Ambrogio Traversari and the Revival of Interest for Eastern Patristics in Italy in the First Half of the Fifteenth Century: Preconditions and Direction
Abstract
This study tries to delineate the reception of Eastern Patristics within the milieu of Italian humanism in the first half of the fifteenth century. Emphasis is put eminently on the translation activities of Camaldolese monk Ambrogio Traversari (1386-1439) and to a lesser extent on the Latin versions of the Greek texts of the Holy Fathers by Georgy of Trebizond (1394 or 1396-about 1472/3 or 1484) and Leonardo Bruni (1370-1444).
Topic is partly reflected from the viewpoint of the former development during the so called Renaissance of the twelfth century (focus is put on the translation activity of Cerbanus Cerbani and Burgundio of Pisa). This paper brings, let us say, semiotic insight of this specific cultural transmission (of Eastern Patristics into milieu of Italian Renaissance) and only partly answers the relevant question of semantic nature: To which extent disclosure of Eastern Patristics (“discovered“ by men as Ambrogio Traversari, Leonardo Bruni or George of Trebizond) latter influenced Italian humanists, or, put it more generally, European humanists?