nPostednon July 20, 2013
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nYounknow you’re a good poet when a language is based on your writings!
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Bornnon this date in 1304, Francesco Petrarch grew up to study law, as hisnfather had done before him. But he didn’t like dealing with the legalnsystem. He felt that being a lawyer was “making a merchandise” ofnhis mind and “selling justice,” rather than seeking true justice.
Bornnon this date in 1304, Francesco Petrarch grew up to study law, as hisnfather had done before him. But he didn’t like dealing with the legalnsystem. He felt that being a lawyer was “making a merchandise” ofnhis mind and “selling justice,” rather than seeking true justice.n
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nPetrarchntook a clerical job so he could devote himself to writing. He endednup being an international scholar who discovered importantnmanuscripts from Ancient Greece and Rome.
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nPetrarchnis credited with several “firsts”:
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nHen was the first “poet laureate” since ancient times. A poetn laureate is someone who is officially appointed by a government orn other important institution to create poems or songs for importantn occasions. Petrarch was crowned poet laureate on what was consideredn holy ground in Rome.
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nHen was the first tourist, supposedly, because he traveled for pleasuren rather than business. (I’m betting he wasn’t really the first ton travel just for pleasure, though!)
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Hen was the first person to call the Dark Ages “the Dark Ages.”n
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nHen was one of the first authors and scholars to write in Italian rathern than in Latin. Later scholars based modern Italian on Petrarch’sn sonnets, along with writings by Boccaccio and Dante.
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nHen was one of the first to write romantic lyrical poetry—and manyn writers throughout the Renaissance modeled their poems on his.
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nHen was one of the first “humanists,” promoting intellectualn pursuits, education, eloquence in speaking and writing. (We get then academic term “the humanities” from this use of the wordn “humanist.”) This was the opposite of the then-common approachn of focusing only on what is seen as practical and useful. n
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nAlsonon this date:
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Moon Day (here and here)
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Moon Day (here and here)n
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nWoodie Wagon Day
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n“Peace and Freedom” Day in North Cyprus
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nPlannahead:
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nPlannahead:
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nChecknout my Pinterest pages on Julynholidays, historicalnanniversaries in July,nand Julynbirthdays.
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest pages on Augustnholidays, historicalnanniversaries in August,nand Augustnbirthdays.
