Chapter VII: Torquato Tasso

Tasso's Relation to his Age--Balbi on that Period--The Life of
Bernardo Tasso--Torquato's Boyhood--Sorrento, Naples, Rome,
Urbino--His first Glimpse of the Court--Student Life at Padua and
Bologna--The _Rinaldo_--Dialogues on Epic Poetry--Enters the
Service of Cardinal d'Este--The Court of Ferrara--Alfonso II. and
the Princesses--Problem of Tasso's Love--Goes to France with
Cardinal d'Este--Enters the Service of Duke Alfonso--The
_Aminta_--Tasso at Urbino--Return to Ferrara--Revision of the
_Gerusalemme_--Jealousies at Court--Tasso's Sense of His own
Importance--Plans a Change from Ferrara to Florence--First Symptoms
of Mental Disorder--Persecutions of the Ferrarese Courtiers--Tasso
confined as a Semi-madman--Goes with Duke Alfonso to
Belriguardo--Flies in Disguise from Ferrara to Sorrento--Returns to
Court Life at Ferrara--Problem of his Madness--Flies again--Mantua,
Venice, Urbino, Turin--Returns once more to Ferrara--Alfonso's
Third Marriage--Tasso's Discontent--Imprisoned for Seven Years in
the Madhouse of S. Anna--Character of Tasso--Character of Duke
Alfonso--Nature of the Poet's Malady--His Course of Life in
Prison--Released at the Intercession of Vincenzo Gonzaga--Goes to
Mantua--The _Torrismondo_--An Odyssey of Nine Years--Death at Sant
Onofrio in Rome--Constantini's Sonnet

CHAPTER VIII.

THE "GERUSALEMME LIBERATA."

Problem of Creating Heroic Poetry--The Preface to Tasso's
_Rinaldo_--Subject of _Rinaldo_--Blending of Romantic Motives with
Heroic Style--Imitation of Virgil--Melody and Sentiment--Choice of
Theme for the _Gerusalemme_--It becomes a Romantic Poem after
all--Tancredi the real Hero--Nobility of Tone--Virgilian
Imitation--Borrowings from Dante--Involved Diction--Employment of
Sonorous Polysyllabic Words--Quality of Religious Emotion in this
Poem--Rhetoric--Similes--The Grand Style of Pathos--Verbal
Music--The Chant d'Amour--Armida--Tasso's Favorite Phrase, _Un non
so che_--His Power over Melody and Tender Feeling--Critique of
Tasso's Later Poems--General Survey of his Character

CHAPTER IX.

GIORDANO BRUNO.

Scientific Bias of the Italians checked by Catholic
Revival--Boyhood of Bruno--Enters Order of S. Dominic at
Naples--Early Accusations of Heresy--Escapes to Rome--Teaches the
Sphere at Noli--Visits Venice--At Geneva--At Toulouse--At
Paris--His Intercourse with Henri III.--Visits England--The French
Ambassador in London--Oxford--Bruno's Literary Work in
England--Returns to Paris--Journeys into Germany--Wittenberg,
Helmstaedt, Frankfort--Invitation to Venice from Giovanni
Mocenigo--His Life in Venice--Mocenigo denounces him to the
Inquisition--His Trial at Venice--Removal to Rome--Death by Burning
in 1600--Bruno's Relation to the Thought of his Age and to the
Thought of Modern Europe--Outlines of his Philosophy

CHAPTER X.

FRA PAOLO SARPI.

Sarpi's Position in the History of Venice--Parents and
Boyhood--Entrance into the Order of the Servites--His Personal
Qualities--Achievements as a Scholar and a Man of Science--His Life
among the Servites--In Bad Odor at Rome--Paul V. places Venice
under Interdict--Sarpi elected Theologian and Counselor of the
Republic--His Polemical Writings--Views on Church and State--The
Interdict Removed--Roman Vengeance--Sarpi attacked by Bravi--His
Wounds, Illness, Recovery--Subsequent History of the
Assassins--Further Attempts on Sarpi's Life--Sarpi's Political and
Historical Works--History of the Council of Trent--Sarpi's Attitude
towards Protestantism His Judgment of the Jesuits--Sarpi's
Death--The Christian Stoic