Marco Girolamo Vida: Difference between revisions

Marco was born at [[Cremona]], then part of the [[Duchy of Milan]]. He was the son of the consular (patrician) Guglielmo Vida, and Leona Oscasale. He had two brothers: Giorgio, a captain in the service of the [[Republic of Venice]], and Girolamo, a canon of the cathedral chapter of Cremona. He also had three sisters: Lucia, Elena, and a third whose name is unknown.<ref>{{sfn|Lancetti, p. |1831|page=11.</ref>}}

He began his studies in Cremona, under the local [[grammarian]], [[Nicolò Lucari]]. He was then sent to [[Mantua]], and then [[Bologna]] and [[Padua]]. It is conjectured that it was in Mantua, where the [[Canons Regular]] had a school, that Marco took the habit, perhaps around 1505. By about 1510 he had been granted several benefices: in the diocese of Cremona<ref>Cardinal Ascanio Sforza was administrator of the diocese of Cremona from 1484 until his death on 27 May 1505. He was succeeded by Cardinal Galeozzo Franciotto della Rovere (1505–1507), and then by the Cistercian Girolamo Trevisano. Which of these awarded the benefices is unknown.</ref> at Ticengo, then at Monticelli (diocese of Parma), then at Solarolo Monestirolo, where he held the office of provost, and finally at Paderno, where he held the title of archpriest.<ref>{{sfn|Lancetti, pp. |1831|pages=19-21.</ref>}}

Vida joined the court of [[Pope Leo X]] and was given the [[Priory]] of San Silvestro at [[Frascati]]<ref>{{sfn|Lancetti, pp. |1831|pages=30-31.</ref>}} [[Pope Clement VII]] appointed him a ''[[Protonotary Apostolic]]''.<ref>{{sfn|Lancetti, p. |1831|page=36.</ref>}} He became bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Alba Pompeia|Alba]] on 7 February 1533.<ref>His predecessor, Giuliano Visconti, had died on 5 January 1533. The ''Encyclopedia Britannica'' article is out-of-date. {{cite book|editor-last1=Eubel|editor-first1=Conradus (ed.)|editor-last2=Gulik|editor-first2=Guilelmus|title=Hierarchia catholica, Tomus |volume=3|date=1923|publisher=Libreria Regensbergiana|location=Münster|page=[https://archive.org/details/hierarchiacathol02eubeuoft/page/100 100]|edition=second|url=https://archive.org/details/hierarchiacathol02eubeuoft}}</ref> In 1544, however, the diocese and the entire marquisate of Monseratto were occupied by the armies of [[Francis I of France]], as part of his [[Italian War of 1542–46|long war with the Spanish]], and the Bishop was forced to retreat to his benefices in Cremona.<ref>{{sfn|Lancetti, p. |1831|page=44.</ref>}} Bishop Vida attended the [[Council of Trent]] in May and June 1546, and again in March 1547.<ref>{{harnvb|Lancetti, p. |1831|page=52}}. Eubel, p. 100 note 4.</ref> In 1549 and 1550 he became involved in a controversy between his native Cremona and the city of [[Pavia]], helping to prepare the brief for his fellow citizens to be argued before the Spanish governor of [[Milan]], [[Ferrante Gonzaga]].<ref>{{sfn|Lancetti, pp. |1831|pages=53-54.</ref>}} The written defense was published as the ''Cremonensium Orationes III'' of clear [[Cicero]]nian influence.

On 29 March 1564 Bishop Vida wrote his last will and testament.<ref>{{sfn|Lancetti, p. |1831|pages=55, 57-60.</ref>}} He died on 27 September 1566.<ref>Eubel, III, p. 100.</ref>

Vida wrote a considerable amount of [[Renaissance Latin]] poetry, both secular and [[Christian poetry|sacred]], in classical style, particular the style of [[Virgil]]. Among his best-known works are the didactic poem in three books, ''De arte poetica'' (On the Art of Poetry), partly inspired by [[Horace]], and ''Scacchia Ludus'' ("The Game of Chess"). Both poems, wereafter first publishedcirculating in 1527manuscript and wereseeing translatedunauthprised intopublications, manywere otherfirst languagespublished overin the centuries1527.

* For a detailedbiography, bibliographybackground, ofcomments editionson the main poems, and translationsfull study of allthe his works''Christiad,'' see M. Di Cesare, ''BibliothecaVida's Vidiana,Christiad and Vergilian Epic'', FlorenceNew York: SansoniColumbia University Press, 19741964.)

* A translation of his ''De arte poetica'' by [[Christopher Pitt]] can be found in the 19th volume of the collection ''English Poets'' edited by Alexander Chalmers.

* [{{cite book|title= The Silkworm |url=https://archive.org/details/silkwormapoemin00vidagoog The Silkworm:|others= original Latin and a Translation by Samuel Pullein]|year= 1750|location=Dublin|publisher=Printed by S. Powell, for the author}}