Zibaldone

by Leopardi, Giacomo

  Mazzucchelli, Giovan Maria (1707–1765). Lombard scholar: 3067

  Meaning: 1510–13, 1529–30, 1576–78, 1666–67, 1904–907, 1930–32

  Medes: see Nations, peoples

  Medici, Catherine de (1519–1589). Queen of France, daughter of Lorenzo de’ Medici: 242, 752, 3069

  Medici, Cosimo de’ (the Elder) (1389–1464). The first of the Medici family to exert de facto power in Florence: 392, 3073

  Medici, Ferdinando III de’ (1663–1713). Grand Duke of Tuscany: 28

  Medici, Giovanni de’: see Leo X

  Medici, Lorenzo de’ (1449–1492). Ruler of Florence from 1469, accomplished poet and patron of the arts: 392, 684, 2810

  Medici, Lorenzino de’ (1514–1548). Author of the Apologia: 60–61, 684

  Medici, Marie de (1573–1642). Queen of France: 242, 752

  Medicine, doctors: 1338, 1403–404, 1586, 1624–25, 1980, 3990, 4470

  Mediocrity: 9–10, 27, 90–92, 1970, 1985–86, 2107–10, 2425–28, 3040, 3184, 3190–91, 3476–77, 4493

  Megasthenes (third century BCE). Greek historian and geographer: 923, 4294

  Meghaduta. Sanskrit poem by Kalidasa: 955–56

  Meiners, Christoph (1747–1810). German philosopher, based at Göttingen: 4480

  Mela, Pomponius (first century CE). Latin geographer of Spanish origin: 2729, 4352

  Melancholy (see also Pain, suffering and Happiness/Unhappiness): INDIVIDUAL AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, ANCIENT AND MODERN: 96–97, 109, 142, 188, 232, 299, 325, 440, 460–61, 725–28, 931, 931–32, 1291–92, 1584, 1658, 1690–91, 2242–43, 2251, 3206, 3310–11, 3534, 3681–82, 3909–10, 3976, 4024–25, 4410; Christianity: 337; IN LITERATURE AND MUSIC, AND AS POETIC STYLE: 15–20, 57, 78–79, 136, 152, 170, 275, 460–61, 1861, 2025, 2363–64, 3364; Ossian: 205, 986–87

  Melanchthon, Philip (1497–1560). German religious reformer: 3173

  Melchisedek. Enigmatic figure mentioned twice in the Old Testament, as king of Salem and as a priest: 597

  Meleager. Greek hero venerated at Calydon in Aetolia: 3427

  Meli, Giovanni (1740–1815). Medically trained Sicilian dialect poet and collector of dialect poetry: 1022

  Melissus, Gaius Maecenas (first century BCE). Grammarian and comic poet, from Spoleto: 3190

  Melody: see Music: HARMONY AND MELODY

  Memnon (first century CE). Greek historian, author of a history of Heraclea Pontica: 4217

  Mémoires de l’Académie de Prusse: 1053

  Mémoires de l’Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres: 983, 1012

  Memoria intorno ai druidi e ai bardi britannici: 932

  Memories of the author’s own life: see Leopardi, Giacomo

  Memory: HABITUATION, ATTENTION: 183–84, 1103–104, 1255, 1370–71, 1383–84, 1453–55, 1508–509, 1523–25, 1552–53, 1631, 1657–58, 1675–76, 1689–90, 1697–98, 1716, 1717, 1718, 1733–37, 1764–66, 1776–77, 1951–52, 2047–49, 2110–12, 2378–81, 2801–803, 3344–47, 3737, 3944, 3950–51; THE PAST (AS OBJECT OF MEMORY): 50–51, 60, 80, 1521–22, 4492; RECOLLECTION; REMEMBERING, REMEMBRANCE: 184–85, 515, 1777–78, 277–80, 1044, 1798–99, 1804–805, 1860–62, 1987, 4286–87, 4415, 4426, 4427, 4471, 4485, 4492, 4495, 4513, 4515

