Momus

by Leon Battista Alberti, Sarah Knight (Translator), Virginia Brown (Editor)

Momus is the most ambitious literary creation of Leon Battista Alberti, the famous humanist-scientist-artist and “universal man” of the Italian Renaissance. In this dark comedy, written around 1450, Alberti charts the lively fortunes of his anti-hero Momus, the unscrupulous and vitriolic god of criticism. Alberti deploys his singular erudition and wit to satirize subjects from court life and politics to philosophy and intellectuals, from grand architectural designs to human and divine folly. The possible contemporary resonance of Alberti’s satire—read variously as a humanist roman-à-clef and as a veiled mockery of the mid-Quattrocento papacy—is among its most intriguing aspects. While his more famous books on architecture, painting, and family life have long been regarded as indispensable to a study of Renaissance culture, Momus has recently attracted increasing attention from scholars as a work anticipating the realism of Machiavelli and the satiric wit of Erasmus.

This edition provides a new Latin text, the first to be based on the two earliest manuscripts, both corrected by Alberti himself, and includes the first full translation into English.

Genres: Philosophy, 15th Century, Italy, Italian Literature, Renaissance, Fiction, Classics

448 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1450

About the author

Influential treatises on painting, architecture, and sculpture of Italian writer Leon Battista Alberti introduced classical ideas into Renaissance art.

This author, poet, priest, linguist, philosopher, cryptographer, and general humanist polymath, often characterized exclusively, as James Beck observed, "to single out one of Leon Battista's 'fields' over others as somehow functionally independent and self-sufficient is of no help at all to any effort to characterize Alberti's extensive explorations in the fine arts." Giorgio Vasari described life of Alberti in Vite de' più eccellenti pittori, scultori, e architettori or "Lives of the most excellent painters, sculptors and architects."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Ba...

Reviews

[Zadignose]

A Punch and Judy show brimming with Roman Gods, including some antics by Momus: critic God, husband of Mischief, father of Rumor, trouble-maker to all. The book is entertaining at times, though not quite so much as its author routinely assures us that it is.

It has its philosophical musings, mostly a condemnation of the follies of mortals and immortals, and there are messages to be heeded by princes; though, ultimately it's rather haphazard.

It inspires me to want to go back to some of the classical precedents to this work that I have so far missed out... some of the works I haven't yet read by Lucian, Apuleius, and Seneca for instance.

In its place in literature, it is perhaps a move in the right direction but in my first impression it seems that it doesn't reach the heights of either absurdity or brilliance that the next century's masterpieces, such as Gargantua and Pantagruel, are soon to deliver.

It's something that I enjoy having read, yet it wasn't sparkling in every moment; sometimes it was frankly a drag, mainly due to its somewhat tepid or mirthless humor. Yet it somehow, throughout, seems so full of possibility and potential. Perhaps I can call it an aspiring masterwork that falls short of its aim, but serves as a pointer to great literary potential.

I like including quotes in these reviews from time to time, so why not do so here, in a fashion as haphazard as the book's own structure.

This one's surely still relevant, especially when we view the influence that is wielded by political demagogues (I'm not naming any names...)

A mob is easily swayed, fluid in its opinions, changeable in its intentions, stirred up by its passions; it is easily driven to all kinds of crime, and cannot be made to consider whether the appetites of the majority are right or wrong; it is carried along untamed, rushes forward unbridled; it cannot be recalled nor restrained, and neither the rational suasion of the wise nor the commands of the right-thinking can control it. A demented mob doesn't want to know anything that doesn't suit its own pleasure, and doesn't care whether what it undertakes is pernicious and base, so long as it can have its way. It won't stop committing atrocities except to commit still worse atrocities. The amazing thing about mortals was that, as individuals, they were almost all wise and aware of what was right; but when they formed themselves into a group, they fell into a frenzied rage and spontaneously behaved like madmen.

And, just to play both sides, here's the opposite observation:

As they say, only a divinity makes this many people gather together, and you'll learn from experience that, though as individuals you may think them worthless, when they form a crowd you'll esteem them and fall silent out of respect for them.

