CHAP. XX.

A. D. 1521.

A. Et. 46.

A. Pont. IX.

guished commander Pietro Strozzi, who in the year 1542, wrested from the Imperialists the fortress of Marano, that haughty soldier gave him to understand, that if he repeated the insult, he would have him assassinated even in his bed ; in consequence of which he lived under great apprehensions as long as Strozzi remained in the Venetian territories.(a) A singular interview is said to have taken place between Aretino and Tintoretto the painter, on whom he had lavished his abuse. Tintoretto having invited him to his house, under the pretext of painting his portrait, seated him in a chair as if for that purpose; but instead of taking up his pencils, the painter drew from his bosom a large pistol, which he levelled at Aretino. The conscious and terrified libeller cried out for mercy, when Tintoretto said with great gravity, compose yourself whilst I take measure of you, and moving the direction of the pistol slowly from head to foot, he added, I find you are just the length of two pistols and a half. Aretino understood the lesson, and from this time avowed himself the painter's warmest friend.(b) On another occasion he incurred the resentment of the English ambassador at Venice, by insolently insinuating, that he had detained in his hands the money remitted by his sovereign as a present to Aretino; in consequence of which the ambassador is said to have hired six or seven persons to attack him with cudgels, which he represented as a design to murder him.(c) There is good reason to believe, that Aretino

(a) Mazzuch. vita dell' Aretino, p. 74.

(b) Ridolfi, vite de' Pittori Veneziani. par ii. p. 58.

(c) This circumstance is referred to in many of the letters of Aretino, cited by Mazzuchelli. In the Appendix will also be found a letter on this subject from Aretino to Sir Philip Hoby, the English ambassador at the Imperial Court, which has not before been published. v. Appendix, No. CXCVII.

tino experienced on many occasions similar treatment; on which account Boccalini has humorously called him "the "loadstone of clubs and daggers;" adding, "that those

persons who were as ready of hand, as he was of speech, "had left their marks in such a manner on his face, his "breast, and his arms, that he was streaked all over like a "chart of navigation."

On

Nor did the arrogance and effrontery of Aretino escape the reprehension of his numerous literary adversaries, who availed themselves of every opportunity to render him an object of ridicule and contempt; as a contrast to the ostentatious medals which he had caused to be struck in honour of himself, others were made public, exhibiting his resemblance on one side, and on the other a most indecent device, as emblematical of his character and writings. the report of his being mortally wounded by Achille della Volta in Rome, Girolamo Casio, a cavalier of Bologna, wrote a sonnet of exultation, and on his recovery another equally satirical and vehement.(a) The enmity of the good prelate Ghiberti, was seconded by the keen satire of Berni, who was employed by him in his office as datary of the holy see, and who produced a sonnet against Aretino, which in point of vivacity, scurrility, and humour, has perhaps never been equalled ;(b) but the most inveterate enemy of Aretino was Nicolò Franco, who after having been for some time his assistant in the composition of his various works, became at length his rival, and whilst he at least equalled

CHAP. XX.

A. D. 1521.

A. Æt. 46.

A. Pont. IX.

him

(a) These sonnets are given by Mazzuchelli, vita dell' Aretino, p. 31, 32.

(b) This production is a master piece in its way, and although frequently reprinted, ought not to be omitted on this occasion. v. Appendix, No. CXCVIII.

CHAP. XX.

A. D. 1521.
A. Et. 46.

A. Pont. IX.

him in virulence and licentiousness, greatly surpassed him
in learning and abilities.
On being driven by Aretino
from his house, and finding that Aretino, on reprinting the
first volume of his letters, had omitted some passages in
which he had before spoken of him with great approba-
tion, Franco was so exasperated, that he attacked his ad-
versary in a series of indecent, satirical, and ludicrous
sonnets, which he continued to pour forth against him,
until he had completed a volume. In defiance of decency
this collection has been several times reprinted, and is
certainly not less disgraceful to the memory of its au-
thor than to that of his opponent. (a)
Other persons of

much

(a) DELLE RIME di M. Niccolò Franco contra Pietro Aretino, et della PRIAPEA del medesimo. The first edition was in 1541, and bears date at Turin, but was, in fact, printed at Casale; the second in 1546, and the third in 1548; besides these, a modern edition of the Priapea was published, with the Vendemmiatore of Luigi Tansillo, a PEKING regnante Kien-Long nel xviii. secolo, probably printed at Paris. These productions of Franco are well characterized by Tiraboschi," Le più grossolane oscenità, la più "libera maledicenza, e il più ardito disprezzo de' principi, de' Romani pontefici, de' padri "del Concilio di Trento, e di più altri gravissimi personaggi sono le gemme di cui egli "adorna questo suo infame lavoro." Storia della Lett. Ital. vii. par. iii. p. 14. At the close of his work is a letter addressed, Agli infami principi dell' infame suo secolo, Nic. Franco, Beneventano, in which he upbraids all the sovereigns of his time, in the grossest terms, for conferring their favours on such a wretch as Pietro Aretino; a reproof which they well merited, but which loses its effect from the indecent language in which it is conveyed. The scurrility of Franco met, however, with a severe retribution. In the year 1569, he was seized upon at Rome, by the orders of Pius V. and publicly hanged as a criminal. On being brought out for execution, his venerable appearance and hoary head excited universal compassion, and his exclamation, "Questo poi è troppo pur," so remarkable for its naivetè on such an occasion, and which was the only complaint he uttered, was assented to by all present. A satirical epigram, written by Franco, against the pope, is supposed to have incurred his resentment. This epigram is given in the Menagiana, tom. ii. p. 358.

But Franco had, in his sonnets, committed much greater offences, and had, in particular

CHAP. XX.

much more respectable character, also animadverted with great severity on the conduct and writings of Aretino; A. D. 1521. and if on the one hand he was flattered as an earthly divinity, on the other he was treated as the outcast of society, and the opprobrium of the human race.

The death of Aretino is said to have resembled his life. Being informed of some outrageous instance of obscenity committed by his sisters who were courtesans at Venice, he was suddenly affected with so violent a fit of laughter, that he overturned his chair, and thereby received an injury on his head which terminated his days. This story, however extraordinary, is not wholly discredited by the accurate Mazzuchelli; who further informs us, although, as he admits, on doubtful evidence, that when Aretino was on the point of death, and had received extreme unction, he exclaimed,

“Guardatemi da topi, or che' son unto."

A. Æt. 46. A. Pont. IX.

Greas'd as I am, preserve me from the rats.

The enemies of Aretino, not appeased by his death, have

cular, alluded to the atrocious conduct of Pier-Luigi Farnese, the son of Paul III. which is fully related by Varchi, at the end of his Florentine history, and exhibits the most horrible instance of diabolical depravity that ever disgraced human nature.

That Franco was a man of real learning, appears from his various other works, among which is a translation of the Iliad of Homer, in ottavarima, which is said to be preserved in the Albani library, at Rome. v. Tiral. Storia della Lett. Ital. vii. par. iii. p. 15. in nota.

CHAP. XX.

have commemorated him by an epitaph as profane as his own A. D. 1521. writings, which has been repeated with several variations in the Italian, French, and Latin languages, and is erroneously supposed to have been engraven on his tomb in the church of S. Luca at Venice.

A. Et. 46. A. Pont. IX.