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Celio Secondo Curione (1 May 1503, in
Cirié Cirié (; pms, italic=yes, Ciriè or ''Siriè'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northwest of Turin. Cirié borders the following municipalities: Nole, San Carlo ...
– 24 November 1569, in
Basel , french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese , neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS) ...
) (usual Latin form Caelius Secundus Curio) was an Italian
humanist Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and agency of human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "humani ...
, grammarian, editor and historian, who exercised a considerable influence upon the Italian Reformation. A teacher in Humanities, university professor and preceptor to the nobility, he had a lively and colourful career, moving frequently between states to avoid denunciation and imprisonment: he was successively at Turin, Milan, Pavia, Venice and Lucca, before becoming a religious exile in Switzerland, first at Lausanne and finally at Basel, where he settled. He was famous and admired as a publisher and editor of works of theology and history, also for his own writings and teachings, and for the wide sphere of his friendships and correspondence with many of the most interesting reformists, protestants and heretics of his time, though his energetic influence was at times disruptive. The imputation of antitrinitarianism is very doubtful. Curio published under the Latin form of his name, but scholarship has adopted the Italian form.


Rebellious youth

Celio Secondo was born on 1 May 1503 at
Cirié Cirié (; pms, italic=yes, Ciriè or ''Siriè'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northwest of Turin. Cirié borders the following municipalities: Nole, San Carlo ...
, in
Piedmont it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...
, not far from
Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. Th ...
, to Jacomino Troterio Curione and Charlotte de Montrotier (a lady in the court of Bianca of Savoy) who died giving birth to him. The twenty-third of the sons of Jacomino, who married into the feudal family of the Counts di Provana, his surname may derive from the Castello di Cuori, near Ciriè. He was brought up by his maternal aunt Maddalena at
Moncalieri Moncalieri (; pms, Moncalé ) is a town and ''comune'' of 56,134 inhabitants (31 January 2022) about directly south of downtown Turin (to whose Metropolitan City it belongs), in Piedmont, Italy. It is the most populous suburb of Turin and it is ...
(in the Po valley under the Western Alps), a little town under the authority of Turin, where his father received public appointments and where his mother's family dwelt. His father died when he was nine, leaving him among other things a precious illuminated Bible. Around 1520 he began his studies at the
University of Turin The University of Turin ( Italian: ''Università degli Studi di Torino'', UNITO) is a public research university in the city of Turin, in the Piedmont region of Italy. It is one of the oldest universities in Europe and continues to play an imp ...
, where his masters were Giorgio Corona, Domenico Machaneo (commentator upon
Suetonius Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (), commonly referred to as Suetonius ( ; c. AD 69 – after AD 122), was a Roman historian who wrote during the early Imperial era of the Roman Empire. His most important surviving work is a set of biographies ...
) and Giovanni Bremio for Humanistic studies, and Francesco Sfondrati, future Cardinal, for Law. Some of the Turin Augustinians introduced him to some of the writings of Luther, the ''De Captivitate Babylonica Ecclesiae'' and ''Resolutiones Disputationum de Indulgentiarum Virtute'', and other works of the reformers north of the Alps, the ''De Falsa et Vera Religione'' of
Zwingli Huldrych or Ulrich Zwingli (1 January 1484 – 11 October 1531) was a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland, born during a time of emerging Swiss patriotism and increasing criticism of the Swiss mercenary system. He attended the Unive ...
and the ''Loci Communes'' of Melancthon. Curio and his friends Jacopo Cornello and Francesco Guarino (who became pastors at
Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Situ ...
) were much enthused. Curio planned a journey into Germany, but instead found himself imprisoned for two months in the fortress of Caprano by order of the
Bishop of Ivrea The Italian Catholic Diocese of Ivrea ( la, Dioecesis Eporediensis) is in Piedmont. For a time the diocese included the territory which had once been the diocese of Aosta, suppressed in 1803 but restored in 1817. Up until 1517 Ivrea was a suffrag ...
, Cardinal Bonifacio Ferrero. He was then sent to the
Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , found ...
abbey of Fruttuaria 300px, Bell tower of the abbey. Fruttuaria is an abbey in the territory of San Benigno Canavese, about twenty kilometers north of Turin, northern Italy. History The abbey was founded by Guglielmo da Volpiano. The first stone was laid 23 February ...
at
San Benigno Canavese San Benigno Canavese (Piedmontese: ''San Balègn'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 20 km northeast of Turin, whose territory is bordered by the Malone and Orco ...
, to be "purged" of heretical ideas through penitence and the study of orthodox texts. This was unsuccessful: Curio violated the reliquary of SS Agapeto and Tiburtius, substituting a Bible for the bones, with a message in Latin: "This is the Ark of the Covenant, from which true Gospels can be brought forth and in which are found the true relics of the Saints." The early chronology is unclear: his biographer states that, having fled to
Milan Milan ( , , Lombard language, Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the List of cities in Italy, second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4  ...
, he distinguished himself by helping the citizens during an epidemic of the plague. There was one such at Milan in 1524, and another in 1528 in the province of
Bergamo Bergamo (; lmo, Bèrghem ; from the proto- Germanic elements *''berg +*heim'', the "mountain home") is a city in the alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy, approximately northeast of Milan, and about from Switzerland, the alpine lakes C ...
. To this period belong a journey to
Padua Padua ( ; it, Padova ; vec, Pàdova) is a city and ''comune'' in Veneto, northern Italy. Padua is on the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice. It is the capital of the province of Padua. It is also the economic and communications hub of t ...
and his enrolment in study, another journey to
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
and a later return to Milan, with (around 1530) his marriage to Margherita Bianca Isacchi (1509–1587) at Barzago (
Brianza Brianza (, , lmo, label= Brianzöö dialect, Briànsa) is a geographical, historical and cultural area of Italy, at the foot of the Alps, in the northwest of Lombardy, between Milan and Lake Como. Geography Brianza extends from th ...
).


