Traduzioni e latinizzazioni di testi letterari italiani

This essay provides an introduction to the special issue dedicated to the translations of Italian literary texts into Latin produced in Europe between 1350 and 1850. It discusses the practice of translating into Latin and its evolution, and highlights some case studies taken from the Italian literary tradition. Although frequently considered only curiosities, Latin translations prove to be useful tools not only for the dissemination, but also for the interpretation of literary texts. In addition to more or less faithful full translations, examples of partial translations or adaptations motivated by political, religious, moral or ideological reasons are also common. In such cases it is therefore necessary to distinguish between Latin translations and latinisations, just as one distinguishes between vernacular translations and vulgarisations.