Nello Martinelli (Viareggio 1889 – Forte dei Marmi 1976) studied at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa, taught Latin at the University of Malta (1925-1927), at a number of secondary schools and as a docente libero at universities in Rome and Palermo (Giustiniani 1979: 25-6, Sacré 2019: 13). He published scholarly works on a range of ancient texts and was a prolific writer of Latin poetry. He was awarded prizes at the international Certamen Hoeufftianum in 1950 (Valentinianus II: praemium aureum), 1951 (Drusus III: magna laus) and 1953 (Carmen et error: magna laus). Dirk Sacré (2019: 13) characterises his style as follows: ‘It is difficult not to be carried away by [Martinelli’s] poems’ due to ‘the suspense he creates, his powerful and expressive language, the intense imagery, and the high emotional tension’ (my translation). In Martinelli’s hexameter poem Amba Alagia about Italy’s Ethiopian wars, this considerable poetic verve is married to imperialist rhetoric, racist and anti-semitic hate speech and unashamed warmongering (Sacré 2019: 14-15).

Bibliography

Latin works

Martinelli, Nello. 1921. Gradus ad Parnassum. Pisa: Tip. Folchetto.

———. 1941. Amba Alagia. Vallerini: Pisa & Rome.

———. 1947. ‘Avus et infans’. Il mundo classico 14: 167–78.

———. 1949. ‘Epicedion’. Il mundo classico 16: 103–12.

———. 1950. Valentinianus II. Carmen Nelli Martinelli Romani in certamine poetico Hoeufftiano praemio aureo ornatum. Amsterdam: Academia Regia disciplinarum Nederlandica.

———. 1951. Drusus III. Carmen Nelli Martinelli in certamine poetico Hoeufftiano magna laude ornatum. Amsterdam: Academia Regia disciplinarum Nederlandica.

———. 1953. Carmen et error. Carmen Nelli Martinelli in certamine poetico Hoeufftiano magna laude ornatum. Amsterdam: Academia Regia disciplinarum Nederlandica.

Scholarly works

Martinelli, Nello. 1919. Lucretius in Thecydidea pestis descriptione imitanda quantenus suus esse videatur. Pisa: in aedibus fratrum Nistri.

———. 1932. L’ode d’Archita. Pavia: Tip. f.lli Fusi.

———. 1935. ‘Riflessi della poesia di Longfellow nei carmi latini di G. Pascoli’. In Atti del III Congresso Nazionale di Studi Romani, edited by Carlo Galassi Paluzzi, 309–24. Bolognia: Licinio Capelli.

———. 1963. La rappresentazione dello stile di Crasso e di Antonio nel De Oratore. Rome: Centro di Studi Ciceroniani.

Secondary literature

Giustiniani, Vito R. 1979. Neulateinische Dichtung in Italien 1850-1950: ein unerforschtes Kapitel italienischer Literatur- und Geistesgeschichte. Tübingen: Niemeyer.

IJsewijn-Jacobs, J. 1961. Latijnse Poëzie van de Twintigste Eeuw. Lier: De Bladen Voor de Poezie.

Reitz-Joosse, B.L. (in prep.). ‘Vergil in Ethiopia: Nello Martinelli’s Amba Alagia’.

Sacré, Dirk. 2019a. ‘De verbanning van Ovidius uitgeklaard. Nello Martinelli’s (1889-1976) gedicht Carmen et Error’. Kleio-Online.

———. 2019b. ‘Obitus Nasonis. De dood van Ovidius in een Latijn gedicht (1958) van Nello Martinelli’, no. 48: 34–50.

Bettina Reitz-Joosse