ANGELO DI

COSTANZO (c 1507-1591)  , Italian historian and poet, was born at Naples about 1507 . He lived in a literary circle, and fell in love with the beautiful Vittoria Colonna . His great work, Le Istorie del regno di Napoli dal 1250 find al 1498, first appeared at Naples in 1572, and was the fruit of thirty or forty years' labour; but nine more years were devoted to the task before it was issued in its final form at Aquila (1581) . It is still one of the best histories of Naples, and the style is distinguished by clearness, simplicity and elegance . The Rime of di Costanzo are remarkable for finical taste, for polish and frequent beauty of expression, and for strict obedience to the poetical canons of his time . See G . Tiraboschi, Storia della letteratura italiana, vol. vii . (Florence, 1812) .