A teacher in Italy

At Milan he lived by teaching Humanities, while continuing to study Law with Sfondrati. To avoid the constant warfare in the Duchy he accepted an invitation from Gian Giorgio, Marchese of Montferrat. He remained at the court of
Casale Monferrato Casale Monferrato () is a town in the Piedmont region of Italy, in the province of Alessandria. It is situated about east of Turin on the right bank of the Po, where the river runs at the foot of the Montferrat hills. Beyond the river lies the ...
for a while after the Marchese's death on 3 April 1533: his first daughter, future wife of
Girolamo Zanchi Girolamo Zanchi (Latin "Hieronymus Zanchius," thus Anglicized to "Jerome Zanchi/Zanchius"; February 2, 1516 – November 19, 1590) was an Italian Protestant Reformation clergyman and educator who influenced the development of Reformed theology ...
, was born at
Ceva Ceva, the ancient Ceba, is a small Italian town in the province of Cuneo, region of Piedmont, east of Cuneo. It lies on the right bank of the Tanaro on a wedge of land between that river and the Cevetta stream. History In the pre-Roman period ...
on 8 November, and his second son Orazio at Casale in 1534. Here he became acquainted with
Fulvio Pellegrino Morato Fulvio is a given name. Notable people with the name include: *Andrea Fulvio (c. 1470 – 1527), Renaissance humanist, poet and antiquarian of Rome, advisor to Raphael * Fulvio de Assis (born 1981), Brazilian professional basketball player *Fulvio ...
, professor at
Vicenza Vicenza ( , ; ) is a city in northeastern Italy. It is in the Veneto region at the northern base of the '' Monte Berico'', where it straddles the Bacchiglione River. Vicenza is approximately west of Venice and east of Milan. Vicenza is a t ...
, who was visiting Piedmont: they agreed in religious matters so much that Morato later said that Curio had been for him what Ananias had been for
St Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
. His brethren having died of the plague Curio should have returned to Moncalieri to settle his inheritance with his only surviving sister, but, faced with being denounced for heresy, he renounced his rights. Having failed to respond to a summons to Casale from Federico Gonzaga, successor to the Marquessate, he took work as a teacher at Castiglione Torinese, where in a disputation with a Dominican preacher in 1535 he argued in defence of Luther. Denounced to the Suffragan of Turin he was imprisoned, but managed to escape by tricking the gaoler into shackling a false leg to the cell wall and escaping through the unbarred window. As the mystery of his escape gave rise to superstitious rumours, he later explained how it was managed in a Dialogue, ''Probus''. He took refuge at
Salò Salò (; la, Salodium) is a town and ''comune'' in the Province of Brescia in the region of Lombardy (northern Italy) on the banks of Lake Garda, on which it has the longest promenade. The city was the seat of government of the Italian Social ...
, where he was reunited with his family: two of his sons were born there, Leo in 1536 and Agostino in 1538.


