Italian 42a FINAL STUDY GUIDE
7) What does Cellini write about the influence of the stars on our lives?
"This just shows how the stars completely rule rather than merely influence our lives"
2) What is Julius wearing?
A triple crown and a cloak with gold and gems
To whom does "Constantine" address the Donation? (I write "Constantine" because, as we all know by now, the Emperor Constantine the Great had nothing to do with the Donation. The Donation is a forged document probably written in the 8th century, more than four centuries after Constantine died).
Addressed to Pope Sylvester I
6) What are the four famous statues that Bernini made for Cardinal Borghese? What are the literary sources from which Bernini drew the subjects of these works?
Aeneas and Anchises Pluto and Persephone Apollo and Daphne David
2) Who became pope after the death of Innocent VIII?
Alexander VI
17) What does M. say about Alexander VI and Julius II? What is the main difference between these two popes, according to M.? Does M. criticize their undertakings?
Alexander built up the "Earthly Power" of the pope by forcably getting land for his son Borgia. Julius was stupid to use Auxiliary armies, (but then why was he so powerful?) He just got lucky that the swiss army didn't turn on him. So his stupid decision to use another country's army, didn't backfire
6) Who is Lucrezia Borgia's third husband?
Alfonso d'Este, Duke of Ferrara
12) 3.10: Why does Alibech undertake her journey at the beginning of this story?How does he persuade Alibech to make love with him? Why does Alibech have to leave Rustico and go back to her hometown?
Alibech was on a quest for God. Rustico says that she "needs to put the devil in hell."
2) What was "Constantine"'s illness? And how was he supposed to treat this illness according to his pagan priests/physicians? How is "Constantine" cured?
Constantine has leprosy; he was supposed to treat it by bathing in the blood of innocent infants; Pope Sylvester baptizes him instead.
11) Why is "Constantine"'s use of scriptural passages like the one from the Book of Revelation (see Valla's critique at pages 54-55) inconsistent with historical reality?
Constantine would not have read the Book of Revelation and therefore, those could not be his words.
11) One writer appears in two of the paintings of the Room of the Segnatura: who is he?
Dante
21) Who was Michelangelo's favorite poet (p. 463)?
Dante
27) The images of the fox and the lion should remind you of a text that we have studied earlier in this course. What is this text?
Dante's Inferno 27
What sin in punished in the section of Hell that Dante describes in Canto 27?
Fraudulent Council
1) Who accompanies Julius II in the dialogue?
Genius
3) Who is the powerful Florentine man who treated Michelangelo as if he had been his son?
Lorenzo de Medici
21) What does Lucrezia propose in her dialogue with Callimaco?
Lucrezia believes that this situation must be God's wish for her.
34) How does The Prince end?
Machiavelli leaves de' Medici with a patriotic quote from Petrarch about taking up arms, and his plea is (finally) over.
2) Who was Michelangelo's first master? How old was Michelangelo at the time?
Master Francesco da Urbino; 14 years old
5) Which famous artist apparently influenced the St. Sebastian and St. Lawrence?
Michelangelo
16) What kind of work did Michelangelo do for the Florentine government in 1529 while the Medici were (briefly) out of power? Who was the pope at the time?
Michelangelo actively worked on the city's fortifications from 1528 to 1529 around San Miniato Church...; Pope Clement
16) What happened to Valla after he wrote the Oration?
No real consequences for Valla → Valla becomes the secretary of Pope Nicholas V, an ardent supporter of humanists.
3) What is the "common sense" argument that Valla deploys (pages 6-7) to suggest that it would have been unreasonable for Constantine to relinquish half of the Roman Empire?
No ruler would relinquish any territories s/he has conquered.
Does Dante condemn the church as a whole?
No. Just the corrupt clergymen in the church
16) What does M. write about the desire of the people and that of the nobles?
Nobles have power, and the non- loyal ones might try to take over.
13) How would you describe Michelangelo's relationship with Julius II?
Not good. They both clashed, as they both had strong personalities.
