charity and confraternities 423
by the benevolence of God and the saints and serving a holy destiny.”7
the communal harmony of the Venetian republic embodied virtue and
excellence. Patriotism and piety were not opposing concepts.
an expression of the holy destiny of Venice and its noble leadership
can be found in the works of the Venetian humanist Giovanni Caldiera
(c.1400–c.1474).8 Caldiera wrote three philosophical treatises outlining a
moral philosophy that reflected scholastic, aristotelian, and humanist
influences. Caldiera explained that virtuous men had merited entry into
the Patriciate, and these men inherited the privilege and obligation to
govern Venice virtuously. at the core of his discussion was the relation-
ship between public service and the common good. Caldiera argued that
the public life of a nobleman merited him honor. a magnanimous man
exposed himself to labors and dangers for the benefit of the community.
according to Caldiera’s theory of state, “the worthiness of the magnani-
mous man is most clearly seen in this, that he seems to require no rewards
from other men, which he would not seek and earnestly entreat even if he
were in genuine need, but he liberally and promptly succors these who he
knows to be in need or poor.”9
Venetian nobles were called to work for God and the republic, and
the most obvious manifestation of virtuous action was the care of the
poor. the love of God and neighbor should be extended to the repub-
lic, and Venice’s charitable institutions reflected the charity and civility
to be found in Venice. Venice taught citizens and foreigners alike to live
virtuously. “Caldiera declares that the final cause of the city of Venice,
the purpose for which it exists, is that Venice might excel throughout the
earth and proffer its wisdom and assistance upon the whole globe. her
destiny is imperial.”10 if the Venetians proved themselves to be worthy
before God and their fellow citizens, not only would they receive honors
in this world but also the republic would be immortal. as Quentin skin-
ner explains, “for it is claimed by all [humanist] writers to be one of the
special merits of a republican form of government that it enables men of
highest virtù to pursue the goals of honour, glory and fame in the service
of their community... the exhilarating prospect which is thus held out is
7 King, Venetian Humanism, p. 189.
8 the following discussion of Caldiera is based on Margaret King, “Personal, domestic,
and republican Values in the Moral Philosophy of Giovanni Caldiera,” Renaissance Quar-
terly 28 (1975), 535–74.
9 King, “Caldiera,” p. 548.
10 King, “Caldiera,” p. 570.