Morgante by Luigi Pulci

A giant is converted to Christianity by the Paladin Orlando and then follows him on various strange and comical adventures: such is the plot of one of the greatest epics of the Italian Renaissance: Morgante by Luigi Pulci (1432-84), is named after this giant. It is a burlesque mock-epic based on the Matter of France, a body of legends and literature associated with the history of France that is also known as the Carolingian Cycle. It first appeared in 1478, but this version is now lost, but it appeared in its complete form in 1483, has been preserved and is presented here. It consists of 28 cantos, 30,080 lines, and is highly varied both with regard to language, which ranges from basic to refined, and structure, which is so irregular as to be chaotic. Pulci’s frequent use of ottava rima stanzas, composed of eight 11-syllable lines, helped to establish it as a common form for mock-heroics. The incunabulum (pre-1500 printed book) was commissioned by Lucrezia Tornabuoni (1427-1482), wife of Piero di Cosimo de’ Medici (1416-69) and mother to Lorenzo the Magnificent (1449-92) in addition to being an accomplished writer and influential political advisor during the reigns of both her husband and son. Luigi Pulci was born in Florence and enjoyed the patronage of the Medici family, even going on diplomatic missions for Lorenzo de’ Medici, so it is no surprise that he created this work at Lucrezia’s behest.