Majoragius, Mark Antony

, so named from a village in the territory of Milan, where he was born in 1514, applied himself to the study of belles lettres, and afterwards taught them at Milan, with very great reputation. He introduced into the schools of that place the mode of writing declamations which had been practised by the ancients, and was found to be an useful method of exercising the genius of young men. His success attracted much envy, and his enemies are said to have instituted a law-suit against him for taking the name of Marcus Antonius Majoriauus, instead of Antonius Maria, which was his proper name. He founded his defence on the more classical sound of the name, and his plea was considered as valid. He died in 1555, at the early age of forty-one. Of his works are extant, 1. “Commentaries on the Rhetoric of Aristotle, on the Oratory of Cicero, and on Virgil,” all in folio. 2. Several Tracts, and among others, “De senatu Romano,” in 4to. “De risu Oratorio et urbano.” “De nominibus propriis veterum Rotnanorum.” 3. “A Collection of Latin Speeches,” Leipsic, 1628, 8vo. These works are all replete with learning. ²