Giacomo Casanova
April 2, 1725 – June 4, 1798
Who doesn't know the name of Casanova? We associate the man with charm, wit and sexual desire, but did you know that he was also a physician, lawyer, writer, spy, alchemist, philosopher, violinist, Rosicrusian, Freemason, gambler, silk merchant, inventor of the state lottery, and escaped convict?
He lived most of his life abroad, traveling the European contintent, having scandalous affairs, working as a spy for a variety of governments, moving in all of the most desired social circles and living off the money of his patrons and lovers.
He lived out his later years as the librarian at the Castle of Dux in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) and bored to tears, wrote his lengthy life story called the histoire de ma vie, a 12 volume set that only accounts for his life until 1774.
The man is a legend. Even I have to admit that reading about him has put me into a bit of a swoon. Sigh. To read more about our beloved Casanova, check out the Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giacomo_Casanova
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