One of the most celebrated characters to strut the stage of modern Italy is the remarkable Gabriele D’Annunzio. He is known as the vate (poet) and profeta (prophet). It is difficult to capture the totality of his work and distinguish fact from fiction.

During an extraordinarily active life he managed to become many things: a child prodigy (published first poems at 17), orator, journalist, political agitator, literary genius who wrote poems and plays, a man who had affairs with many women, and war hero remembered for daring exploits. His literary production fills 48 volumes.