David Levi (Italy)
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Davide Levi (1816 in
Chieri Chieri (; ) is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont (Italy), located about southeast of Turin, by rail and by road. It borders the following municipalities: Baldissero Torinese, Pavarolo, Montaldo Torinese, Pino ...
– 18 October 1898 in
Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
) was an Italian poet, patriot and politician.


Biography

Educated at the
Jew Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...
ish schools of his native town and
Vercelli Vercelli (; ) is a city and ''comune'' of 46,552 inhabitants (January 1, 2017) in the Province of Vercelli, Piedmont, northern Italy. One of the oldest urban sites in northern Italy, it was founded, according to most historians, around 600 BC. ...
, he for a short time followed a mercantile career. In 1835 he went to the
University of Parma The University of Parma () is a public university located in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Organized into nine departments, it is one of the oldest universities in the world. As of 2016, it had approximately 26,000 students. History During the ...
, and later to that of
Pisa Pisa ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Tuscany, Central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for the Leaning Tow ...
, but he had to leave the latter on account of a
duel A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people with matched weapons. During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly single combats fought with swords (the rapier and later the small sword), but beginning in ...
in which he wounded a fellow student whom he had challenged for having made an insulting remark about the Jews. Having passed his examination as
doctor of law A Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) is a doctoral degree in legal studies. The abbreviation LL.D. stands for ''Legum Doctor'', with the double “L” in the abbreviation referring to the early practice in the University of Cambridge to teach both canon law ...
, he went in 1839 to Paris. The university ideals of a united, free Italy had found a strong follower in Levi, who had become a member of the
irredentist Irredentism () is one state's desire to annex the territory of another state. This desire can be motivated by ethnic reasons because the population of the territory is ethnically similar to or the same as the population of the parent state. Hist ...
society La Giovane Italia. In Paris he belonged to the circle of Italian patriots; and, on returning to Italy, he soon became one of the leaders in the political movement for the secession of northern Italy from the
Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire, officially known as the Empire of Austria, was a Multinational state, multinational European Great Powers, great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the Habsburg monarchy, realms of the Habsburgs. Duri ...
and for the union of all the Italian states. Settling in Venice, Levi took part in the Lombardic rebellion against Austria of 1848-49. In 1850 he moved to
Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) 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. The city is main ...
. After the Franco-Italian-Austrian War of 1859, when the Italian provinces of Austria were united with the
Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy (, ) was a unitary state that existed from 17 March 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 10 June 1946, when the monarchy wa ...
(1860), he was elected to the Italian assembly at
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
, where, as a member of the
Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...
, he championed the cause of equality of rights and
religious freedom Freedom of religion or religious liberty, also known as freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice ...
. He was a member of the National Assembly until 1879, when, being defeated, he retired from politics. Levi wrote many poems, especially during his stay at Venice, and a large number of political and war songs, among these the well-known ode to
Pope Pius IX Pope Pius IX (; born Giovanni Maria Battista Pietro Pellegrino Isidoro Mastai-Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878. His reign of nearly 32 years is the longest verified of any pope in hist ...
, who in 1846, upon his election to the papal chair, was hailed as liberator, but who in 1849 changed his political views and became strongly reactionary. Through all Levi's works his great love for Italy and for
Judaism Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...
is evident. Levi was the author of: ''Patria ed Affetti'' (Venice, 1849), a collection of poems; ''Gli Martiri del 1799'' (Turin, 1850), a drama; ''Martirio e Redenzione'' (ib. 1859); ''Del Navarra a Magenta'' (ib. 1866; revised ed., 1884, with a fantastic allegorical dialogue as a second part); ''Vita di Pensiero'' (Milan, 1875); ''Vita d'Azione'' (Turin, 1882); ''Il Semitismo'' (ib. 1884); ''La Mente di
Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (6March 147518February 1564), known mononymously as Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was inspir ...
'' (ib. 1890); ''
Giordano Bruno Giordano Bruno ( , ; ; born Filippo Bruno; January or February 1548 – 17 February 1600) was an Italian philosopher, poet, alchemist, astrologer, cosmological theorist, and esotericist. He is known for his cosmological theories, which concep ...
'' (ib. 1894).


