"Una impresa la più difficile": translating the "Suma de filosofía natural" by Alonso de Fuentes

Abstract

The Suma de natural filosofía by Alonso de Fuentes was published in Seville in 1547 by Juan de León. The text presents the typical features of Renaissance dialogue and, in particular, of its didactic-pedagogical typology. The fortunate Italian translation, published in Venice under the care of Alonso de Ulloa, in three different editions: 1557 (Plinio Petrasanta), 1558 (Nettuno), 1567 (Domenico Farri), also contributed to the notable diffusion of the work. The different editions make it possible to reconstruct the translator's work and the modifications made to the text of the dialogue (title, other introductory paratexts, organisation of the text, language). The work of translating the Summa demonstrates how the evolution and change of Ulloa's work over time does not derive from a change in the way of translating, since in fact the text remains essentially the same, but from the way in which translation is presented as an increasingly desirable and essential editorial product in the cultural world of the time.