Coogan, Robert, Trans., Babylon on the Rhone: A Translation of Letters by Dante, Petrarch, and Catherine of Siena on the Avignon Papacy (Potomac: Studia Humanitatis)
Text name(s):
Number of pages of primary source text: 101
Author(s):
Dates: 1310 - 1380
Archival Reference:
Original Language(s):
- Latin
- Italian
Translation:
- Translated into English.
Translation Comments: English Translation from Italian and Latin. Critical editions of each work in the original language was used by Coogan for his translations.
Geopolitical Region(s):
- Italy
- France
- Europe
County/Region: Rome, Avignon
Record Types:
- Prophecy
- Letter
Subject Headings:
- Theology - Ecclesiology
- Religion - Institutional Church
- Reform
- Piety - Mysticism
- Piety
- Philosophy / Theology
- Papacy
- Literature - Didactic
- Clergy - Priests Bishops, Canons
- Theology - Moral / Ethics
- Women / Gender
Apparatus:
- Index
- Introduction
Comments:
In 1309 pope Clement V had begun residing in the papal city of Avignon. The following seven popes would generally remain in Avignon in what is known as the “Avignon Papacy” or the “Babylonian Captivity of the Church.” This period was characterized not only by absentee popes but by their subjection to French policy. The papacy returned to Rome in 1376 under Gregory XI, but the political climate had not changed and instead gave way to the Western Schism (1378-1417).
This work is a collection of letters from Dante, Petrarch, and Catherine of Siena during and in regards to the Avignon Papacy. The letters are arranged chronologically with Part I being Dante’s letters, followed by Petrarch, and concluding with Catherine of Siena. It provides a useful collection of letters surrounding the Avignon Papacy, although some critical apparatus are greatly desired.
Dante letters V-VIII: Coogan uses Paget Toynbee’s 1966 critical edition as the master text for his translations of Dante’s letters. Dante’s letters were aimed against the papacy of Boniface VIII. Petrarch letters II, IV, VIII, X XII-XIV, and XVII-XIX: the master text for Coogan’s translation comes from Paul Piur’s 1925 Petrarcas “Buch ohne Namen” und die Päpstliche Kurie. Petrarch used vivid imagery in his letters to provide a harsh critique of the papacy. Catherine letters XXVI, XXXI, XXXII, LXXII, and CXX: translated from Gabriella Anodal’s Lettere di Santa Caterina, con note e commento di Niccolo Tommeseo. Catherine’s letters compelled their readers to live a life of spiritual purity, as well as prophesying against the papacy, and urging papal reformation.
Introduction Summary:
This 22 page introduction is divided into two sections. The first discusses the motivation behind the letters and the environment in which they were produced for. The second section discusses the role Petrarch’s Liber sine nomine had upon the Reformation.
Cataloger: MF
