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The liber sine nomine (The Book Without A Name), also seen as just Sine nomine, is a collection of 19 letters by Petrarch which he chose to keep out of his massive letter collection known as Epistolae familiares. He wrote these 19 letters while he was in Provence between 1351 to 1353. In the preface to Sine nomine Petrarch writes that he had kept these special 19 letters from the other larger collection of Epistolae familiares so that the reader could destroy this smaller collection without destroying the larger collection altogether. This really was a transparent conceit. The real reason was that Epistolae familiares would receive a much better reception without these controversial letters.

The earliest of the 19 letters may have been written around 1342 with the latest appearing about 1359. Sine nomine was included in the 1554 Basil edition of his complete works which was published again in 1581. It seemed to have excited little interest for over 400 years, save for letter # 18. These letters without names contain neither a description of any pope's faults or any call to some action required. There will be found here in this collection only names of ancient authors, classical people, mythical figures, and biblical characters. Petrarch also withheld from Sine nomine the names of individuals to whom the letters were written and any identifying particulars. This is the basis for the title Without a Name. Petrarch remarks about this in his statement of the preface, I have quite purposely concealed their names, for if their identities were to come out into the open they would be injured if still alive or hated if dead, as though I had by preference written the letters to them knowing ahead of time that they would give them a very willing reception.

The 19 letters in Liber sine nomine, withheld from publication until Petrarch’s death (made available to the public 1397), form a single book which is based on the theme of two cities. The first Petrarch referred to as Jerusalem, the rightful center of the world, the chaste and beautiful, though sometimes ravished, Lady. This being of course Rome. He referred to the second city (Avignon) as Babylon on the Rhone, the labyrinth, the sewer, the pustule, the brassy and corrupt harlot exalted beyond her degree, who lords it over her Lady Rome, thinking the Lady is dead or vanquished.

Guiseppe Francassetti, who published Petrarch’s Epistolae familiares letters in both Latin and Italian in 1859, refused to print Petrarch's Liber sine nomine because in Francassetti's words it was as being unworthy of a Catholic and a Franciscan tertiary. In 1885 certain other authors translated it into French. In 1895 it was translated into Italian where the collection received its first significant study. In 1925 Paul Piur provided a text based on the best available manuscripts in which it was written and it remains the standard Latin text. It is Paul Piur's edition that Paul Zacour used for Petrarch’s translation into English called Book Without A Name published in 1973. This single edition appears to be the only English version available.

Fewer than one percent of the nearly 700 entries on the subject of Petrarch in WorldCat appear to deal with Petrarch’s Book Without A Name, perhaps because the name inplies it is a volume without a title. The reason these letters were kept secret, Norman Zacour writes in his translation foreword to Petrarch’s Book without a Name, is that nothing in the modern criticism of the Avignon papacy complaints are of favoritism toward the French, Italian complaints about its prolonged stay in Avignon, episcopal complaints about its continual interference in local church affairs, and the individual complaints about the avarice of its officials, "compares in scope for controversy."

Petrarch makes no effort to conceal his feelings that the papacy should be in Rome in Epistolae familiares. In among these 350 letters where Petrarch's complaints of the papacy being in Avignon, it could be dismissed as just grumblings of one living and working in an increasingly French organization of cardinals appointed during the Avignon papacy. However in Sine nomine it is not only most poignant of moral criticism leveled at misconduct of certain individuals of the papacy at Avignon, but also to the Avignon papacy in general. In Sine nomine his condemnations of the Avignon papacy are more frequent and more intense than those published in Epistolae familiares, as is evident in these 19 letters. Petrarch created a book written to posterity, a book highly rhetorical in nature, which called into question the virtue and future of the whole institution of the Avignon papacy as it existed then in the Fourteenth Century.

