Page:The Oxford book of Italian verse.djvu/550

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but lived in Rome. Died there, and was buried in the choir of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, close to the monument of Leo X. Chief works: Gli Asolani, Le Prose della volgar lingua, dialogues; Rime (1530), Lettere, and in Latin the Return Venetarum Historia, Libri XII.

150. Sonetto II, per la venuta di Carlo VIII... Lodovico Sforza (il Moro) was menaced by Alfonso II, King of Naples, and invoked the aid of Charles, who crossed the Alps at the end of 1494. II Moro was theoretically regent for his young nephew Gian Galeazzo Maria, who had been married to Isabella, Alfonso's daughter. In reality he was a complete despot, and Isabella had appealed to her father for aid against him. Gian Galeazzo died (murdered?) 1495.

Ariosto (page 212). Born at Reggio, where his father was capitano della cittadella. Went to Ferrara when a boy and became a favourite at the court. His life is described in the satires; he studied the classics under Gregory of Spoleto, tutor to the son of the unfortunate Gian Galeazzo Sforza; in 1502 he was captain of Canossa; in 1503 he entered the service of Cardinal Ippolito d'Este, who sent him on various missions,—to Venice, and to Julius II, who seems to have lost his temper with the ambassador. He hated travelling, and yearned for a quiet life, and lost favour with the cardinal because he refused to go with him to Buda-Pesth; afterwards he entered the service of Duke Alfonso, who made him judge of Garfagnana; he disliked the office, but fulfilled its duties faithfully. He returned at last to Ferrara in 1525. In 1532 he presented the Orlando Furioso to the Emperor Charles V in Mantua. He died at Fenara in 1533 and was buried in San Benedetto. Chief woiks:—Orlando Furioso, Elegie, Satire, four comedies: La Cassaria and I Suppositi; Raphael painted the scenery for the latter when it was acted before Leo X; Il Negromante and La Lena

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