“A New Flood Was Released from the Heavens”: The Literary Responses to the Disaster of 1333
Abstract
In early November 1333, heavy rains caused the Arno to flood. The destruction was widespread, killing over 300 people in Florence alone. The catastrophe was one of several in the first half of the fourteenth century and may be attributed to the changing climate. In the aftermath of the flood, a cultural conversation took place regarding the cause of the disaster; natural philosophers noted the planetary conjunctions that caused the torrents, while theologians saw the hand of God in the calamity. Additionally, numerous writers described the events, particularly the historian Giovanni Villani, and the poets Antonio Pucci, Adriano ...
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