Cf. Aldus's preface to Lascaris' Grammar; Renouard, vol. i. p. 7; and again Alde Manuce, p. 143, for similar passages.
[317] Dated Florence, 1485; in the Aldine edition of Poliziano's Letters, book ix.
[318] In the introduction to Pico's Apologia may be read the account he gives of the codex of the pseudo-Esdras purchased by him.
[319] Poliziano's Greek epigram addressed to Pico on this matter may be quoted from the Carmina Quinque Poetarum, p. 412:—
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καὶ τοῦτ’ ἀστρολόγοις ἐπιμέμφομαι ἠερολέσχαις, ὅττι σοφους Πίκου μοι φθονέους’ ὀάρους. καὶ γὰρ ὁ ἐνδυκέως τούτων τὸν λῆρον ἐλέγχων μουνάξει ἐν ἀγρῷ δηρὸν ἑκὰς πόλεως. Πῖκε τί σοι καὶ τούτοις; οὔ σ’ ἐπέοικεν ἀγύρταις ἀντᾶραι τὴν σὴν εὐτυχέα γραφίδα. |
[320] Disputationum Camaldulensium lib. iv., dedicated to Frederick of Urbino.
[321] The legend of the foundation of this Order is well known through Sacchi's picture in the Vatican.
[322] Born at Colle in 1430.
[323] The following verses on Alessandra are so curious a specimen of Poliziano's Greek style that I transcribe them here (Carmina Quinque Illustrium Poetarum, p. 304):—
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εὕρηχ’ εὕρηχ’ ἣν θέλον, ἣν ἐζήτεον αἰεὶ, ἣν ᾔτουν τὸν ἔρωθ’, ἣν καὶ ὀνειροπόλουν· παρθενικὴν ἧς κάλλος ἀκήρατον, ἧς ὅγε κόσμος οὐκ εἴη τέχνης ἀλλ’ ἀφελοῦς φύσεως· παρθενικὴν γλώττῃσιν ἐπ’ ἀμφοτέρῃσι κομῶσαν, ἔξοχον ἔντε χοροῖς ἔξοχον ἔντε λύρᾳ· ἧς περὶ σωφροσύνῃ τ’ εἴη χαρίτεσσι θ’ ἁμίλλα, τῇ καὶ τῇ ταύτην ἀντιμεθελκομέναις. εὕρηκ’ οὐδ’ ὄφελος, καὶ γὰρ μόλις εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν οἰστροῦντι φλογερῶς ἐστιν ἅπαξ ἰδέειν. |