Pitying Antiochus: Italian Humanism and the Philology of Compassion

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study of emotions has been prominent within medieval and early modern studies. However, much remains to be explored, particularly regarding how literature might shed light on broader cultural outlooks and the construction and application of specific emotions in past societies. This article delves into Italian humanist culture’s comprehension and utilisation of a particular emotion: compassion. By closely examining the literary reception of an ancient story – Valerius Maximus’ exemplum of Seleucus, Antiochus, and Stratonica – in the writings of four humanists: Boccaccio, Petrarch, Bruni, and Manetti, the article proposes what might be described as a ‘philology of compassion’. It demonstrates how the various renditions of the tale predominantly revolve around compassion, revealing the debates within the humanist community concerning the nature of this emotion, its ethical and political significance, and those to whom it should be most directed.