Note 497 — Chapter VI

I believe the Favola di Orfeo, first published in 1494, and republished from time to time up to the year 1776, was the original play acted at Mantua before the Cardinal Gonzaga. It is not divided into acts, and has the usual "Annunziatore della Festa," of the Sacre Rappresentazioni. The Orphei Tragædia, published by the Padre Ireneo Affò at Venice in 1776, from two MSS. collated by him, may be regarded as a subsequent recension of his own work made by Poliziano. It is divided into five acts, and is far richer in lyrical passages. Carducci prints both in his excellent edition of Poliziano's Italian poems. I may refer English readers to my own translation of the Orfeo and the note upon its text, Studies and Sketches in Italy, pp. 226-242, 429, 430.