  Memphis: 1027

  Men of letters: 207, 233, 310–11, 1361, 1586, 2453–54, 4096, 4281–82, 4296–97, 4299

  Ménage, Gilles (also known as Menagius) (1613–1692). French scholar and writer: 43, 491, 501, 528, 642, 660, 661, 1316, 2167, 3069, 3745, 4035, 4124, 4226, 4248, 4464

  Menander (c. 342–c. 292 BCE). Writer of Attic New Comedy: 954, 988, 2674, 2734–35, 3487, 4002, 4147, 4197, 4222

  Menelaus. Mythical king of Sparta, brother of Agamemnon: 2600, 2760

  Menzini, Benedetto (1646–1704). Satirical and lyric poet born in Florence: 14, 4300

  Mercuriale, Girolamo (1530–1606). Italian physician and scholar, editor of Hippocrates: 3961, 3997, 4002

  Mercury. Latin name for Hermes, messenger of the gods in Greek mythology: 2969, 3427

  Merit: 1884, 3098, 4389, 4494, 4524

  Merle, M. Bookseller based in Bologna and then in Rome, acquainted with Leopardi: 4310

  Merobaudes, Flavius (fifth century CE). Spanish general and Latin poet: 3366

  Mesmerism: 4189

  Messalla Corvinus (Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus) (c. 64 BCE–8 CE). Roman orator and general, patron of literature and the arts; the De Progenie Augusti attributed to him is a later forgery: 1145, 4241, 4520

  Messenia, Messenians: 915, 4409

  Messiad (by Klopstock): 2982

  Metals: 1170–74

  Metaphor: 13, 25, 27, 31, 111, 1070, 1255, 1266, 1333, 1388–89, 1407, 1650, 1702–703, 1917–20, 2006–2007, 2051, 2240, 2468–70, 2523, 2663, 2958–59, 3564–68, 3717–20

  Metaphysics: 19, 452, 1060, 1065, 1359, 2335, 4138–39, 4169, 4172, 4192, 4233, 4304, 4307

  Metastasio (Pietro Trapassi) (1698–1782). Poet and dramatist, born in Rome, court poet at Vienna: 32, 41, 701, 702, 1451, 3884, 3949

  Metathesis: 109, 1230, 2193, 2346, 2776, 3731, 4010, 4014

  Meters (of verse): see Metrics

  Method, routine: 38, 212, 297, 298, 1589, 2379, 3314, 3347, 3410–11, 3677–79, 3884, 4259–60

  Methodius, St. (825–885). Native of Thessaloniki, Christian missionary among the Slavs with his brother St. Cyril (q.v.): 4378

  Metochites, Theodorus (1270–1332). Byzantine scholar and polymath: 998

  Métral, Antoine (1778–1839). French historian, collaborator with the Bulletin universel: 4376

  Metrics (see also Harmony and Prosody): 1151–53, 1207–12, 1876, 1879, 4027, 4553–55, 4454–55, 4456, 4461

  Metrodorus (c. 330–c. 277 BCE). Greek Epicurean philosopher: 4273

  Meurs, Johannes van (also known as Meursius) (1579–1639). Dutch classical scholar and historian: 44, 1445, 2307, 2669, 3106, 3469, 4081, 4124–25, 4159

  Mexico, Mexicans: see Nations, peoples

  Meyendorff, Georg von, Baron (1798–1865). Russian traveler, author of Voyage d’Orenbourg à Boukhara (Paris, 1826): 4399–400

  Mezzofanti, Giuseppe Gaspare (1774–1849). Bolognese polyglot, expert in Oriental languages, made a cardinal in later life: 4516

  Micali, Giuseppe (1769–1844). Italian historian, author of Storia degli antichi popoli italiani (first ed. 1832): 4431–32

  Mice, rats: see Animals

  Michelangelo (Michelangelo Buonarroti) (1475–1564). Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet: 211, 2592

