Pastoral poet known for his portrayal of courtly and sophisticated shepherds and shepherdesses as "the Portuguese Theocritus" after the Classic Greek originator of this poetic genre.
He received a degree in law at Coimbra and then entered the service of the Duke of Braganza.
His first book of poems Romances (1596) written in the Baroque manner of the Spanish poet Góngora reveals a refined sensibility and skill in describing the moods of nature.
Most of the 61 poems are in Spanish, a second language for Portuguese writers until the end of the 17th century.
He also wrote in Portuguese O Condestable de Portugal (1609) an uninspired epic on the Constable Dom Nuno Alvares Pereira the hero on the 14th-century war for independence against Castilla.
Rodrigues Lobo´s best works are the eclogues interpolated in his trilogy of pastoral novels Primavera (1601, Spring), O Pastor Peregrino (1608, The Wandering Shepherd) and O Desencantado (1614, The Disenchanted).
These poems combine pleasing descriptions of the countryside of his native region with witty dialogues between shepherds and shepherdesses on the wiles of love.
His most masterful works in prose are the lively and elegant dialogues Côrte na Aldeaia (1619, Village Court) in which a young noble, a student, a wealthy gentleman and a man of letters beguile the winter evenings discussing manners, philosophy, social questions and especially literary style.
His last work La Jornada (1623, Journey) a series of short poems welcoming Philip III to Lisbon is written in pure Castilian.
Rodrigues Lobo was accidentally drowned on a voyage on the Tagus River.
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