest of Plato’s dialogues, thanks the subject treated in Speroni’s writ- to Marsilio Ficino’s Latin translation, if ing. The adjective “equivoca” reappears not directly from the original Greek. An further in the text to qualify the term echo of the problematic relationship be- “concordia”, while towards the end of tween language and reality discussed in the text the substantive “equivocazion” the Cratilus is clearly involved in Sper- is used to express one of the aims of his oni’s thought. It is not the aim of my text: to distinguish the equivocalness of contribution to investigate in detail the the term peace. sources and the plurality of possible an- Due to the frequency of the common cient references - either for the linguis- misunderstanding and the semantic in- tic aspect or for any other aspect of Della stability of the terms he is talking about, pace – that Speroni could have taken into the author requires from himself and account (mostly to reject them), in writ- the reader an effort in maintaining ing on the meaning and applicability an awareness of different meanings of of peace in a city. But if I had to briefly peace, concord and the other main terms summarize Speroni’s position before of the discourse. Indeed, shifting from antiquity, I would point to his strong an- the conventional meaning to a different ti-Platonism and anti-Augustinianism one allows for a reshaping of the entire along with a more tolerated Aristote- field of analysis so that we suddenly find lianism, but with a strong taste of so- ourselves on a new path which leads to called pre-Socratic traditions along with unconventional conclusions, far from the above-mentioned Heraclitism and the humanistic thought. The idea that even more a sophistic component (consi- concord in the city does not have, for dering both linguistic concerns, i.e. example, anything to do with true (in Gorgias of Leontini, and the political a platonic and Christian sense) har- pragmatism, i.e. Protagoras of Abdera). mony, but is rather a counter-instinctual Having said that, I refrain from a deeper

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investigation which goes beyond the two which anchors men to their animal na- aims of my contribution: to provide the ture. Speroni’s “trattatelli” represent reader with direct access to Speronis’ a cluster of unaccomplished, potentially text (in the Appendix below) and shed revolutionary, writings which are still light on its highlights (in my analysis waiting to be explored. This paper would above). also like to encourage further investiga- It is regretful that Speroni’s notes tion in this direction. never became a more articulated and refined work. Reading the Della pace, Appendix: Speroni’s Della as well as many other of Speroni’s “trat- pace (in Speroni 1740, p. 437–8) tatelli”, I regret not having the opportu- I use modern punctuation in my tran- nity to know more extensively what Sper- scription to facilitate the reading of the oni would have written on the rejection of original text, while my English trans- the simple and naive idea of political con- lation aims at balancing the literal tex- cord for a more realistic concept of peace tual meaning with the need to maintain in the context of a pragmatic political a logical order and readability through- theory based on a realistic anthropology out Speroni’s argumentation.

La pace è nome equivoco veramente. Peace is a truly equivocal term, which Comunemente si usa per l’opposto della is usually used as the opposite of war, but guerra. La guerra anche essa è equivoca. also this term is equivocal. War is com- Comunemente si usa per la battaglia mor- monly used to indicate a deadly battle in tale, ove si ammazzano li inimici. La pace which one kills one’s enemy. Peace com- significa comunemente anche concordia monly also means concord of opinions o di opinioni o di volontà, che è unione. or wills, which means union. Union is Unione è quando varie cose si uniscono fa- when different things unify making one cendo una cosa, come quando gli elementi thing, which is when the elements blend meschiandosi fanno il misto, o il corpo and make a mix, or body and soul make e l’anima a fare il vivo, o la materia e la a living being, or matter and form make forma a fare il composito. E questa unione a compound. And this union is not in the non è nella pace di che si parla; perciocché peace that we are here talking about, be- questa unione non di contrarii, ma di due cause this union is not made by contraries cose sostanziali, e per sé sussistenti e per- but rather two perfect substances that ex- fette. La pace adunque di cui si parla è con- ist independently. The peace that we are cordia, la quale è nelli uomini di opinioni talking about is therefore concord, which o di volontadi le quali si accordino come le is in men’s opinions or wills that can tune voci nell’armonia. Concordia di opinioni with each other like harmonic voices. non ha nome proprio volgar né latino. Concord of opinion has no vernacular or Concordia di volontadi è benevoglienza, Latin name. Concord of wills is benevo- e quando è compita si può dire amicizia. lence and can be called friendship when

