Vicente Espinel
Encyclopedia
Vicente Gómez Martínez-Espinel (December 28, 1550 – February 4, 1624), was a Spanish
writer
and musician
of the Siglo de Oro.
He is credited with the addition of the 5th string to the guitar
and the creation of the modern poetic form of the décima, composed of ten octameter
s, named espinella in Spanish after him.
Espinel was born in Ronda
. He studied at the University of Salamanca
, where he adopted as his own his father's second surname, and later on at the universities of Granada and Alcalá. As a latinist, he translated to Spanish Horace
's Epistola ad Pisones.
He lived an adventurous life, he was a prisoner of pirates at Argel
and a soldier in Italy after being liberated. Afterwards, he moved to Madrid
and took the vows in 1589.
In 1618, the printer Juan de la Cuesta published Espinel's picaresque novel
Relaciones de la vida del escudero Marcos de Obregón. This book, with several autobiographical details, was printed in France the same year and inspired later Lesage
's Gil Blas de Santillana. He also published his Assorted rhymes in 1591.
Lope de Vega
, who referred to Espinel as his teacher, dedicated him El caballero de Illescas (1602). Espinel also befriended Cervantes
, Góngora
(whose poetry he helped to publish) and Quevedo
. As his friends, he was a member of congregation Esclavos del Santísimo Sacramento. At the time of his death, he was the chaplain at Madrid, and also the music teacher, of the Plasencia
bishop.
His bust can be found in Ronda, the city of his birth, in the small Plaza de los Gigantes. His head is decorated with a Laurel wreath.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
of the Siglo de Oro.
He is credited with the addition of the 5th string to the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and the creation of the modern poetic form of the décima, composed of ten octameter
Octameter
Octameter in poetry is a line of eight metrical feet. It is not very common in English verse. E.g.: -TrochaicOctameter in poetry is a line of eight metrical feet. It is not very common in English verse. E.g.: -Trochaic...
s, named espinella in Spanish after him.
Espinel was born in Ronda
Ronda
Ronda is a city in Spanish province of Málaga. It is located about West from the city of Málaga, within the autonomous community of Andalusia. Its population is approximately 35,000 inhabitants.-History:...
. He studied at the University of Salamanca
University of Salamanca
The University of Salamanca is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid. It was founded in 1134 and given the Royal charter of foundation by King Alfonso IX in 1218. It is the oldest founded university in Spain and the third oldest European...
, where he adopted as his own his father's second surname, and later on at the universities of Granada and Alcalá. As a latinist, he translated to Spanish Horace
Horace
Quintus Horatius Flaccus , known in the English-speaking world as Horace, was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus.-Life:...
's Epistola ad Pisones.
He lived an adventurous life, he was a prisoner of pirates at Argel
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
and a soldier in Italy after being liberated. Afterwards, he moved to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
and took the vows in 1589.
In 1618, the printer Juan de la Cuesta published Espinel's picaresque novel
Picaresque novel
The picaresque novel is a popular sub-genre of prose fiction which is usually satirical and depicts, in realistic and often humorous detail, the adventures of a roguish hero of low social class who lives by his wits in a corrupt society...
Relaciones de la vida del escudero Marcos de Obregón. This book, with several autobiographical details, was printed in France the same year and inspired later Lesage
Alain-René Lesage
Alain-René Lesage was a French novelist and playwright. Lesage is best known for his comic novel The Devil upon Two Sticks , his comedy Turcaret , and his picaresque novel Gil Blas .-Youth and education:Claude Lesage, the father of the novelist, held the united...
's Gil Blas de Santillana. He also published his Assorted rhymes in 1591.
Lope de Vega
Lope de Vega
Félix Arturo Lope de Vega y Carpio was a Spanish playwright and poet. He was one of the key figures in the Spanish Golden Century Baroque literature...
, who referred to Espinel as his teacher, dedicated him El caballero de Illescas (1602). Espinel also befriended Cervantes
Miguel de Cervantes
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was a Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright. His magnum opus, Don Quixote, considered the first modern novel, is a classic of Western literature, and is regarded amongst the best works of fiction ever written...
, Góngora
Luis de Góngora
Luis de Góngora y Argote was a Spanish Baroque lyric poet. Góngora and his lifelong rival, Francisco de Quevedo, are widely considered to be the most prominent Spanish poets of their age. His style is characterized by what was called culteranismo, also known as Gongorism...
(whose poetry he helped to publish) and Quevedo
Francisco de Quevedo
Francisco Gómez de Quevedo y Santibáñez Villegas was a Spanish nobleman, politician and writer of the Baroque era. Along with his lifelong rival, Luis de Góngora, Quevedo was one of the most prominent Spanish poets of the age. His style is characterized by what was called conceptismo...
. As his friends, he was a member of congregation Esclavos del Santísimo Sacramento. At the time of his death, he was the chaplain at Madrid, and also the music teacher, of the Plasencia
Plasencia
Plasencia is a walled market city in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Western Spain. , it had a population of 41,447.Situated on the bank of the Jerte River, Plasencia has a historic quarter that is a consequence of the city's strategic location along the Silver Route, or Ruta de la Plata...
bishop.
His bust can be found in Ronda, the city of his birth, in the small Plaza de los Gigantes. His head is decorated with a Laurel wreath.