Calasio, Marius

was a Franciscan, and professor of the Hebrew language at Rome, but we have no other information respecting his personal history. He published at Rome in 1621, a “Concordance of the Bible,” which consisted of four great volumes in folio. This work, which is properly a concordance of Hebrew words, has been highly approved and commended by both papists and protestants. Besides the Hebrew words in the Bible, which are in the body of the book, with the Latin version over against them, there are in the margin the differences between the Septuagint version and the Vulgate; so that at one view may be seen wherein the three Bibles agree, and wherein they differ; and at the beginning of every article there is a kind of dictionary, which gives the signification of each Hebrew word, and affords an opportunity of comparing it with other oriental languages, viz. wifch the Syriac, Arabic, and Chaldee; whichjs extremely useful for determining more exactly the true meaning of the Hebrew words. The plan of this Hebrew concordance was takea from a concordance of rabbi Nathan, which was printed first at Venice, and afterwards at Basil, much augmented by rabbi Mordochee. Calasio’s concordance was published in London by Romaine, Rowe Mores, and Lutzena, a Portuguese Jew, 1747, 4 vols, folio; but very incorrectly, as it is said and the fidelity of the principal editor, who was a follower of Hutchinson, has upon that account been suspected, probably without justice, but it is certain- that the learned give the preference to the old edition. ²