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istorians of literature had been sifted and compared。 Then every shade of difference in the style of the ancients was studied with closer and doser attention till the consoling conclusion was at last reached that in Cicero alone was the perfect model to be found； or； if all forms of literature were to be embraced； in 'that immortal and almost heavenly age of Cicero。' Men like Pietro Bembo and Pierio Valeriano now turned all their energies to this one object。 Even those who had long resisted the tendency； and had formed for themselves an archaic style from the earlier authors； yielded at last； and joined in the worship of Cicero。 Longolius； at Bembo's advice； determined to read nothing but Cicero for five years long； and finally took an oath to use no word which did not occur in this author。 It was this temper which broke out at last in the great war among the scholars； in which Erasmus and the elder Scaliger led the battle。
For all the admirers of Cicero were by no means so one…sided as to consider him the only source of language。 In the fifteenth century； Politian and Ermolao Barbaro made a conscious and deliberate effort to form a style of their own； naturally on the basis of their 'overflowing' learning； and our informant of this fact； Paolo Giovio； pursued the same end。 He first attempted； not always successfully； but often with remarkable power and elegance； and at no small cost of effort； to reproduce in Latin a number of modern； particularly of aesthetic； ideas。 His Latin characteristics of the great painters and sculptors of his time contain a mixture of the most intelligent and of the most blundering interpretation。 Even Leo X； who placed his glory in the fact； 'ut lingua latina nostro pontificatu dicatur facta auctior；' was inclined to a liberal and not too exclusive Latinity； which； indeed； was in harmony with his pleasure…loving nature。 He was satisfied if the Latin which he had to read and to hear was lively； elegant； and idiomatic。 Then； too； Cicero offered no model for Latin conversation； so that here other gods had to be worshipped beside him。 The want was supplied by representations of the comedies of Plautus and Terence； frequent both in and out of Rome； which for the actors were an incomparable exercise in Latin as the language of daily life。 A few years later； in the pontificate of Paul II； the learned Cardinal of Teano （probably Niccolo Forteguerra of Pistoia） became famous for his critical labors in this branch of scholarship。 He set to work upon the most defective plays of Plautus； which were destitute even of a list of the characters； and went carefully through the whole remains of this author； chiefly with an eye to the language。 Possibly it was he who gave the first impulse for the public representations of these plays。 Afterwards Pomponius Laetus took up the same subject； and acted as producer when Plautus was put on the stage in the houses of great churchmen。 That these representations became less in common after 1520； is mentioned by Giovio； as we have seen； among the causes of the decline of eloquence。
We may mention； in conclusion； the analogy between Ciceronianism in literature and the revival of Vitruvius by the architects in the sphere of art。 And here； too； the law holds good which prevails elsewhere in the history of the Renaissance； that each artistic movement is preceded by a corresponding movement in the general culture of the age。 In this case； the interval is not more than about twenty years； if we reckon from Cardinal Adrian of Corneto （1505） to the first avowed Vitruvians。
Neo…Latin Poetry
The chief pride of the humanists is； however； their modern Latin poetry。 It lies within the limits of our task to treat of it； at least in so far as it serves to characterize the humanistic movement。
How favourable public opinion was to that form of poetry； and how nearly it supplanted all others； has been already shown。 We may be very sure that the most gifted and highly developed nation then existing in the world did not renounce the language such as the Italian out of mere folly and without knowing what they were doing。 It must have been a weighty reason which led them to do so。
This cause was the devotion to antiquity。 Like all ardent and genuine devotion it necessarily prompted men to imitation。 At other times and among other nations we find many isolated attempts of the same kind。 But only in Italy were the two chief conditions present which were needful for the continuance and development of neo…Latin poetry： a general interest in the subject among the instructed classes； and a partial re…awakening of the old Italian genius among the poets themselvesthe wondrous echo of a far…off strain。 The best of what is produced under these conditions is not imitation； but free production。 If we decline to tolerate any borrowed forms in art； if we either set no value on antiquity at all； or attribute to it some magical and unapproachable virtue； or if we will pardon no slips in poets who were forced； for instance； to guess or to discover a multitude of syllabic quantities； then we had better let this class of literature alone。 Its best works were not created in order to defy criticism； but to give pleasure to the poet and to thousands of his contemporaries。
The least success of all was attained by the epic narratives drawn from the history or legends of antiquity。 The essential conditions of a living epic poetry were denied； not only to the Romans who now served as models； but even to the Greeks after Homer。 They could not be looked for among the Latins of the Renaissance。 And yet the 'Africa' of Petrarch probably found as many and as enthusiastic readers and hearers as any epos of modern times。 Purpose and origin of the poem are not without interest。 The fourteenth century recognized with sound historical sense that the time of the second Punic war had been the noonday of Roman greatness； and Petrarch could not resist writing of this time。 Had Silius Italicus been then discovered； Petrarch would probably have chosen another subject； but as it was； the glorification of Scipio Africanus the Elder was so much in accordance with the spirit of the fourteenth century； that another poet； Zanobi di Strada； also proposed to himself the same task； and only from respect for Petrarch withdrew the poem with which he had already made great progress。 If any justification were sought for the 'Africa；' it lies in the fact that in Petrarch's time and afterwards Scipio was as much an object of public interest as if he were then alive； and that he was regarded as greater than Alexander； Pompey； and Caesar。 How many modern epics treat of a subject at once so popular； so historical in its basis； and so striking to the imagination？ For us； it is true； the poem is unreadable。 For other themes of the same kind the reader may be referred to the histories of literature。
A richer and more fruitful vein was discovered in expanding and completing the Greco…Roman mythology。 In this too； Italian poetry began early to take a part； beginning with the 'Teseid' of Boccaccio； which passes for his best poetical work。 Under M