As leituras dos humanistas: fontes secundárias de Manuel da Costa

Abstract

It has often been said that the Latin poetic production of Renaissance Portugal lacks epic texts, even though the cultural atmosphere of the period seemed, to a certain extent, to require a poem that praised the glories of the Discoveries. Although this judgement is valid in the strict sense, it has to be put into perspective, since there are humanistic poetic pieces imbued with an epic spirit which pervades their essential characteristics. In this article we intend to show that this epic spirit shapes the poetic work of the jurisconsult and humanist Manuel da Costa, by studying its characteristics, technical devices and, especially, its secondary sources, since it is undeniable that the knowledge of the humanists’ readings provides an insight into their preferences, both in terms of themes and genres.