Giambattista Gelli

Giambattista Gelli (1498–1563) was a Florentine man of letters, from an artisan background. Gelli was a shoemaker, and he used to publish dialogues. He is known for his works of the 1540s, Capricci del bottaio and La Circe, which are ethical and philosophical dialogues. Other works were the plays La sporta (1543) and L'errore (1556). He became a member of the Accademia degli Umidi on 25 December 1540.

In his historical writings, Gelli was influenced by the late 15th-century forgeries of Annio da Viterbo, which purported to provide evidence from ancient texts to show that Tuscany had been founded by Noah and his descendants after the Deluge.

Biography
Giambattista Gelli was born of humble parents at Florence in 1498, and was brought up a tailor. As a youth, he studied literature and philosophy, and attended some of the celebrated humanist seances in the Orti Oricellari. According to Jacques Auguste de Thou Gelli did not understand Latin, but this must be a mistake, as he translated, from Latin into Italian, “The Life of Alphonsus duke of Ferrara,” by Paolo Giovio, and a treatise of Simone Porzio, “De Coloribus Oculorum”. His knowledge of Greek, however, was probably limited, as he translated the “Hecuba” of Euripides into Italian, from the Latin version. He excelled, however, in his native tongue, and acquired the highest reputation by the works he published in it. He was acquainted with all the learned men of Florence; and his merit was universally known. He was made a member of the Accademia Fiorentina and the city conferred him Florentine citizenship. Yet he continued to work as shoemaker and tailor until the end of his life. He died in 1563.

Works
In 1546, he published at Florence, “Dialoghi,” in 4to, to which, in the fifth edition, which was printed in 1551, 8vo, and is the best, there are three more added, making in all ten, but he afterwards changed the title from “ Dialoghi,” to “i Capricci del Bottaio.” He published also, “La Circe,” 1549 and 1550, 8vo. This work consists of ten dialogues on human nature: Odysseus and some other Greeks, who were transformed by Circe into various beasts, dispute about the excellence and misery of man and other animals. It has been translated into Latin, French, and English, the last by Barker, Lond. 1599, 12mo. These dialogues, like the rest of Gelli’s, are written in the manner of Lucian. We have too by him, “Le Lettioni nell'Academia Fiorentina,” 1551, 8vo. These dissertations regard the poems of Dante and Petrarch. Lastly, he published several letters upon Dante’s Inferno, entitled “Ragionamento sopra le Difficultà del mettere in Regole la nostra lingua,” without date. He was the author also of two comedies, “La Sporta,” and “Lo Errore”.

List of works

 * L'apparato et feste nelle nozze dello Illustrissimo Signor Duca di Firenze et della Duchessa sua Consorte, 1539;
 * Egloga per il felicissimo giorno 9 di gennaio nel quale lo Eccellentissimo Signor Cosimo fu fatto Duca di Firenze, 1542;
 * La sporta, 1543;
 * Dell'origine di Firenze, 1544;
 * I capricci del bottaio, 1546-1548;
 * La Circe, 1549;
 * Ragionamento sopra la difficultà di mettere in regole la nostra lingua, 1551;
 * Lo errore, 1556;
 * Polifila, 1556.