Giovanni Pontano’s 'The Ass'
Abstract
We present the first Spanish translation of the Asinus, Giovanni Pontano's most original dialogue. In this dialogue, whose action takes place shortly after the peace signed between King Ferrante I of Naples and Pope Innocent VIII in 1486, Pontano combines a series of scenes from daily life in the city and the countryside with a reflection on the ingratitude and the political role of humanists in court. The text shows a clear influence from the Plautine comedies, and in that sense, it moves away from the humanist dialogues inspired by the Ciceronian and Platonic texts. Although his main objective is humorous, Pontano uses this dialogue to present his figure from different angles (including ironic self-deprecation) and to value his role among his humanist colleagues and concerning the political leaders of his time.Downloads
References
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