[hprints-00683151, v2] Enea Silvio Piccolomini (Pius II ... - Hprints.org

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hprints-00683151, version 2 - 19 Mar 2013 [25] Portus vero Pisanus longe remotior est, Charybdim 306 namque Scyllamque 307 , per quas dubius est transitus, evitantibus Graecis totus Sicaniae circuendus 308 est orbis, cujus, si qua veteribus fides, non minus quingentis millibus passuum clauditur ambitus. Neque mihi ob hanc rem Florentinus quisquam succenseat, neque enim hoc ideo dico, quod illi amplissimae urbi memorabilique populo concilium auferre velim, cujus tanta erga concilium cognita est 309 caritas, ut nullius magis stupeam oblationes, qui prima requisitione tantam pecuniarum summam tam effuse promiserit 310 , ut illius etiam populi majora in posterum sperare 311 beneficia debeatis. Sed ne caeci omnino et rerum videamur ignari, hoc enim, quod dico, charta 312 illa 313 edocet, qua uti nautae consueverunt. Haec tamen semper ego parvifeci: iter namque duorum triumve dierum nulli 314 dare aut auferre concilium debet. 306 Caribdim A, B, N; Carybdim D, M 307 Graecis add. A 308 circumeundus M 309 cognita est : est cognita M 310 promiserunt Z 311 spectare Z 312 carta A, B, C, N, Z; cartha D 313 omit. N 314 ulli Z 74
hprints-00683151, version 2 - 19 Mar 2013 1.1.4. The alternative route south of Sicily and through Florentine territory [25] The seaport Pisa 315 is much farther away, and if the Greeks take that route, they will want to avoid the Strait of Scylla and Charybdis 316 through which the passage is unsafe. Therefore, they will sail all around Sicily 317 whose circumference, if the ancients are to be believed, measures at least 500.000 passus 318 . No Florentine needs to be angry with me on this score 319 , for I do not point out this fact in order to rob their splendid city and famous people of the council: their devotion to the council is well-known and great, and they have made a truly remarkable offer. Already at the time of the first request from the council, they promised such a large amount that you may hope for even greater boons from this people in the future. 320 But so that we may not appear to be completely blind and ignorant: what I am saying 321 is evident from the map commonly used by seamen 322 . On the other hand, I do not attach great importance to this question as the council should not be bestowed or taken away depending on whether the travel takes three or four days more. 315 Pisa: coastal city in Tuscany 316 Scylla and Charybdis: two mythological sea monsters, which tradition placed on each side of the Messina strait 317 Sicily (Sicilia): largest Island of the Mediterranean 318 Passus: Roman measure of distance, ca. 1.5 meter 319 Piccolomini points out that if the council were to be held in Florence, the Greeks would then have to take the longer sea route South of Siciliy 320 Does Piccolomini really believe this, or is he subtly dropping poison into the ears of the council fathers? 321 i.e. about the passage south of Sicily and to Pisa 322 An interesting early reference to nautical charts, possibly a “portolano” 75
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