CASTI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA Italian poet, a native of Montefiascone, entered the Church, but surren dered his chance of preferment to the pleasure of visiting the courts of Europe. From 1782-96 he was poet-laureate at the Austrian court. The rest of his life was spent in Paris, where he died on Feb. 6, 1803. He wrote lyrics, the libretti of many can tatas and operas and a satire in 26 cantos, Gli Animali parlanti (1802), which was translated into many languages (Eng. version by W. S. Rose, Court and Parliament of Beasts, 1819) .