Background
Pier Angelo Manzolli was born around 1500, at Stellata, Italy.
Pier Angelo Manzolli was born around 1500, at Stellata, Italy.
Manzolli wrote a poem entitled Zodiacus vitae, published at Basel in 1543, and dedicated to Hercules II of Ferrara. The poem is full of didactic writing on the subject of human happiness in connexion with scientific knowledge, and combines metaphysical speculation with satirical attacks on ecclesiastical hypocrisy, and especially on the Pope and on Luther. It was translated into several languages, but fell under the ban of the Inquisition on the ground of its rationalizing tendencies.