18) What is the "respectable reason" for which, according to Vasari, Raphael postponed (or continued to postpone) getting married?
Since he had worked in the papal court for years, Raphael had been given some indication that once he finished his work for Pope Leo, in recognition of his hard work, he would be given a cardinal's red hat.
Act 3: 15) What does Sostrata assert at the beginning of act 3?
That a wise man chooses the lesser of two evils; if there is no other way to have a child, then it must not bother Nicia's conscience.
20) In what context does Vasari mention Messer Biagio da Cesena?
Vasari mentions Messer Biagio da Cesena because they asked him what they thought of the painting Last Judgment, and he was mortified at the thought of having nudes in church.
6) What does Vasari say about the comparison between ancient and modern (that is, from Vasari's standpoint, the 1400s and 1500s)? (especially p. 423)
Vasari says modern works are just as good as ancient ones.
6) Why does Callimaco decide to leave Paris?
Wants to find Lucrezia to sleep with her
11) How does Callimaco manage to impress Nicia?
By speaking Latin
7) Where are these men from?
Corsini of Florence, de Boranzo of Milan, and Orsini of Rome
13) What is, according to Hibbard, the symbolic significance of Bernini's statue of Matilda of Tuscany?
(See also the papal tiara and the key that she holds in her left hand). Matilda had significantly strengthened the temporal authority of the popes at the time. She was an 11th century ruler who ceded her territory to the Holy See
6) How old was Cellini when he arrived in Rome and how did he earn his first money there?
19 years old; by making a salt-cellar
1) How many siblings did Catherine have?
25
In which section of hell is Ugolino punished?
2nd section of the 9th circle. Political treachery
2)Yes or No: Does the sinfulness of the Church's ministers deprive the institution of the Church of its dignity? Does the sinfulness of the Church's ministers deprive the sacraments of their sacredness?
No and no
13) How did Cesare lose his power?
-His father died, and a new pope, Julius II, a major enemy of Borgia, was elected -He was mortally ill -He never conquered pisa
4) How does Guicciardini describe Alexander VI? What qualities, positive and negative, does Guicciardini highlight?
-Positive: good judgment, good at persuading to get what he wanted, dexterity, attentive -Negative: had vices, such as obscene behavior, insincerity, lying, faithlessness, shamelessness, impiety, ambition, cruel, greedy for money
5)Yes or No: did she get married? Did she become a nun?
No and no
2) What are the characters' professions? Do they remind you of another work we have read this quarter? Which one?(The Mandrake Root:)
-The protagonist (?), Callimaco, a merchant, spent most of his life in Paris. -Other characters: Ligurio (Callimaco's adviser); Siro (the servant); Nicia (dumb lawyer); Timoteo (one of those priests) Lucrezia (Nicia's gorgeous and smart wife); Sostrata (Lucrezia's not-so-virtuous mother). The description of these characters is reminiscent to that of Boccaccio in the Decameron.
19) How did Raphael die?
-caused by a night of excessive sex with Luti, after which he fell into a fever and, not telling his doctors that this was its cause, was given the wrong cure, which killed him.
4) What are the three pillars of vice? What is the foundation of these three pillars? (See footnote for the correct answer).
1. Impurity/ lust 2. Greed/ avarice 3. Pride. The foundation of these pillars are their selfish self centeredness
What is the literal meaning of the word "Decameron"?
10 days
1) When did Lorenzo de' Medici (the Magnificent) die? When did Innocent VIII die?
1492, 1492
How many young men and young women decide to move from Florence to the countryside?( the Decameron)
7 women, 3 men
2) On which day was Benvenuto Cellini born?
All Saints' Day
18) What is the relationship between arms and laws?
Any state—old, new, whatever—needs good laws and good armed forces. Since you can't have good armed forces without good law, let's just say you need a good army
12) Who is the pagan god at the center of the Parnassus?
Apollo
10) Who are the philosophers at the center of the School of Athens?
Aristotle (on the right) and Plato (on the left, pointing up)
24) Is there something that a prince must avoid at all costs? Why?
