Abstract

This dissertation analyzes how the historical environment of late fifteenth-century Florence shaped the classical scholarship of an extraordinary humanist, Angelo Poliziano . His intellectual achievements stand as major developments in the history of classical scholarship, fundamentally advancing the modern development of the classical discipline with his zealous exactitude in the study of ancient literature, an unprecedented linguistic sophistication and textual expertise, and his historical criticism. This is not, however, an intellectual biography of Poliziano in a traditional sense. ;It focuses on how he developed his methodological aims and techniques, an issue not previously made clear in other studies of his work. The way in which historical conditions affect how scholars conduct their scholarship has been underrated in traditional histories both of classical scholarship and of the Renaissance, but comes to the fore in this examination of Poliziano's attainments, without disputing his individual genius. ;Following an initial presentation of the concept of reciprocity of influences as essential to recognizing his scholarly works as cultural phenomena of his age, this study examines four specific historical factors of the late Quattrocento as principal influences. First, patronage by Lorenzo de' Medici provided financial and political support. But most remarkable is the way in which Poliziano also limited its influence on the outcome of his scholarship by sharply distinguishing his political endeavors from his work as a classical scholar, seeking to produce academic work that was deliberately objective. ;Second, changes in Italian humanism and relations with humanist colleagues helped to form the specialized, technical scholarship that Poliziano practiced. The waning of 'civic humanism,' the rise of anti-Ciceronianism, and the 'battle of the ancients and the moderns' influenced his scholarship in fundamental ways. So did a third, related factor: the resurgence of Greek studies in the West. Poliziano's instruction by Byzantine emigres and his characteristic interest in Greek culture shaped his Latin studies and his critical methodology. Fourth, the practical 'world of books'--the new libraries and printing industry--had manifold effects on his editing and interpreting of ancient texts and on his application of philological, literary, and codicological criticism