Bernardo Accolti, surnamed l’Unico Accolti or l’Unico Aretino, son of the historian Benedetto Accolti, than whom no poet was ever more popular. The poetry he has left does not answer the high reputation he enjoyed. As an improvisatore he must have been much distinguished, since he was admired at the court of Urbino. ↩
Benedetto Accolti, bishop of Cadiz, next of Cremona, and afterwards archbishop of Ravenna. He was, together with Sadoleto, secretary to Clement VII, when only twenty-five years of age, and Cardinal when thirty years old. He was long imprisoned by order of Paul III without any one knowing why, and was liberated by the intercession of the cardinal of Mantua, here mentioned, on paying a large fine. Not only was he a good poet, but the liberal patron and warm friend of the greatest men of his day. ↩
Ercole Gonzaga, son of Francesco, last marquis, and brother of Federigo, first duke, of Mantua, one of the presidents of the Council of Trent, was “Mantua’s cardinal.”
Campeggio was Lorenzo Campeggi, from whose family sprang so many learned civilians in the sixteenth century. Lorenzo was professor of law at Padua and Bologna, then (having lost his wife and become a priest) judge of the Rota at Rome, bishop of Feltre, and finally cardinal. Leo X and Clement VII sent him either as legate or as nuncio to the first potentates of Europe. He was twice legate in this country; first from Leo X, then from Clement VII to judge with Wolsey the validity of the marriage of Henry VIII with Catherine of Arragon. ↩
Lattanzio Tolommei is characterised by Giovio as “a man as distinguished for his learning and ability of soul, as for his high birth and riches.” I know nothing more of him.
Claudio Tolommei was a whimsical character. He was doctor of civil law, but, for some unknown reason, insisted on being undoctored and passing through the same formalities with which the degree had been conferred upon him. He tried to bring Italian hexameter and pentameter verses into fashion, and failed. He was of the court of Cardinal Ippolito of Este the younger, nephew of that Cardinal Ippolito to whom Ariosto dedicated his poem.
Three brothers Capilùpi were contemporaries of Ariosto—Lelio, Ippolito, and Camillo, the first of whom was celebrated for his great skill in composing poems with verses studiously taken from other poets. The brothers Capilùpi were considered good poets themselves, and Ippolito and Camillo enjoyed the reputation of good statesmen and diplomatists.
Paulo Pansa, of whom Giovio says, “Veluti ab joco ad studia Latinorum, carminum, in quibus serius atque felicius se exercet, ingenium traduxit.” I know nothing more of him.
Giorgio Trissino (in the original Dresino), the author of Sophonisba and L’Italia Liberata, was the first who attempted to write a tragedy and an epic poem after the classical models. ↩
Latino Giovenale de’ Nannetti, praised by Bembo, his friend, as a writer of good Italian verses. His Latin verses are certainly very elegant. He was a learned antiquary and a distinguished diplomatist. After having been nuncio to various courts, he was appointed commissioner for the preservation of antiques at Rome. ↩
Pamfilo Sassi, who is said to have died in 1527. Giraldi says of him, “An extempore poet, most rapid in composition, and of memory almost superhuman. In judgment and polish he is less excellent.” ↩
Francesco Maria Molza, celebrated for his fondness of the fair sex, his extensive learning, and his truly exquisite poetry, both Latin and Italian. He was the neatest imitator of Tibullus. His name occurs above, canto XXXVII stanza 12. ↩
I suspect this Floriano to be Floriano de’ Floriani da Montagnana, who married a lady of the Court Cornaro at Asola, on which occasion Bembo supposes the dialogues to have taken place which he wrote with the title of Asolani. ↩
Giulio Cammillo Delminio, who could talk much and say nothing. He boasted of having invented a certain Teatro (nobody ever understood what it was to be) by means of which in a month a person of rank (for Delminio protested he would not teach any other) might learn all that has ever been known, and easily equal the eloquence of Demosthenes and Cicero. Francis I of France took lessons from him. He imposed upon some, but was little valued by most of his contemporaries. ↩
Giovanni Battista Sanga was a good Latin poet, and secretary to Cardinal Bibiena, then to Giberti when Datario, then to Cardinal Salviati, then to Clement VII.
Francesco Berni, or Berna, a poet very well known. He succeeded Sanga as Giberti’s secretary; and when the latter retired to his diocese of Verona, Berni followed him thither.
Marc’ Antonio Flamminio, whose lyric Latin verses are by common Italian consent the most exquisite poems in that language written after the middle ages. Flamminio was one of the most amiable men that ever lived. He was a favourite of Leo X, of Giberti, whom he followed to Verona, of Alexander Farnese (Pope Paul III mentioned next), and of Cardinal Polo, who glories in having prevented him from turning Protestant. His death was considered a national calamity. ↩
Alessandro Farnese and Marcello Cervini (afterwards Pope Marcello II) formed the princely scheme of publishing, at their own expense, the Greek MSS. of the Vatican Library. They established a press, and called the printer Blado to Rome for that purpose. Farnese was a great patron of literature.
