L'Acerba

A vivid portrait of medieval scholarship unfurls in this critical edition of a once‑controversial treatise that weaves together astrology, medicine, and philosophy. The work opens with a detailed introduction that explores the tangled biography of its creator, a learned figure whose life straddled the bustling intellectual hubs of Salerno, Paris and Bologna. Readers discover how his eclectic education and bold theories about the influence of the stars on health sparked both fascination and fierce opposition from the ecclesiastical authorities of his day.

Beyond the scholarly apparatus, the volume presents the original text in a readable format, accompanied by extensive notes that illuminate obscure references and medieval scientific terminology. An appendix gathers the sonnets traditionally linked to the author, offering a poetic counterpoint to his analytical prose. Together, the material invites listeners to step into a world where the boundaries between science, mysticism, and poetry were fluid, and where the quest for knowledge could provoke both admiration and condemnation.