§ 64. PROGRESS AND PATRONS OF CLASSICAL STUDIES. 587
the Humanists had a right to expect much, but they got little. This, however, was not because ^neas Sylvius had reason to fear rivalry. After being elected pope, he was carried about the city of Rome and to Tusculum, Alba, Ostia and other localities, tracing the old Roman roads and water conduits and examining other monuments. He was a poet, novelist, controversialist, historian, cosmographer. He had a heart for everything, from the boat-race and hunting-party to the wonders of great cities, Florence and Rome. His faculty of observation was as keen as his interests were broad. Nothing seems to have escaped his eye. Everything that was human had an interest for him, and his description of cities and men, as in his Frederick III. and History of Bohemia^ hold the reader's attention by their clever judgments and their appreciation of characteristic and entertaining details.^ Pius' novels and odes breathe a low moral atmosphere, and his comedy, Chrisis, in the style of Terence, deals with women of ill-repute and is equal to the most lascivious of the Humanistic productions. His orations fill three volumes, and over 500 of his letters are still extant.
Under Paul II., the Humanists of the papal household had hard times, as the treatment of Platina shows. Sixtus IV., 1471-1484, has a place in the history of the Vatican library, which he transferred to four new and beautiful halls. He endowed it with a permanent fund, provided for Latin, Greek and Hebrew copyists, appointed as librarians two noted scholars, Bussi and Platina, and separated the books from the ar chives. 2 The light-hearted Leo X., a normal product of the Renaissance, honored Berabo and other literati, but combined the patronage of frivolous with serious literature. In a letter printed in the first edition of the first six books of the Annals of Tacitus, 1515, — discovered in the Westphalian convent of Corbay, 1508, — he wrote that "from his earliest years he had been accustomed to think that, if we except the knowledge and worship of God Himself, nothing more excellent or more
1 Burckhardt-Geiger, II. 21.
2 See Pastor, II. 655 sqq., who dwells at length on this pope's service to the library.
588 THE MIDDLE AGES. A.D. 1294-1517.
useful had been given by the Creator to mankind than classical studies which not only lead to the ornament and guidance of human life, but are applicable and useful to every particular situation."
As a characteristic development^ the Italian Renaissance must be mentioned the so-called academies of Florence, Rome and Naples.^ These institutions corresponded somewhat to our modern scientific associations.. The most noted of them, the Platonic Academy of Florence, was founded by Cosimo de' Medici, and embraced among its members the principal men of Florence and some strangers. It celebrated the birthday of Plato, November 13, with a banquet and a discussion of his writings. It revived and diffused the knowledge of the sublime truths of Platonism^ and then gave way to 'other academies in Florence of a more literary and social character. 1 Its brightest fame was reached under Lorenzo.
The academy at Rome, which had Pomponius Lcetus for its foundei;, did not confine itself to the study of Plato ajid philosophy, but had a more general literary aim. Tiie meetings were devoted to classical discussions and the presentation of^rations and-i^)kys. Although Ltetus was half a pagan, Alexander VI. was represented at his funeral, 1498, by members of his court. Cardinal Sadoleto in the 16th century reckoned the Roman academy among the best teachers of his youth. The academy at Naples, developed by Jovianus Pontanus, devoted itself chiefly to matters of style. The Florentine academy has been well characterized by Professor Jebb as predominantly philosophic, the Roman as antiquarian and the Neapolitan as literary. ^
§ 65. G-reek Teachers and Italian Humanists.
Thexeviyal of tlie&tu.dy ofGj:_efi}c, which had been neglected for eight centuries or more, was due, not to an interest in the original text of the New Testament, but to a passion to ))cconie acquainted with Homer, Plato and other classic Greek authors.
^ R. Rocholl, D. PlaliniismuK d. Itenaissancezeit, in Brieger's Zeitschr. fur K.-(/Psch., Leipz., 1802, pp. 47-100. ^ Cambr. Hist., I. 600.