f
Moses Rieti's _Sefer ha-Hechal_, a Hebrew poem written in imitation of
the _Divina Commedia_, and enjoying much favor at Rome. As early as
1609, David della Rocca published a second edition of her translation,
dedicating it to the charming authoress. To put the highly wrought,
artificial poetry of the Hebrew Dante into mellifluous Italian verse was
by no means easy. While Rieti's poetry is not distinguished by the vigor
and fulness of the older classical productions of neo-Hebraic poetry,
his rhythm is smooth, pleasant, and polished. Yet her rendition is
admirable. Besides, she won fame as a writer of hymns in praise of the
God of her people, who so wondrously rescued it from all manner of
distress.

"Let other poets of victory's trophies tell,
Thy song will e'er thy people's praises swell,"

says a Jewish Italian poet enchanted by her talent.

A still more gifted poetess was Sara Copia Sullam, a particular star in
Judah's galaxy.[32] The only child of a wealthy Venetian at the end of
the sixteenth century, she was indulged in her love of study, and
afforded every opportunity to advance in the arts and sciences. "She
revelled in the realm of beauty, and crystallized her enthusiasm in
graceful, sweet, maidenly verses. Young, lovely, of generous impulses
and keen intellectual powers, her ambition set upon lofty attainments, a
favorite of the muses, Sara Copia charmed youth and age."

These graces of mind became her misfortune. An old Italian priest,
Ansaldo Ceba, in Genoa, published an Italian epic with the Esther of the
Bible as the heroine. Sara was delighted with the choice of the subject.
It was natural that a high-minded, sensitive girl with lofty ideals,
stung to the quick by the injustice and contumely suffered by her
people, should rejoice extravagantly in the praise lavished upon a
heroine of her nation. Carried away by enthusiasm she wrote the poet, a
stranger to her, a letter overflowing with gratitude for the pure
delight his poem had yielded her. Her passionate warmth, betraying at
once the accomplished poetess and the gifted thinker, did not fail to
fascinate the old priest, who immediately resolved to capture this
beautiful soul for the church. His desire brought about a lively
correspondence, our chief source of information about Sara Copia. Her
conversion became a passion with the highstrung priest, taking complete
possession of him during the last years of his life. He brought to bear
upon