About
Italian poet known for his lavish wordplay and for his 1623 epic poem "L'Adone." His other notable works include La Lira and Le Rime.
Before Fame
He was the son of a Naples lawyer; however, he defied his father's wish that he, too, pursue a legal career.
Trivia
He was the object of an attempted assassination by literary rival Gaspare Murtola.
Family Life
His personal life is something of a mystery. There were rumors that he was a homosexual; however, he was arrested for aiding the Naples mayor's daughter in aborting a child that may or may not have been his.
Associated With
He, like Pietro Metastasio, was an Italian poet.
