author
Gregório de Matos
b. 1636
A sharp-tongued Baroque poet from colonial Brazil, he became famous for verses that could be devotional one moment and fiercely satirical the next. Nicknamed "Boca do Inferno," he remains one of the most vivid and provocative voices in early Portuguese-language literature.
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About the author
Born in Salvador, Bahia, in 1636, Gregório de Matos studied with the Jesuits before going to the University of Coimbra in Portugal, where he trained in law. He later worked in Portugal and moved through legal and administrative circles before returning to Brazil.
He is best remembered as a major Baroque poet and as the great satirist of colonial Brazil. His poetry ranges widely—religious, lyrical, and erotic—but his biting attacks on corruption, vanity, and social hypocrisy gave him the lasting nickname "Boca do Inferno" ("Mouth of Hell").
Much of his work circulated in manuscript rather than in authorized books during his lifetime, which helped build his legend. Today he is widely seen as one of the defining early figures in Brazilian literature, admired both for his verbal energy and for the fearless edge of his social criticism.