The courtier (Il cortegiano)
First sentence
I HAVE spent a long time wondering, my dear Alfonso, which of two things was the more difficult for me: either to refuse what you have asked me so often and so insistently, or to do it...
Description
"The Book of the Courtier (1528) is a series of fictional conversations by courtiers of the Duke of Urbino that take place in 1507, when Baldesar Castiglione was himself attache to the Duke. Today, the Book of the Courtier remains the most illuminating account of court life and its culture in the Renaissance and of what it took to be the "Perfect Courtier" and "Court Lady." The text of this Norton Critical Edition is Charles Singleton's translation, the most acclaimed and accurate English translation available. It is accompanied by the detailed annotations of both translator and editor." "Following the text are ten seminal assessments of The Book of the Courtier, representing the best interpretations from the United States, England, and Italy. Contributors include Amedeo Quondam, Harry Berger Jr., Virginia Cox, Eduardo Saccone, Joan Kelly-Gadol, David Quint, Wayne Rebhorn, James Hankins, Peter Burke, and Daniel Javitch." "A Selected Bibliography, Chronology, and Index of Persons and Items are also included."--BOOK JACKET.