AQUILA

aquila, serafino dell' (1466-1500), italian poet and improvisatore, was born in 1466 at the town of aquila, from which he took his name, and died in the year 1500. he spent several years at the courts of cardinal sforza and ferdinand, duke of calabria; but his principal patrons were the borgias at rome, from whom he received many favours. aquila seems to have aimed at an imitation of dante and petrarch; and his poems, which were extravagantly praised during the author's lifetime, are occasionally of considerable merit. his reputation was in great measure due to his remarkable skill as an improvisatore and musician. his works were printed at venice in 1502, and there have been several subsequent editions.