Author

Giuseppe Betussi e la traduzione del De mulieribus claris

Introduction

Giuseppe betussi e la traduzione del de mulieribus claris. Esplora la traduzione di Betussi del De mulieribus claris di Boccaccio (1545), analizzando l'inedita biografia di Brunichilde. Uno studio filologico ricostruisce l'integrazione del testo.

Abstract

Nel 1545 il poligrafo veneto Giuseppe Betussi dà alle stampe una traduzione in volgare del De mulieribus claris di Giovanni Boccaccio: dalla comparazione tra l’opera latina e il suo volgarizzamento emerge un caso singolare, vale a dire la presenza – nel testo betussiano – di una biografia intitolata alla regina dei Franchi Brunichilde, non inclusa nell’opera originale. Il presente studio propone un’indagine filologico-testuale con l’intento di ricostruire l’itinerario che ha condotto, nel corso di due secoli, a tale integrazione del testo boccacciano.

Review

The proposed study delves into Giuseppe Betussi's 1545 vernacular translation of Giovanni Boccaccio's *De mulieribus claris*, a significant work of Renaissance scholarship and literary transmission. The core contribution lies in the identification of a unique textual anomaly: Betussi's inclusion of a biography of Brunhilde, Queen of the Franks, a figure conspicuously absent from Boccaccio's original Latin text. This unexpected addition immediately signals a compelling case study for textual criticism and the history of translation. The paper's stated aim to reconstruct the two-century trajectory that led to this specific integration within the Boccaccian corpus is both ambitious and highly relevant to our understanding of early modern textual practices. Employing a rigorous *indagine filologico-testuale* (philological-textual investigation), the research promises to meticulously trace the lineage of this interpolated biography. This methodology is perfectly suited to unraveling the complex layers of textual transmission and editorial intervention that can occur over centuries. The significance of this investigation extends beyond a mere textual curiosity; it offers crucial insights into the reception history of Boccaccio's monumental work, the editorial freedoms and interpretive strategies of Renaissance translators like Betussi, and the broader intellectual environment that permitted such substantial modifications. Understanding how a new figure, Brunhilde, came to be integrated into a canonical text provides a fascinating lens through which to examine evolving notions of authorship, historical narrative, and the very concept of a "definitive" text. This study represents a valuable and original contribution to scholarship on Renaissance translation, Boccaccio studies, and the textual history of influential works. The identification of such a specific and impactful textual deviation, coupled with the commitment to tracing its full historical trajectory, demonstrates a high level of scholarly rigor and insight. Scholars interested in early modern Italian literature, textual criticism, and the complex processes of literary transmission will find this work essential reading. It promises not only to illuminate a specific instance of textual alteration but also to enrich our broader understanding of how classical and medieval texts were adapted, interpreted, and reshaped for new audiences during the vibrant intellectual period of the Renaissance.

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