Cordus, Valerius

, son of the preceding, and worthy of his father, was born in Hesse-Cassel in 1515, and applied himself with equal success to the study of languages and of plants. He traversed all the mountains of Germany, for the purpose of gathering simples. He then went into various parts of Italy; but died of a wound in the leg by a kick from a horse, in 1544, at the age of 29. The following distich was inscribed on his tomb:

"Ingenio superest Cordus, mens ipsa recepta est

Coelo quod terra est, maxima Roma tenet."

The works with which he enriched the knowledge of botany, are: 1. “Remarks on Dioscorides,” Zurich, 1561, folio. 2. “Historia stirpium, libri v.” Strasburg, 1561 and 1563, 2 vols. folio, a posthumous work. 3. “Dispensatorium pharmacorum omnium,” Lcyden, 1627, 12mo, The purity of his morals, the politeness of his manners, and the extent of his knowledge, conciliated the esteem and the praises of all lovers of real merit. ²

|