Gaetano Casanova Gaetano Casanova Gaetano Casanova (2 April 1697, Parma – 18 December 1733, Venice) was an Italian actor and ballet dancer. His eldest son was the famous adventurer, Giacomo Casanova. Gaetano Giuseppe Giacomo Casanova was born to Giacomo Casanova (whose family had originally come to Italy from Aragon) and his wife, Anna Roli. His older brother, Giambattista, left home in 1712 and was never heard from again. Gaetano followed suit the following year, having become infatuated with Giovanna Benozzi (1662 - c. 1750), a Commedia dell'arte actress who went by the name of "La Fragoletta" ("The Little Strawberry"). Because of the
Giacomo Casanova after a wedding ball. They immediately stopped to have the senator bled. Then, at the senator's palace, a physician bled the senator again and applied an ointment of mercury—an all-purpose but toxic remedy at the time—to the senator's chest. This raised his temperature and induced a massive fever, and Bragadin appeared to be choking on his own swollen windpipe. A priest was called as death seemed to be approaching. However, despite protests from the attending physician, Casanova ordered the removal of the ointment and the washing of the senator's chest with cool water. The senator recovered from his illness with