‘These arts I used with thee’

This article delves into the collaborative dynamics of early modern literary production, emphasising the need for a comprehensive view of collaboration beyond joint authorship as the role of translators is still often overlooked, maintaining their perceived secondary status even after the translational turn. Using Petrarch's I Triumphi , first printed in 1470, and arguably one of the most decisive vernacular works in early modern Europe, as a case study, the article showcases the pivotal contribution of translators to a text's international prominence, challenging established gender norms in Petrarchism. The article highlights the role of the female translators as collaborators and proposes a nuanced understanding of gender, social class and religious factors in shaping translation practices, enriching our comprehension of early modern literary dynamics.