Giovanni Pontano (1429-1503), became the most important humanist of fifteenth-century Naples and remains today one of the most highly admired of the Renaissance Latin poets. His work includes, remarkably, much poetry devoted to his love for his wife and childrenÑunusual subject matter for his time.
In 1502 Aldus had dedicated an edition of the Thebaid by the Roman poet Statius to Pontano, offering to publish anything he chose to send him. Pontano responded promptly by sending copies of his three major poetic works just before his death. Aldus's 1505 text thus represents the author's final version of the poems.
Exhibit Home Page 
Humanist Texts