Pavia, Venezia and Ferrara

In 1536 he obtained a Chair in Humanistic Letters for three years at the
University of Pavia The University of Pavia ( it, Università degli Studi di Pavia, UNIPV or ''Università di Pavia''; la, Alma Ticinensis Universitas) is a university located in Pavia, Lombardy, Italy. There was evidence of teaching as early as 1361, making it on ...
: Andrea Alciati was his colleague there, and he wrote his first ''Orations'' and the first draft of the three books of ''Schola, sive De Perfecto Grammatico'' (not published until 1555). He described the perfect ''Grammaticus'' as an orator who takes the classical foundations of
Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the est ...
and
Quintilian Marcus Fabius Quintilianus (; 35 – 100 AD) was a Roman educator and rhetorician from Hispania, widely referred to in medieval schools of rhetoric and in Renaissance writing. In English translation, he is usually referred to as Quintili ...
to inform a contemporary embodiment of the humanist professor, one who dignifies his profession through full responsibility towards his role as educator and cultural guide. His renown as professor was tied to his anti-Catholic stances: as a result
Pope Paul III Pope Paul III ( la, Paulus III; it, Paolo III; 29 February 1468 – 10 November 1549), born Alessandro Farnese, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 October 1534 to his death in November 1549. He came to ...
demanded his removal from the University. His admiring students accompanied him to his alternative lodgings in the city to defend him from possible attack. The Senate of Pavia, fearing a threat of excommunication from the Church, succumbed and in 1539 licensed Curio to leave the Duchy. He next went to
Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
, where he attended the French Ambassador to the republic, the Bishop of Montpellier. To him he dedicated the ''Aranei Encomion'', a short tract treating the fable of
Arachne Arachne (; from , cognate with Latin ) is the protagonist of a tale in Greek mythology known primarily from the version told by the Roman poet Ovid (43 BCE–17 CE), which is the earliest extant source for the story. In Book Six of his ...
as an allegory of the Church and Holy Wisdom, published in Venice in 1540. In Lent he is likely to have heard the preaching of
Bernardino Ochino Bernardino Ochino (1487–1564) was an Italian, who was raised a Roman Catholic and later turned to Protestantism and became a Protestant reformer. Biography Bernardino Ochino was born in Siena, the son of the barber Domenico Ochino, and at the ...
. He became the companion of the Augustinian mendicant Giulio da Milano, a secret protestant convert. Giulio, who had preached justification by faith alone, was arrested in 1541, and Curio, identified as his close associate, departed abruptly for
Ferrara Ferrara (, ; egl, Fràra ) is a city and ''comune'' in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital of the Province of Ferrara. it had 132,009 inhabitants. It is situated northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream ...
. There his friend Pellegrino Morato, preceptor in the court of
Este Este may refer to: Geography * Este (woreda), a district in Ethiopia * Este, Veneto, a town in Italy * Este (Málaga), a district in Spain * Este (river), a river in Germany * Este (São Pedro), a parish in Portugal * Este (São Mamede), a par ...
, recommended him to Duchess Renata, wife of
Ercole II d'Este Ercole II d'Este (5 April 1508 – 3 October 1559) was Duke of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio from 1534 to 1559. He was the eldest son of Alfonso I d'Este and Lucrezia Borgia. Biography Through his mother, Ercole was a grandson of Pope Alexande ...
. He remained briefly, forming a friendship with Morato's young daughter
Olympia Fulvia Morata Olimpia Fulvia Morata (1526 – 26 October 1555) was an Italian classical scholar. Biography She was born in Ferrara to Fulvio Pellegrino Morato and a certain Lucrezia (possibly Gozi). Her father, who had been tutor to the young princes of the d ...
, with whom he maintained a lifelong correspondence.


