Against the Jews and the Gentiles / edited by Stefano U. Baldassarri and Daniela Pagliara ; translated by David Marsh.

Cambridge, Massachusetts : Harvard University Press, 2017-

volumes ; 21 cm

The I Tatti Renaissance library ; 79

Manetti's Latin treatise Adversus Iudaeos et Gentes (Against the Jews and Gentiles) offers a polemical defense of the Christian religion. This volume, which includes the first four books, surveys human history from the Creation to the life, teaching, and resurrection of Christ. Book I begins with the creation and fall of man in the Biblical account. There follows a long digression adversus gentes (the Gentiles, i.e., pagans), which reviews central points of ancient Greek and Roman philosophy and religion, and censures the ancients for their senseless doctrines and bloody rites. Manetti then returns to the Jews, whose beliefs and practices are praised from Abraham to Moses. During their centuries of "true" piety, Manetti calls the chosen people "Hebrews." But from the time of the Exodus onwards, he censures them as "Jews" because they observe the absurd and cruel practices of Pentateuchal legislation, which he views as analogous to pagan rites. Manetti stresses several themes in Jewish history: the early development of the concept of righteousness, the Exodus, the Mosaic Law and its inadequacy--thus providing a "preparation for the Gospel" in Eusebius' sense. The next three books provide a synoptic biography of Jesus in three stages. Book II describes the life of Christ up to the raising of Lazarus; Book III relates his teaching, and Book IV offers an account of Christ's passion, death, and resurrection.-- Provided by publisher.

Text in Latin with English translation on facing pages ; introduction and notes in English.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Container of (expression): Manetti, Giannozzo, 1396-1459. Adversus Iudaeos et Gentes.
Container of (expression): Manetti, Giannozzo, 1396-1459. Adversus Iudaeos et Gentes. English.

I Tatti Renaissance library ; 79.

United States -- Massachusettes.

B785.M2443 A38 2017