Francesco Robortello's Rhetoric. On the Orator and his Arguments

This paper deals with the conception of rhetoric of one of the most prominent Renaissance scholars, Francesco Robortello, and focuses in particular on his vernacular manuscript entitled Dell’oratore, probably his final statement on the topic, the transcription of which is included in the appendix. The study of the manuscript will be integrated with the examination of Robortello’s Latin published works on rhetoric, that is De rhetorica facultate (1548) and De artificio dicendi (1567), as well as of some of his schemes in printed and manuscript form.