"A Tribute to Petrarch"

Author Bio: Leonardo Bruni (c. 1370-1444)- Italian "civic humanist" dedicated to both study of the classics and service to one's city-state, Bruni wrote extensively about the famous classical figures and values. His most famous work is History of the Florentine People, but he was also an excellent scholar in translating works of Plato, Aristotle, and Demosthenes into Latin, recording accounts of the lives of Petrarch and Dante, and serving as chancellor of Florence. Bruni obviously not only greatly admired Petrarch, classical thinkers, and their work, but also embraced many of the same humanist values as these subjects.

Date/Context: This tribute was written in 1436, about sixty years after Petrarch's death, still in the time period of the early Renaissance. The text was written with the intention of eulogizing Petrarch's life, at a time when the Renaissance was gaining momentum and humanist ideals were again coming to the forefront of intellectual discussion. "A Tribute to Petrarch" is an excerpt from Bruni's work, "Petrarca and the Art of Poetry."

Summary: Bruni opens with a description of the glories of the Latin language, including its significance at the time of Cicero, a classical writer, and its eventual decline. Bruni attributes its resurrection, along with the resurrection of humanist ideals, to Petrarch. Through diligent and humble study, Petrarch was able to emulate the classical style as it had appeared, especially in Cicero's works, and help to make it more accessible to those who would follow him. Bruni goes on to extol Petrarch's gifts in both poetry and prose, an unusual combination that set him apart from other famous writers of his day and in classical times.

Important Quote:
"Francisco Petrarch was the first who had such grace of talent, and who recognized and restored to light the ancient elegance of style which was lost and dead, and although in him it was not perfect, nevertheless by himself he saw and opened the way to this perfection..."