CUEVA, JUAN DE LA (1550?-1610?), Spanish dramatist and poet, was born at Seville. A precursor of Lope, he draws his inspiration from the national legend, historic tradition, and contemporary life, as in Los siete Infantes de Lara, El saco de Roma, and El In f amador, an anticipation of Don Juan. As an in itiative force, Cueva is a figure of historical importance ; his epic poem, La Conquista de Betica (1603) shows his weakness as an artist, In his Ejemplar poetico (1606) he gave expression to his literary theories.
See E. Walberg, "Juan de la Cueva et son Exemplar poetico," in Acta Universitatis Lundensis, xxxix. (1904).