Lucca

By October he was already in
Lucca Lucca ( , ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its province has a population of 383,957. Lucca is known as ...
, employed as preceptor by the nobleman Niccolò di Silvestro Arnolfini. The
Republic of Lucca The Republic of Lucca ( it, Repubblica di Lucca) was a medieval and early modern state that was centered on the Italian city of Lucca in Tuscany, which lasted from 1160 to 1805. Its territory extended beyond the city of Lucca, reaching the surr ...
was stirred up with religious and political reform movements. The Gonfaloniere, , hoped to end the dominion of
Cosimo I de' Medici Cosimo I de' Medici (12 June 1519 – 21 April 1574) was the second Duke of Florence from 1537 until 1569, when he became the first Grand Duke of Tuscany, a title he held until his death. Life Rise to power Cosimo was born in Florence on 12 ...
and the temporal power of the Church in that region, and to create a federation of free Tuscan cities. To this end he advocated to the Comune the formation of a special militia which he should lead. Burlamacchi himself was not Lutheran, but the various protestant groups in the city (reflecting its mercantile and intellectual exchange with Germany) might approve his project. When Curio arrived, there was already a large active colony of Italian internal religious exiles, including Paolo Lazise, Celso Martinengo, the jewish convert Emanuele Tremellio, Peter Martyr and
Girolamo Zanchi Girolamo Zanchi (Latin "Hieronymus Zanchius," thus Anglicized to "Jerome Zanchi/Zanchius"; February 2, 1516 – November 19, 1590) was an Italian Protestant Reformation clergyman and educator who influenced the development of Reformed theology ...
. From June 1541 Peter Martyr was Prior of the
Basilica of San Frediano The Basilica of San Frediano is a Romanesque church in Lucca, Italy, situated on the ''Piazza San Frediano''. History Fridianus (Frediano) was an Irish bishop of Lucca in the first half of the 6th century. He had a church built on this sp ...
, a position of considerable authority: he held a school for reading in the Gospels, the letters of St Paul, and
Saint Augustine Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Afri ...
, and encouraged direct reading and understanding of the Bible. His lessons were attended by young students and learned elders such as Curio himself and the humanist Francesco Robortello alike. Cardinal Bartolomeo Guidiccioni, non-resident
Bishop of Lucca The Archdiocese of Lucca ( la, Archidioecesis Lucensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy. The diocese dates back as a diocese to the 1st century; it became an archdiocese in 1726. The episcopal ...
newly appointed to the Roman Inquisition, in a letter to the Senate of Lucca dated 22 July 1542 denounced that Evangelic group and that "Cellio who dwells in the house of Master Niccolò Arnolfini". Burlamacchi's plan to subject the citizen power to his political and religious reforms was exposed. At the end of July Peter Martyr, the young disciple Giulio Terenziano, Lazise and Tremellius fled, while Curio took refuge at first in Pisa, where the Inquisition tried to catch up with him. Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, on 26 August 1542, sent to Duke Cosimo from Rome the warrant for the arrest for that "wretched spirit called Celio of Turin", who however had already taken the road to Switzerland and was received, at the recommendation of the theologian
Heinrich Bullinger Heinrich Bullinger (18 July 1504 – 17 September 1575) was a Swiss Reformer and theologian, the successor of Huldrych Zwingli as head of the Church of Zürich and a pastor at the Grossmünster. One of the most important leaders of the Swiss Ref ...
, in the Academy of
Lausanne Lausanne ( , , , ) ; it, Losanna; rm, Losanna. is the capital and largest city of the Swiss French speaking canton of Vaud. It is a hilly city situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, about halfway between the Jura Mountains and the Alps, and fac ...
.


