Bologna

After a couple of years in Padua, in autumn 1562 Tasso moved to Bologna to continue his studies. There he met again with Carlo Sigonio, who had left his teaching position in Padua, and Giovanni Angelo Papio, an old friend of Bernardo. In Bologna, Tasso met men of letters such as Francesco Bolognetti and Stefano Santini, the latter soon to be a major figure at the meetings of the Eterei. He also met his cousins Ercole and Cristoforo Tasso, who had moved to Bologna from Bergamo. Receiving precious financial support for his studies directly from the Duke of Urbino in January 1563, Tasso played an active part in the cultural life of Bologna. He came into contact with the local academies (including the one founded by the Spinola brothers) and he quickly made acquaintance with lively groups and individuals, behaving with a certain amount of irreverence and impudence. In the last weeks of 1563, he was held responsible for lampooning some of the teachers at the university. The episode caused something of a scandal: the students’ quarters were searched and Tasso’s papers confiscated; while attempts were being made to arrest him, he succeeded in fleeing the city. He headed for Mantua, then towards the home of the Rangone family, friends of his father. From here he wrote a long letter to the Bologna authorities (see T. Tasso, Le lettere, edited by C. Guasti, 5 vols, Florence, Le Monnier, 1852-55, vol. I, 7 ff.) in which he admitted responsibility, at the same time aiming forcibly and at times with veiled irony, to clarify and play down his role, thus revealing his lively and confident spirit.