ROMAN Immanuel (Immanuel ben Solomon)

(ca. 1265 - ca. 1330)
Born in Rome (Italy) in one of the distinguished Jewish families. Having a multilateral education, became an expert on the Bible and Talmud, has acquired knowledge in philosophy and Italian literature, as well as in medicine. In the circle of his numerous friends were Italian poets, among them, perhaps, Dante, in whose memory he folded his elegy on the Italian. One time Immanil even held a prominent position in the Jewish community of Rome, but in his old age went bankrupt and was forced to leave the capital. He had been wandering, and finally settled in Fermo (Italy), where he died about. 1330.
Immanuel fame brought his poetry, come down to us in the form of meetings, divided in 28 parts. It includes the erotic love songs, satire, short stories, set out rhymed prose, epigrams, parodies, religious poems and reflections on the high and low stuffs. The last part, Topheth va-Eden (Hell and Paradise), is an imitation of the Divine Comedy by Dante.