In Switzerland

With letters of recommendation from Konrad Pellikan and Heinrich Bullinger, Curio went by Bern to
Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Situ ...
. He had crossed the frontier in
Valtellina Valtellina or the Valtelline (occasionally spelled as two words in English: Val Telline; rm, Vuclina (); lmo, Valtelina or ; german: Veltlin; it, Valtellina) is a valley in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, bordering Switzerland. To ...
in company with another heretic, the
antitrinitarian Nontrinitarianism is a form of Christianity that rejects the mainstream Christian doctrine of the Trinity—the belief that God is three distinct Hypostasis (philosophy and religion), hypostases or persons who are coeternal, coequal, and indiv ...
Camillo Renato, whom he described to Bullinger as "very outstanding in letters and religion" and "good and learned among the best". Eventually he obtained a place as ''Praefectus studiorum'' in the Latin school at Lausanne. In 1544 his plainly anticlerical and antipapistical dialogue '' Pasquillus Extaticus et Marphorius'' made its first appearance in a collection of Pasquinades, ''Pasquillorum Tomi Duo,'' by various authors, which Curio introduced through the press of Giovanni Oporino at Basel. ''Pasquillus Extaticus'' acquired a great following throughout Europe, and rapidly appeared independently of the collection in several different languages. Curio ventured back ''incognito'' into Italy to collect his wife and children from Lucca, and his movements were dogged by papal agents. While staying at an inn at
Pescia Pescia () is an Italian city in the province of Pistoia, Tuscany, central Italy. It is located in a central zone between the cities Lucca and Florence, on the banks of the :it:Pescia (fiume), river of the same name. History Archaeological excav ...
, a senior bailiff came in looking for him. Curio was dining, and jumped up with a meat knife in his hand. The captain cowered in a corner, and Curio walked straight out past the guards outside, leapt on his horse and rode off. He was obliged to leave the youngest child Dorotea in care of the family of the humanist Aonio Paleario. He went on to Ferrara to deliver to Duchess Renata the ''Commentarii in Matthaeum'' which Bullinger had entrusted to him. Returning to Lausanne, where three more daughters were born to him, he maintained a diffident attitude towards the
Calvinist Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...
theology prevalent there, but avoided open polemic or dissention. He revised his ''Aranei Encomion'', publishing a second edition at
Basel , french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese , neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS) ...
in 1544 under the title ''Araneus, seu De Providentia Dei'', with which were included several shorter tracts including one on the Immortality of the Spirit, drawing overtly upon Pythagorean and Platonist concepts. He finished a new book, the ''Pro Vera et Antiqua Ecclesiae Christi Autoritate''. In 1546 he had to leave Lausanne over an affair with a female student. In Basel, where he was reunited with his family, he held a teaching post at the University from 1547. Here he remained for the rest of his life as Professor of Rhetoric, as editor and translator. His circle of friends in Basel included theologian Martin Borrhaus, printers including Johannes Frobenius and Giovanni Oporino, and the academic jurist
Bonifacius Amerbach Bonifacius Amerbach (1495, Basel – April 1562, Basel) was a jurist, scholar, an influential humanist and the rector of the University of Basel for several terms. Early life and education Born on the 11 October 1495, he was the youngest son ...
. He maintained contact with other religious exiles, including Sebastian Castellio (who had left Geneva in 1544 having fallen out with Calvin), and with the Italian
Lelio Sozzini Lelio Francesco Maria Sozzini, or simply Lelio Sozzini (Latin: ''Laelius Socinus''; 29 January 1525 – 4 May 1562), was an Italian Renaissance humanist and theologian and, alongside his nephew Fausto Sozzini, founder of the Non-trinitarian Chr ...
. It is not agreed whether he was then in contact with the Netherlander
David Joris David Joris (c. 1501 – 25 August 1556, sometimes Jan Jorisz or Joriszoon; formerly anglicised David Gorge) was an important Anabaptist leader in the Netherlands before 1540. Life Joris was probably born in Flanders, the son of Marietje Jan ...
, later sentenced as an heretic. From Basel he maintained a wide network of correspondence, principally with Bullinger, but also with Wolfgang Musculus,
Johannes Sturm Johannes Sturm (also known as Jean Sturm; Latinized as Ioannes Sturmius; 1 October 1507 – 3 March 1589), was a German educator and Protestant reformer, who was influential in the design of the gymnasium system of secondary education. Biog ...
, Philipp Melanchthon and other theologians. Curio published part of his correspondence in 1553 (''Selectarum Epistolarum''). As Professor he gained high respect: he took on many students, some of whom lodged in his house, and had contact with the many Polish students who were then in Basel. Deeply interested in the English Reformation, Curio, who had prepared a Latin translation of a sermon of Bernardino Ochino published in 1544, made the most of Ochino's presence in Basel in 1547. When Ochino travelled into exile in England in that year he was carrying books and letters of introduction from Curio to Sir
John Cheke Sir John Cheke (or Cheek) (16 June 1514 – 13 September 1557) was an English classical scholar and statesman. One of the foremost teachers of his age, and the first Regius Professor of Greek at the University of Cambridge, he played a great p ...
, preceptor to King
Edward VI Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and King of Ireland, Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. Edward was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour ...
.


