Restless at Ferrara

Tasso’s visit to Rome achieved very little as far as his epic was concerned. Following his return to Ferrara in the first few weeks of 1576, he quickly became discontent with court life there. In spite of being appointed to the position of court historian (substituting Giovan Battista Pigna after his death), he felt surrounded by distrust and suspicion, on account of the postponed publication of his epic, long promised to the Este family, and probably also on account of rumours concerning negotiations for a transfer to the Medici Court in Florence. The growing tension first exploded in a clash with a man named Maddalò, identified by Solerti as Ercole Fucci (A. Solerti, Vita di Torquato Tasso, 3 vols, Turin-Rome, Loescher, 1895, vol. I, 222, 240). Convinced that he has been insulted, Tasso attacked him in the street and Fucci responded by attempting to beat him with the help of his brother on 7 September. The incident left Tasso very embittered, and he saw Alfonso II’s mild reaction towards Fucci as yet another sign of hostility and coldness towards him. Some weeks later, he denounced himself to the Inquisitors. This, together with several other violent episodes, led to Tasso’s first confinement.