As a prince, you must avoid to be Hated! This might cause people to stop being loyal and revolt
3) When did she have her first vision of Christ?
At the age of 6
4) By what means can a prince gain power?
By Overthrowing a kingdom, or by inheriting the power.
8) By what means should a prince secure his new dominion over a people used to living in freedom?
By living in the New territory
19) Does M. write that mercenary and auxiliary arms are good for a prince who aims to strengthen his power? Yes/No, why? What is the best kind of troops in M.'s view?
Auxiliary and Mercenary Arms are not good for a ruler, because, 1. If the army is strong, they will turn on you to gain power and you will lose because you don't have an army. 2. If they are weak, then they will lose battles for you. It's lose-lose scenario. You need loyal citizens to be your troops.
7) What makes Callimaco believe that he might achieve his goal (that is, to sleep with Lucrezia)?
Because Lucrezia's husband is a fool, and Callimaco believes he can fool him to sleep with his wife
11) What leads M. to praise Cesare Borgia's efforts to
Because he did everything that a ruler should do. He brutally destroyed his enemies, while looking like a kind guy
2) Why did Alexander VI order that Savonarola go to Rome? What did Savonarola answer to Alexander's order?
Because he heard that Savonarola was preaching against the corruption of the church; Savonarola refused, saying he is ill and that there are many enemies that want to kill him, but he adds that once this is taken care of, he'll go as he demands.
10) 3.4: Why is the young wife of this story unhappy with her husband? Where did Dom Felice, her lover, study?
Because he is very old and pious (has her on"diet"). He studied in Paris and was a monk of the local church
25) Why does M. assume that a prince cannot always be good and keep his word?
Because this is sometimes the rule with being a leader, you have to be tricky in order to keep your citizens in line, and fear you, and to make your enemies afraid of you.
12) What are the heraldic symbols of the Barberini family that we can find on the Baldachin (p. 79)?
Bees and Suns
5) Why were Benvenuto Cellini and his brother exiled from Florence?
Benvenuto and his brother were exiled, because his brother started a fight between San Gallo and Pinti gates, and wounded a young man of about 20 years old.
8) What is the main difference between Bernini's characterization of his David and that of Michelangelo's David?
Bernini's David is more rugged, seems older, is in motion, shows torsion
2) What historical event (occurred between 1348 and 1350) makes them leave Florence?
Black Plague
13) Which city rose up against Julius II in 1511? What did the mob destroy during the uprising?
Bologna; they destroyed a bronze statue of Pope Julius II
15) Is it better for a prince to rely on the support of the nobility or on that of the people? Why?
Bottom line: be friends with the people, because the nobles have too many tricks up their sleeves.
15) What are the circumstances that led Julius II to request that Michelangelo paint the vault of the Sistine Chapel?
Bramante tells Julius it is bad luck to build one's tomb while alive, and to do it in memory of his uncle Sixtus.
3) To which convent did Alexander write in order to make his grievances against Savonarola public?
Brothers of Santa Croce
What is the ancient city to which Dante refers at the beginning and end of canto 32 and after the end of Count Ugolino's speech in canto 33?
Caina
10) What will Callimaco pretend to be in order to deceive Nicia?
Callimaco pretends to be a doctor
12) How does Callimaco suggest that Lucrezia's sterility be cured?
Callimaco suggests that Lucrezia must drink a mandrake root potion and sleep with a stranger.
20) What does Callimaco say to Lucrezia in 5.4?
Callimaco tells her who he is, and tells her the truth about his deceitful plan.
3) How did Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia become pope according to Guicciardini?
Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia became pope by buying his votes: partly with money and partly with promises of offices and benefice (permanent Church appointment).
3) What is the relationship between Cellini's birth and his encounter with the scorpion?
Cellini's birthday lands on the horoscope Scorpio, which makes his encounter with the scorpion ironic.
Day 1, novella 1: What is Cepparello's profession? What is the meaning of his name (in Italian and in French)? Where and why is he hired? What does Cepparello confess to be his worst sin of all? What happens when Cepparello dies?
