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.

It was under the conditions which have been set forth in the foregoing chapters that the greatest literary genius of his years in Europe, the poet who ranks among the four first of Italy, was educated, rose to eminence, and suffered.  The political changes introduced in 1530, the tendencies of the Catholic Revival, the terrorism of the Inquisition, and the educational energy of the Jesuits had, each and all, their manifest effect in molding Tasso’s character.  He represents that period when the culture of the Renaissance was being superseded, when the caries of court-service was eating into the bone and marrow of Italian life, when earlier forms of art were tending to decay, or were passing into the new form of music.  Tasso was at once the representative poet of his age and the representative martyr of his age.  He was the latter, though this may seem paradoxical, in even a stricter sense than Bruno.  Bruno, coming into violent collision with the prejudices of the century, expiated his antagonism by a cruel death.  Tasso, yielding to those influences, lingered out a life of irresolute misery.  His nature was such, that the very conditions which shaped it sufficed to enfeeble, envenom, and finally reduce it to a pitiable ruin.

Some memorable words of Cesare Balbi may serve as introduction to a sketch of Tasso’s life.  ’If that can be called felicity which gives to the people peace without activity; to nobles rank without power; to princes undisturbed authority within their States without true independence or full sovereignty; to literary men and artists numerous occasions for writing, painting, making statues, and erecting edifices