Facetious much?

But what role does leadership play?

Who wouldn't play the madman, when the prince himself is insane?

Here we see the envy that is inspired when the slightest favor is shown Momus, the hatred that manifests when one appears momentarily fortunate:

Everyone looked at Momus with somber and hate-filled expressions, they all loathed Momus' words, and every single person was bitterly hostile to Momus' deeds. So much hatred for Momus flared up that he realized they were cursing him to his face, and wherever he turned his eyes, he saw gods jeering at him and gods making insulting gestures to provoke him... the whole lot of them were roiling to the point that they could scarcely restrain themselves from shattering the benches and attacking Momus with them...

Oddly enough, the Preface may be where the author shows his greatest sense. It is a good guide for other writers to follow, and a strong advocate for adventurous, unconventional writing. He dismisses all forms of pandering and flattery, and celebrates the spirit of those who dare make themselves fools and laughingstocks rather than winning approval for banality. In simplest summary:

I think it is the duty of the writer to undertake to write nothing that his prospective readers will find familiar and obvious.

Is it possible that the parts are greater than the whole? In any case, massive credit is due for the author's spirit and intent.

[Hannah Trower · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating. Different from Alberti's more famous treatises on painting and architecture, this is a very humanist satire drawing on classical sources. An interesting depiction of the frustration that Alberti clearly felt towards his job in the papal court, with some clear digs at Eugene IV and Nicholas V and others, such as probably Francesco Filelfo. Lacks the traditional over-flattery of humanist texts except in clear satire making fun of the genre. Forward thinking, much more similar to 16th century works like some of Machiavelli's than his contemporaries of the mid 15th century. Not completely polished. The pirates steering the ship of state are particularly great.

[Mateusz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly intelligent wit that made me smile more than once, moralistic satire in deep reading written by Batista in his own words "for enjoyment primarily". The text would require and in-depth review, but I'll simply accentuate my favorite part of the Book IV which is about Charon deciding to visit the land of mortals before planned effectuation of Jupiter's plan to destroy the world as a result of Momus' scheming. He is accompanied by a destitute philosopher, Gelastus - whom is an exemplary tragic hero strangled by the clash between his ethos and fortune, being a thoroughly good man he ended up even without an Obol to safely be accounted among the Shades of the Dead. Gelastus gets a chance from Charon, as his companion in the journeys among the lands of the living and in deep conversations that ensue between them Batista contains great wisdom. Momus girlfriend, Mischief, may be compared to the Goddess Eris by every probability. I also adored the comparison of state-management to a ship-state in which any form of corruption or putting ahead one's own interest makes everyone else drown in the end.

[Juan Nadal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Idas y vueltas del dios Momo entre la morada de los dioses latinos y la Tierra, generando molestias, engaños y confusiones en humanos y dioses. El caos reinante llega a un punto en que Júpiter quiere hacer borrón y cuenta nueva: una segunda creación del mundo. Finalmente no lo hace por no saber como volver a hacer, en un paralelismo con el rey/Papa al que estaba a cargo Alberti (Eugenio IV)
Un libro del siglo XV que busca principalmente dar una enseñanza y hacer reír. Lo primero lo logra, aunque medio confusamente para mí, y en cuanto a lo segundo no sentí más que una leve sonrisa por los enredos y momentos absurdos que se describen, puede que el humor haya cambiado en estos 5 siglos o puede ser tan solo subjetivo.

[Micaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

La cuarta estrella se la gana pues soy una amante del Renacimiento Italiano. Alberti lo comprende todo, tanto como arquitecto, pintor, escritor... En fin, lo comprende todo porque es el mejor ejemplo de ARTISTA TOTAL.
Lo mejor que me dejó: la visibilidad excesiva de un objeto es una TRAMPA. Lo que opera de mejor modo siempre está enmascarado, y por eso Alberti elige para Momo, la ANALOGÍA.

[Lulu]

1450