Ferrara

As of 1584 Niccolò Ariosto moved to Ferrara with his family in contrada Santa Maria di Bocche, today called via Gioco del Pallone. Niccolò had been appointed to a post called Collateral of the soldiers and was later nominated Judge of the twelve sages. As soon as he had settled in, Niccolò took on as tutor for Ludovico the pedagogue Domenico Catabene from Argenta, who lived in Ariosto’s house and began to give the little Ludovico the first rudiments in the period 1484-1486. Another man who taught Ludovico was, between 1486 and 1489, the humanist Luca Ripa, one of the leading intellectuals at the court of Ercole I, resident in contrada San Gregorio, close to the home of the Ariosto family. Ludovico probably attended Ripa’s lessons with Ercole Strozzi of his same age. As decided by his father, in October 1489 Ludovico began studying law at the University of Ferrara, something he did quite against his will and which he came to think of as a waist of time. He began to participate in the life of the court of Duke Ercole I, concerning himself with theatre shows, perhaps also acting in some. Once having ended his juridical studies, he dedicated himself to his true literary formation with the humanist Gregorio da Spoleto, remembered in Satire VI. In 1497 he became one of Duke Ercole I’s remunerated courtesans. The period 1501-1503 he spent away from Ferrara as he had been appointed Commander of Canossa Castle. In October 1503 he returned to Ferrara and worked at the service of Cardinal Ippolito. He left the city only when on embassies or other charges and in the period in which he was Ducal Commissary for Garfagnana (February 1522-March 1525). In 1528 he was called to join the Maestrato dei Savi (Wise Masters), he gave zest to theatrical life in Ferrara and directed the plays of a theatre company sent to Ferrara by Ruzante. Ludovico left Ferrara for only brief periods in 1528-1533. The poet died in contrada Mirasole on 6 July 1533 and was buried in the monastery of Saint Benedict. His remains were then transferred to the library known as Biblioteca Ariostea, in Ferrara, in 1801.