Romola Chapter 7 - A Learned Squabble

In which the reader is introduced to the learned and somewhat pompous Bartolommeo Scala, whose literary quarrel with the scholar Politian unfolds through their witty and pedantic exchanges over Latin and Greek verses, revealing the tensions between public ambition and scholarly pride in Florence’s cultural milieu. Amidst this backdrop, the young Greek Tito Melema visits Scala’s palace, his own attainments and treasures intriguing his host and promising favour within these cultivated circles.