  Middle Ages: 81, 132–33, 162, 340, 2574, 3438, 3671, 4159, 4424, 4519

  Middleton, Conyers (1683–1750). English thinker and man of letters: 364

  Miletus: see Cities

  Military art: see War

  Militias: see War

  Milocco, Benedetto. Eighteenth-century Venetian publisher: 4020, 4050

  Miltiades (c. 550–489 BCE). Athenian general and political figure, commander at the battle of Marathon: 4352, 4403

  Milton, John (1608–1674). English poet and pamphleteer, author of Paradise Lost: 18, 2982, 3066, 3069, 3806, 3810

  Mimnermus (c. 670–c. 600 BCE). Greek elegiac poet of Ionian origin: 2589, 4435

  Mind, soul (see also Spirit and Intellect): 628, 637, 4094; ACTION AND VIGOR: 1606–7, 1999, 2017–18, 2049–51, 2239, 2337, 2358–59; THE BODY: 255, 341–42, 358, 473, 622–25, 661, 678, 1576–77, 1719, 2102, 2479, 2800–803, 3489–90, 3938; CIVILIZATION: 3910–11, 3932–37; IMMORTALITY: 40, 604–606, 629–33, 3027–28, 3430–32, 4277–79; ancient religion: 4208, 4210; NATURE AND FACULTIES: 53, 98–99, 106–107, 181, 281–83, 372–73, 601–606, 610, 654–55, 726–28, 830, 1262, 1315, 1762–63, 2315–16, 3027–28, 3205–206, 3347, 3536–37, 4111, 4251–53, 4256; PLEASURE, PAIN, SELF-LOVE, UNHAPPINESS: 126–27, 127–28, 165–67, 170–72, 179–80, 183, 472–73, 513, 826–27, 1429–30, 2053–54, 2054–56, 2183–84, 2410–14, 2419–20, 2672, 3713–15, 3823–24, 3909–10, 3922–27, 3973, 4105–108, 4109, 4239–40, 4243–45, 4286, 4500

  Miner
va. Roman goddess identified with Greek Pallas Athena: 307, 1444, 2322, 3602, 4409

  Mingarelli, Giovanni Luigi (1722–1793). Italian philologist: 981–82

  Minos. Mythical king of Crete, son of Zeus and Europa: 4078

  Mirrors: 4280, 4419

  Misanthropy: 1913, 2582–83, 3837–38, 4428, 4513

  Misfortune (see also Happiness/Unhappiness and Calamity): 3137, 3159–62, 3604–607, 4255–56; ANCIENT AND MODERN: 43–44, 76–79, 87–88, 503–507, 682–83, 1364, 2263–64, 3342–43, 3351; religion: 2456–58, 2463–64; EFFECTS, HUMAN PERCEPTIONS AND REACTIONS: 43–44, 87, 96–97, 107, 121–22, 126–27, 136–44, 188–89, 214, 233–36, 302, 366–68, 512–14, 931, 1673–75, 2159–62, 2208–10, 2217–19, 2401–402, 2415, 2485–86, 2628–29, 2752–55, 3277–78, 3568, 3838, 4243–44; 4278; compassion: 221, 703, 722, 3105, 3107–109, 3141–42, 3271–74, 3612–13; consolation, relief: 139–40, 302, 614–18, 633–36, 3529–31, 4243–45; hope, illusions: 213–17, 285, 712; THEME OF LEOPARDI’S WORK: 1393

  Mistrust: see Trust

  Mithridates (or Mithridates VI, Eupator) (c. 120–c. 63 BCE). King of Pontus, on the south shore of the Black Sea: 57

  Mitscherlich, Christoph Wilhelm (1760–1854). German philologist: 4155

  Modena: 3176

  Moderation: 117, 1100, 4197

  Moderns: see Ancients and moderns

  Modesty: 612–13, 1740, 1933–34, 2429, 3720, 4494

  Moeris (second century CE). Greek grammarian: 2811, 4463

  Mohammed (c. 570–632 CE). Founder of Islam: 252, 329–30, 954, 3580, 3584

  Mohammedans, Mohammedanism: see Religion: ISLAM

  Moles (beauty spots): 2454

  Molière (Jean-Baptiste Poquelin) (1622–1673). French actor and playwright: 804, 4102