''Il Profeta''

Levi's principal work, however, is the great drama ''Il Profeta.'' Its theme Levi describes in his introduction as follows: "I intend to hold a mirror before my contemporaries, in which they may see their errors, faults, and mistakes, and thereby learn to despise them; at the same time placing before them a high ideal, which they should strive to live up to." To this end, he selected the story of
Jeremiah Jeremiah ( – ), also called Jeremias, was one of the major prophets of the Hebrew Bible. According to Jewish tradition, Jeremiah authored the Book of Jeremiah, book that bears his name, the Books of Kings, and the Book of Lamentations, with t ...
. The drama treats in five acts of the war between
Zedekiah Zedekiah ( ; born Mattaniah; 618 BC – after 586 BC) was the twentieth and final King of Judah before the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon. After the siege of Jerusalem in 597 BC, Nebuchadnezzar II deposed king Jec ...
and
Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar II, also Nebuchadrezzar II, meaning "Nabu, watch over my heir", was the second king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, ruling from the death of his father Nabopolassar in 605 BC to his own death in 562 BC. Often titled Nebuchadnezzar ...
. Jeremiah foresees the fall of
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
, if the people do not give up their worship of
Baal Baal (), or Baʻal, was a title and honorific meaning 'owner' or 'lord Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power (social and political), power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The ...
, repent of their sins, and return to the only true God. Jeremiah the prophet and Ananias, the priest of Baal, respectively exhort and try to persuade the king and the Jews to follow them. Ananias is successful; Jeremiah is thrown into prison; and Jerusalem falls when attacked by the invading army. The Temple is destroyed, and the Jews are led into captivity. Jeremiah's prophecy is fulfilled. When Jeremiah is thrown into prison his daughter Rachel falls into the hands of Ananias, who tries to win her for himself. His suit proving unsuccessful, he orders her to be sacrificed to
Moloch Moloch, Molech, or Molek is a word which appears in the Hebrew Bible several times, primarily in the Book of Leviticus. The Greek Septuagint translates many of these instances as "their king", but maintains the word or name ''Moloch'' in others, ...
, when God intercedes. Lightning kills Ananias, and Rachel is liberated by her lover, Emanuel. The last words of Ananias are: "Uno Infinito hai vinto" (end of Act 3). Emanuel joins the ranks of the defender of Jerusalem, is mortally wounded, and dies in the arms of his beloved. Spiritually Jewdom has conquered over heathendom, and Rachel has returned pure to her lover, but physically Jewdom is defeated. Rachel loses her lover and must go into exile; this exile will, however, purify not the Jews alone, but through them the world, and will prepare man for a better future. The dialogue which follows the drama in the 1884 edition has very little connection with it. It is sustained by Emanuel, the representative of prophetism, and by Ahasuerus, the representative of mankind, and treats mainly of Rome.


Honours

*
Knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...
of the order of the Italian Crown. *
Official An official is someone who holds an office (function or Mandate (politics), mandate, regardless of whether it carries an actual Office, working space with it) in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority (eithe ...
of the order of the Italian Crown. *
Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many army, armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countri ...
of the order of the Italian Crown. * Great Official of the order of the Italian Crown


References


Jewish Encyclopedia Bibliography

* S. H. Margulies, ''Dichter und Patriot'', Berlin, 1896; * Levi's own works, ''Vita di Pensiero'' and ''Vita d'Azione'', Berlin, 1896. {{DEFAULTSORT:Levi, David 1816 births 1898 deaths University of Parma alumni University of Pisa alumni 19th-century Italian politicians 19th-century Italian Jews Jewish poets People from Chieri People from the Kingdom of Sardinia