Ludovico Ariosto, Carmina

Dennis Looney (Independent Scholar - North America)

Ed. by Jo Ann Cavallo, Columbia University
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.6.1: Italian Writing and Culture, 453-present.
Vol. editors: Carla Bregman (Independent Scholar - North America), Jo Ann Cavallo (Columbia University)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1509

Places

Italy (Country of Origin; Publication/ performance)

Genres and Modes

Lyric
Poetry (any)

Resources

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Born in Reggio Emilia in 1474, Ariosto grew up in Ferrara. He was probably given grammar lessons in Latin by Luca Ripa, a humanist who attended the famous local school run by the descendants of Guarino Veronese. This elementary instruction prepared him for the study of Latin literature and philosophy at the University of Ferrara. Gregorio da Spoleto, a private tutor who instructed Ariosto in the 1490s, is the individual most responsible for transforming him into a Neo-Latin poet. In 1495, Ariosto delivered the inaugural oration in verse for the academic year at the university, choosing as his theme the praise of learning (“

De laudibus sophiae

”). His earliest surviving letter (9 January 1498), written in Latin, documents his participation in a broader humanistic culture beyond the…

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1360 words

Citation: Looney, Dennis. "Carmina". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 18 September 2020 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=38868, accessed 25 April 2024.]

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