Abstract

Through a close analysis of a wide range of Sperone Speroni's writings (dialogues, treatises, discourses), the paper demonstrates how Speroni's theory of translation has its roots in the Renaissance theory of "imitatio" as developed by Erasmus in his dialogue "Ciceronianus sive de optimo genere dicendi" (1528). The essay not only offers evidence of Speroni's borrowing from Erasmus, but examines both his familiarity with the rich Greek and Latin rhetorical tradition and his original contribution to the theory of translation and the development of vernacular philosophy. The relationship between the problem of "imitatio" and that of "translatio" allows the author to offer an innovative interpretation of Speroni's work.