The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Heroic Enthusiasts,(1 of 2) (Gli Eroici
Furori), by Giordano Bruno

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Title: The Heroic Enthusiasts,(1 of 2) (Gli Eroici Furori)
An Ethical Poem

Author: Giordano Bruno

Translator: L. Williams

Release Date: November 15, 2006 [EBook #19817]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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THE

HEROIC ENTHUSIASTS

(_GLI EROICI FURORI_)

An Ethical poem

BY GIORDANO BRUNO

PART THE FIRST

TRANSLATED BY

L. WILLIAMS

_WITH AN INTRODUCTION, COMPILED CHIEFLY FROM DAVID LEVI'S
GIORDANO BRUNO O LA RELIGIONE DEL PENSIERO_

LONDON
GEORGE REDWAY
YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN
1887

PREFACE.

When this Translation was begun, more than two years ago, for my own
pleasure, in leisure hours, I had no knowledge of the difficulty I
should find in the work, nor any thought of ever having it printed; but
as "Gli Eroici Furori" of Giordano Bruno has never appeared in English,
I decided to publish that portion of it which I have finished.

I wish to thank those friends who have so kindly looked over my work
from time to time, and given me their help in the choice of words and
phrases. I must, moreover, confess that I am keenly alive to the
shortcomings and defects of this Translation.

I have used the word "Enthusiasts" in the title, rather than
"Enthusiasms," because it seemed to me more appropriate.

L. W.

FOLKSTONE, _September 1887_.

ERRATA

Page 3, line 10, _for_ "also mother" _read_ "also my mother."
Page 47, line 9, _for_ "poisons" _read_ "poison."

INTRODUCTION.

Nola, a city founded by the Chalcidian Greeks, at a short distance from
Naples and from Vesuvius, was the birth-place of Giordano Bruno. It is
described by David Levi as a city which from ancient times had always
been consecrated to science and letters. From the time of the Romans to
that of the Barbarians and of the Middle Ages, Nola was conspicuous for
culture and refinement, and its inhabitants were in all times remarkable
for their co