Science Fiction History: 1532 Ludovico Ariosto Visits the Moon
About the poet Ludovico Ariosto who wrote Orlando Furioso in 1532 which contained a description of the moon.
--1532. Italian writer Ludovico Ariosto's epic poem, Orlando Furioso, includes a quest for "Orlando's lost wits." As everything lost on earth had gone to the moon, one Astolpho went there, too--in Elijah's fiery chariot. The moon contained rich fields, towns, lakes, rivers, unkept vows, prayers and benefits forgot, and "Orlando's lost wits," conveniently found in an urn.
© 1975 - 1981 by David Wallechinsky & Irving Wallace Reproduced with permission from "The People's Almanac" series of books. All rights reserved.
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