He was in this position on the day when he had granted the desired interview to Tito Melema. The May afternoon sun was on the flowers and the grass beyond the pleasant shade of the loggia; the too state]y silk lucco was cast aside, and the light loose mantle10 was thrown over his tunic11; his beautiful daughter Alessandra and her husband, the Greek soldier-poet Marullo, where seated on one side of him: on the other, two friends not oppressively illustrious, and therefore the better listeners. Yet, to say nothing of the gout, Messer Bartolommeo’s felicity was far from perfect: it was embittered12 by the contents of certain papers that lay before him, consisting chiefly of a correspondence between himself and Politian. It was a human foible at that period (incredible as it may seem) to recite quarrels, and favour scholarly visitors with the communication of an entire and lengthy13 correspondence; and this was neither the first nor the second time that Scala had asked the candid14 opinion of his friends as to the balance of right and wrong in some half-score Latin letters between himself and Politian, all springing out of certain epigrams written in the most playful tone in the world. It was the story of a very typical and pretty quarrel, in which we are interested, because it supplied precisely15 that thistle of hatred16 necessary, according to Nello, as a stimulus17 to the sluggish18 paces of the cautious steed, Friendship.
Politian, having been a rejected pretender to the love and the hand of Scala’s daughter, kept a very sharp and learned tooth in readiness against the too prosperous and presumptuous19 secretary, who had declined the greatest scholar of the age for a son-in-law. Scala was a meritorious20 public servant, and, moreover, a lucky man — naturally exasperating21 to an offended scholar; but then — O beautiful balance of things! — he had an itch22 for authorship, and was a bad writer — one of those excellent people who, sitting in gouty slippers23, ‘penned poetical25 trifles’ entirely26 for their own amusement, without any view to an audience, and, consequently, sent them to their friends in letters, which were the literary periodicals of the fifteenth century. Now Scala had abundance of friends who were ready to praise his writings: friends like Ficino and Landino — amiable27 browsers28 in the Medicean park along with himself — who found his Latin prose style elegant and masculine; and the terrible Joseph Scaliger, who was to pronounce him totally ignorant of Latinity, was at a comfortable distance in the next century. But when was the fatal coquetry inherent in superfluous29 authorship ever quite contented30 with the ready praise of friends? That critical supercilious31 Politian — a fellow-browser, who was far from amiable — must be made aware that the solid secretary showed, in his leisure hours, a pleasant fertility in verses, which indicated pretty clearly how much he might do in that way if he were not a man of affairs.
Ineffable32 moment! when the man you secretly hate sends you a Latin epigram with a false gender33 — hendecasyllables with a questionable34 elision, at least a toe too much — attempts at poetic24 figures which are manifest solecisms. That moment had come to Politian: the secretary had put forth35 his soft head from the official shell, and the terrible lurking36 crab37 was down upon him. Politian had used the freedom of a friend, and pleasantly, in the form of a Latin epigram, corrected the mistake of Scala in making the culex (an insect too well known on the banks of the Arno) of the inferior or feminine gender. Scala replied by a bad joke, in suitable Latin verses, referring to Politian’s unsuccessful suit. Better and better. Politian found the verses very pretty and highly facetious38: the more was the pity that they were seriously incorrect, and inasmuch as Scala had alleged39 that he had written them in imitation of a Greek epigram, Politian, being on such friendly terms, would enclose a Greek of his own, on the same interesting insect — not, we may presume, out of any wish to humble40 Scala, but rather to instruct him; said epigram containing a lively conceit41 about Venus, Cupid, and the culex, of a kind much tasted at that period, founded partly on the zoological fact that the gnat43, like Venus, was born from the waters. Scala, in reply, begged to say that his verses were never intended for a scholar with such delicate olfactories44 as Politian, nearest of all living men to the perfection of the ancients, and of a taste so fastidious that sturgeon itself must seem insipid45 to him; defended his own verses, nevertheless, though indeed they were written hastily, without correction, and intended as an agreeable distraction46 during the summer heat to himself and such friends as were satisfied with mediocrity, he, Scala, not being like some other people, who courted publicity47 through the booksellers. For the rest, he had barely enough Greek to make out the sense of the epigram so graciously sent him, to say nothing of tasting its elegances48; but — the epigram was Politian’s: what more need be said? Still, by way of postscript49, he feared that his incomparable friend’s comparison of the gnat to Venus, on account of it’s origin from the waters, was in many ways ticklish50. on the one hand, Venus might be offended; and on the other, unless the poet intended an allusion51 to the doctrine52 of Thales, that cold and damp origin seemed doubtful to Scala in the case of a creature so fond of warmth; a fish were perhaps the better comparison, or, when the power of flying was in question, an eagle, or indeed, when the darkness was taken into consideration, a bat or an owl53 were a less obscure and more apposite parallel, &c. &c. Here was a great opportunity for Politian. He was not aware, he wrote, that when he had Scala’s verses placed before him, there was any question of sturgeon, but rather of frogs and gudgeons: made short work with Scala’s defence of his own Latin, and mangled54 him terribly on the score of the stupid criticisms he had ventured on the Greek epigram kindly55 forwarded to him as a model. Wretched cavils56, indeed! for as to the damp origin of the gnat, there was the authority of Virgil himself, who had called it the ‘alumnus of the waters;’ and as to what his dear dull friend had to say about the fish, the eagle, and the rest, it was ‘nihil ad rem;’ for because the eagle could fly higher, it by no means followed that the gnat could not fly at all, &c. &c. He was ashamed, however, to dwell on such trivialities, and thus to swell57 a gnat into an elephant; but, for his own part, would only add that he had nothing deceitful or double about him, neither was he to be caught when present by the false blandishments of those who slandered58 him in his absence, agreeing rather with a Homeric sentiment on that head — which furnished a Greek quotation59 to serve as powder to his bullet.
