The HEROINES OF SCALIGERO: INTRODUCTION, TRANSLATION, AND NOTES ON THE POEMS OF HISTORICAL FIGURES

INTRODUÇÃO, TRADUÇÃO E NOTAS DOS POEMAS DE PERSONAGENS HISTÓRICAS

Authors

  • Thamara Martins Santos de Morais Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
  • Fábio Frohwein de Salles Moniz

Abstract

Abstract: The paper presents an introduction, translation, and commentary on part of the work Heroinae (1561) by Giulio Cesare Scaligero (1484–1558), a Renaissance humanist and advocate of Ciceronian linguistic purism. Heroinae comprises 107 poems in elegiac couplets dedicated to historical, mythological, and modern female figures. For this annotated translation, we have selected poems focused on ancient historical characters such as Cornelia, Cleopatra, and Sappho. The introduction briefly outlines the author and his work, his ideal of classical imitation, and the tension between humanism and the limitations placed on women's education during the Renaissance. We discuss how Heroinae highlights female civic virtues, challenging contemporary stereotypes. The prose translation aims to strike a balance between fidelity to content and clarity in Portuguese, while preserving the classicizing tone and original poetic imagery. Explanatory notes provide context for the characters, ancient sources, and translation choices. By making this previously untranslated work available in Portuguese, the article contributes to the study of Renaissance Latin poetics and the representation of women in humanist discourse.

 

Keywords: Giulio Cesare Scaligero; Renaissance; Latin poetry; Translation; Representation of women in humanism.

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Published

2026-06-03

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Section

Artigos