The Tale of Two Lovers

by Pope Pius II, Flora Grierson (Translator)

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Genres: Classics, Fiction, Romance, Adult, Sexuality, Renaissance

139 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1467

About the author

also writes as: Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini

Pope Pius II (Latin: Pius PP. II, Italian: Pio II), born Enea Silvio Bartolomeo Piccolomini (Latin Aeneas Silvius Bartholomeus) was the head of the Catholic Church from 19 August 1458 to his death in 1464. He was born at Corsignano in the Sienese territory of a noble but decayed family. His longest and most enduring work is the story of his life, the Commentaries, which is the only autobiography ever written by a reigning Pope. He is also known for his erotic writings done before he became pope.

Reviews

[Petruccio Hambasket IV · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now that's what I call an "Introduction" !

173 pages in this book and the intro ends only at p.115. This is the intro to end all intros. This introduction introduces so well that you will never need to be introduced to anything again. The introductory words are the book. Whatever Pope Pius II has scribbled down in the end shouldn't even be looked at: it has been introduced so completely we don't even need to meet the words to understand them. This introduction is the novel equivalent of Mayweather slowly entering the boxing ring with his entire entourage and 50 cent rapping his theme song for him while lights and sounds are dancing everywhere. The intro has its own bibliography that would put even historical tomes to shame. What could I possibly say about the intro that hasn't already been said a thousand times (or 0 times on Goodreads). It is a cultural landmark, a fountain of wealth, and a force not to reckoned with. Theirs no reason to introduce the introduction any further, read it for yourself for the best introductory experience you will ever enjoy preliminarily.

[giada · Rating 3 out of 5]

reading around the world one book at a time 2025: vatican city

Sto un po’ barando segnandolo per il Vaticano, dato che Piccolomini è nato a Siena e non nello Stato Pontificio e i suoi scritti sono quasi tutti precedenti alla sua elezione a papa, ma mi faceva morire dal ridere l’idea di segnare come libro per questo stato un romanzo epistolare erotico, è veramente lo stereotipo del cardinale che non ha altro da fare.
Poco da dire sulla trama in sé, ha avuto i suoi momenti che mi hanno fatto morire dal ridere.

[Ava · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't laughed as much while reading in a long time. An absolute must-read for anyone who, too, finds a pope writing a story like this to be deeply amusing.

[Soph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Piccolomini was een beetje heel misogyn met weinig compassie voor zijn vrouwelijke personage.
Tom Ingelbrecht verdient daarentegen alle lof voor zijn mooie vertaling!

[Patricia Purcell-Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never thought I’d say this about a book from the 15th century written by a catholic pope but that was absolutely delightful. Pope Pius II was hilarious.

[John Boardley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was curious about this epistolary novel (one of the first of its kind) for two reasons: that Aeneas Piccolomini (later Pope Pius II) wrote it; and because it is one of the most popular novels of the fifteenth century. Its raunchiness has been exaggerated but for its time it was considered pretty racy. Not quite what I expected but a pretty good read – and from time to time, some sound advice. And I like the concluding paragraph:

"And now, my dearest Marianus, you have heard the out-come of this love, a true story and an unhappy one: And may all who read it take a lesson from others that will be useful to themselves: let them beware to drink the cup of love, that holds far more of bitter than of sweet."

[Andreg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wonder if anybody would be interested in this if it was by a different author... Hardly remarkable.

[Lulu]

1444

[Rayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gifted upon my request by my twin I really enjoyed this book. Very old school style writing kinda hindered me as the furtherest I’m used to reading is regency era old English but still incredibly enjoyable for me.

[Antonio Ippolito · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avevo sentito parlare per caso di quest'opera da un amico a cui era toccata in una "challenge", e ho deciso di "rise to the challenge" anch'io: e bene ho fatto.
L'autore, grande umanista e futuro papa Pio II nonchè fondatore della "città ideale" Pienza, da giovane non si è fatto mancare questa "Historia de duobus amantibus", opera decisamente licenziosa e boccaccesca, pare davvero accaduta e da lui trascritta per il protagonista. C'è un gioco quasi borgesiano di scatole cinesi nelle premesse lettere di dedica che l'editore manda a un altro intellettuale, l'autore al dedicatario, e così via; e il lungo racconto stesso è in buona parte epistolare; altro gioco è capire chi ha scritto il testo: purtroppo non ho avuto a disposizione l'originale latino, ma una volgarizzazione di poco successiva e probabilmente di poco diversa, per opera di tale Bracci, in un italiano super latineggiante proprio da manuale rinascimentale; però rivista prima nel 1832 da chi la ristampò e poi dall'editore milanese (come le facciate di certe chiese "romaniche" milanesi, Sant'Eustorgio o San Babila, nei secoli rifatte gotiche, poi barocche, poi a inizio Novecento ri-romanicizzate..), con chicche come "senettù" contrapposto a "gioventù", "la vecchia pollastriera" (ruffiana), "cotestui".. e tanti altri fossili linguistici.
Sarà che è un periodo che sto leggendo molto "italiano antiquo" (l'Odissea del Pindemonte), ma nel complesso l'ho trovato piacevole; la storia è appunto boccaccesca, dove Eurialo, collaboratore dell'imperatore Sigismondo di stanza a Siena, s'innamora di Lucrezia (che non sarà virtuosa come la sua eponima dell'antica Roma), moglie di tale Menelao (ma guarda..), geloso e aiutato nella sorveglianza dall'ancor più geloso fratello Agamennone. Oltre alla storia, piacciono le numerose tirate retoriche, tipiche dell'eloquenza dell'Umanesimo; e soprattutto le argute osservazioni del Piccolomini su quanto poco valga la nobiltà, sulle invidie fra nobili di spada e nobili di toga, su quanto siano infingardi gli esseri umani (e anche gli amanti: che usano gli stessi esempi mitologici prima per invogliare l'altra, poi per convincerla a starsene buona e lasciarli partire.. ) 🙂 simpatica anche la prefazione dell'Editore ottocentesco, che esibisce acido moralismo probabilmente per sviare la censura!

[Pablo Sabalza · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

Escrito en los albores de la modernidad, esta novela sabe diferenciarse del resto por la gran carga erótica que nos presenta en algunos de sus pasajes, opacando, en ese sentido, a otras obras de su época.

Asimismo, nos refleja la mentalidad renacentista que ya se permeaba en la sociedad al incorporar referencias a la literatura y mitología grecolatina, así como un sinfín de frases y diálogos que cuestionan la naturaleza de la nobleza, el deseo, el amor y adulterio. En fin, se trata de una joya olvidada que reclama ser más estudiada y difundida.

[wyclif · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the bestselling books of the 15th century, and a great way to improve your medieval Latin.