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Ma questa è equivoca, ed anche quella di it is complete. But this is equivocal as well opinion, secondo le cose intorno alle quali as the concord of opinions regarding the sono le opinion e le volontadi. Alla con- objects of these opinions and wills. The cordia di due voleri si reduce quella della concord of reason and appetite is definable ragione e dell’affetto. La ragion vuole, ed as a concord of wills: while reason wants, appetisce l’affetto. L’uomo è composto di appetite desires. Not only the human being contrarii; anzi tutto ’l mondo. Però difficil is made of contraries but also the entire cosa è trovar pace nell’uomo, cioè concor- world. This is why it is difficult to make dia. Ma se la contrarietà o discordia del peace, as concord, in the human being. But mondo è fatta dalla natura o da Dio a fin if contrariety and discord in the world are di bene, cioè acciocché ne nascano diverse caused by nature and God for a good end, cose, e la diversità delle stagioni nell’anno, i.e. for the emergence of a variety of things, e di giorno e notte, e questo bene sono pi- the different seasons of the year, day and ante, bestie ed uomini, dovemo anche pen- night, and this good end is the plants, sare che le discordie de’ voleri delli uomini animals and human beings, we must also facciano effetti boni; e che perciò siano consider that the discords among different permessi e fatti da Dio. Li effetti che ne na- men’s wills bring about positive results scono son le virtù. Ben considera. E dalla for which those discords are allowed and discordia della ragione e degli affetti na- made by God, and the virtues derive from scono, benché non si concordino, come è il this state of being. Consider this carefully. martirio per la verità. In summa chi vuol And these virtues are caused by the discord ben parlar della pace diversa alla guerra, between reason and passions, although parli prima della pace di sé medesimo tra they do not agree with it, like martyrdom la ragione e lo affetto, e come il mondo for the truth. In summary, he who wants è composto di contrarii a fin di bene, così to speak correctly about peace different qui si cerchi la pace tra li uomini non per- from war should first talk about the peace ché essi si concordino, ché ciò è difficile, within oneself between reason and pas- se non impossibile, ma acciocché nasca sions, and consider that the world is made la quiete della città, il che è fine e felicità of contraries for a good end, and, therefore, dell’uomo. E questo basti al presente. Ma one should aim at peace among men not to cercar pace che veramente sia concordia make them agree (since this is difficult) e benevolenza e salute dell’uomo partico- but rather to build a peaceful city, which lare partiene a solo il cristiano, perché is men’s aim and happiness. And this is egli solo va alla salute particolare; ove enough at the moment. But looking for il filosofo va alla specie, la felicità della peace that truly is concord, benevolence quale, tal quale è, partiene alla città. E se ’l and the health of an individual belongs filosofo va al particolare, ponendo summa only to the Christian, because he is the only felicità nel filosofo contemplativo; il cris- one who considers the individual health, tiano va al particolare religioso e di buon while the philosopher considers the spe- volere; e ciò nota bene. Il non fare altrui cies whose happiness, in itself, belongs to quello che a noi stessi non vogliamo esser the city. And while the philosopher looks

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fatto è cosa anzi sopra natura che natu- at the individual when it considers the rale: è ben cosa ragionevole se la ragione highest happiness in the contemplative domina l’appetito; e anche dominando philosopher, the Christian instead looks ella lo affetto, non è vero generalmente; at a specific believer and his good will; perciocché l’uomo vuol dominare e non and consider this carefully. Do not do to esser dominato, massime se è signor, come others what we would not want done to si dice, per natura; vuol giudicare e non es- us is something more above nature than sere giudicato; ed esser uomo tra femmine natural: it is reasonable if the reason con- e non femmina tra uomini. Le fere fanno trols the desire; and even if it controls the altrui quel che a sé non vogliono che sia passions this is not generally true, because fatto, mangiandole e sforzandole. A far man wants to dominate and not be domi- gli uomini particolari per lo comun civile nated (even more if he is a lord, as we say, e salute sua, come fa il mondo a ben della by nature). He wants to judge and not be specie umana, saria bona cosa quando la judged, and wants to be male among fe- repubblica fosse perfetta, ma quale delle males and not the opposite. The beasts do tre note è perfetta? Certo niuna: sola la to others what they would not want done to cristiana è perfetta. Dunque filosofica- them, by eating and forcing the others. It mente parlando, cessa la ragion della città would be good to consider the individuals in tutti gli uomini, specialmente ne’ servi for common civic life and its well-being, e ne’ sudditi; e ciò nota bene. A questa sola as the world does for the goodness of the si de’ rimetter la vita, la roba, l’onore, e i fi- human species, if the republic could be per- glioli, ché ciò facendo si acquista la vera fect, but which of the three that we know is ed eterna felicità. È dunque impossibile perfect? Certainly there is no perfect one la vera pace tra gli uomini se non nella except for the Christian republic. Hence, repubblica cristiana. Puossi inferire che philosophically speaking, the reason of vera pace per sé non possa essere ne’ cori the city stops in all men, especially in the umani ma solamente per grazia di Dio. Né servants and subjects; and consider this questa cercano le repubbliche, ma quella carefully. Therefore, true peace is impos- sola onde non possa nascere alcun male sible except for in the Christian republic. pubblico evidentemente, non curando One can infer from this that no true peace dello intrinseco del core umano. E forse can come from the human heart but only anche perciò non può essere in terra ver- from God’s grace. And the republics do not ace pace; perché noi facciamo il bene anzi look for this true peace but rather only for con speranza di premio e timor di pena, the peace that means absence of any public che per ben fare, onde si dice di Job erat harm and, in so doing, does not deal with timens Deum; e dimandavano li apostoli the intentions of man’s heart. And this is quid erit nobis? {p. 438} E certo se la pace perhaps also why true peace is not possible non può esser se non nelli uomini di bona on earth, because we do good deeds not for voluntade e la bontà del voler nostro sia ourselves but rather hoping for a prize and grazia di Dio, la pace è non è da noi ma fearing a punishment, and this is why one da Dio. La vera pace vien da Dio, ma la talks about Job erat timens Deum, and the