Cepparello is a notary working as a debt collector. He is hired in France because he is evil enough to deal with the Burgundians. He confesses that his worse sin is gluttony (eating too much).After he dies he is made a saint.
14) What do the female figures sculpted on the Tomb of Urban VIII personify?
Charity -- one of the three theological virtues: St. Paul Justice -- one of the four cardinal virtues
2) What was her father's profession
Cloth dyer
14) What are the two humors that, according to M., are found in every body politic?
Common people, and nobles
16) How did the new pope celebrate his election as pope?
Coronation (right?)
9) What are the subjects depicted in these paintings?
Depicting the theologians reconciling philosophy and astrology with theology, all the wise men of the world presenting different arguments.
4) How old was she when she died?
Died at 33
7) When did Alexander VI die? According to Guicciardini, how did he die? What happened to Cesare Borgia when his father (Alexander VI) died?
Died on August 18, 1503. The steward gave him the poisoned wine he was saving for someone else (she didn't know it was poisoned). He lost his power over the papal territories when his father died.
1) To which religious order did Savonarola belong?
Dominican order
6) What is the Biblical precedent of a Syrian general who suffered from leprosy that Valla suggests is behind the legend of the Donation? (See the slides and pages 8 and 16 of the Oration).
Elisha cured Naaman the Syrian of leprosy, and she refused to accept a payment from him.
5) How does "Constantine" describe the relationship between pope and emperor?
Emperor acts as a squire, like a knight.
2) What does she encourage the pope to do in Letter 26? (What is the main purpose of her letter?)
Encourages the pope to move the papacy back to Rome
22) What does M. write about Cesare's alleged cruelty and Florence's supposed mercy?
Even though he was cruel, he still got the people to think he was a good guy. This is Ideal because the people feared him, but also didn't hate him.
3) What are the three theological virtues? (see "key points" on CCLE)
Faith, hope, and charity
13) True or False: Valla thinks that the growth of the Roman Empire was legitimate and resulted from Divine Providence.
False
14) True or False: Guicciardini describes Julius II as a peace-loving pope.
False
5) True or False: God will punish the ministers of the Church less harshly for their sins.
False
6) True or False: does she show reverence towards the men she addresses in her letter?
False
7) True or False: Valla does not use irony in his Oration.
False, he does use irony.
3.1: True or False: does Boccaccio reveal the name of the convent in which the story takes place? Who (or what) does Masetto pretend to be in order to sleep with the nuns? How many nuns does he encounter in the convent? What happens to Masetto at the end of the story?
False. Masetto pretends to be deaf and mute. He encounters 8 nuns and 1 abyss. At the end of the story he becomes a stewart and fathers many children.
What was Guido da Montefeltro's profession? (canto 27)
First he was a soldier and then saw the light
The Mandrake Root: Prologue: 1) Where does the story take place?
Florence
8) What does Vasari tell us about the block of marble from which Michelangelo made the David?
Simone da Fiesole had botched the block, abandoned it for years, and Michelangelo ended up creating a masterpiece of this block, David.
18) What characterizes Machiavelli's portrait of Callimaco? If Callimaco were a prince, would he be an effective leader? Consider 4.1 and 4.4, for instance.
He would not be an effective leader, because is kind of mentally all over the place. He freaks out over everything.
19) Who is the figure that appears as a judge at the center of the Last Judgment?
God
3) According to Catherine, who has the authority to punish the corrupt ministers of the Church?
God
14) What are, according to Valla, the "reasons for making war"? Which one of these reasons is "just"?
Good reason: to avenge a wrong and defend friends = "just" Meh: fear of incurring a disaster in the future if the strength of others is allowed to grow Bad: the expectation of booty, and a desire for glory
Raphael: 1) Which moral qualities, according to Vasari, distinguish Raphael from other artists?
Grace, study, beauty, modesty, fine manners
Who is the sinner that Dante speaks to in Canto 27
Guido da Montefeltro and states that he was originally a member of the Ghibellines
To which religious order did Guido da Montefeltro's belong after he gave up his previous profession?
