Memoari II.

The second volume of Giacomo Casanova’s memoirs continues the thrilling chronicle of his life during the Enlightenment, focusing on a period marked by dramatic twists and sojourns at Europe’s greatest courts. One of the volume’s central and most renowned episodes is his detailed, suspenseful account of his escape from the infamous Venetian prison known as I Piombi (The Leads)—an event that brought him continent-wide fame and established him as a legendary figure in both the underworld and high society. Following his escape, Casanova travels across France, England, Germany, and other lands, operating as a spy, financial advisor, gambler, and occultist. These pages offer the reader a fascinating glimpse into the intrigues of Parisian salons and the mechanics of the state lotteries he organized himself, as well as his encounters with key intellectuals and rulers of the era. Naturally, romantic adventures remain central, yet in this volume, they are accompanied by deeper reflections on aging, the transience of passion, and the price of unfettered personal freedom. The work stands as an unsurpassed monument to the daily life, morality, and mindset of the 18th century.