  Molinet, Jean (1435–1507). French poet: 4141

  Møller, Poul Martin (1794–1838). Danish philologist: 4312

  Monads: 1635–36, 1857

  Monarchy: see Government, governance

  Money: 1170–74, 2643, 4081, 4247

  Monkeys: see Animals

  Monks, nuns: see Christianity

  Monophagy: see Eating alone

  Monotony: see Uniformity

  Montaigne, Michel Eyquem de (1533–1592). French writer, author of the Essais: 1051, 1997, 2095, 4416

  Montauti, Antonio (d. c. 1740). Florentine sculptor, architect, and medallionist: 4237

  Montecuccoli, Raimondo (1609–1680). Italian soldier and writer, fought in the Thirty Years’ War: 3887

  Montereggione (Monteriggioni): 4415

  Montesquieu, Charles Louis de Secondat (1689–1755). French writer and philosopher: Considérations sur les causes de la grandeur des Romains et de leur decadence: 80, 113–14, 116–17, 119–24, 163, 222, 262, 274, 331, 359, 457–58, 883, 915–16, 1043, 1601; Dialogue de Sylla et d’Eucrate: 135; Essai sur le goût: 51, 154, 170, 178, 186, 188–89, 191, 193, 198, 202, 212–13, 269, 1366, 1552, 3214; Le Temple de Gnide: 2498

  Montezuma (1466–1520). Aztec emperor overthrown by the Spanish invaders: 2397

  Montfaucon, Bernard de (1655–1741). French priest and scholar, a Benedictine of St.-Maur: 983, 3057

  Monthly Magazine: 954

  Monthly Repertory of English Literature: 4286

  Monti, Vincenzo (1754–1828). Neoclassical poet from Ravenna, translator of Latin and Greek poetry: 4, 10, 13–14, 36–37, 640, 701, 724–25, 731, 1950, 3418, 3477–79, 4298, 4305–306, 4426, 4450; WORKS: Proposta di alcune correzioni ed aggiunte al Vocabolario della Crusca: 761, 1078, 1098, 1101, 1109–10, 1111, 1117, 1145, 1162–63, 1180, 1230, 1245, 1249, 1292, 1313, 1329, 1336–37, 1367, 1385, 1436, 1558, 1679, 2181, 2304, 2706, 2791, 2843, 2886, 3636, 3985, 3995, 4165, 4169–70, 4172, 4188, 4190, 4220, 4223; translation of the Iliad: 731, 1950, 3478

  Monuments: 3435–40

  Monsters: 2558, 3058–60

  Moore, Thomas (1779–1852). Irish poet, songwriter, and essayist, friend of Byron: 986

  Moors: 1592, 3174, 3370, 3580–84, 3893, 4125, 4206

  Morals, morality: 276–77, 309–12, 334, 519, 1572–73; ANCIENTS AND MODERNS, CHRISTIANITY: 611–12, 1354–55, 2492–93, 3135, 4172, 4192; MORAL INTERMITTENCY: 4231; RELATIVE, NONABSOLUTE: 125, 208–10, 249–50, 342–43, 356–57, 363–64, 376–78, 391–92, 1198, 1354–55, 1461–64, 1637–45, 1710–12, 1794, 2263–64, 3349

  Morale universelle: see Holbach

  Moravia: 4378

  Moravian Brethren: 3349, 3865

  Morel, Fédéric (also known as Morellus) (1550s–1630). French publisher and printer: 4190

  Moréri (Moréry), Louis (1643–1680). French encyclopedist, compiler of Le grand Dictionnaire historique: 1290

  Morgan, Lady (née Sydney Owenson) (?1776–1859). Irish poet and novelist, known also for her studies of contemporary France (1817) and Italy (1821): 160, 161, 175, 231–33, 236, 246, 251, 974, 1965

  Morhof, Daniel Georg (also known as Morhofius) (1639–1691). German scholar and biographer: 1010

  Moris, M. Translator of the Voyage de Benjamin Bergmann chez les Kalmuks (Châtillon-sur-Seine, 1825), member of the Société Asiatique: 4412

