12 Facts About Camillo Baldi

Camillo Baldi, known as Camillus Baldus and Camillo Baldo, was an Italian philosopher.

Camillo Baldi was born into a family of minor Bolognese nobility.

Camillo Baldi's father Pietro Maria Baldi was a lecturer at the University of Bologna and Camillo followed in his footsteps teaching there for sixty years.

Camillo Baldi started teaching in 1576, teaching Aristotelian logic until 1579 when he was promoted to a junior lectureship in philosophy which he held till 1586.

Camillo Baldi was then made a senior lecturer in philosophy from 1590 till his death in 1637.

Camillo Baldi held many roles within the university hierarchy, including that of 'Decano' and 'Procancelliere'.

Camillo Baldi was curator of the Aldrovandi museum from 1620 till his death in 1637.

In Tassoni's famous poem La secchia rapita Camillo Baldi is introduced as the ambassador of the Bolognese to Modena, the Modenese having stolen a symbolic bucket from Bologna, Camillo Baldi is sent to negotiate for its return.

Camillo Baldi left behind numerous printed and manuscript works covering a wide range of subjects.

Camillo Baldi is following Demetrius when he condemns those whose style is too artificial, for, he says such people reveal nothing of themselves, all that one can tell of them is that they are shrewd and artificial.

Camillo Baldi goes on to say: 'when they are written without artifice or erudition or any consideration at all, but only as his nature dictates to him, then one can probably tell many things about the writer'.

Camillo Baldi only devotes a few pages to considerations of handwriting but it is on this that his fame rests.