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|Has Description=The Italian branch of the ''Seven Sages'' is usually reffered to as Version I, or the ''Versio Italico'', in scholarship, and the texts are often titled ''Il Libro dei Sette Savi di Roma''. This is an umbrella version used to refer to a group of six different Italian redactions. While the Version I pattern is assumed to stem originally from the [[A (Seven Sages)|Version A]] tradition, the ''Versio Italico'' versions evolved sepately from the [[Italian Version A]] texts. The Italian witness to the Seven Sages tradition are therefore split into two distinct groups. | |Has Description=The Italian branch of the ''Seven Sages'' is usually reffered to as Version I, or the ''Versio Italico'', in scholarship, and the texts are often titled ''Il Libro dei Sette Savi di Roma''. This is an umbrella version used to refer to a group of six different Italian redactions. While the Version I pattern is assumed to stem originally from the [[A (Seven Sages)|Version A]] tradition, the ''Versio Italico'' versions evolved sepately from the [[Italian Version A]] texts. The Italian witness to the Seven Sages tradition are therefore split into two distinct groups - those that are part of the A family, and the Version I family, described here. | ||
Within the ''Versio Italico'' branch, the six redactions | Within the ''Versio Italico'' branch, the various redactions demonstrate some clear differences. However, they all linked by their distinctive pattern of embedded tales. In all the ''Versio Italico'' redactions, the storytelling contest begins with the sages' first story, [[Canis]], rather than a story told by the empress, as we see in the [[A (Seven Sages)|Version A]] and [[H (Historia Septem Sapientum)|Historia]] patterns. The empress's usual story [[Senescalcus]] is omitted entirely, and she usually tells six rather than seven stories. Some scholarship ([[Rajna (1880)|Rajna]]) suggests this omission may have been made out of prudishness (as Senescalcus is one of the most explicit of the tales usually found in the European ''Seven Sages'' tradition); whatever the reason, the change necessitated a reordering of the narrative components of the text (see story order, below). While some of the ''Versio Italico'' redactions add or change stories later in the text, the initial pattern holds clear for all of them. | ||
** [[Il Libro dei Sette Savi de Roma (C)]] | The six ''Versio Italico'' redactions are: | ||
** [[Storia d'una Crudele Matrigna (M)]] | |||
** [[Versio Italica historiae septem sapientum (L)]] | ** [[Il Libro dei Sette Savi de Roma (C)]] - 14th c., first edited by Capelli | ||
** [[Storia di Stefano (R)]] | ** [[Storia d'una Crudele Matrigna (M)]] - 15th c., first edited by Della Lucia | ||
** [[L'Amabile di Continentia]] | ** [[Versio Italica historiae septem sapientum (L)]] - 15th c., in Latin; first edited by Mussafia | ||
** [[Storia di Stefano (R)]] - 15th c., verse in ''ottava rima''; first edited by Rajna | |||
** [[L'Amabile di Continentia]] | |||
** [[Erasto]] | ** [[Erasto]] | ||
[[D'Agostino (2022)]] explores the complex relationship between the three 'ramo antico' redactions at length | These six versions redactions are often split into distinct sub-groups in scholarship. For example, the first three of these texts constitute the 'rama antico', or old branch of Version I. [[Il Libro dei Sette Savi de Roma (C)|Il Libro dei Sette Savi (C)]] and the [[Storia d'una Crudele Matrigna (M)]] are closely related, and one or both of them may have derived from the Latin [[Versio Italica historiae septem sapientum (L)]] (the only non-Italian text in this part of the tradition); none are direct translations of each other, however. All three of these redactions have fourteen rather than the expected fifteen stories. [[D'Agostino (2022)]] explores the complex relationship between the three 'ramo antico' redactions at length, and suggests that the Latin Versio Italica (or some specific manuscript witnesses of that version) may have been the source for the ''Storia d'una Crudele Matrigna'', as many scholars have suggested ([[Paris (1876)|Paris (1876),]] [[Rajna (1880)]], etc.). However, D'Agostino does not concur with Gaston Paris' insistance that the extant Latin text was the source for the ''Libro'' (C) as well, instead suggesting that C and L both derived from a shared (lost) source, with intervening textual variation, cross-contamination, and mediation (p. 271-75). | ||
All three of the 'rama antico' texts also share an unusual name for the prince. In [[Il Libro dei Sette Savi de Roma (C)|''Libro'' (C)]], [[Storia d'una Crudele Matrigna (M)|''Crudele Matrigna'' (M)]], and the [[Versio Italica historiae septem sapientum (L)|Latin ''Versio Italica'' (L)]], the prince is named 'Stefano' - a name also found in the verse redaction, the [[Storia di Stefano (R)]]. (This name also appears in one of the [[Italian Version A]] texts, the [[Storia favolosa di Stefano (S)]], suggesting some cross-pollination between the A and I traditions.) The ''Storia di Stefano'' diverges from the 'rama antico' in the latter half of the text, however. The narrative begins with the first sage's story [[Canis]] and continues as expected through the 13th story, the sage Charaus' rendition of [[Puteus]]. However, instead of then concluding with Prince Stefano's tale, all of the previous tale-tellers have a chance to speak once more, on the 8th day. The empress tells a three-part story (listed below as separate tales, though narrated jointly), then each of the seven sages tells another tale. Malchidas's tale is also a tripartite narrative, split into three separate tales below, but usually listed as one block of narration in criticism. Therefore, before the prince at last tells [[Vaticinium]] to bring about the narrative's conclusion, 22 (or, if we divide the narratives, as below, 26) stories have already been told, with more than half of them on the final day. | |||
Revision as of 11:16, 8 December 2025
Within the Versio Italico branch, the various redactions demonstrate some clear differences. However, they all linked by their distinctive pattern of embedded tales. In all the Versio Italico redactions, the storytelling contest begins with the sages' first story, Canis, rather than a story told by the empress, as we see in the Version A and Historia patterns. The empress's usual story Senescalcus is omitted entirely, and she usually tells six rather than seven stories. Some scholarship (Rajna) suggests this omission may have been made out of prudishness (as Senescalcus is one of the most explicit of the tales usually found in the European Seven Sages tradition); whatever the reason, the change necessitated a reordering of the narrative components of the text (see story order, below). While some of the Versio Italico redactions add or change stories later in the text, the initial pattern holds clear for all of them.