Contents 1 Letter 1 2 Letter 2 3 Letter 3 4 Letter 4 5 Letter 5 6 Letter 6 7 Letter 7 8 Letter 8 9 Letter 9 10 Letter 10 11 Letter 11 12 Letter 12 13 Letter 13 14 Letter 14 15 Letter 15 16 Letter 16 17 Letter 17 18 Letter 18 19 Letter 19 20 Notes 21 References

[edit] Letter 1

This letter was sent to Phillipe de Cabassoles, bishop of Cavaillon. He was a long standing friend of Petrarch as was also Cola di Rienzo, Francesco Nelli, Niccola di Capoccia, and Ildebrandino Conti; other recipients of these letters. Because of the obscurity of the Liber sine nomine in general, one can not tell for sure whom this letter is about or its date. In this letter he writes of a pope that is extremely ill and about to die. He credits this pope with the current catastrophic state of the church. The question then, is it pope Benedict XII (died 1342) or Clement VI (died 1352)? General opinion leans toward Benedict, therefore dating the letter to the spring of 1342. The structure of this letter is a metaphor based on a shipwreck. The wording is such that it is hard to see if the disaster is supposed to be due to the pilot's incompetence or his steering. In Petrarch's words unskilled hands work the oars alluding to the fact while the pope is sick the cardinals have the greatest influence then. Petrarch says in the letter that Vaucluse is the calmest harbor. He also says A ship, with a fool who has too much confidence in calm weather at its helms dangerously hugging the shore while safety is to be found in deeper water. The keel is forced deep by burdensome cargo. This "ship" Petrarch refers is the church with the pope as the helmsman and 12 new cardinals at the oars. The metaphor continues with the waters as the turbulent times and the shore as the earthly power.

[edit] Letter 2

This letter along with the next letter was sent to Cola di Rienzo in 1347 when he had the title of tribune of Rome (Nicholaus, severus et clemens, libertatis, pacis justiciaeque tribunus, et sacre Romane Reipublice liberator). Cola was born in 1313 in Rome. He was a well educated notary. He also had a strong antiquarian interst in Roman history and historical monuments. Cola came to political power in 1343 in a government uprising when he gathered a band of followers and declared himself ruler. At the time there was a group in Avignon pleading with pope Clement VI that Cola be nominated "Senator of Rome" for a lifetime. They also called for the return of the papacy back to Rome from Avignon which Petrarch encouraged much.

[edit] Letter 3

Petrarch did everything possible to dispel suspicion and through pope Clement VI he obtained a formal appointment of Cola as notary to the government of Italy. Cola returned then to Rome in 1343 and became a noble figure. During the absence of the senators and nobility (May 20, 1347) Cola lead a revolution. This is when he proclaimed a new constitution and made himself the dictator. When Petrarch heard of this in June he then sent Cola this letter and others encouraging him. In spite of Petrarch's close relationship to the Colonna family, he declaired Cola the liberator of the Roman people. Petrarch writes in this letter of the matter that weighs down his spirit, I hope that it will thrust the sting of rightous indignation into the souls of all the people of Rome and of Italy, and drive out the heavy inertia which keep the old noble-natured power dormant. He then goes on later with, Most elogent sir, would you, I beg, inform the Roman populace of what I said when you next orate in public as is your custom, so that they may know the sentiments of these high and mighty people respecting our welfare.

[edit] Letter 4

After Cola had moved from place to place he turned up in Prague. He was looking for support from Charles IV, whom had sent him to prison at Avignon in 1352. There Cola remained, chained up to a tower reading Clement V's copy of the historian Livy. Later Pope Innocent VI released him and used Cola to restore the papal court to Rome. Cola was released from prison in September of 1353 and returned to Rome in July of 1354. This letter, written around October or November of 1352, is to the Roman people in an attempt to persuade them to demand that Cola di Rienzo be returned to Rome to stand trial there. At that time Cola was imprisoned in Avignon awaiting trail. In this letter Petrarch writes of Rome and about revenge. He writes of Rome's slow recovery of her lost vitality and expresses his interest in Rome playing its role again in the world in the papal court which was moved temporarly to Avignon.

[edit] Letter 5

This letter of only two paragraphs long. He refers to the Rhone River (certainly not guilty of blaspheme or misuse of sacred powers) to represent the establishment of the papal court in Avignon: the savage Rhone, so like hell’s boiling Cocytus ^[1] A favorite of Petrarch’s was the use of "congeries", also called accumulatio. It is an accumulation for effect of phrases that essentially say the same thing. An example is where he says, Rage, madness, shameful sloth, burning desire for the stormy shore, reason’s realm abandoned to fortune, the disreputable grossness which comes from the urging of foul greed; these are what have done it. One of Petrarch’s favorite rhetorical devices was the metonymy. Here he uses a synecdoche, a type of metonymy.