INTERNATIONAL ISSUE NO. 8/2020 Teodoro Katinis 187 Sperone Speroni’s Della Pace and the Problematic Definition of Concord pace che dà il mondo, la quale è diversa apostles asked quid erit nobis? {p. 438} And da quella di Dio, è sempre con peccato, of course if peace can be in men of good perché ha l’occhio o alla vita o all’onore will and only this good will can come from o alla facultà pubblica e private. Però in God’s grace, than peace comes not from questo trattato si doveria distinguer la us but from God. Hence true peace comes equivocazion della pace e mostrare che la from God but the peace that comes from naturale non è possibile essendo l’uomo this world, which is different from the one composto di cose contrarie e discordanti, from God, is always imperfect, because it ciò sono li elementi, l’anima e il corpo, aims at the life or honor or public and pri- materia e forma, ragione e affetto, spirito vate spheres. This is the reason why in this e carne. La civile è simulata e non cor- treatise the equivocalness of peace should diale. La cordiale è da Dio, e ciò nota. be avoided to demonstrate that peace in Amicizia, mondanamente parlando, è più nature is impossible, given that man is che la pace; perciocché ella è concordia di made of contrary and discordant things: volontade e di vera benivolenza. Ma par- different elements, soul and body, matter lando per vero, ed in Cristo, non è buona and form, reason and passions, spirit and quella amicizia dal mondo bona stimata, flesh. Civil peace is simulated and not cor- e non è virtù anche mondanamente, né dial. The cordial one is from God, and note con virtù. Vedi la ragione perché tal mon- this. Friendship, worldly speaking, is more dana amicizia può esser tra viziosi, il che than peace, because it is concord of wills appar per quella mondana amicizia di doi and true benevolence. But speaking truly, o tre para di amici: ché Teseo e Piritoo and in Christ, the friendship that the world non furono boni, né Pilade ed Oreste, né considers good is not good and it is neither Patroclo ed Achille. Di Pitia e Damone a virtue nor accomplished with virtue even non trovo vita né opre. E nel far delle paci in worldly terms. And the proof is that this tali quali possono esser tra noi, bisogna worldly friendship could also be between considerare la diversità delle tre o quattro vicious men, which is clear in the worldly repubbliche, poiché la perfetta non è nota friendship of two or three pairs of friends, se non al cristiano. Però trattar di pace since Theseus and Pirithous, Pylades and o guerra o duelli senza questa distinzione Orestes, and Patroclus and Achilles were è cosa vana. Che le repubbliche diverse not virtuous; while I do not find either life siano qui da considerare, Aristotile il dice or acts of Pythias and Damon. And to carry nella Rettorica parlando della orazione. out the peace that can be done among us, we have to consider the diversities among the three or four republics, since the per- fect republic is known only by the perfect Christian. Therefore, talking about peace or war or duels without this distinction is a vain thing. Also Aristotle says that dif- ferent republics must be considered when he talks about the oration in his Rhetoric.

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