Abstract

This study examines a syntactical structure which is typical of the works of Francesco Guicciardini, especially of his "Storia d'Italia": participle clauses. The author studies two chapters of the book investigating two main groups of such clauses: conjunctive participial constructions and absolute participial constructions. The number of different dependent clauses which so often come before the main clause in Guicciardini's sentence- building is closely related to his efforts to express the complexity of historical events.