Tomé Joaquim Gonzaga

Jurist, poet, and translator. Professed Knight of the Order of S. Bento de Avis. He studied and completed his degree in Jurisprudence at the University of Coimbra. Auditor of the 2nd Infantry Regiment of Bahia, he returned to the kingdom in 1783 as captain of the Cais Cavalry Regiment, while also taking on the role of lawyer in the court's auditoriums, and was further appointed honorary judge of the Relação do Porto. A little-referenced author, sometimes confused with his cousin Tomás António Gonzaga, he nonetheless merits the greatest attention from Inocêncio F. da Silva, who highlights his disseminating work as a verse translator of the operas performed at S. Carlos, and adds: «The versions he made, although anonymous, are easily distinguishable from others not by him, some written in bad prose and others in so-called verses that are useless.» And further: «Besides the translation of Pastor Fido, a work of his youth and the only one he published, it seems he composed many poems in the lyrical and bucolic genres, with the latter being his preference. However, none of this was printed [...].» Regarding the translations of the lyrical dramas performed at S. Carlos, Inocêncio considers the following to be «undoubtedly by Gonzaga»: La Lodoiska: Drama (performed in 1796) Il Furbo contra aI Furbo: Comédia (repres. in 1800); La Zaira: Tragédia (repres. in 1802); La Morte di Cleopatra: Drama; La Merope: Drama (repres. in 1804); La Pulcella di Rab: Drama (repres. in 1804); Ginevra di Scozia: Drama Heróico (repres. in 1805); Il conte di Saldagna: Drama Sério (repres. in 1807).