ARETI'NO, PIETRO, an Italian author of the 16th c., was the natural son of a gentle man named Luigi Bacci, and was b. at Arezzo, in Tuscany, on the 20th of Mar., 1492. Banished from his native town, he went to Perugia, where he wrought as a bookbinder, and gathered up a few scraps of learning, until, seized with a desire of becoming famous, lie abandoned his occupation, and wandered through Italy in the service of various noblemen. At Rome, he distinguished himself by his wit, impudence, and talents, and secured even the papal patronage, which, however, he subsequently lost by writing licentious sonnets. A. now went to the Medicean court, where John de' Medici grew so fond of him that he shared his bed with the adventurer, and even procured him an oppor tunity of ingratiating himself with Francis I. at Milan in 1524. A few years later, lie settled at Venice, where lie also acquired powerful friends. The bishop of Vicenza not only soothed the irritation of the pope against A., but also recommended him to the emperor Charles V. The latter, as well as his chivalrous rival, Francis, and other great persons, pensioned the fortunate wit, besides enriching him with splendid presents. He
likewise obtained considerable sums for his literary efforts.
Nature had undoubtedly gifted A. with some fine qualities, but these were vitiated by his love of sensual gratifications. His death in 1556 accorded with the character of his life. It is said that while laughing heartily at some trifling adventure of one of his abandoned sisters, he fell from a stool, and was killed on the spot. His poetical works include five comedies and a tragedy. The former are full of wit and genuine comic humor; the latter is not without merit. His Sonetti Lugsuriosi have been translated into French, under the title of Academie des Dames. Besides these, he wrote a number of other pieces, some of which have not been published. His satire procured for him the name of "the scourge of princes;" but it seems clear that lie was equally well fitted to be their sycophant. Although the very impersonation of licentiousness, he had never theless the impudence to publish some books of a devotional kind, with the view of obtaining the faros' of the pope.