In an effort to correct his fellow countrymens’ manners, Giovanni della Casa (1503– 56) wrote an influential treatise in 1555 called Il Galateo. In it, he prescribed good manners and proper deportment— not just in royal or courtly circumstances, but also in everyday situations. The work of this Miss Manners of Renaissance Rome survives in the Italian phrase sapere il galateo. Translated as “to know the Galateo,” it describes someone with impeccable manners.

Nickerson, Angela K. (2008-03-01). A Journey Into Michelangelo’s Rome (ArtPlace) (Kindle Locations 143-146). Roaring Forties Press. Kindle Edition.