Arlotto Mainardi (1396–1484), known variously as Pievano Arlotto or Piovano Arlotto, was a

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

known for jests and "pleasantries." The ''Motti e facezie del Piovano Arlotto'', by an anonymous friend, recorded many of these. He had friends among the Florentine elite and the sometimes ribald stories involving him appealed to many listeners. The only writing known to be definitively by him is the

epitaph An epitaph (; ) is a short text honoring a deceased person. Strictly speaking, it refers to text that is inscribed on a tombstone or plaque, but it may also be used in a figurative sense. Some epitaphs are specified by the person themselves be ...

on his tomb at the

Oratory of Gesù Pellegrino The Oratory of Gesù Pellegrino, also called the Oratorio dei Pretoni, is a Roman Catholic prayer hall or small church found on the corner of Via San Gallo and via degli Arazzieri in Florence, region of Tuscany, Italy. Facade History Formerly ...

in Florence. It states that he had built his tomb for himself and "for anyone else who cared to join him inside." As a folk hero he became known for a wit that tended to value practical virtues like sobriety and hard-work.The Cambridge history of Italian literature by Peter Brand, pg 157
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arlotto 1396 births 1484 deaths Clergy from Florence 15th-century Italian Roman Catholic priests Italian humorists Burials in Florence