  Morning: 151–52

  Mortality: see Death

  Mosca, Virginia. Leopardi’s paternal grandmother: 2192, 3937, 3938, 4512

  Moses (thirteenth century BCE). Jewish religious leader, lawgiver, and prophet: 400, 1639–40, 1642, 3416

  Moschus (fl. c. 150 BCE). Greek bucolic poet from Syracuse: 4048

  Mosquitoes: see Animals

  Movement: 1607–608, 1779, 4021–22, 4253–54

  Moustoxydes, Andreas (1785–1860). Corfiot man of letters: 2826, 4240, 4462

  Mucius Scaevola, Gaius. Legendary Roman hero (end of the sixth century BCE): 4153, 4213, 4330, 4399, 4458

  Mules: see Animals

  Müller, Peter Erasmus (1776–1834). Danish philologist: 4339

  Müller, Wilhelm (1794–1827). German writer and poet, who addressed the Homer question: 4316, 4323, 4327, 4364

  Multiplicity: 171–72, 368, 3510, 3565

  Multitude, masses, the many (see also Individual: MULTITUDE, SOCIETY and Public, the): ART: 1746–47, 1825, 1925–26, 2804–09, 4259, 4367; GNOSEOLOGY, PHILOSOPHY: 520, 1975–78, 3269–71; INDIVIDUAL, SOCIETY, POLITICS: 112, 120, 121, 194–95, 329–30, 525, 565–67, 880, 902–906, 910–11, 919–22, 1563–68, 2574–76, 3773–78, 4368; WRITING: 850, 1033–34, 1062, 1679–80

  Murder, homicide: NATURE AND SOCIETY: 249–50, 3782–85, 3928–30; war, enemies: 881–82, 899–902, 1709

  Muret, Marc-Antoine (1526–1585). French humanist: 4118

  Museo Pio-Clementino (Pio-Clementino Museum): 3003; WORK BY E. Q. VISCONTI ON THE ABOVE: 4145, 4480

  Muséum étrusque du Prince de Canino (Lucien Bonaparte): 4524

  Muses: 4268, 4347

  Music: 8, 79–80, 159, 1586, 1932, 3421–27, 4223; HABITUATION, EFFECTS, PLEASURE: 50–51, 130, 1369–70, 1455, 1758, 1770, 1798, 1927–29, 1871–78, 2336, 3310–12, 3313–14, 3364–65, 3386–88, 3421–27, 4293; HARMONY AND MELODY: 155–59, 1663–66, 1747–49, 1758–60, 1780–86, 1871–78, 1934–36, 1942–43, 2017, 3208–34, 3313–14; OPERA: 32, 2905–906; SOUND AND SONG: 32, 50–51, 155–56, 157–58, 158–59, 1455, 1663–65, 1689–90, 1721–23, 1747–49, 1758, 1759–60, 1770, 1780–86, 1798, 1927–29, 1934–36, 2017, 3020, 3386–88, 3421–27, 3527–28, 4235, 4293; popular songs: 29, 3344, 4336–40, 4360, 4362, 4399–4400, 4406–408, 4435

  Musonius Rufus, Gaius (first century CE). Roman Stoic philosopher: 4440

  Mutability: AESTHETICS 49, 1259–60, 1522–23, 1603–604, 1708–709; arts and literature: 155, 1754–55, 2512–13; GOVERNMENTS: 576–77; HUMAN NATURE AND HUMAN FACULTIES: 868–70, 1450–51, 2901–903

  Mutes: 1925, 2391, 2896–97

  Mycenae: see Cities

  Mysia: 4225

  Mystery: LOVE: 3305–309, 3909–15, 4293; NATURE, UNIVERSE, EXISTENCE: 84, 341–42, 2936–38, 2938–41, 3237–45, 3639, 4099–101, 4128–29, 4238–39, 4248; RELIGION: 132–33, 637–38, 1627, 2178�
��80, 3639, 4238–39