The six Versio Italico redactions are:
- Il Libro dei Sette Savi de Roma (C) - 14th c., first edited by Capelli
- Storia d'una Crudele Matrigna (M) - 15th c., first edited by Della Lucia
- Versio Italica historiae septem sapientum (L) - 15th c., in Latin; first edited by Mussafia
- Storia di Stefano (R) - 15th c., verse in ottava rima; first edited by Rajna
- L'Amabile di Continentia
- Erasto
These six versions redactions are often split into distinct sub-groups in scholarship. For example, the first three of these texts constitute the 'rama antico', or old branch of Version I. Il Libro dei Sette Savi (C) and the Storia d'una Crudele Matrigna (M) are closely related, and one or both of them may have derived from the Latin Versio Italica historiae septem sapientum (L) (the only non-Italian text in this part of the tradition); none are direct translations of each other, however. All three of these redactions have fourteen rather than the expected fifteen stories. D'Agostino (2022) explores the complex relationship between the three 'ramo antico' redactions at length, and suggests that the Latin Versio Italica (or some specific manuscript witnesses of that version) may have been the source for the Storia d'una Crudele Matrigna, as many scholars have suggested (Paris (1876), Rajna (1880), etc.). However, D'Agostino does not concur with Gaston Paris' insistance that the extant Latin text was the source for the Libro (C) as well, instead suggesting that C and L both derived from a shared (lost) source, with intervening textual variation, cross-contamination, and mediation (p. 271-75).
All three of the 'rama antico' texts also share an unusual name for the prince. In Libro (C), Crudele Matrigna (M), and the Latin Versio Italica (L), the prince is named 'Stefano' - a name also found in the verse redaction, the Storia di Stefano (R). (This name also appears in one of the Italian Version A texts, the Storia favolosa di Stefano (S), suggesting some cross-pollination between the A and I traditions.) The Storia di Stefano diverges from the 'rama antico' in the latter half of the text, however. The narrative begins with the first sage's story Canis and continues as expected through the 13th story, the sage Charaus' rendition of Puteus. However, instead of then concluding with Prince Stefano's tale, all of the previous tale-tellers have a chance to speak once more, on the 8th day. The empress tells a three-part story (listed below as separate tales, though narrated jointly), then each of the seven sages tells another tale. Malchidas's tale is also a tripartite narrative, split into three separate tales below, but usually listed as one block of narration in criticism. Therefore, before the prince at last tells Vaticinium to bring about the narrative's conclusion, 22 (or, if we divide the narratives, as below, 26) stories have already been told, with more than half of them on the final day.
the first four of these narratives all give the prince the unusual name 'Stefano' (something shared with one of the Italian Version A texts, the Storia favolosa di Stefano),
Identification & General Information
Tradition & Lineage
Recorded Secondary Versions
Connected Manuscripts
Language & Composition
Pattern of Embedded Stories in This Version
| Has Short Title | Has Sequence Number | Has Narrator | Has Name Variation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canis – The Faithful Dog | 1 | ||
| Arbor – The Tree | 2 | Empress | |
| Medicus – The Doctor | 3 | ||
| Aper – The Boar and the Fruit | 4 | Empress | |
| Tentamina – The Test | 5 | ||
| Sapientes – The Wise Men | 6 | Empress | |
| Avis – The Bird | 7 | ||
| Gaza – The Treasure | 8 | Empress | |
| Inclusa – The Imprisoned Wife | 9 | ||
| Roma – Rome Besieged | 10 | Empress | |
| Vidua – The Widow | 11 | ||
| Virgilius – Virgil's Marvels | 12 | Empress | |
| Puteus – The Well | 13 |
Connected Prints