He became a friar of the Franciscan order
Machiavelli's The Prince: Dedicatory Letter: 1) To whom does Machiavelli (henceforth abbreviated as "M.") address The Prince? What makes M.'s gift precious?
He dedicated his book to Lorenzo de' Medici in hope of getting an advisory position within the Florentine government.
4) Why did Raphael travel to Florence?
He is eager to see the cartoons that Leonardo da Vinci painted; he heard great things about it.
How is Ugolino punished?
He is trapped in a frozen lake. He gnaws Ruggieri's nape
What does Dante learn when he speaks to Pope Nickolas III
He learns that there are worse Sinners living on earth and in the church
1.4: How does the monk avoid his expected punishment?
He leaves the girl in the room and waits for the Abbot to do things with her and then uses that to get out of his punishment
Why does Dante refer to the Emperor Constantine in lines 115-117?
He mentions it because this was the moment when the papacy turned evil with power, because the "Donation of Constantine," refers to the papacy getting his power after they healed him of leprosy
28) How does M. describe the conduct of Alexander VI?
He says that Alexander VI lied all the time. And he was a great ruler! (i guess?) He lied about his "Godly duties" making the people think he was a Godly man doing his job as a pope, while he really was just gaining lots of land, power, and women.
2) What did Gian Lorenzo study in the Vatican?
He studied Raphael and Michelangelo's paintings.
29) What similes does M. use to illustrate his idea of Fortune?
He uses a flooding river (as the bad luck). So that for men who have built Dams, and dykes (preparations for bad luck), they will be fine. But for men who have not prepared, they will be destroyed by bad circumstances.
4) How did Savonarola die?
He was hung, burned, and his ashes were thrown in the Arno River.
5) How did Raphael react when he saw the works of Michelangelo and Leonardo in Florence?
He was in admiration.
What sin is punished in the section of Hell that Dante described in Canto 19?
Simony
What do Ugolino's children offer to their father? Which Biblical text does this offer evoke?
His children offers him their flesh, referring to the bible (when Jesus offers his flesh)
Bernini: 1) What was the pivotal event that determined Gian Lorenzo's fortune? What was his father's profession?
His father moved to Rome; his father was a mediocre sculptor and craftsman.
7) Who helped Raphael gain the favor of the pope?
His friend/ relative: Bramante
10) What are the dangers in the pope's exercise of temporal power to which Valla draws the reader's attention (see for instance pages 42-45)?
IDK
12) Where had the Donation allegedly been hidden?
IDK
15) How does he describe the popes' rule over the city of Rome (see pages 72-80)?
IDK
9) What does Ligurio say about Lucrezia? Does Ligurio think that Nicia deserves to be with Lucrezia?
IDK
9) What is the discipline that Valla mastered and that allowed him to dissect the linguistic flaws of the Donation?
IDK
What makes the power of the "supreme pontiff" so impressive according to the beginning of Valla's Oration?(Oration on the Donation of Constantine)
IDK
23) Does M. believe that it is best for a prince to be feared or to be loved? Why?
It is better to be Feared because people respond better to punishment than love. This was true for the ruthless leader Hannibal. (There's a reason everyone remembers him!)
Act 1: 5) To which historical events does Callimaco refer in 1.1 (Act 1, Scene 1)?
Italian War of 1494, and invasion of the Italian peninsula by the French
4) Who is the great Roman general and political leader for whom Cellini's ancestor, Fiorino, served as an office? What is the city that Fiorino helped found?
Julius Caesar; Florence
10) Who succeeded Pius III?
Julius II
10) Who summoned Michelangelo to Rome in the year 1503-04 after the death of Alexander VI?
Julius II
31) How does M. describe the conduct of Julius II? Why was Julius successful?
Julius II was not smart in his conduct. He didn't do the things that a ruler should do. Then why was he so powerful? Luck! If his circumstances changed, he probably would have lost his power.
11) What is the project that this patron assigned to Michelangelo (and that Michelangelo never completed)?
