Olympia Morata - Part 1

A while ago, my dad bought me a book written by James I. Good titled Famous Women of the Reformed Church. I devoured it soon afterward, and came away inspired by all the godly examples which I came across within its pages. I highly recommend it, and am of the opinion that every female ought to buy it, read it, give it to friends, discuss it, etc, etc. It's that good. Anyways, I've decided to post some of the stories from it that stood out the most to me. For the upcoming Sundays you can now expect to see the next installment. So without further ado, here's the first:

One of the most beautiful characters of the Reformation was Olympia Morata, the scholar and the Christian. Her name was classic, Olympia, but but her spirit revealed all the old classic genius of Greece, baptized by the sweetness of Christianity. She was by birth an Italian, one of the fruits of that Italian reformation, which, alas! was crushed in its bud by the inquisition. Her father was tutor of the two sons of the Count of Este in northern Italy, and she was born at Ferrrara, 1526. Her father, Morato, early trained her in the classic languages, which were then rousing such a furor in Europe. She made such progress in them, that in a few months she was able to speek Latin and Greek easily. When she became twelve years of age, her fame as a scholar was already noised abroad. At the early age of fourteen she composed a defense of Cicero in answer to his calumniators. She was considered a miracle - the most learned woman in Europe. She became so polished and learned that when Duchess Renee of Este sought a companion for her daughter in her studies, she chose Olympia. Thus Olympia's lot was cast in the most pleasant circumstances - a female genius living with princes. She soon became the idol of the court that was filled with scholars. She delivered lectures at Ferrara on the classic authors in the private accademy of the Duchess.

While she was thus living in the palace, the doctrines of the Reformation began to show themselves in Ferarra. Two Germans, named Sinapius, who taught Greek and medicine there, had brought them from Germany. The coming of Calvin and his brief stay there strengthened the evangelical influences. But it was the conversion of her father to Protestantism that most influenced her. From being a humanist, he became a Prostestant. For while she was in the court, he had been banished from Ferarra, and settled at Vercelli. There he happened to recieve under his roof a Protestant missionary named Celio, who had been an old acquaintance. Celio had returned his kindness by leading him to something higher than the classics (which had been his idol), - t0 Christ. The conversion of Morato was followed by the others of his household. Meanwhile Olympia, at the court of the Duke of Este, was still idolizing the classics. She says of herself: "I had no taste for divine things. The reading of the Old and New Testaments inspired me only with repugnance." But in the midst of her joys and honors, lo! her father was taken sick in 1548. She at once left the court and went to nurse him. He calmly waited for death, bearing a beautiful testimony for Christ. This death of her father was the begining of her life of many sorrows. Soon after his death, her companion, Anne of Este, was married, and she had no friend at court to defend her against the suspicion of being a Protestant. She was compelled to leave the court, and although the favorite of its social circle, she went to care for her invalid mother, three sisters, and a brother yet a child. Thus she sacrificed honor and position for the gospel, choosing, like Moses, rather to suffer with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.