  Mysticism: 105, 1096, 4219–21

  Mythology: 1840, 4048; AFFINITIES WITH LEOPARDI’S SYSTEM: 637–38, 2115; ILLUSIONS, IMAGINATION: 52, 63–64, 68, 285–87, 1830–31, 1841–42; RELIGION: 105, 2115; comparisons: 3811–12, 3638–43, 3878–79, 4001, 4238–39; SOURCE FOR LITERATURE: 18–19, 285–87, 3461–66, 3771

  N

  Naevius, Gnaeus (c. 270–201/199 BCE). Roman tragic and comic dramatist, and epic poet: 42, 1112, 4461

  Naiads: 64

  Naiveté (see also Naturalness and Simplicity and Spontaneity): 160, 232, 1415–16

  Names, naming: 481–84, 667–68, 1072–75, 1183, 1233, 1388–90, 1465–67, 2243–44, 2384–85, 2487–88, 3541–42, 3902, 4440; NOMENCLATURE, TERMINOLOGY (IN THE ARTS AND SCIENCES): 48, 323, 738, 796, 1128–29, 1133, 1214, 1218–29, 1231–33, 1338, 1350, 1427–28, 1465–68, 1518, 1582, 1704, 1844

  Naples: see Cities

  Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821). General in the Army of Italy, First Consul, then Emperor of the French: 58, 114, 229, 251, 252, 906, 4270, 4390

  Nardi, Jacopo (1476–1563). Florentine humanist and politician exiled by the Medici in 1530, and author of a history of Florence: 678, 680, 683–84, 4036

  Narrative art, storytelling: 82, 206, 393, 3548–50, 3552, 4224, 4371; CHILDREN: 499–501; stories heard in childhood: 514–16, 1401–402; HISTORIES AND EXPERIENCE: 1436–37; HOMER: 4324–26; IMAGINATION: 1541; NARRATION VS. DESCRIPTION: 21, 164, 3479–80; NARRATION VS. DRAMA: 732, 2313–15, 2326–27; ORALITY/LITERACY: 4343–45; PLEASURE: 339–40, 1583; PROSE: 4343–45; WORDS RELATED TO NARRATION: 497–99, 3460, 4214–16, 4464–65; XENOPHON: 126

  Nation: 1877–78, 2407–08, 2624–25, 3811–13; ANCIENTS AND MODERNS: 424, 1378, 3342–44, 3351, 4413–14, 4179; inequality, national hatred: 119–20, 123, 148–49, 872–911, 911–23, 1004–07, 1016, 1037, 1078–79, 1083–84, 1163, 1362, 1709–11, 1817–18, 1842–43, 2252–55, 2305–06, 2625–27, 3114–15, 3157–58, 4423–24; northern/southern: 1026–27, 4256; uniformity: 147, 148, 148–49, 720–21; CUSTOMS AND CHARACTER: 1439–47, 1668–69, 1831–32, 2262–63, 2608–609, 2923, 2927–28, 3546–47, 4031–33, 4295; language: 933–35, 1086–87, 1220–21, 1513–18, 1520, 1629–30, 1986–87, 2694–95, 2847, 2989–91; literature: 3125–32, 4475–77, 4483–84; virtues: 910–11, 1563–68, 1596, 3282; LAW OF NATIONS: 880–81, 897–98, 910–11, 1709, 2252–55, 2625–27, 4286, 4423–24; LOVE OF COUNTRY, NATIONAL HATRED: 119–20, 885–86, 910–11, 923–25, 1004–07, 1420, 1422, 1593, 1606, 1709, 1728, 1827, 2574–76, 3157–58, 3790–91; war, civil war: 872–911, 930–31, 2677–79; NATURE, CIVILIZATION, BARBARISM: 114–15, 315, 417, 474–76, 524, 821–22, 822–24, 1709, 2331–35, 2679–80, 2923, 3411–12, 3661–66, 3957–58, 4041–42, 4120–21, 4124, 4295; errors, illusions: 21–23, 114–15, 420–23, 866–67, 926–28; TASTE AND JUDGMENT: 236, 1415–20