[edit] Letter 6

This letter was written to Francesco Nelli March 31, 1352. Nelli was secretary to the bishop Angelo Acciaiuoli and a pastor at the Prior of the Church of the Holy Apostles in Florence. Acciaiuoli was a friend of Petrarch, as was Lapo de Castiglionchio, the recipient of Letter # 5 above. Nelli corresponded with Petrarch much as is evident by the fifty letters still existing of his to Petrarch and thirty-eight letters still existing from Petrarch to him. Six of the nineteen letters of Sine nomine are addressed to Nelli. Petrarch writes in this letter, 'Every vice has reached its peak' writes the Satirist. You simple soul, you certainly had not seen our age! Now, and only now, have the vices reached their peak, beyond which they can not go without destroying society. Petrarch echoes his despair where he writes, Marching behind our banners we are betrayed, and under the guidance of our leader we hasten to our destruction. If Christ does not come to redeem us, all is over with us. </ref> ^[2]

[edit] Letter 7

This letter in all likelihood was sent to Niccola di Capoccia, a cardinal and priest of Saint Vitalis. (See E.H. Wilkens, Studies, pages 186-192). The glorious venture Petrarch shares here is a brief he was to do on the condition of Rome, which was drawn up on a commission of four cardinals. The only one that was an Italian, was this Niccola di Capoccia. Here Petrarch writes, Then turning again and again to the crucified one who is my delight, with mournful voice and tearful eyes I cry out: Oh good Jesus, you are too indulgent. What can this be? Arise! Why do you sleep? Arise! Do not cast us off forever! Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and our oppression?

In other letters in the Sine nomine Petrarch alludes to the Babylonian captivity to evoke images of the chosen people in exile, Sodom and Gomorrah, and Revelation’s mother of harlots; as well as the purported history of four labyrinths; and Semiramis to imply bestiality, pedophilia, homosexuality, incest and other activities inappropriate to those who would undertake the cure of souls. Allusions to Greek and Roman literature often evoke stories of descents and escape from Hades, while history even as recent as 1330 is used to remind the audience of “outstanding soldiers and splendid leaders, the best kind of walls” (103). Mary, the mother of Christ is evoked to portray Rome. Metonymy is the substitution of a word for a related word. Example: The pen is mightier than the sword. Synecdoche is a substitution of a part to the whole: A hungry stomach has no ears. He develops the greater part of this letter with antitheses, building on the contrast between the institution at Avignon and the life of Christ’s original Twelve: Apostrophe, a turning aside from the topic at hand to address some person or thing, either present or absent.

[edit] Letter 8

This letter was written to Ildebrandino Conti, bishop of Padua, with whom Petrarch had a close relationship with after he received a canonry in the church of Padua^[3] in 1349. In 1351 Ildebrandino urged Petrarch not to go to Avignon. He asked Petrarch to ignore the message received by two cardinals (as Patrarch says in another letter two powerful bulls lording it over Christ's wide pastures) to abandon worldy ambition and avoid the rat race of curial responsibility of which the bishop himself already had ample experience. It turned out that all his efforts were in vain since the corruption continued at the Avignon papacy. Whatever Ildebrandino was warning Petrarch against, he was willing to take upon himself anyway to help his friends. Later however, whatever Petrarch wanted (probably the cardinal's hat as is mentioned in the Introduction), he soon abandoned. He was offered only the disappointing position of an apostolic secretary. In the letter Petrarch writes Ildebrandino it gives his opinion of the Avignon papacy. Whatever you may have read of the Babylons of Assyria or Egypt, of the four labyrinths, of the portals of Avernus and the forests and sulphurous marshes of the lower world, it is all child's play compared with this hell. Here you may see Nimrod, a turret rearing terror (referring to Clement VI whom built a large addition to the papal palace); Semiramis armed with her quiver; merciless Minos Rhadamanthus, and all consuming Cerberus; "here is Pasiphae coupled with the bull," to quote Virgil, "and the mongrel offspring and two-formed progeny, the Minotaur, memorial of her foul love." Finally you may see here every disorder, gloom, or horror to be found or imagined anywhere.

