VII. CHA P. residence of Argyropylus in Italy, he had acquired an extensive knowledge of the Latin language-a species of praise to which few of his countrymen are entitled. His translations into Latin of various tracts of Aristotle, are, for the most part, inscribed to his successive patrons of the family of the Medici, in language expressive of his respect and gratitude. Among his auditors we find Donato Acciajuoli, Janus Pannonius, and the German prelate Johannes Reuchlinus, who having had the singular good fortune to obtain some previous knowledge of the Greek tongue, displayed, it is said, on his first interview with Argyropylus, such an acquaintance with it, as induced the Greek to exclaim with a sigh, "Alas, Greece is already "banished beyond the Alps." To Persius) mordaci lotus aceto, præterea verborum quoque nostrorum funditator maximus, facile id vel nobis vel cæteris, tum quidem suis sectatoribus persuaserat : ita ut, (quod pene dictu quoque nefas) pro concesso inter nos haberetur, nec philosophiam scisse M. Tullium, nec litteras Græcas. Pol. in Miscel. cap. 1. e Band. Cat. Bibl. Laur. v. iii. p. 3, 4, 234, 242, 359, &c. f Hodius de Græc. illust. p. 201. This expression strongly resembles the words of Molo, the celebrated rhetorician VII. To the industry of Argyropylus, and the c HAP. excellence of his precepts, his disciple Acciajuoli has born ample testimony; affirming, that whilst he inculcated his doctrines, the times of the ancient philosophers seemed to be again renewed. If, however, we may give credit to the testimony of Paulus Jovius, the precepts and the practice of Argyropylus were not entirely consistent with each other; and the obesity of his figure, which was supported by an immoderate supply of food and wine, seemed to mark him out as belonging to a different sect of philosophers. rhetorician of Rhodes. He did not understand Latin; and whilst Cicero was declaiming in Greek before him, Molo for a time listened in silence, and at last exclaimed, "As for you, Cicero, I praise and admire you, but pity the "fortune of Greece, to see arts and sciences, the only orna"ments which were left to her, transplanted by you to Rome." From Middleton's Life of Cicero, 8vo. edit. vol. i. p. 47. Communicated by Dr. Parr. 8 Cum post interitum quorundam doctissimorum hominum, studia Florentina magna ex parte remissa viderentur, venit in hanc urbem Argyropylus Byzantius, vir ingenio præstans summusque philosophus, ut juventutem litteris græcis ac bonis artibus erudiret: jamque plures annos doctrinam tradidit nobis tanta copia, tam multiplicibus variisque sermonibus, ut visus sit temporibus nostris veterum philosophorum memoriam renovare. Acciaiol. ap. Hod. de Græcis, 202. CHAP. philosophers". But the bishop of Nocera had VII. too many passions to gratify, to permit him to perform the part of a faithful historian, and there are few of his characters that are not discoloured or distorted by the medium through which they are seen. The same author attributes the death of Argyropylus to the intemperate use of melons, which brought on an autumnal fever, which put a period to his life in the seventieth year of his age. This event took place at Rome, where he had fixed his residence some time previous to the year 1471'. Demetrius dyles. After an interval of a few years, during which there is reason to believe that the office of publick Greek professor at Florence was filled by Theodorus Gaza, and not by Politiano, as asserted by Jovius, the loss of Argyropylus was supplied by Demetrius Chalcondyles, who was invited h Vini et cibi æque avidus et capax, et multo abdomine ventricosus, immodico melopeponum esu autumnalem accersivit febrem, atque ita septuagesimo ætatis anno ereptus est. Jovii Elog. xxvii. i Hodius de Græc. illust. p. 198. where the author has given a translation of the Greek epigram of Politiano, expressing his earnest wishes for the return of Argyropylus to Florence. invited by Lorenzo de' Medici to take upon him- CHA P. self that employment about the year 1479*._VII. It is generally understood that an enmity subsisted between Politiano and Chalcondyles, in consequence of which the latter was eventually under the necessity of quitting Florence, whence he retired to Milan; but for this opinion the only authority is that of Jovius, and of those who have implicitly confided in his relation'. 1 This * Demetrius Chalcondyles, diligens grammaticus, et supra græcorum mores, cum nihil in eo fallaciarum aut fuci notaretur, vir utique lenis et probus, scholam Florentiæ instauravit, desertam ab Argyropylo, et a Politiano, deficientibus græcis occupatam. Jov. Elog. xxix. This information, if not refuted, is rendered highly problematical by the Greek epigram written by Politiano to Chalcondyles, on his arrival at Florence, in which he considers him as the successour of Gaza, and as supplying the maternal office of nourishing the unfledged offspring of literature, deserted by their former parent. A mode of expression not likely to be used by Politiano to a man who was to supersede him in his office of publick. instructer. A translation of this epigram is given by Hody, p. 211. 1 Boissard, Baillet, Varillas, &c. The dissensions between Politiano and Chalcondyles have also engaged much of the attention of Menckenius, Ang. Pol. vita, p. 65. and of Bayle, Dict. Hist. Art. Politien, who have doubted of the veracity of the narrative of Jovius, without adducing that evidence of its improbability which a more minute examination would have supplied. CHAP. VII. This author, always hostile to the character of Politiano, would induce us to believe, that the Italian scholar, actuated by his jealousy of the Greek, and availing himself of his superiour wit and eloquence, endeavoured to injure Chalcondyles by drawing off his pupils, and engaging them in his own auditory; and that Lorenzo de' Medici, as well in order to remove the causes of their contention, as to avail himself of their mutual emulation, divided between them the task of educating his children. It may however be observed, that no traces of this dissension are to be found in the narrative of any contemporary author; and although the known irascibility of Politiano, and his acknowledged animosity to the Greeks, may seem to strengthen the credit of Jovius, yet it will appear, on further consideration, that these very circumstances, tend greatly to invalidate his testimony. The antipathies of Politiano were never concealed; and his letters, which extend nearly to the time of his death, contain many instances of that vehemence with which he attacked all those who he conceived had given him just cause of offence; but of any dissensions with Chalcondyles, no memorial is to be found. On the contrary, Chalcondyles is frequently noticed, both by the Italian scholar and his correspondents, as living with him in habits |