Aurispa, John

was born at Noto, a town of Sicily, in 1369. He applied himself to the study of the Greek language, and went to Constantinople to collect Greek manuscripts. Here he became acquainted with, and was highly respected by, the emperor John Palaeologus, who found him afterwards at Ferrara when he went to assist at a council assembled by Eugene IV. Aurispa bepame secretary to this pope and also to Nicholas V. his successor, who bestowed upon him two rich abbeys. He died at Rome in 1459, in the 90th year of his age. He translated part of the works of Archimedes, Hierocles’s Commentary on the Golden verses of Pythagoras, and published some poems and letters. His translation of Hierocles was printed | at Basle in 1543, 8vo. By a part of the preface, quoted by Gesner, it appears that he made this translation when in his eightieth year. ¹