Publishing activities

Along with his ''Pasquino'' Curio at first published educational writings and books for students in Basel. In 1551 in the press of Johannes Hervagius he dedicated to Amerbach his richly augmented edition of the Ciceronian lexicon of
Marius Nizolius Marius Nizolius ( it, Mario Nizolio; 1498–1576) was an Italian humanist scholar, known as a proponent of Cicero. He considered rhetoric to be the central intellectual discipline, slighting other aspects of the philosophical tradition. He is de ...
. He also busied himself as a theological writer. He contributed a Preface to a ''Life'' of Francesco Spiera published by Matteo Gribaldi with Pietro Paolo Vergerio in 1550. When Castellio in 1554 strongly attacked the conviction of
Michael Servetus Michael Servetus (; es, Miguel Serveto as real name; french: Michel Servet; also known as ''Miguel Servet'', ''Miguel de Villanueva'', ''Revés'', or ''Michel de Villeneuve''; 29 September 1509 or 1511 – 27 October 1553) was a Spanish th ...
in a published writing, Curio was suspected of being his co-author by
John Calvin John Calvin (; frm, Jehan Cauvin; french: link=no, Jean Calvin ; 10 July 150927 May 1564) was a French theologian, pastor and reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system ...
and
Theodore Beza Theodore Beza ( la, Theodorus Beza; french: Théodore de Bèze or ''de Besze''; June 24, 1519 – October 13, 1605) was a French Calvinist Protestant theologian, reformer and scholar who played an important role in the Protestant Reformation. ...
. He gained much attention with his work ''De Amplitudine Beati Regni Dei'' (1554), partly presented as a dialogue with . On account of the incendiary nature of the theological opinions expressed in it, he had it published not in Basel but in
Poschiavo Poschiavo ( it, Poschiavo, lmo, Pusciaaf, german: Puschlav, rm, Puschlav) is a municipality in the Bernina Region in the canton of Grisons in Switzerland. History Poschiavo is first mentioned in 824 as ''in Postclave'' though this comes from ...
, to circumvent the Basel censor. This work was dedicated to the Polish King Sigismund. It was rejected by some of Curio's friends, and also by Bullinger. It was heavily attacked by Vergerio (like Curio a religious exile from Italy, whose ''Otto Difensioni'' Curio had published, introduced and defended) and Curio was denounced as an heretic before the Council at Basel: he was able to clear himself largely before the inquisition of the censors. Through these experiences Curio drew back from theological publication, but he remained in correspondence with the apostles of the Reformation. In 1554 Sir John Cheke met him in Strasbourg, soon after leaving England in voluntary exile following the accession of Queen Mary, by whom the English reforms were reversed. Cheke was carrying the seven letters which had passed between him and
Stephen Gardiner Stephen Gardiner (27 July 1483 – 12 November 1555) was an English Catholic bishop and politician during the English Reformation period who served as Lord Chancellor during the reign of Queen Mary I and King Philip. Early life Gardiner was ...
,
Bishop of Winchester The Bishop of Winchester is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Winchester in the Church of England. The bishop's seat ('' cathedra'') is at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire. The Bishop of Winchester has always held '' ex officio'' (except ...
, in 1544, when Gardiner had issued a severe prohibition against Cheke's reforms of ancient Greek pronunciation in the
University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
. Gardiner's letters showed his unpleasant side. Cheke explained the significance of the letters to Curio and entrusted them to him. In the following year Curio had them published at Basel without Cheke's knowledge, and they attracted wide interest. Curio's preface is full of admiration for the teaching of Cheke and Sir
Anthony Cooke Sir Anthony Cooke (1504 – 11 June 1576) was an English humanist scholar. He was tutor to Edward VI. Family Anthony Cooke was the only son of John Cooke (died 10 October 1516), esquire, of Gidea Hall, Essex, and Alice Saunders (died 1510), ...
, and elsewhere extols the learning of Sir Thomas Wroth (all intimates of Edward VI), with whom he dealt in their travels in exile. On the orders of King Philip Cheke was seized and intimidated into an involuntary formal recantation in 1556. Curio dedicated his second and later editions of the works of Olympia Fulvia Morata to Queen
Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Eli ...
.


