Editing Pope Pius II (section)

==Literary reputation and legacy==
[[File:Bildnis Papst Pius II (Enea Silvio Piccolomini).jpg|thumb|Pius II by [[Cristofano dell'Altissimo]].]]
Pius II was a prominent author of poetry<ref>Josephus Cugnoni (editor), [https://books.google.com/books?id=DIP5NJwbx8kC&pg=PA184 ''Aeneae Silvii Piccolomini Senensis... Opera inedita''] (Roma: Tipi del Salviucci 1883), pp. 342-370.</ref> in his lifetime,<ref>"Of his poems, we have very few left, and they are insignificant:" Creighton (1902), [https://books.google.com/books?id=IlJLAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA55 ''Historical Essays and Reviews''], pp. 77-78.</ref> being named imperial poet laureate in 1442. But his reputation in ''[[belles lettres]]'' rests principally upon his ''[[The Tale of Two Lovers]]'', an [[erotic]] novel. He also composed some [[comedies]], of which only one (''Chrysis'') is extant. All of his works are in [[Latin]]. He also wrote numerous erotic poems.<ref>[[John Julius Norwich]], ''Absolute Monarchs'', p. 254. Quote: "For the next three years he worked in the royal chancery in Vienna, turning out in his spare time not only a quantity of mildly pornographic poetry but also a novel in much the same vein, ''Lucretia and Euryalus'', celebrating the amorous adventures of his friend, the Chancellor Caspar Schlick."</ref> All of the erotic material was written well before he was elected to the papacy.<ref>[[John Julius Norwich]], ''Absolute Monarchs'', p. 254. Quote: "But such an existence could not continue indefinitely, and in 1445 Aeneas's life underwent a dramatic change. First, he broke with the antipope and was formally reconciled with [[Pope Eugene IV|Eugenius IV]]; then, in March 1446, he was ordained a priest. Thereafter he was a genuinely reformed character.."</ref><ref>[[Charles A. Coulombe]], ''Vicars of Christ'', p. 324. Quote: "Whenever chided with his past immoral life and writings, he would reply, 'Ignore Aeneas, but listen to Pius.'"</ref>

His ''Epistles'', which were collected by himself, are also an important source of historical information. His ''Epistles'' contain one of the best known descriptions of the [[Carantania#The Ducal Inauguration|enthronement ceremony]] of the [[Duchy of Carinthia|Carinthian dukes]] on the [[Prince's Stone]] and the [[Duke's Chair]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.slovenska-biografija.si/oseba/sbi423636/|title=Pij II (1405–1464) – Slovenska biografija|website=slovenska-biografija.si|access-date=2020-04-19}}</ref> It is generally considered to be the source for [[Jean Bodin]]'s description of the ceremony in his ''Six Livres de la République''.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

The most valuable of his historical writings are his histories of Bohemia and of Emperor Frederick III. He sketched biographical treatises on [[Europe]] and [[Asia]], and in early and middle life produced numerous tracts on the political and theological controversies of his day. The pontiff even wrote an exhaustive refutation of [[Islam]].<ref>[[John Julius Norwich]], ''Absolute Monarchs'', p. 255. Quote: "If he could not defeat Sultan Mehmet in battle, perhaps he could persuade him by force of reason to see the error of his ways. In 1461 he drafted an extraordinary letter to the sultan in which he included a detailed refutation of the teachings of the Koran, an equally thorough exposition of the Christian faith, and a final appeal to renounce Islam and submit to baptism. It seems that the letter may never have been sent; if it was, it not surprisingly received no reply."</ref><ref>[[Charles A. Coulombe]], ''Vicars of Christ'', p. 324. Quote: "One rumor stated that the Sultan himself had lost faith in Islam. Pius sent an eloquent letter setting forth the Catholic faith, urging him to convert. Instead of converting, the Sultan assuaged his opposition to Islamic law by drinking."</ref>

His most important and longest work is his autobiographical ''Commentaries'', first published in 1584 in Rome by Archbishop Francesco Bandini Piccolomini, a distant relative. Bandini Piccolomini published it under the name of Iohannes Gobellinus, the scribe of the manuscript archetype of 1464, who was then named the author. Pius II chose to write ''Commentaries'' from the third-person perspective, following Caesar's example. This posthumous edition altered some content judged inappropriate.

Of his own work, Aeneas Silvius wrote, "My style of writing is unpolished and bald, but it is frank, and without trappings.  I never write with labour, because I do not stretch after things which are too high for me, and which I do not know; but what I have learned I write."<ref>Quoted by Creighton (1902), [https://books.google.com/books?id=IlJLAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA79 ''Historical Essays and Reviews''], p. 79.</ref>