The novel is set in Siena, and centers around the love story of Lucretia, a married woman, and Eurialus, one of the men waiting on the Duke of Austria. After an uncertain beginning, in which each is in love but unaware that it is reciprocated, they begin a correspondance, which takes up much of the rest of the novel. Before writing his first love-letter, Eurialus quotes Virgil in defence of his position, Amor vincit omnia et nos cedamus amori. This page is about Siena, Italy. ...
But soon after 1442, the council elected Amadeus, Duke of Savoy, as an antipope, Aeneas, perceiving that the council's position was in the long run untenable, found a pretext for withdrawing to the Emperor Frederick III's (1440–93) court at Vienna.
He sketched biographical treatises on Europe and Asia, and in early and middle life produced numerous tracts on the political and theological controversies of his day, as well as on ethical subjects.
Pius II was greatly admired as a poet by his contemporaries, but his reputation in belles lettres rests principally upon his Eurialus and Lucretia, which continues to be read to this day, partly from its truth to nature, and partly from the singularity of an erotic novel being written by a Pope.
Feeds |
Contact