The quarrel could not end there. The logic42 could hardly get worse, but the secretary got more pompously60 self-asserting and the scholarly poet’s temper more and more venomous. Politian had been generously willing to hold up a mirror, by which the too-inflated secretary, beholding61 his own likeness62, might be induced to cease setting up his ignorant defences of bad Latin against ancient authorities whom the consent of centuries had placed beyond question, — unless, indeed, he had designed to sink in literature in proportion as he rose in honours, that by a sort of compensation men of letters might feel themselves his equals. In return, Politian was begged to examine Scala’s writings: nowhere would he find a more devout63 admiration64 of antiquity65. The secretary was ashamed of the age in which he lived, and blushed for it. Some, indeed, there were who wanted to have their own works praised and exalted66 to a level with the divine monuments of antiquity; but he Scala, could not oblige them. And as to the honours which were offensive to the envious67, they had been well earned: witness his whole life since he came in penury68 to Florence. The elegant scholar, in reply, was not surprised that Scala found the Age distasteful to him, since he himself was so distasteful to the Age; nay69, it was with perfect accuracy that he, the elegant scholar, had called Scala a branny monster, Inasmuch as he was formed from the offscourings of monsters, born amidst the refuse of a mill, and eminently70 worthy72 the long-eared office of turning the paternal73 millstones (in pistrini sordibus natus et quidem pistrino dignissimus)!
It was not without reference to Tito’s appointed visit that the papers containing this correspondence were brought out to-day. Here was a new Greek scholar whose accomplishments74 were to be tested, and on nothing did Scala more desire a dispassionate opinion from persons of superior knowledge than on that Greek epigram of Politian’s. After sufficient introductory talk concerning Tito’s travels, after a survey and discussion of the gems75, and an easy passasge from the mention of the lamented76 Lorenzo’s eagerness in collecting such specimens77 of ancient art to the subject of classical tastes and studies in general and their present condition in Florence, it was inevitable78 to mention Politian, a man of eminent71 ability indeed, but a little too arrogant79 — assuming to be a Hercules, whose office it was to destroy all the literary monstrosities of the age, and writing letters to his elders without signing them, as if they were miraculous80 revelations that could only have one source. And after all were not his own criticisms often questionable and his taste perverse81? He was fond of saying pungent82 things about the men who thought they wrote like Cicero because they ended every sentence with ‘esse videtur: but while he was boasting of his freedom from servile imitation, did he not fall into the other extreme, running after strange words and affected83 phrases? Even in his much-belauded ‘Miscellanea’ was every point tenable? And Tito, who had just been looking into the ‘Miscellanea,’ found so much to say that was agreeable to the secretary — he would have done so from the mere84 disposition85 to please, without further motive86 — that he showed himself quite worthy to be made a judge in the notable correspondence concerning the culex. Here was the Greek epigram which Politian had doubtless thought the finest in the world, though he had pretended to believe that the ‘transmarini,’ the Greeks themselves, would make light of it: had he not been unintentionally speaking the truth in his false modesty87?
Tito was ready, and scarified the epigram to Scala’s content. O wise young judge! He could doubtless appreciate satire88 even in the vulgar tongue, and Scala — who, excellent man, not seeking publicity through the booksellers, was never unprovided with ‘hasty uncorrected trifles,’ as a sort of sherbet for a visitor on a hot day, or, if the weather were cold, why then as a cordial — had a few little matters in the shape of Sonnets89, turning on well-known foibles of Politian’s, which he would not like to go any farther, but which would, perhaps, amuse the company.
Enough: Tito took his leave under an urgent invitation to come again. His gems were interesting; especially the agate90, with the lusus naturae in it — a most wonderful semblance91 of Cupid riding on the lion; and the ‘Jew’s stone,’ with the lion-headed serpent enchased in it; both of which the secretary agreed to buy — the latter as a reinforcement of his preventives against the gout, which gave him such severe twinges that it was plain enough how intolerable it would be if he were not well supplied with rings of rare virtue92, and with an amulet93 worn close under the right breast. But Tito was assured that he himself was more interesting than his gems. He had won his way to the Scala Palace by the recommendation of Bardo de’ Bardi, who, to be sure, was Scala’s old acquaintance and a worthy scholar, in spite of his overvaluing himself a little (a frequent foible in the secretary’s friends); but he must come again on the ground of his own manifest accomplishments.
