[1130] Paul. Jovii, Elog. Lit. p. 90. G. M. was, however, compelled to recant publicly. His letter to Lorenzo (May 17, 1478) begging him to intercede with the Pope, ‘satis enim poenarum dedi,’ is given by Malagola, Codro Urceo, p. 433.
[1131] Codri Urcei Opera, with his life by Bart. Bianchini; and in his philological lectures, pp. 65, 151, 278, &c.
[1132] On one occasion he says, ‘In Laudem Christi:’
Phoebum alii vates musasque Jovemque sequuntur,
At mihi pro vero nomine Christus erit.
He also (fol. x. b) attacks the Bohemians. Huss and Jerome of Prague are defended by Poggio in his famous letter to Lion. Aretino, and placed on a level with Mucius Scaevola and Socrates.
[1133] ‘Audi virgo ea quae tibi mentis compos et ex animo dicam. Si forte cum ad ultimum vitae finem pervenero supplex accedam ad te spem oratum, ne me audias neve inter tuos accipias oro; cum infernis diis in aeternum vitam degere decrevi.’
[1134] ‘Animum meum seu animam’—a distinction by which philology used then to perplex theology.
[1135] Platina, Vitae Pontiff. p. 311: ‘Christianam fidem si miraculis non esset confirmata, honestate sua recipi debuisse.’ It may be questioned whether all that Platina attributes to the Pope is in fact authentic.
[1136] Preface to the Historia Ferdinandi I. (Hist. Ztschr. xxxiii. 61) and Antid. in Pogg. lib. iv. Opp. p. 256 sqq. Pontanus (De Sermone, i. 18) says that Valla did not hesitate ‘dicere profiterique palam habere se quoque in Christum spicula.’ Pontano, however, was a friend of Valla’s enemies at Naples.
[1137] Especially when the monks improvised them in the pulpit. But the old and recognised miracles did not remain unassailed. Firenzuola (Opere, vol. ii. p. 208, in the tenth novel) ridicules the Franciscans of Novara, who wanted to spend money which they had embezzled, in adding a chapel to their church, ‘dove fusse dipinta quella bella storia, quando S. Francesco predicava agli uccelli nel deserto; e quando ei fece la santa zuppa, e che l’agnolo Gabriello gli portò i zoccoli.’