Chapter Le biografie dei classici nelle glosse di Boccaccio al IV Canto dell’Inferno tra il Liber de dictis philosophorum antiquorum e altre sillogi di vite dei filosofi antichi

Overview & Synopsis

The contribution intends to relate the biographies of the philosophers and auctores contained in the glosses to canto IV of Dante’s Inferno to some possible sources consulted by Boccaccio. The study takes into account three possible competing sources: Giovanni Gallico’s Compendiloquium, which Boccaccio read in the Riccardian codex 1230 - postillated by him in one place -, the Liber de vita et moribus philosophorum by pseudo-Walter Burley and the Liber de dictis philosophorum antiquorum according to Boccaccio’s Laurentian Zibaldone. This text, previously considered of minor importance than the other biographical syllogies, will be given a prominent role, especially in correspondence with eight biographies in which it seems to have provided Boccaccio with ideas for the elaboration of the work.