Abstract

This paper investigates the image and representation of the philosopher Pietro Pomponazzi in a series of texts by Sperone Speroni, a pupil of Pomponazzi. Focusing on linguistic aspects, the article examines Speroni’s Pomponazzi («Il Peretto ») in light of documents that restore a sense of the philosopher’s spoken language. A comparison with the reportationes of his pupils shows that Speroni did not merely repeat Pomponazzi’s ideas, but rather formulates his own intellectual positions, independent of his master’s teachings. Nor did he reproduce Pomponazzi’s characteristic eloquence: on the contrary, he betrayed the real Pomponazzi to such an extent that he made him express himself according to the precepts enunciated by Pietro Bembo in the Prose.