The least success of all was attained by the epic narratives drawn from
the history or legends of antiquity. The essential conditions of a
living epic poetry were denied, not only to the Romans who now served
as models, but even to the Greeks after Homer. They could not be looked
for among the Latins of the Renaissance. And yet the 'Africa' of
Petrarch probably found as many and as enthusiastic readers and hearers
as any epos of modern times. Purpose and origin of the poem are not
without interest. The fourteenth century recognized with sound
historical sense that the time of the second Punic war had been the
noonday of Roman greatness; and Petrarch could not resist writing of
this time. Had Silius Italicus been then discovered, Petrarch would
probably have chosen another subject; but as it was, the glorification
of Scipio Africanus the Elder was so much in accordance with the spirit
of the fourteenth century, that another poet, Zanobi di Strada, also
proposed to himself the same task, and only from respect for Petrarch
withdrew the poem with which he had already made great progress. If any
justification were sought for the 'Africa,' it lies in the fact that in
Petrarch's time and afterwards Scipio was as much an object of public
interest as if he were then alive, and that he was regarded as greater
than Alexander, Pompey, and Caesar.
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