Antonio da Rho

Rho's works in Latin include:

• Apologia adversus archidiaconum quempiam complicesque sycophantas taeterrimos [Apology against a Certain Archdeacon and his Loathsome Sycophant Accomplices] (1428)^[11]
• Exhortatoria ad scholares (1430–1431)^[11]
• Oratio ad scholares (1431–1436)^[11]
• Genealogia Scipionum atque Catonum [Genealogy of the Scipios and Catos] (by 1432)^[11]
• Philippica in Antonium Panormitam [Philippic against Antonio Panormita] (1432)^[11]
• Proemium Imitationum^[11] or De imitatione eloquentiae (1433–1443)^[5]
• Aliud proemium Imitationum (1433–1443)^[11]
• Imitationes rhetoricae [Rhetorical Imitations] (1433–1443)^[11]
• Dialogi tres in Lactentium [Three Dialogues against Lactantius] (1442–1445)^[12]
• De numero oratorio^[13]
• Ars epistulandi^[13]
• Commentaria in libris de fortuna et de bonis et malis feminis Bonini Mombritii^[5]

In addition, there survives a manuscript fragment of a quodlibetal disputation,^[13] nine orations,^[14] over twelve letters^[15] and some poems.^[16]

Rho also translated Suetonius' Lives of the Caesars into the Italian vernacular.^[13]

The Vita Homeri, a biography of Homer, has sometimes been attributed to Rho. It is actually the work of his friend, Pier Candido Decembrio, dedicated to Rho.^[5]

The Apology was written in 1428 in response to his being passed over for the chair in theology at Milan Cathedral. The Milanese clergy considered him too ignorant in theology because of his devotion to humanistic learning (studia humanitatis). In the Apology, Rho describes becoming "enthralled" to the humanities during his time in Padua.^[2] He provides an account of authors and works he had read, both ancient and modern, among them:^[17]

The Apology was addressed to Antonio Massa, master general of the Franciscan Order.^[1]

Rhetorical Imitations is a work of Latin lexicography. It contains synonyms, idiomatic expressions and short essays presented alphabetically. First put together in 1433, it was augmented repeatedly until 1443. It survives in six manuscripts, but has never been printed.^[13]

The Imitations was the cause of a rupture in the previously good relationship between Rho and Valla. In one place, Rho criticizes a passage of Valla's as erroneous and ridicules him as a mere "elementary school teacher". Valla took exception and accused Rho of plagiarism. After Rho's death, he circulated note, Raudensiane note, attacking many of Rho's analyses. He published the note as part of his Elegantiae.^[18]

The Three Dialogues against Lactantius was written between early 1442 and the summer of 1445. A dedication copy was presented to Pope Eugene IV. It is still preserved in the Vatican Library.^[19] A deluxe illuminated manuscript, its production was probably financed by Count Vitaliano Borromeo.^[20]

The Dialogues is a work of fiction. The setting is Pentecost in the garden of San Francesco Grande. The discussions take place over three days.^[19] The year is 1444.^[20] The main interlocutors in the dialogue are Pier Candido Decembrio and Nicolò Arcimboldi, but Rho himself, Francesco Barbaro, Vitaliano Borromeo, Guarnerio Castiglioni [it] and Biagio Ghiglini also play smaller roles. They were all acquaintances of Rho in real life.^[21]

In the Dialogues, Rho criticises the doctrinal errors of Lactantius.^[9] His choice of the spelling Lactentius rather than the more common Lactantius was intended to signify that Lactantius was a "babe in Christ", since Latin lactens was considered to mean "receiving milk", while lactans meant "producing milk". The name Lactantius was a sobriquet paying compliment to its bearer's eloquence, since eloquent speech was often consider "milky".^[22]

• Fubini, Riccardo (1961). "Antonio da Rho". Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, Volume 3: Ammirato–Arcoleo (in Italian). Rome: Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana. ISBN 978-8-81200032-6. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
• Panizza, Letizia (2002). "Antonio da Rho". In Peter Hainsworth; David Robey (eds.). The Oxford Companion to Italian Literature. Oxford University Press.
• Presta, Vincenzo (1970). "Antonio da Rho". Enciclopedia Dantesca. Rome: Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana.
• Rutherford, David, ed. (2005). Early Renaissance Invective and the Controversies of Antonio da Rho. Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Texts and Studies.
• Rutherford, David; Schulten, Paul, eds. (2023). Antonio da Rho, Three Dialogues against Lactantius (Dialogi tres in Lactentium): Critical Latin Edition, English Translation, Introduction, and Notes. Brill.