Julius II's tomb
14) Who are the two male figures depicted seated (one on each side) in Raphael's Justice (p. 317)?
Justinian and Julius II
What kinds of gifts accompany the pope's newly acquired "princely power"?
Lateran palace of empire, diadem (crown), Phrygian tiara, purple cloak, and a scarlet tunic
26) Why does M. refer to the myth of the centaur Chiron?
Laws come naturally to men, force comes naturally to beasts. In order to succeed, the prince must learn how to fight both with laws and with force—he must become half man and half beast. (or a centaur)
16) Who becomes Raphael's main patron after the death of Julius II in 1513?
Leo X
15) Who succeeded Julius II in 1513? Who is the father of this new pope?
Leo X; his father is Lorenzo de Medici
8) What role does Ligurio play? What role does Siro play?
Ligurio promises to persuade Messer Nicia to go with Lucrezia to the mineral baths. Siro solely helps Callimaco with his plans, but doesn't necessarily know the purpose.
16) How does Ligurio trick Timoteo into accepting his offer (3.4-7)? (And why does Ligurio trick him?)
Ligurio tells Timoteo that Nicia's nephew, Camillo Calfucci left his daughter in a convent only to find out that she is four months pregnant. Unless they take care of it, the whole Calfucci family will be disgraced. Nicia is worried about the scandal so he will give money if this is kept a secret. Timoteo has to persuade the abbess to give the girl something to make her miscarry. Ligurio says that through this act, Timoteo would preserve the honor of the convent, of the girl, of her relatives, satisfy Nicia, and gain money. Timoteo agrees. Then, it turns out that Ligurio talked to some woman, and she told him that the daughter aborted herself. So, Timoteo has gained their trust.
4) How did this powerful Florentine come to appreciate Michelangelo's talent?
Michelangelo impressed Lorenzo with a sculpture he made of an old man.
5) What is the discipline that Michelangelo (like Leonardo) studied carefully and that allowed him to represent the human body with such realism in his works?
Michelangelo would occasionally dissect dead bodies to study the anatomy.
12) Which town did Julius II besiege in 1511 successfully leading his artillery troops from the frontline?
Mirandola
12) Who is the Hebrew prophet whose figure Michelangelo sculpted as part of the tomb of Julius II?
Moses
33) Who is the Biblical character that M. evokes in this chapter?
Moses
9) What are the ancient examples that M. mentions? What does M. say about Moses?
Moses, Cyrus, Romulus, Theseus
21) Should a prince be good at all times?
NOO, sometimes you have to be mean, and be brutal with your enemies.
9) Pp. 68 and 115: How does Hibbard describe Bernini's status during the papacy of Urban VIII?
Need to verify - Pope Urban VIII wanted a Michelangelo of his own. They had a friendship relationship.
19) What does Nicia ask that Lucrezia do in 5.2?
Nicia asks Lucrezia to be cleansed at church to purify the sin they made her do
14) Why does Nicia hesitate to accept Callimaco's suggestion?
Nicia doesn't want to turn his wife into a thot, and he doesn't want to be the husband of an adulteress.
Michelangelo: 1) Did Michelangelo's father support his son's artistic disposition?
No
3) Where did Callimaco live before returning to Florence?
Paris
3) How do the ten youths spend their time during the two weeks in the countryside?
Telling stories
18) Who was the pope when Michelangelo completed the Last Judgment?
Paul III
12) How does Cesare deal with his lieutenant Remirro de Orco? What is the reaction of the people of Romagna to Cesare's conduct and what does M. think about it?
People are happy with it, because the lieutenant was a jerk to everyone, and now Borgia killed orca and dispayed him to the town.
9) Who commissioned the David? What does the David symbolize according to Vasari (p. 427)?
Piero Soderini; The David symbolizes the palace. Just as David had defended his people and governed them with justice, so too, those who governed this city should courageously defend it and govern it with justice.
7) What is the sculpture that cardinal Rouen commissioned to Michelangelo during the artist's first stay in Rome? What does Vasari say about what some critics said about this sculpture?
