before 1561 or 1586) of L. Groto, which treats the story of _Romeo and Juliet_; Tasso's _Torrismondo_ (1587); the _Tancredi_ of Asinari (1588); and the _Merope_ of Torelli (1593), the last who employed the stationary chorus (_coro fisso_) on the Italian stage. Leonico's _Soldato_ is noticeable as supposed to have given rise to the _tragedia cittadina_, or domestic tragedy, of which there are few examples in the Italian drama, and De Velo's _Tamar_ (1586) as written in prose. Subjects of modern historical interest were in this period treated only in isolated instances.[17] Italian tragedy in the 17th and 18th centuries. Maffei. Metastasio. Alfieri. The tragedians of the 17th century continued to pursue the beaten track, marked out already in the 16th by rigid prescription. In course of time, however, they sought by the introduction of musical airs to compromise with the danger with which their art was threatened of being (in Voltaire's phrase) extinguished by the beautiful monster, the opera, now rapidly gaining ground in the country of its origin. (See OPERA.) To Count P. Bonarelli (1589-1659), the author of _Solimano_, is on the other hand ascribed the first disuse of the chorus in Italian tragedy. The innovation of the use of rhyme attempted in the learned Pallavicino's _Erminigildo_ (1655), and defended by him in a discourse prefixed to the play, was unable to achieve a permanent success in Italy any more than in England; its chief representative was afterwards Martelli (d. 1727), whose rhymed Alexandrian verse (_Martelliano_), though on one occasion used in comedy by Goldoni, failed to commend itself to the popular taste. By the end of the 17th century Italian tragedy seemed destined to expire, and the great tragic actor Cotta had withdrawn in disgust at the apathy of the public towards the higher forms of the drama. The 18th century was, however, to witness a change, the beginnings of which are attributed to the institution of the Academy of the Arcadians at Rome (1690). The principal efforts of the new school of writers and critics were directed to the abolition of the chorus, and to a general increase of freedom in treatment. Before long the marquis S. Maffei with his _Merope_ (first printed 1713) achieved one of the most brilliant successes recorded in the history of dramatic literature. This play, which is devoid of any love-story, long continued to be considered the masterpiece of Italian tragedy; Voltaire, who declared it "worthy of the most glorious days of Athens," adapted it for the French stage, and it inspired a celebrated production of the English drama.[18] It was followed by a tragedy full of horrors,[19] noticeable as having given rise to the first Italian dramatic _parody_; and by the highly esteemed productions of Granelli (d. 1769) and his contemporary Bettinelli. P. T. Metastasio (1698-1782), who had early begun his career as a dramatist by a strict adherence to the precepts of Aristotle,