Pope Celestine V
Solitude is necessary for a life of contemplation, for both saints (such as Augustine or Pope Celestine V) and philosophers. Petrarch merged the medieval interest in spiritual meditation with Cicero's idea of philosophical "otium". His idea of a happy life is that of meditative retirement in the peace of the countryside, where it is possible to pursue both literary studies and religious meditation away from the distractions of urban life also referred to as the "active life" .