vincenzo monti was an italian poet, playwright, translator, and scholar, born in alfonsine, italy, on february 19, 1754, and died in milan on october 13, 1828. he is considered the greatest interpreter of italian neoclassicism in all of its various phases. his verse translation of the iliad is one of the greatest of them all, with its iconic opening becoming an extremely recognizable phrase among italians. he was also a friend of some of the leading authors of his times, such as voltaire, francesco algarotti, and saverio bettinelli.
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