BEAUTY AND ABILITY TO COMMAND. VIRIDARIUM SACRAE ET PROFANAE ERUDITIONIS. PROBLEMA LXXV

Abstract

The aim of this work is to provide a translation and a comment to one of the issues of the Viridarium sacrae et profanae eruditionis by Francisco de Mendoça. The famous Jesuit Father was born in Lisbon and was professor of Philosophy and rector of the Colégio das Artes of Coimbra in the first years of the seventieth century. His work was published after his death by the Colégio itself in a big book, which was a fundamental testimony of the encyclopedic knowledge in that period. The issue I chose is in the section Flores uarii and has the title Quis aptior ad imperium, pulcher an foedus. To solve the problema, the author provides the descriptions of some personalities who were fit for the leadership. In the comment I will try to present the original quotes mentioned by Francisco De Mendoça, to understand if he was faithful to these quotes and, finally, to judge the reliability of the literary sources.