Who is Ludovico Ariosto

Ludovico Ariosto (Italian: [ludoˈviːko aˈrjɔsto, - ariˈɔsto]; 8 September 1474 – 6 July 1533) was an Italian poet. He is best known as the author of the romance epic Orlando Furioso (1516). The poem, a continuation of Matteo Maria Boiardo's Orlando Innamorato, describes the adventures of Charlemagne, Orlando, and the Franks as they battle against the Saracens with diversions into many sideplots. The poem is transformed into a satire of the chivalric tradition. Ariosto composed the poem in the ottava rima rhyme scheme and introduced narrative commentary throughout the work.

Ariosto also coined the term "humanism" (in Italian, umanesimo) for choosing to focus upon the strengths and potential of humanity, rather than only upon its role as subordinate to God. This led to Renai...
Read Full Biography of Ludovico Ariosto


Ludovico Ariosto Poems

  • Orlando Furioso Canto 3
    ARGUMENT
    Restored to sense, the beauteous Bradamant
    Finds sage Melissa in the vaulted tomb,
    And hears from her of many a famous plant ...
  • Orlando Furioso Canto 12
    ARGUMENT
    Orlando, full of rage, pursues a knight
    Who bears by force his lady-love away,
    And comes where old Atlantes, by his sleight ...
  • Orlando Furioso Canto 4
    ARGUMENT
    The old Atlantes suffers fatal wreck,
    Foiled by the ring, and young Rogero freed,
    Who soars in air till he appears a speck, ...
  • Orlando Furioso Canto 21
    ARGUMENT
    Zerbino for Gabrina, who a heart
    Of asp appears to bear, contends. O'erthrown,
    The Fleming falls upon the other part, ...
  • Orlando Furioso Canto 9
    ARGUMENT
    So far Orlando wends, he comes to where
    He of old Proteus' hears the cruel use
    But feels such pity for Olympia fair, ...
Read All Poems


Top 10 most used topics by Ludovico Ariosto

Good 18 Love 18 Long 18 I Love You 18 Time 17 Place 16 Heart 16 True 14 Death 14 Wind 14


Ludovico Ariosto Quotes

Read All Quotes


Comments about Ludovico Ariosto

Warburg_news: in this new blog, warburg graduate library trainee, simone monti, tells us more about the use and importance of early printed book illustrations through exploring the publishing history of vincenzo valgrisi's edition of ludovico ariosto’s 'orlando furioso'
Allenmendenhall: the great books -- episode 264: 'orlando furioso' by ludovico ariosto | national review
Ritee73764443: i regret not death. i am going to meet my friends in another world. -ludovico ariosto te arising winner priyanka
Swsmusic4w: "in feats of arms, as in the cultivation of the muses, the women of old achieved distinction, .....sappho and corina shine, on account of learning, ....women have proved their excellence in every art in which they have striven;....canto 20, ludovico ariosto's 'orlando furioso'.
Shiplives: while that *would* make a badass series for netflix, bradamant's adventures were told (at least in part) in ludovico ariosto's "orlando furioso" -- which was the equivalent of a runaway best-seller in the sixteenth century.
Read All Comments


Write your comment about Ludovico Ariosto


Poem of the day

Edgar Albert Guest Poem
The Killing Place
 by Edgar Albert Guest

We're hiking along at a two-forty pace
We 're making life seem like a man-killing race,
With our nerves all on edge and our jaws firmly set
We go rushing along; with our brows lined with sweat
And our cheeks pale and drawn every minute we dash,
And the goal that we 're after is merely more cash.

We 're out for the money, the greenbacks and gold,
...

Read complete poem

Popular Poets