NORSA, Umberto. Mantova 16.12.1866 — Mantova 5.4.1943. Italian Polyglot Author and Translator. Born in a Jewish family, educated in Mantova, already then (1881) translated Catull’s poems. Law studies at Bologna, where he also attended the classes of Giosuè Carducci. Beside classical languages and German, learned now Spanish, Polish and English, then many others. In 1893-1938 secretary of Gabinetto di Lettura in Mantova, then dismissed by Fascists as a Jew. In 1901 he began learning Sanskrit, in 1921 developed a special interest in Kālidāsa. Married 1899, two children.

Publications: Translated: Amaru: La centuria. 52 p. I Classici dell’ Oriente 3. Città di Castello 1923; “Bhartṛhari. Le tre centurie”, Scrittori italiani e stranieri: Poesia. Lanciano 1933, 111-175.

– Translated: Il nuvolo messagero (Meghadûta) di Kâlidâsa. 84 p. Lanciano 1926; Çakuntalâ di Kâlidâsa. 182 p. L. 1928; Urvaçî (Vikramorvaçî) di Kâlidâsa. 139 p. L. 1928; Mâlavikâ e Agnimitra di Kâlidâsa. 150 p. L. 1929; La nascita di Kumâra (Kumâra­saṃbhava) di Kâlidâsa. 155 p. L. 1929 (canto 1-8); Le Stagioni (Ṛtusamhâra) di Kâlidâsa. L. 1930; La progenie di Raghu (Raghuvaṃça) di Kâlidâsa. 1. 219 p. L. 1933 (1-9).

– Transl. Visnuçarman. Il Pañcatantra. Apologhi e novelle. 1-3. 3+175+182+124 p. Lanciano 1928.

– Numerous translations from Latin (Catull), German (Heine), Polish (Mickiewicz), English (Shelley), Hungarian (Petőfi, Arany), Russian (Krylov), Greek (Aeschylus, Sophocles), and Hebrew (Psalms).

Sources: *Ugo Norsa, “Umberto Norsa (16 dicembre 1866 – 5 aprile 1943)”, Atti e Memorie [dell’] Accademia Virgiliana di Mantova N.S. 17, 1949, 6-24; Porru 1940; Italian Wikipedia.