ANTONIANO, SrLyro, Cardinal, was born at Rome on the 31st of December, 1540, of a very obscure family. When only ten years of age, he discovered a wonderful talent of improvisation, or speaking extempore verses, with such readiness and fluency as seemed altogether supernatural. He was introduced to cardinal Trueses, who took him to his house, and gave him a salary, which enabled him to apply with diligence to the Greek, Latin, and other important branches of education. At a ban quet in the house of that prelate, Silvio had an opportu nity of recommending himself to cardinal John Angelo de Medicis, from whom he afterwards received very ex traordinary favours. He was desired to present a nose gay to the person whom he judged likely to be elevated to the papal throne,and carried it directly to this cardinal, addressing him, at the same time, in some panegyrical verses, which appeared too elegant and ingenious not to have been composed for the occasion. The cardinal, ignorant of Silvio's talent, testified some displeasure, but his resentment was converted into admiration, when, on a further trial of the young poet's powers, it was found that he was equally successful, whatever subject was proposed. Hercules, duke of Ferrara, was ena moured of his character and talents, carried him to his court, and spared no pains or expense which could con tribute to the improvement of so promising a youth. When only sixteen, this prince made him professor of humanity at Ferrara, where he lectured, with great ap plause, to a numerous concourse of auditors. Here also Silvio became the intimate friend of Paul Manutius, who, while he lived, testified for him the fondest affec tion and admiration. On the duke's death, he was in vited to Rome, and was received in the most flattering manner by the cardinal de Medicis, now, conformably to his prediction, created pope, by the name of Pius the 41i. This pontiff appointed him secretary and Latin preceptor to his nephew, cardinal Borromeo, and after wards gave him the chair of humanity in the Roman college, where he was honoured with the presence of the most illustrious men of Rome. On the institution
of the Vatican Academy, by C. Borromeo, he was cho sen president, though only twenty, and assumed the name of "It resoluto." He was also created vice-rector, and soon after rector to the university. Silvio now de voted himself exclusively to preparation for an ecclesi astical life. In this view, he renounced the chair of humanity and its emoluments, which were ample, and abandoned his favourite pursuits in poetry and litera ture. The same munificent patronage was extended to him in his ecclesiastical career. He was honoured with the intimate friendship of Pius the 5th, Sixtus the 5th, and Gregory the 14th; and, during twenty-five years, was secretary to the Sacred College, an employment which gave him frequent opportunities of displaying his eloquence in the composition of papal mandates, and other public documents. Gregory the 14th repeatedly pressed him to accept the revenues of some rich bisho pricks, but Silvio refused them, dreading, he said, the solemn account he must render of the souls committed to his charge. After being made canon in the church of the Vatican, by Clement the 8th, he was finally crea ted a cardinal, in 1598, and died in 1603.
Silvio deserves to be commemorated as a rare exam ple of a person rising rapidly from an obscure condi tion, to the highest reputation and honours, without be ing corrupted by his elevation. Throughout every period of his life he exhibited a modesty, prudence, and equanimity, which silenced the envy of his rivals, and secured to him a circle of affectionate friends, con sisting of the most illustrious characters of his age. As a priest, his piety seems to have been fervent and enlightened; the purity of his morals was almost pro verbial, and it is said that he never once violated his vow of chastity. His influence in the church seems to have been conscientiously exerted for what he believed laudable purposes. Of his works, printed and manu script, a list will be found in Mazzuchelli. (0-)