Pieta sculpture; he said what critics have to say is stupid.
3) Who was his first master?
Pietro Perugino was his first apprentice, but his father Giovanni Santi trained him first.
9) Who succeeded Alexander VI? How long was he [the successor] in power?
Pius III; lasted 26 days
Which pope requested the sinful advice of the sinner punished in this section of Hell? (Canto 27)
Pope Boniface VIII
17) Who commissioned the Last Judgment?
Pope Clement
To whom does she address Letter 26?
Pope Gregory XI
6) Who was the pope when Raphael arrived in Rome?
Pope Julius II
8) Who commissioned the paintings Raphael made in the Room of the Segnatura?
Pope Julius II
3) With whom does Dante speak in Canto 19
Pope Nicholas III
7) What is the work that we have studied earlier in this course and that Bernini imitates in his Aeneas and Anchises?
Raphael's Fire in the Borgo
Chapter 1: 3) What are the various kinds of states that M. identifies in this chapter?
Republics Monarchies New monarchies & mixed Monarchies Old Monarchies
6) Where did she die?
Rome
8) How did Rome react to the news of Alexander's death according to Guicciardini?
Rome rejoices seeing Alexander's dead body in the Church.
Who is punished with Ugolino? What did this second sinner do to deserve his punishment?
Ruggieri. He is the one who imprisoned Ugolino.
17) Who are the two saints who brandish a sword in The Meeting of Leo III [actually Leo I] and Attila?
Saint Peter and Saint Paul
In addition to Constantine, who else is involved in the decision to bestow "princely power" on the pontiff?
Satraps, the entire Senate, Optimates, and all the Roman people.
13) Who is the Dominican friar that had been excommunicated by Alexander VI (and then executed in Florence) and that appears in the Disputation of the Sacrament?
Savonarola
4) According to her letter, against whom should the pope wage war after establishing peace within Christendom?
She wanted Gregory to start a crusade to recover Jerusalem -> peace with the Christendom -> war against the "infidels"
4) What are the risks of dividing the Empire (pages 11-12)?
Sibling rivalry as a symbol of civil war. Constantine's children, the Senate, and the Roman people would be against the Donation.
11) The man who became pope as Julius II had been made a cardinal by a previous pope who was also his uncle: who was this earlier pope?
Sixtus IV
One challenge: where do you find the bronze, where do you find the gold?
Some of this material came from the temple itself.
4) What does the author write about his condition in the Prologue?
Some thoughts on this: "It's author isn't very famous" (p. 434) "And if all this seems unimportant, too trivial to come from a man who is wise and serious, excuse the author; he is only trying with these little trifles to brighten up his miserable life. There is no other thing that he can turn to- for it has been impossible to show his worth in other arts, since no one will reward him for his labors. He expects that this reward will be for all to jeer and snicker and speak badly of all they see and hear." (p. 435)
Cellini: 1) What did Cellini (like all other men) have to struggle with in his life (p. 1)?
Struggled with fortune
5) What does Valla imagine that Sylvester would say to Constantine in response to Constantine's gift (pages 15-21)?
Sylvester would not have the right to accept it.
3) What was Gian Lorenzo's first work? How old was he?
The Goat Almathea with the Infant Jupiter and a Faun sculpture; 11 years old
2) How does M. describe his condition? (And what had happened to M. after the Medici regained power in 1512-13?)
The Medici family has him imprisoned for conspiracy
32) What should the Medici family try to achieve in M.'s view?
The Medici family should try to take over and rule Italy, like Borgia tried.
15) What is the painting, with a mythological subject, that the banker and merchant Agostino Chigi commissioned to Raphael?
The Triumph of Galatea
What images does Catherine use to describe the Church? (See footnote)
The body of Christ or The Bride of Christ
To what kind of works does M. juxtapose The Prince? What is M's goal in writing The Prince?
The book is a pretty underhanded slap at Plato's Republic. M. basically is writing this book to show princes the reality of ruling a nation, saying that other books at the time just gave impractical and morally idealistic recommendations. M. is a realist.
