Etiquette for Renaissance Gentlemen

Upon its publication in 1528, Castiglione's handbook was considered something of an instant classic and went on to influence upper-class life and manners for centuries to come, a well as much of the Italian literature that followed it. — Using discussion among courtiers--"soldier-scholars"--as a framing device, these excerpts from Castiglione's landmark volume touch upon such wide-ranging topics as love, war, women, politics, art, religion, providing us with a fascinating pee into Renaissance thought