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us and Martial in his flattery of Clement VII and the Farnesi； gives us in his elegy to his 'comrades；' written from a sick…bed； thoughts on death as beautiful and genuinely antique as can be found in any of the poets of antiquity； and this without borrowing anything worth speaking of from them。 The spirit and range of Roman elegy were best understood and reproduced by Sannazaro； and no other writer of his time offers us so varied a choice of good poems in this style as he。 We shall have occasion now and then to speak of some of these elegies in reference to the matter they treat of。
The Latin epigram finally became in those days an affair of serious importance； since a few clever lines； engraved on a monument or quoted with laughter in society； could lay the foundation of a scholar's celebrity。 This tendency showed itself early in Italy。 When it was known that Guido da Polenta wished to erect a monument at Dante's grave； epitaphs poured in from all directions； 'written by such as wished to show themselves； or to honour the dead poet； or to win the favour of Polenta。' On the tomb of the Archbishop Giovanni Visconti （d。 1354）； in the Cathedral at Milan； we read at the foot of thirty…six hexameters： 'Master Gabrius de Zamoreis of Parma； Doctor of Laws； wrote these verses。' In course of time； chiefly under the influence of Martial； and partly of Catullus； an ex… tensive literature of this sort was formed。 It was held the greatest of all triumphs； if an epigram was mistaken for a genuine copy from some old marble； or if it was so good that all Italy learned it by heart； as happened in the case of some of Bembo's。 When the Venetian government paid Sannazaro 600 ducats for a eulogy in three distichs； no one thought it an act of generous prodigality。 The epigram was prized for what it was； in truth； to all the educated classes of that agethe concentrated essence of fame。 Nor； on the other hand； was any man then so powerful as to be above the reach of a satirical epigram； and even the most powerful needed； for every inscription which they set before the public eye； the aid of careful and learned scholars； lest some blunder or other should qualify it for a place in the collections of ludicrous epitaphs。 Epigraphy and literary epigrams began to link up； the former was based on a most diligent study of the ancient monuments。
The city of epigrams and inscriptions was； above all others； Rome。 In this state without hereditary honours； each man had to look after his own immortality； and at the same time found the epigram an effective weapon against competitors。 Pius II enumerates with satisfaction the distichs which his chief poet Campanus wrote on any event of his government which could be turned to poetical account。 Under the following popes satirical epigrams came into fashion； and reached； in the opposition to Alexander VI and his family； the highest pitch of defiant invective。 Sannazaro； it is true； wrote his verses in a place of comparative safety； but others in the immediate neighbourhood of the court ventured on the most reckless attacks。 On one occasion when eight threatening distichs were found fastened to the doors of the library； Alexander strengthened his guard by 800 men； we can imagine what he would have done to the poet if he had caught him。 Under Leo X； Latin epigrams were like daily bread。 For complimenting or for reviling the Pope； for punishing enemies and victims； named or unnamed； for real or imaginary subjects of wit； malice； grief； or contemplation； no form was held more suitable。 On the famous group of the Virgin with Saint Anne and the Child； which Andrea Sansovino carved for Sant' Agostino； no fewer than 120 persons wrote Latin verses； not so much； it is true； from devotion； as from regard for the patron who ordered the work。 This man； Johann Goritz of Luxemburg； papal referendary of petitions； not only held a religious service on the feast of Saint Anne； but gave a great literary dinner in his garden on the slopes of the Capitol。 It was then worth while to pass in； review； in a long poem 'De poetis urbanis；' the whole crowd of singers who sought their fortune at the court of Leo。 This was done by Franciscus Arsillusa man who needed the patronage neither of pope nor prince； and who dared to speak his mind； even against his colleagues。 The epigram survived the pontificate of Paul III only in a few rare echoes； while epigraphy continued to flourish till the seventeenth century； when it perished finally of bombast。
In Venice； also； this form of poetry had a history of its own； which we are able to trace with the help of the 'Venezia' of Francesco Sansovino。 A standing task for the epigram…writers was offered by the mottoes （Brievi） on the pictures of the Doges in the great hall of the ducal palacetwo or four hexameters； setting forth the most noteworthy facts in the government of each。 In addition to this； the tombs of the Doges in the fourteenth century bore short inscriptions in prose； recording merely facts； and beside them turgid hexameters or leonine verses。 In the fifteenth century more care was taken with the style； in the sixteenth century it is seen at its best； and then coon after came pointless antithesis； prosopopceia； false pathos； praise of abstract qualities in a word； affectation and bombast。 A good many traces of satire can be detected； and veiled criticism of the living is implied in open praise of the dead。 At a much later period we find a few instances of deliberate recurrence to the old； simple style。
Architectural works and decorative works in general were constructed with a view to receiving inscriptions； often in frequent repetition； while the Northern Gothic seldom； and with difficulty； offered a suitable place for them； and in sepulchral monuments； for example； left free only the most exposed parts namely the edges。
By what has been said hitherto we have； perhaps； failed to convince the reader of the characteristic value of this Latin poetry of the Italians。 Our task was rather to indicate its position and necessity in the history of civilization。 In its own day； a caricature of it appearedthe so…called macaronic poetry。 The masterpiece of this style； the 'opus macaronicorum；' was written by Merlinus Coccaius （Teofilo Folengo of Mantua）。 Vi/e shall now and then have occasion to refer to the matter of this poem。 As to the formhexameter and other verses； made up of Latin words and Italian words with Latin endings its comic effect lies chiefly in the fact that these combinations sound like so many slips of the tongue； or like the effusions of an over… hasty Latin 'improvisatore。' The German imitations do not give the smallest notion of this effect。
Fall of the Humanists in the Sixteenth Century
Why； it may be asked； were not these reproaches； whether true or false； heard sooner？ As a matter of fact； they were heard at a very early period； but the effect they produced was insignificant； for the plain reason that men were far too dependent on the scholars for their knowledge of antiquitythat the scholars were personally the possessors and diffusers of ancient culture。 But the spread of printed editions of the classics； and of large and well…arranged handbooks and dictionaries； went far to free the people from the necessity of personal intercourse with the humanists； and； as soon as they could be but partly dispensed with； the change in popular feeling became manifest。 It was a change under which the good and bad suffered indiscriminately。
The first to make these charges were certainly the humanists themselves。 Of all men who ever formed a class； they had the least sense of their common interests； and least respected what there was of this sense。 All means were held lawful； if one of them saw a chance of supplanting another。 From literary discussion they passed with astonishing suddenness to the fiercest and the most groundless vituperation。 Not satisfied with refuting； they sought to annihilate an opponent。 Something of this must be put to the account of their position and circumstances； we have seen how fiercely the age； whose loudest spokesmen they were； was borne to and fro by the passion for glory and the passion for satire。 Their position； too； in practical life was one that they had continually to fight for。 In such a temper they wrote and spoke and described one another。 Pog… gio's works alone contain dirt enough to create a prejudice against the whole classand these 'Opera Poggii' were just those most often printed； on the north as well as on the south side of the Alps。 We must take care not to rejoice too soon； when we meet among these men a figure which seems immaculate； on further inquiry there is always a danger of meeting with some foul charge； which； even if it is incredible； still discolors the picture。 The mass of indecent Latin poems in circulation； and such things as ribaldry on the subject of one's own family； as in Pontano's dialogue 'Antonius；' did the rest to discredit the class。 The sixteenth century was not only familiar with all these ugly symptoms； but had also grown tired of the type of the humanist。 These men had to pay both for t