Coluccio Salutati

Coluccio Salutati (* February 16, 1331 in Stignano at Buggiano Valdinievole, between Lucca and Pistoia, † May 4, 1406, also Lino Coluccio di di Pierio Salutati ) was an Italian humanist and politician.

Life

Salutati was according to the study of law in Bologna notary. After his family had to leave Bologna, he was probably in 1367 chancellor of Todi and finally in 1371 the same function of Lucca. In the meantime, he became an assistant Francesco Bruni, the secretary of the Pope, Pope Urban V.. During this time the brief acquaintance with Francesco Petrarca, to persuade the Salutati to visit the papal court sought falls. 1375 Salutati was elected chancellor of Florence, the most influential position in the Republic of Florence; He held this office for more than 30 years until his death in 1406.

Politician and philosopher

Salutati was a politician, in his mind, he embodied the free spirit of the bourgeoisie. His greatest political success as Chancellor of the Republic of Florence was the city's salvation before the conquest by Giangaleazzo Visconti of Milan.

He was educated in the liberal arts and philosophy of the Middle Ages, but by the study of the ancient writers, he was a convinced humanist. From his works, his knowledge of ancient literature and philosophy can - his library comprised 800 scrolls - open: In Latin, it is above all Virgil's Aeneid and Cicero, Greek authors, however, it has rather brought in from translations and even read. As the small number of references to Homer and Plato shows that he has not mastered and Greek. However, his philhellenism led him to set up in Florence a chair of Greek language to which it 1397 the Greeks Manuel Chrysoloras summoned. Chrysoloras most famous pupil Leonardo Bruni should be, himself later chancellor of Florence and translator of Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch and Democritus.

Significant was Salutati rediscovery of Cicero's letters ad familiares, the contemporary image of Cicero heavily modified. An admirer of Petrarch, he made outstanding contributions to the preservation and publication of his work Africa.

In his philosophical efforts Salutati was less systematic than Petrarch; in the emphasis on ethical issues he agrees with the humanists of the 14th century. Important for him is to discuss the relationship of contemplative life and active life. Salutati not reject the contemplative life, but he sees its limits within the world range: Full contemplation of God is for the people in the Hereafter possible in the life of the vita activa, the ethical conduct of life must be straight in their daily dealings with each transport.

Salutati was oriented to practical policy thinkers. Concern for family and friends and to the state he considered particularly pleasing to God. Quite different, however, 60 years later, Marsilio Ficino, for it is certain that God can only be reached in thought and that man can only enter this path to happiness and perfection.

Works

The Salutati writings are far stretched. They include policy-oriented works as well as philosophical and literary allegorical writings. Of fundamental importance in order to gain insight into opinions and actions Salutati, his extensive letter Corpus ( Epistolario ), with whom he was raised in the tradition of famous antique Epistolographen like Cicero and Seneca, but also in the succession of Petrarch.

• Epistolario
• Invectiva, 1403
• De saeculo et religione, 1381
• De fato, fortuna et casu, 1396-1399
• De nobilitate legum et medicinae, 1399
• De tyranno, 1400
• De laboribus Herculis, unfinished