current in Italy in Latin, but many of them were also known in
Provençal in the northern part of the peninsula. It was, therefore,
chiefly imitations of the Provençal bards' work which first appeared
in Italian, in the thirteenth century, one of the best poets of that
time being the Sordello with whom Dante converses in Purgatory.

Stories relating to the Charlemagne cycle found particular favor in
Northern Italy, and especially at Venice. In consequence there were
many Italian versions of these old epics, as well as of the
allegorical Roman de la Rose.

It was at the court of Frederick II, in Sicily, that the first real
school of Italian poetry developed, and from there the custom of
composing exclusively in the vernacular spread over the remainder of
the country. These early poets chose love as their main topic, and
closely imitated the Provençal style. Then the "dolce stil nuovo," or
sweet new style, was introduced by Guinicelli, who is rightly
considered the first true Italian poet of any note. The earliest
Italian epic, the "Buovo d'Antona," and an adaptation of Reynard the
Fox, were current in the first half of the thirteenth century at
Venice and elsewhere. In the second half appeared prose romances, such
as tales about Arthur and his knights, the journey of Marco Polo, and
new renderings of the old story of Troy.

Professional story-tellers now began to wander from place to place in
Northern and Central Italy, entertaining auditors of all classes and
ages with stories derived from every attainable source. But the first
great epic poet in Italy was Dante (1265-1321), whose Divina Commedia,
begun in 1300, is treated separately in this volume. Although
Petrarch was prouder of his Latin than of his Italian verses, he too