Page:The life of Christopher Columbus.djvu/35

Rh Thomas Bozius, published the part of his work, De Signis Ecclesiæ Dei in which he also applies to Columbus divers passages of some prophecies.

The first cardinal who engaged a poet to celebrate, in the Italian language, the voyages of Columbus, was a Frenchman, his Eminence Antoine Perrenot, better known under the name of Cardinal Granvelle; and it must be acknowledged that the poet Lorenzo Gambara carried out his intentions.

It was in Rome that a noble Genoese historian, Uberto Foglieta, vented his indignation against "the shameful silence and incredible blindness" of his country, which accorded statues to some citizens for ordinary causes, and had erected none to the only one of her children whose glory was unequalled. Until the year 1577, the Republic of Genoa, partaking of the indifference of the other States in regard to Columbus, had not dreamt of consecrating to him a block of that marble of which its palaces are so lavish. It was from the Eternal City that the generous protest of the Genoese patrician went forth, and his declaration of the incomparable service rendered by his countryman to the Church of Jesus Christ.

Thanks to Roman influence, Italy did not entirely lose the remembrance of Columbus. The voice of the poets, encouraged by the Cardinalate, awakened patriotism. As in the heroic times of Greece, seven cities had disputed for the birthplace of Homer, so now were seen seven cities and market-places claiming the honor of having given birth to Columbus. Savona, Pradello, Nervi, Cugureo, Bugiasco, Cuccaro, dared to enter the lists with Genoa the Superb. But, apart from this contest of local self-love, the rest of Europe, and particularly France, attached no serious importance to the person of Columbus or to his superhuman