The last years

Curio now became more active as editor and as author of historical writings. Hervagius and Brand published his edition of
Seneca Seneca may refer to: People and language * Seneca (name), a list of people with either the given name or surname * Seneca people, one of the six Iroquois tribes of North America ** Seneca language, the language of the Seneca people Places Extrat ...
's works in 1557. He communicated materials concerning the martyrs Galeazzo Trezio, Pomponio Algerio and Fra Goffredo Varaglia to the historian . He is particularly remembered for his editions of the works of the humanist poet Olympia Fulvia Morata, and his correspondence with her. As an historian he is still appreciated for his ''History of the Siege of Malta'' (1565). His editions and commentaries on classical works range from his ''Thesaurus Linguae Latinae'' to the ''Aristotelis Stagiritae Tripartitae Philosophiae Opera Omnia'', from the ''Commentarii a Cicerone, Tacito, Plauto, Sallustio ed Emilio Probo'', to the ''Quattro Libri dei Logices Elementorum'' of Aristotle. Particularly notable from his last years was his Latin translation of the ''History'' of
Francesco Guicciardini Francesco Guicciardini (; 6 March 1483 – 22 May 1540) was an Italian historian and statesman. A friend and critic of Niccolò Machiavelli, he is considered one of the major political writers of the Italian Renaissance. In his masterpiece, ''Th ...
, dedicated to
Charles IX of France Charles IX (Charles Maximilien; 27 June 1550 – 30 May 1574) was King of France from 1560 until his death in 1574. He ascended the French throne upon the death of his brother Francis II in 1560, and as such was the penultimate monarch of the ...
and printed by
Pietro Perna Pietro is an Italian masculine given name. Notable people with the name include: People * Pietro I Candiano (c. 842–887), briefly the 16th Doge of Venice * Pietro Tribuno (died 912), 17th Doge of Venice, from 887 to his death * Pietro II ...
in 1566, which placed a essential work of Italian historiography at the disposal of students throughout Europe. Three of Curio's daughters died of the plague in 1564, including Angela, who had helped him in his philological researches. His son Orazio, physician and philosopher (died 1564), and Agostino (died 1567) were, like their father, active in publishing, and died before their time. The humanist Agostino was the editor of
Pietro Bembo Pietro Bembo, ( la, Petrus Bembus; 20 May 1470 – 18 January 1547) was an Italian scholar, poet, and literary theorist who also was a member of the Knights Hospitaller, and a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. As an intellectual of the ...
(author of the ''Sarracenicae Historiae'' and the ''De Ratione Conseguendi Styli, seu De Imitatione''), and was professor from 1564 in the University of Basel. Only Leone survived his father (1601): he left a manuscript Memoir of his father. A final twist was the death of his friend Giovanni Oporino in 1568, for whom he wrote his ''Mortis Ioannis Oporini Praesagia'', published with the ''Oratio'' for Oporino by Andrea Jociscus: it was like a presage of his own death, which occurred at Basel on 24 November 1569. He was buried near his sons in
Basel Cathedral Basel Minster (German: ''Basler Münster'') is a religious building in the Swiss city of Basel, originally a Catholic cathedral and today a Reformed Protestant church. The original cathedral was built between 1019 and 1500 in Romanesque and ...
, where his wife Margherita (who long survived him) was buried in 1587. His
Panegyric A panegyric ( or ) is a formal public speech or written verse, delivered in high praise of a person or thing. The original panegyrics were speeches delivered at public events in ancient Athens. Etymology The word originated as a compound of grc, ...
was delivered at Basel in 1570 by Johann Nikolaus Stupanus, who succeeded him in the Chair of Rhetoric. The woodcut portrait of Curio is an illustration from
Nikolaus Reusner Nicolaus Reusner (also ''von Reusner'', ''Reusnerus''; 1545–1602) was a German jurist and publisher. He was born into a family of wealthy German landowners in Lwówek Śląski, Löwenberg, Silesia, who had recently moved there from Transy ...
's 1587 collection of images of men of letters. An example is held in the British Museum collections.


