# A Learned Squabble explained — Romola > Chapter companion for Romola by George Eliot. ## What happens Tito Melema visits Bartolommeo Scala, the Secretary of the Florentine Republic, to sell his gems and gain favor. The chapter details Scala's character, his pompous yet honest nature, and his bitter scholarly quarrel with Politian. Tito, eager to please, skillfully navigates the conversation, flattering Scala by criticizing Politian's Greek epigram. The interview ends successfully, with Scala agreeing to buy Tito's gems and inviting him to return, making Tito feel that fortune is finally favoring him. ## Themes in this chapter ### Knowledge and Erudition The chapter is centered on a scholarly dispute over Latin and Greek, highlighting the era's obsession with classical learning and the use of erudition as a weapon in personal conflicts. ### Political and Religious Corruption The chapter reveals the intertwining of political power and intellectual vanity, as Scala's official position and honors are used to bolster his literary pretensions, showing how personal ambition corrupts scholarly pursuits. ## Character check-ins ### Tito Melema Visits Scala to sell his gems and ingratiate himself, skillfully flattering the secretary by criticizing Politian's work. ### Bartolommeo Scala The vain and pompous Secretary of the Florentine Republic, embroiled in a scholarly feud with Politian, who is won over by Tito's flattery. ### Politian The arrogant scholar and poet, whose quarrel with Scala is the central topic of the chapter, though he is not present. ### Alessandra Scala Scala's beautiful daughter, present during Tito's visit, who was once courted by Politian. ### Marullo Alessandra's husband, the Greek soldier-poet, seated with the family during the interview. ### Bardo de' Bardi Mentioned as the one who recommended Tito to Scala, described as a worthy scholar who overvalues himself. ## Key lines > It was a human foible at that period (incredible as it may seem) to recite quarrels, and favour scholarly visitors with the communication of an entire and lengthy correspondence People in that era had a strange habit of sharing their personal disputes and long letters with visitors. _Highlights the social customs of the time regarding scholarly disputes._ > The secretary was a vain and pompous man, but he was also an honest one: he was sincerely convinced of his own merit, and could see no reason for feigning. Scala was arrogant and self-important, yet genuine in his belief in his own worth, seeing no need for pretense. _Provides a direct characterization of Bartolommeo Scala._ > O wise young judge! He could doubtless appreciate satire even in the vulgar tongue What a clever young man! He surely could understand satire written in the common language. _Sarcastic praise from the narrator regarding Tito's flattery of Scala._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/romola_se/chapters/vii-a-learned-squabble - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/romola_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/romola_se/chapters