6) What does M. describe as "a very natural and normal thing" (page 86)?
The desire to acquire
8) What are the most evident historical (and geographic) inaccuracies in the Donation to which Valla draws our attention?
The difference in the Latin used at the time of Constantine compared to that of the Donation, the material of the tiara (papal crown), the question of Byzantium vs. Constantinople, and the figure of the satrap.
9) 3.3: Who helps the noble lady fulfill her desire to sleep with the man she has fallen in love with? What is her husband's profession?
The friar helps her. He was a rich merchant
7) What is the main difference between the King of France and the King of the Turks?
The king of France has Barons with power that could turn against him, where as the Turks only have one man who has any power
13) What is the (fictional) harmful side effect of the cure that Callimaco prescribes?
The next man that she sleeps with might die within the next 8 days
10) What were the main challenges in making the Baldachin? And how did Bernini and his patron overcome these challenges?
The piece of work is gigantic. It is very tall around 62 ft. The bases are in marvel, the remaining was in bronze and gold.
23) Where does the play end?
The play ends in the church.
3) How does Julius explain why he waged his military campaigns? How does Saint Peter respond to Julius's explanation?
The sins he did like simony and pedestry, are excused because a pope can do what he pleases
14) What happened to the bronze statue of Julius II that Michelangelo made in Bologna?
The statue was destroyed by the Bentivogli, and the bronze was sold to Duke Alfonso of Ferrara
How are sinners punished in his punch (canto 27)
They are burned with clothing that is on fire
2) How are the sinners punished in this ditch/pouch? (Remember that a pouch is one of the subsections into which is divided the eighth circle of Hell - the circle of fraud).
They are stuck headfirst in pits with only their feet protruding, while fire wraths at their feet.
1.2: Where do Abraham and Giannotto live? What city does Abraham visit in the pilgrimage that results in his conversion to Christianity? Why does he convert? What name does he choose when he converts?
They live in Paris. Abraham visits Rome. He converts because he sees all the corruption of the clergymen yet the church still thrives (holy spirit must be maintaining it). He changes his name to John.
How do Ugolino's children die?
They starved to death
17) How do Sostrata and Timoteo convince Lucrezia to sleep with a stranger who might die as a result of their "encounter" (3.10-11)?
Timoteo tells her that the outcome of her act is to fill a seat in paradise and to please her husband, because in not pleasing her husband, she is committing a sin. Sostrata will put her to bed and prepare everything for her.
4) What does Julius promise at the end of the dialogue?
To build up forces and besiege Peter
2) What does Valla seek to achieve in writing the Oration (pages 3-4)?
To pursue truth and justice. Accusation against the Roman pontiffs, and refute the Donation → Constantine and Sylvester would not want to make a donation.
5) To whom does she address Letter 82?
To the three Italian cardinals: Corsini, di Boranzo, and Orsini
22) True or False: Lucrezia is described as if she were reborn after the night spent with Callimaco.
True
5) True or False: Guicciardini does not think that Fortune always favors good people.
True.
8) Who was the pope at the time of her letter?
Urban VI
4) Who commissioned the Martyrdom of St. Sebastian?
Urban VIII
2) Where was Raphael born?
Urbino, Italy
30) Is it possible for a prince to adjust his "method" to the shifting circumstances that Fortune offers to him? Why?
Yes, in fact you must adjust to the shifting circumstances to be successful. This is because circumstances are never the exact same.
10) How did Cesare Borgia acquire his state?
because his dad tricked people to get it for him.
11) 3.8: Why and how is Ferondo punished? What happens to Ferondo at the end of this story?
feels jealousy, beaten, "comes back to life" and returns home to raise the abbot's child
11) In which part of St. Peter's Basilica does the Baldachin stand?
over the high altar of St. Peter's Basilica
5) Why do men "gladly change their masters" according to M.? What is a new prince (inevitably) forced to do when he gains power?
people will willingly trade one recently arrived ruler for another, hoping that a new ruler will be better than the present one.