The interview could hardly have ended more auspiciously94 for Tito, and as he walked out at the Porta Pinti that he might laugh a little at his ease over the affair of the culex, he felt that fortune could hardly mean to turn her back on him again at present, since she had taken him by the hand in this decided95 way.
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1
azure
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| adj.天蓝色的，蔚蓝色的 | |
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ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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wincing
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的现在分词 ) | |
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pompous
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的 | |
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feigning
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| 假装，伪装( feign的现在分词 )； 捏造（借口、理由等） | |
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orations
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| n.（正式仪式中的）演说，演讲( oration的名词复数 ) | |
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titular
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| adj.名义上的，有名无实的；n.只有名义（或头衔）的人 | |
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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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spacious
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| adj.广阔的，宽敞的 | |
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mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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tunic
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| n.束腰外衣 | |
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embittered
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| v.使怨恨，激怒( embitter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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lengthy
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| adj.漫长的，冗长的 | |
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candid
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| adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的 | |
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precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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stimulus
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| n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物 | |
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sluggish
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| adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的 | |
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presumptuous
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| adj.胆大妄为的，放肆的，冒昧的，冒失的 | |
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meritorious
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| adj.值得赞赏的 | |
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exasperating
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| adj. 激怒的 动词exasperate的现在分词形式 | |
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itch
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| n.痒，渴望，疥癣；vi.发痒，渴望 | |
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slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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poetic
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| adj.富有诗意的，有诗人气质的，善于抒情的 | |
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poetical
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| adj.似诗人的；诗一般的；韵文的；富有诗意的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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browsers
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| 浏览器 | |
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superfluous
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| adj.过多的，过剩的，多余的 | |
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contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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supercilious
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| adj.目中无人的，高傲的；adv.高傲地；n.高傲 | |
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ineffable
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| adj.无法表达的，不可言喻的 | |
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gender
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| n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性 | |
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questionable
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| adj.可疑的，有问题的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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crab
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| n.螃蟹，偏航，脾气乖戾的人，酸苹果；vi.捕蟹，偏航，发牢骚；vt.使偏航，发脾气 | |
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facetious
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| adj.轻浮的，好开玩笑的 | |
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alleged
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| a.被指控的，嫌疑的 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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conceit
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| n.自负，自高自大 | |
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42
logic
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| n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性 | |
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gnat
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| v.对小事斤斤计较，琐事 | |
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olfactories
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| n.嗅觉的( olfactory的名词复数 ) | |
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insipid
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| adj.无味的，枯燥乏味的，单调的 | |
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distraction
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| n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐 | |
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publicity
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| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
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48
elegances
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| n.高雅( elegance的名词复数 )；（举止、服饰、风格等的）优雅；精致物品；（思考等的）简洁 | |
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postscript
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| n.附言，又及；(正文后的)补充说明 | |
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50
ticklish
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| adj.怕痒的；问题棘手的；adv.怕痒地；n.怕痒，小心处理 | |
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51
allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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52
doctrine
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| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
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53
owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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54
mangled
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| vt.乱砍（mangle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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55
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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cavils
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| v.挑剔，吹毛求疵( cavil的第三人称单数 ) | |
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57
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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58
slandered
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| 造谣中伤( slander的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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59
quotation
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| n.引文，引语，语录；报价，牌价，行情 | |
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60
pompously
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| adv.傲慢地，盛大壮观地；大模大样 | |
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61
beholding
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| v.看，注视( behold的现在分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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62
likeness
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| n.相像，相似（之处） | |
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63
devout
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| adj.虔诚的，虔敬的，衷心的 (n.devoutness) | |
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64
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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antiquity
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| n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹 | |
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66
exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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67
envious
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| adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的 | |
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68
penury
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| n.贫穷，拮据 | |
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69
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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70
eminently
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| adv.突出地；显著地；不寻常地 | |
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71
eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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72
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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73
paternal
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| adj.父亲的，像父亲的，父系的，父方的 | |
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74
accomplishments
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| n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就 | |
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gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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76
lamented
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| adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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77
specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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78
inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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79
arrogant
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的 | |
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80
miraculous
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| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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81
perverse
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| adj.刚愎的；坚持错误的，行为反常的 | |
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82
pungent
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| adj.（气味、味道）刺激性的，辛辣的；尖锐的 | |
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83
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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84
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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85
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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86
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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87
modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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88
satire
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| n.讽刺，讽刺文学，讽刺作品 | |
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89
sonnets
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| n.十四行诗( sonnet的名词复数 ) | |
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90
agate
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| n.玛瑙 | |
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91
semblance
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| n.外貌，外表 | |
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92
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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93
amulet
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| n.护身符 | |
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94
auspiciously
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| adv.吉利； 繁荣昌盛； 前途顺利； 吉祥 | |
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95
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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