Aldo Manuzio, famous printer, publisher, died in 1515. In 1498 he had dedicated an edition of works of Poliziano, and later, Horace, Ovid, Tibullus, and Propertius to Marin Sanudo. So when he died, Sanudo wrote a nice note of his passing and accomplishments and even funeral arrangements. [Editor's notes, pp 432-3]
Sanudo Diaries: February 8, 1515 (19:425); "Two days ago don Aldus Manutius the Roman died here in Venice; he was an excellent humanist and Greek scholar and was the son-in-law of the printer Andrea [Torresani] of Asolo. He produced very accurate editions of many Latin and Greek works with prefatory letters addressed to many, dedicating a number of little works to me, Marin Sanudo. He also wrote an excellent grammar. But now, after lying ill for many days, he is dead. Since he was tutor to the lords of Carpi and was made part of the Pio household, he ordered that his body be taken to Carpi for burial and that his wife and children go to live there, where those lords gave him some property. This morning, the body having been placed in the church of San Patrinian with books surrounding it, the funeral rites were held. An oration praising him was recited by Raphael Regio, public lecturer in humanita in this city. The body was then placed in storage until it can be taken away."
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Five years before and a day, Sanudo mentions some effects of cutbacks due to the war, which was then beginning its third year. It was winter and cold and often rainy. Carnival was a welcome distraction in any year but especially this one. Last year's carnival escapades were unusually poor and so this year people were ready for a good time.
Editor's note: "The zuoba di la caza, the Thursday of the chase, was a central event in Venetian carnival celebrations. This ... ritual reenactment of a historical event that brought together all the strata of Venetian society ... referred to a twelfth-century rebellion led by the patriarch of Aquileia against the patriarch of Grado, a Venetian ecclesiastical puppet, in which it was said that twelve castellans of Friuli participated. According to the story, the miscreants were captured and condemned to death, but the pious intervention of the pope commuted their sentence to a perpetual annual tribute of three hundred loaves of bread plus twelve pigs and one bull. Therefore, the reenactment concerned the ritual public slaughter of the pigs and the bull (representing the castellans and the patriarch of Aquileia) after the bull had been chased through the streets. The entire city witnessed these events -- the doge, the Signoria, and guests from the balcony of the Ducal Palace and the populace from the Piazza. The doge further participated through a "formal" condemnation of the animals to such capital punishment, and councillors armed with sticks enacted a symbolic destruction of toy castles especially built for this purpose." [p. 518]
nedits: The editor's give a footnote to Muir's 1981 book Civic Ritual In Renaissance Italy, so I will too: Civic Ritual In Renaissance Italy, Edward Muir, Princeton University Press, 1981. [p. 572]
Sanudo Diaries: February 7, 1510 (9:516); "Today was February 7, the Thursday of the chase. I note that this year was unusual in that no pork treats were given to the patricians. This was because the pigs, which the castellans are obliged to donate, are not to be found in the Patria of Friuli. This is because of the wars that have taken place. Therefore, this good custom will be suspended."
Editor's footnote: "Sanudo uses the word zozolo, a cognate of the Friulian zozzul, meaning "little pieces of pork." These were distributed to senators after the annual pig chase in the Piazetta. The editors are grateful to Edward Muir for this definition...." [p.518]
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All quotes as Sanudo Diaries or Editor's notes or Editor's Footnotes from Venice, Cita Excellentissima, Selection from the Renaissance Diaries of Marin Sanudo translated by Linda L Carroll, editors: Patricia H LaBalme and Laura Sanguineti White, published by Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008
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