[edit] Letter 9

This letter was written to Francesco Nelli in Florence in November or December of 1351. This letter breaths a kind of revenge as a revelation and prophecy of imminent destruction of the Avignon papacy. Petrarch's hopes of past glory revived of the Roman empire are expressed in this letter. Here Petrarch speaks of himself as an angry exile from Jerusalem living by the rivers of Babylon (referring of course to the rivers Rhône and the Durance at Avignon). Frequently in the Sine nomine the Tiber is a synecdoche for Rome, the Nile for Egypt or especially Assyrian-dominated Egypt with its second Babylon, the Epithet, a term used as a descriptive substitute for the name or title of a person, such as The Great Emancipator for Abraham Lincoln Sorgue for Vaucluse, and the Rhone for the papacy corrupt beyond redemption. Antithesis, repetition of contrasting, even negating elements. Here he refers to the cardinals by their epithet the heirs of the fishermen^[4]. How apt to bring to the audience’s mind the contrast between the original and the 14th century versions as he discusses a shipwrecked papacy. Peter is the fisherman. In the same paragraph Petrarch uses further congeries as he writes of the pope’s coming death: And so he goes to receive his deserts, a feast for the sharks, pointed to by all, the butt of their wit, a universal joke, the jest of dinner tables&emdash;in a word, a fable forever for all who sail these waters. ^[5] An allusion is a brief reference to a famous historical or literary figure or event. It allows an author to bring to his audience’s mind the passion, the narrative, setting, and characters, and the morals of that to which he alludes.

[edit] Letter 10

In this letter Petrarch seems to be writing about three Babylons. He writes to the recipient (unknown) that obviously the recipient has heard of two Babylons. Petrarch writes of these two, The Assyrian one of long ago enshrining the famous name of Semiramis and the Egyptian one founded by Cambyses which still flourishes in our day. He then goes on with this apparent third Babylon; you wonder about this unheard of Babylon, so to speak, on account of a similarity of government and climate; but since, as you say, I usually refer to Rome as our holy mother, queen of cities, you are now puzzeled by this newest of Babylons. Petrarch continues, You can stop wondering. This part of the world has its own Babylon. For where, I ask, may the "city of confusion" (Genesis 11:1 - 9) be more appropriately located that in the West? We do not know who founded it, but it is well known who inhabits it though, surely, from whom for the best of reasons it derives this name. The biblical meaning of the word Babylon is "confusion". It makes one to believe Petrarch is referring to Avignon compared to Rome, and the Avignon papacy, especially based on what Petrarch has expressed previously on this matter.

[edit] Letter 11

This letter was wriiten to Rinaldo Cavalchini(circa 1290 - 1362) of Villafranca. He was one of a small circle of humanists and poets at the court of the della Scala in Verona. He had been once the tutor to Giovanni (Petrarch's son). This Letter 11 was written in 1351 or early 1352. It was in reply to an enquiry from Rinaldo whom seems to have desired some appointment in the papal curia. Rinaldo was prepared to come to Avignon. Petrarch's response was predictable, your poverty is enviable compared with the rotten riches of Avignon. Petrarch would however help out his friend as long as he got himself there as soon as possible, as Petrarch was not prepared to stay in Avignon any longer than he had to be.

[edit] Letter 12

He continues the image of the shipwrecked church in Letter 12 where he writes, We must soon perish, overcome in a vast flood of evils, and if divine love does not bring an end to the faithlessness of mankind, the church will suffer a tragic shipwreck.^[6]. This letter was written to Phillip de Cabassoles, who also happen to be the recipent of the first letter. This letter was written soon after the death of Pope Clement VI who died December 6, 1352.

[edit] Letter 13

There are basically no clues who the recipient is of this letter. It could be a part of a longer later that has long since vanished. There are a couple of curious clues however. There is a twice used expression: as you see (ut vides) which suggests that the recipient may have been associated with the Avignon papacy. There is also a reference to our Syracuse, which indicates some connection with the kingdom of Naples (Sicily).

[edit] Letter 14

Petrarch was living in Milan and had already left Avignon when he wrote this letter sometime between 1353 nad 1356. The recipient (probably a bishop who was a native of Padua) is unknown, but apparently visited Avignon after Petrarch went to Milan. This letter tells of two cardinals, one of whom lied to all the petitioners at the gate, encouraging them for his own amusement, while the other was appalled at the behavior of the first. When the second asked if the first were not ashamed to delude these simple men, the first retorted to the kinder of the two, Rather, you should be ashamed to be so slow witted that you haven’t been able in all this time to learn the arts of the court. ^[7] Petrarch used this tale as an exemplum of the duplicity in the court.

