Boccaccio and the poetic inclination: Genealogie deorum gentilium 15.10
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34019/2318-3446.2022.38409Keywords:
Genealogie deorum gentilium, poetry, vocation, autobiography, Giovanni BoccaccioAbstract
In the two final books of the Genealogie deorum gentilium (Genealogies of the pagan gods, ca. 1359-1374), following thirteen encyclopaedic volumes on the Greco-Roman gods and heroes, Giovanni Boccaccio writes a compelling defence of poetry and poets. There, he presents several arguments and examples to rebut his critics (amongst whom were theologians, lawyers and physicians). Particularly in Chapter 10 of Book 15, Boccaccio explains that all humans have different natural dispositions, including a poetic one; and the diversity of studies and professions should be celebrated, not repressed. Then, Boccaccio gives a personal account of his trajectory as a poet, revealing as futile any life project that does not meet one’s own desire. In this paper, I present an original translation of Genealogia 15.10 from Latin into Brazilian Portuguese, accompanied by a brief introduction on Boccaccio’s literary career.
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