The rise of ‘Meta-Neo-Latin Studies’, which reflect the theoretical premises and the methodology of this field of research, is one of the most noteworthy recent developments in Neo-Latin studies. In his important article (2007) on the topic, Toon van Hal called for internal reflection within the field of Neo-Latin studies and the formulation of its own methodological recommendations, lest it ‘grow into a giant with feet of clay’. Van Hal argued that self-reflection on its methodologies would give the field more objectivity.

Editors at work – experiences and problems with Neo-Latin texts / Erfahrungen und Probleme der Neulateinischen Editionsarbeit

This colloquium aimed to reopen the debate on Neo-Latin methologies, focusing on the editing of Neo-Latin texts. Over two full days, local and international speakers discussed the topic, approaching it from various perspectives.

Jason Harris (Cork) opened the conference with his keynote lecture ‘From Syntax and Stylistics to Socio-linguistics: Some thoughts for the Editor and Commentator of Neo-Latin Texts’, arguing for a return to philological and stylistic issues in commentaries to Neo-Latin texts. His overview of the topic introduced points that returned to discussion at various points throughout the conference. The first panel, in which William Barton (Innsbruck), Maria Teresa Galli (Innsbruck) and Angelo Piacentini (Milano) were the speakers, highlighted problems in the editing of late antique and medieval texts. The second panel focused on a wide range of texts from the Renaissance. Valerio Sanzotta (Innsbruck) illuminated humanistic recollectae, student notes, Annet den Haan (Groningen) explained her decisions in her recent edition of Giannozzo Manetti’s translation of the New Testament, and Dennis Miedek (Osnabrück) gave us a case study of Giovanni Pontano’s Urania.

On Friday, speakers continued to discuss methodological problems in the editing process of neo-latin texts, emphasising the evidence in early modern editions and manuscripts of various stages of the writing and editing process. Clementina Marsico (Innsbruck) talked about her edition of the Elegantie of Lorenzo Valla, Benjamin Topp (Osnabrück) discussed methodological problems, using the example of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola’s Disputationes adversus astrologiam and Theresa Rothfuß (Innsbruck) analysed, on the basis of a fragment from Lukas Geizkofler’s De miseriis studiosorum declamatio, what one should include in a commentary. Nienke Tjoelker (Innsbruck) and Isabella Walser (Innsbruck) presented two very different examples of 18th century Neo-Latin texts: Jesuit meditations and Giovanni Battista Graser’s De praestantia logicae (1756). Walser elucidated Graser’s editing process, based on textual variations in the various extant manuscripts. Finally, Simon Wirthensohn (Innsbruck) and Johanna Luggin (Innsbruck) discussed the advantages and pitfalls of an important aspect of today’s editing of Neo-Latin texts: digital humanities.

Short bibliography

Fera, Vincenzo & Rizzo, Silvia, ‘La filologia umanistica tra filologia classica e filologia romanza’, in A. Ferrari (ed.), Filologia classica e filologia romanza: esperienze ecdotiche a confronto. Atti del convegno, Roma 25-27 maggio 1995 (Spoleto: CISAM, 1998), pp. 33-65.

Hal, Toon van, ‘Towards Meta-Neo-Latin Studies? Impetus to debate on the Field of Neo-Latin Studies and Its Methodology’, Humanistica Lovaniensia, 56 (2007), 349-365.

IJsewijn, Jozef & Dirk Sacré, Companion to Neo-Latin Studies. Part II: Literary, Linguistic, Philological and Editorial Questions. Second entirely rewritten edition, Leuven: Leuven University Press, 1998), Supplementa Humanistica Lovaniensia, XIV.

Kristeller, P. O., ‘The Lachmann Method: Merits and Limitations’, in Text: Transactions of the Society for Textual Scholarship, 1 (1981), pp. 11-20.

– , ‘The Edition of Fifteenth-Century Texts. Tasks and Problems’, in Italian Culture, 4 (1983), pp. 115-122 (now in Id., Studies in Renaissance Thought and Letters, 4, Rome 1996, pp. 457-463).

Ludwig, W., R.F. Glei & J. Leonhardt, ‘Klassische und Neulateinische Philologie. Probleme und Perspektiven’, Rheinisches Museum, 146 (2003), pp. 395–424.

Poel, Marc van der, Neo-Latin Philology: Old Tradition, New Approaches: Proceedings of a Conference Held at the Radboud University, Nijmegen, 26-27 October 2010 (Leuven: Leuven University Press, 2014), Supplementa Humanistica Lovaniensia, XXXV.

Reeve, M. ‘Errori in autografi’, in Gli autografi medievali. Problemi paleografici e filologici (Spoleto, 1994), pp. 37-60.