Drei neapolitanische Humanisten über die Liebe

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This volume features the Latin text and German translation of three works centered on love, authored by prominent Neapolitan humanists: Panormita, Pontano, and Marullus. Antonio Beccadelli, known as Panormita, was born in 1393/4 in Palermo and also worked in Siena. Giovanni Pontano, born in 1429 in Cerreto di Spoleto, succeeded Panormita in Naples, while Michael Tarchaniota Marullus, originally from Byzantium, primarily operated in Florence and Naples. Panormita’s “Hermaphroditus,” dedicated to Cosimo de’ Medici the Elder, is a colorful collection of obscene epigrams that celebrate sexual love. Pontano’s “Amores Coniugales” consists of three books of novel-like elegies that explore love within a happy marriage. Marullus’ “Hymni Naturales,” spanning four volumes, serves as an eulogy to pagan deities, emphasizing platonic love for the pursuit of goodness and the contemplation of the divine. These works draw on ancient literary traditions, including Martial’s epigrams, Roman love elegies, and Homeric and Orphic hymns, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of their time.