<p>Francesco Petrarca (1304-1374), one of the greatest of Italian poets, was also the leading spirit in the Renaissance movement to revive ancient Roman language and literature. Just as Petrarch's Latin epic <i>Africa</i> imitated Virgil and his compendium <i>On Illustrious Men</i> was inspired by Livy, so Petrarch's four <i>Invectives</i> were intended to revive the eloquence of the great Roman orator Cicero. The <i>Invectives</i> are directed against the cultural idols of the Middle Ages--against scholastic philosophy and medicine and the dominance of French culture in general. They defend the value of literary culture against obscurantism and provide a clear statement of the values of Renaissance humanism. This volume provides a new critical edition of the Latin text based on the two autograph copies, and the first English translation of three of the four invectives.</p>