Term
Ciceronian controversies
Also known as prose
A Renaissance humanism debate between those advocating for the imitation of Cicero's prose style alone and those favoring an eclectic approach using multiple classical authors.
Filed underChurch History
Definition
A key debate in Renaissance humanism, revolved around the role of Cicero in Latin prose. It pitted those who advocated for imitating Cicero alone as the ideal style against those who favored an eclectic approach, drawing inspiration from multiple classical authors.
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Sources
- 1.DellaNeva, JoAnn, ed. Ciceronian Controversies. (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2007).Original citation: DellaNeva, JoAnn, ed. Ciceronian Controversies. Translated by Brian Duvick. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2007.
Last revised August 14, 2026