Petrus Lotichius Secundus
Petrus Lotichius Secundus was a German humanist and poet born in 1528 in Schlüchtern, Germany. He received a strong educational foundation thanks to his uncle, a clergyman, who instilled in him the value of learning. Secundus began his studies in classical languages and poetry at the school of Jakob Micyllus and continued his education at the University of Marburg, where he produced some of his early poetic works. His life was marked by significant historical events, including the civil unrest in Wittenberg during the Protestant Reformation, which deeply influenced his experiences as a student.
Secundus spent time in Paris and Montpellier, where he published several volumes of poetry, showcasing themes of love, friendship, and human experiences. He eventually pursued a medical degree at the University of Padua and later joined the medical faculty at the University of Heidelberg. Despite a promising career, his health declined due to repeated illnesses and personal losses, culminating in his untimely death at the age of thirty-two in 1560. His work remains a reflection of the humanist ideals of his time, blending literary talent with the pursuit of knowledge in both the arts and sciences.
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Subject Terms
Petrus Lotichius Secundus
Poet
- Born: November 2, 1528
- Birthplace: Schlüchtern, Germany
- Died: November 7, 1560
- Place of death: Heidelberg, Germany
Biography
Petrus Lotichius Secundus was born in the small town of Schlüchtern, Germany, in 1528. Secundus’s uncle, a clergyman and founder of a monastic school, took an interest in the boy and saw to his education. In 1542, Secundus’s uncle sent him to the school of Jakob Micyllus in Frankfurt. Secundus studied Latin and Greek and began experimenting with poetry.
In 1544, after his uncle was excommunicated from the Catholic Church for his reformist ideas, Secundus enrolled in the University of Marburg. While attending the university, Secundus lived with a theology professor, who published Secundus’s first two poems in 1545. After he completed his studies in Marburg, Secundus traveled to Wittenberg to study with humanist scholars. He arrived in 1546 to a city in turmoil. Civil war had broken out between the emperor and Protestant princes, and when imperial troops took over the city students were directed to flee to Magdeburg, a safe haven for Lutherans. Secundus joined the Protestant forces in Madgeburg and spent a large portion of his seven months there suffering from a serious illness. He eventually returned to Wittenberg, completing his master’s degree in 1548. During this period of his life Secundus composed a number of lyrical poems about love, friendship, and debauchery. In 1550, Secundus secured the patronage of the canon of Würzburg in exchange for looking after the canon’s nephews. For this purpose, Secundus traveled to Paris with the young men, where he remained for a year. While in Paris, Secundus published his first book, a collection of poetry entitled Petri Lotichii Secundi elegiarum liber: Eiusdem carminum libellus.
Secundus then began studying at the University of Montpellier in France. During this time he published his second volume of poetry, Petri Lotichii elegiarum liber II: Eiusdem venator. Secundus returned to Wittenberg in 1554, and then traveled to the University of Padua. He studied medicine and botany there and published another volume of poetry. The following year Secundus fell seriously ill again while visiting the city of Bologna. He survived the illness but was left in a weakened state. Secundus earned his medical degree and went to live in Schlüchtern, where he joined the medical faculty at the University of Heidelberg. After his appointment to the faculty, Secundus did not publish any more books, but he did write occasional poems, mostly for the funerals of friends and family. His ill health and grief over the loss of loved ones led to Secundus’s death at the age of thirty-two, in 1560.