[edit] Letter 15

This letter is apparently written in reply to someone in the Avignon papal court. He had much to complain about to Petrarch and encourged him to stay im Milan. There is no indication who the recipient of this letter is.

[edit] Letter 16

The person that Petrarch wrote this letter to was a Roman. He also was a member of the Colonna family because of his relationship to Cardinal Giovanni Colonna.

[edit] Letter 17

He writes (but never sends) to Francesco Nelli this letter, telling him that what he is seeing in Avignon is the wickedness of (Christ’s) enemies. . . They are servants of Satan, swollen with the blood of Christ, acting wantonly and saying: ‘our lips are our own; who is our Lord?’ Petrarch calls them these Pharisees of our own time. He compares them to Judas Iscariot who betrayed the Lord and kissed him and said: ‘Hail, master’^[8] Petrarch explains that the church became a church to which Judas will be admitted if he brings with him his thirty pieces of blood money, while Christ the pauper will be turned away from the gate.^[9]In this letter Petrarch heaps congeries upon congeries (a crescendo of congeries is an auxesis): Auxesis, arrangement in ascending importance. This letter also uses enthymeme to engage its audience. As the audience must do the work of supplying the abstract portion of a metaphor, thus leaving the author less accountable, so the audience must provide the suppressed premise of the syllogism framed as an enthymeme. The major premise of the syllogism, concerning the nature of Avignon, is missing. It is the audience that must frame the derogatory premise. In the metaphor of the pustule in this letter Petrarch leads his reader again to suspect that the papacy as it exists in Avignon is moribund.

[edit] Letter 18

This letter is about a tale of the goat-like cardinal and the prostitute, which made the rounds in translation during the Protestant Reformation. This letter and the last one are climaxes both of anti-Avignon criticism and of rhetoric. Peterarch never intended to send this letter. It abjures the reader to flee Babylon. This may be taken metaphorically not only on the noun Babylon, but also on the verb, flee. Erotesis is a question raised but not answered, designed to engage the audience. Petrarch then offers his readers an exemplum to support his contention that the corrupt powers are full of hatred and fear. He uses three extended narratives in the Sine nomine: One is the story in this letter concerning the cardinal and the prostitute, to illustrate the carnal sins of Avignon.

[edit] Letter 19

Letter 19 indulges in bellicose oxymorons, hoping Christ may succor his anguished bride by the just attack of mercenaries, by a healing plague, by the merciful inclemency of the heavens, finally by some manifest catastrophe, since the proud and hardened heart of Pharaoh (the pope) remains untouched by threats and warnings. This letter was addressed to Nelli, but never sent to him. In it Petrarch addresses and elaborate apostrophe to Emperor Charles IV, who also never saw the letter. The audience for whom Petrarch wrote this letter is posterity. It is to engage posterity that he crafts congeries of erotesis. Of posterity he asks: Who will raise up this oppressed world once more? Who will avenge the distress of Rome? Who will reestablish the old ways, gather the scattered sheep, reprove the errant shepherds and lead them or drag them back to their proper place? Will there never be a limit to licence and crime? Or is it in vain that the Holy Spirit spoke thus through the prophet: “These things you have done and I kept silence. You mistakenly thought that I was like you; I shall reprove you and shall decide these things before your eyes. Consider this, you who are forgetful of God, lest I tear you to pieces and there be no one to deliver you” (Psalms 49, 21-22). Consider this, I say, consider this, you enemies of God. He speaks to you!^[10]

[edit] Notes

1. ^ See page 58
2. ^ See page 62
3. ^ See page 66
4. ^ See page 59
5. ^ See page 34.
6. ^ See page 83
7. ^ See page 88.
8. ^ See page 99.
9. ^ See page 106.
10. ^ See page 119.

• Page numbers refer to English translation by Zacour.

[edit] References

• Biblical name meanings
• The Petrarchan Grotto
• Liber Sine Nomine in Latin
• Petrarch from Catholic Encyclopedia.
• Works by Petrarch at Project Gutenberg
• Societas Christiana on Liber Sine nomine
• Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) (1304-1374)
• English: Norman P. Zacour ISBN 0-88844-260-4