Works (selection)

* ''Aranei Encomion''. Venice, 1540
digitized
* ''Aranaeus, seu De Providentia Dei'', with ''De Immortalitate Animorum'' and other shorter tracts. Basel, 1544

* ''Pasquillus Extaticus et Marphorius'' (the Latin original), in ''Pasquillorum Tomi Duo'', II
pp. 426-529 digitized
Basel, 1544. ''Pasquillus Ecstaticus'' (separate publication), Geneva 1544

** (dt.) ''Der verzucket Pasquinus. Auss Welscher sprach inn das Teütsch gebracht''. Augsburg 1543(?)
digitized
** (it.) ''Pasqvino in Estasi, Nuouo, e molto più pieno, ch'el primo, insieme co'l viaggio de l'Inferno''. Rome(?) 1545
digitized
** (fr.) ''Les Visions de Pasquille'', with the ''Dialogue de Probus''. Geneva, 1547
digitized
** (en.) ''Pasquine in a Traunce''. London, 1566
Eebo transcriptdigitized 1566 editiondigitized 1584 edition
* ''Pro Vera et Antiqua Ecclesiae Christi Autoritate'', Basel, 1547.An English translation made by the martyr John Philpot remains in manuscript, British Library Royal MS 17 C.ix.digitized
* ''Selectarvm Epistolarum Libri duo'', Basel, 1553
digitized
* ''De Amplitudine Beati Regni Dei'', Basel, (Poschiavo?) 1554

* ''Schola, sive De Perfecto Grammatico'', with ''De Liberis Honeste et Pie Educandis''. Basel, 1555
digitized
* ''De Bello Melitensi Historia Nova''. Basel 1567
digitized
** (dt.) ''Neuwe unnd warhafftige Historien, von dem erschröcklichen Krieg so der Türckisch Keyser Solyman wider die Ritter von Jerusalem, in der Inseln Malta kürtzlich gefüret hat''. Basel, 1567. ** (it.) ''Nuova Storia della Guerra in Malta''. Rome, 1927. ** (en.) ''A New History of the War in Malta''. Rome, 1928. * ''De Historia Legenda Sententia ad Basilium Amerbachium''. Basel, 1576.


References

''This article incorporates material from the Italian and German Wikipedia articles on Caelius Secundus Curio.''


Sources



* K. Benrath, 'Curione, Celio Secondo', ''Realencyclopaedie für protestantische Theologie und Kirche'' (Leipzig, 1898), vol. 4, pp. 353–357. * A. Biondi, 'Curione, Celio Secondo', ''Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani'' (Roma 1981) vol. 31, pp. 443–449. * D. Cantimori (1902–1966), ''Eretici Italiani del Cinquecento: Ricerche storiche'' (3rd Edn) (Firenze 1978); Biblioteca di cultura storica (Einaudi, 1992). * 'Curione, Celio Secondo (1503–1569)', ''The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation'' (2005). {{DEFAULTSORT:Curione, Celio Secondo 1503 births 1569 deaths Italian Renaissance humanists People from Cirié