Basílio da Gama
Encyclopedia
José Basílio da Gama was a Brazilian-born Portuguese poet and member of the Society of Jesus
, famous for the epic poem O Uraguai
. He wrote under pen name Termindo Sipílio.
He is patron of the 4th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters
.
), in Minas Gerais
, to Manuel da Costa Villas-Boas and Quitéria Inácia da Gama. The death of his father, when he was a young child, caused a hard situation in his life. During this period, a brigadier named Alpoim who served as his protector sent him to Rio de Janeiro
, where he studied at Jesuit College, starting his novitiate for the Society of Jesus
. With the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1759, Basílio went to Europe, where he travelled through many countries, such as Italy
and Portugal
, between 1760 and 1767. In Italy
, he ingressed at the Roman Arcadia, where he adopted the pen name Termindo Sipílio.
During the first months of 1767, he went to Rio de Janeiro, to the inauguration of the ship "Serpente" (mentioned in the third canto of his epic poem O Uraguai
). In 1768, he returned to Portugal, in hopes of entering at the University of Coimbra, but was arrested and exiled in Angola
, due to suspects of Jansenism
. However, he received the forgiving of the Marquess of Pombal because of an epithalamium
he wrote for his daughter.
During his last years, Basílio lived happily, becoming a member of the Sciences Academy of Lisbon
. He died July 31, 1795, in Portugal.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, famous for the epic poem O Uraguai
O Uraguai
"O Uraguai" is an epic poem by the Brazilian writer Basílio da Gama. This poem is a noted example of the Arcadianism and Indianism in Brazilian Literature...
. He wrote under pen name Termindo Sipílio.
He is patron of the 4th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters
Academia Brasileira de Letras
Academia Brasileira de Letras is a Brazilian literary non-profit society established at the end of the 19th century by a group of 40 writers and poets inspired by the Académie Française. The first president, Machado de Assis, declared its foundation on December 15, 1896, with the statutes being...
.
Biography
José Basílio da Gama was born in 1740, in the city of São José do Rio das Mortes (whose name was later changed to TiradentesTiradentes, Minas Gerais
Tiradentes is a municipality in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. It is located at , has an area of 83.5 km², and a maximum height of 927 m. Tiradentes had an estimated population of 6,364, as of 2004. The original village was established in 1702 and become a city on 19 January 1718....
), in Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
, to Manuel da Costa Villas-Boas and Quitéria Inácia da Gama. The death of his father, when he was a young child, caused a hard situation in his life. During this period, a brigadier named Alpoim who served as his protector sent him to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, where he studied at Jesuit College, starting his novitiate for the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
. With the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1759, Basílio went to Europe, where he travelled through many countries, such as Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, between 1760 and 1767. In Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, he ingressed at the Roman Arcadia, where he adopted the pen name Termindo Sipílio.
During the first months of 1767, he went to Rio de Janeiro, to the inauguration of the ship "Serpente" (mentioned in the third canto of his epic poem O Uraguai
O Uraguai
"O Uraguai" is an epic poem by the Brazilian writer Basílio da Gama. This poem is a noted example of the Arcadianism and Indianism in Brazilian Literature...
). In 1768, he returned to Portugal, in hopes of entering at the University of Coimbra, but was arrested and exiled in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
, due to suspects of Jansenism
Jansenism
Jansenism was a Christian theological movement, primarily in France, that emphasized original sin, human depravity, the necessity of divine grace, and predestination. The movement originated from the posthumously published work of the Dutch theologian Cornelius Otto Jansen, who died in 1638...
. However, he received the forgiving of the Marquess of Pombal because of an epithalamium
Epithalamium
Epithalamium refers to a form of poem that is written specifically for the bride on the way to her marital chamber...
he wrote for his daughter.
During his last years, Basílio lived happily, becoming a member of the Sciences Academy of Lisbon
Sciences Academy of Lisbon
The Sciences Academy of Lisbon ' was created in 1779 in Lisbon, Portugal, as an institution dedicated to the advancement of science and learning with the goal of promoting academic progress and prosperity to the country...
. He died July 31, 1795, in Portugal.
Works
- Epitalâmio às Núpcias da Sra. D. Maria Amália (17691769 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-United Kingdom:* Mary Bowes, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, The Siege of Jerusalem* Thomas Chatterton:...
) - O UraguaiO Uraguai"O Uraguai" is an epic poem by the Brazilian writer Basílio da Gama. This poem is a noted example of the Arcadianism and Indianism in Brazilian Literature...
(17691769 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-United Kingdom:* Mary Bowes, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, The Siege of Jerusalem* Thomas Chatterton:...
) - A Declamação Trágica (written in 17721772 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Because many white people in colonial Massachusetts found it hard to believe that a black woman could have enough talent to write poetry, Phillis Wheatley had to defend her literary ability in court...
, but published posthumously, in 18201820 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Formation of the Apostles, a Cambridge University intellectual society...
) - Os Campos Elísios (17661776 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* March — Phillis Wheatley, appeared before General George Washington for her poetry...
) - Quitúbia (17911791 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* William Bartram's Travels Through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida, the Cherokee Country, the Extensive Territories of the Muscogulges, or Creek Confederacy, and the Country...
)