Description

Agostino Dati (1420–78) was a philosopher, theologian, historian, linguist, and teacher in Siena. We know from his extensive correspondence that he also filled important public political, administrative, and judicial functions. Dati opened a school of rhetoric in Siena where he gave lectures illustrating the works of the classical poets. He was known for his oratory in both Latin and the vernacular. Elegantiolae is a handbook of rhetoric. Its first edition was published in Cologne in 1470; it was reprinted in Ferrara in 1471. From the beginning, it was a ...