About an excellent and very learned husband
The famous writer corresponded with everyone, including the then Pope Hadrian IV.
Božičević, Marulić's contemporary and the author of his biography about Marulić, writes very highly about the writer.
"He was merciful, philanthropic, abundantly endowed with all kinds of commendable qualities.
He secretly gave whatever he could to the poor, beggars and the needy, remembering the evangelical saying: - Let not the right hand know what the left is doing. –“
Božičević writes that Marulić had three types of friends: honest people who read him and spoke well of him based on his works, less educated but cheerful people with whom he liked to hang out with the lyre, and people who were distinguished by considerable learning and who through their conversations, they encouraged Marko to create.
Marulić hung out with many famous writers and authors from that time. Marulić, with his works, strengthened Christian morality and called for the protection of European culture. Because of this, he was appreciated and respected by great local figures such as Cardinal Dominik Grimani, Croatian Ban Petar Berislavić, Corfu Archbishop Kristofor Marcello, Venetian patrician and Consul of Dalmatia Augustin Mula, Split Archbishop Bernard Zane and many others.
His correspondence with the then Pope Hadrian IV also speaks of his greatness. In it, the "second saint of Dalmatia", as Marulić was called, invited the Pope to gather Christian countries to fight against the Ottomans, who were increasingly encroaching on Europe. And the pope answered him by addressing the letter to "excellent and very learned husband".