On Love (Commentary on Plato's Symposium)

For this reason, first to quiet your mind, which would remain poorly satisfied, and next for the due defense of my honor (which I would feel it a great prejudice to leave, if I did not free myself from such slanders as is fitting): You must first know that I do not intend, nor do I wish, for this writing of ours to set any law for the Florentines themselves, let alone for the other Tuscans: Nor do I wish to prejudice in any part the past, present, or future use, even of individual men: But only that it be well demonstrated, according to my ability, to whoever has a point of knowledge, what the Florentine pronunciation is, and what today is primarily used by the many, and by the best. Which I think and believe I can do, first without any blame of being arrogant, for having been born and raised in Florence with this language: And then equally without charge or envy of any city of Tuscany, for I do not blame the pronunciation of any of them, nor do I seek to oblige them to this one of ours, however much they may all be varied and different among themselves: imitating in this, surely, and not acting against the aforementioned Athenian Modesty.

I well can, and ought, now that the occasion has been given to me, to pray the other cities of