, an eminent Orientalist of Italy, was born about 1596, at Magliano.
, an eminent Orientalist of
Italy, was born about 1596, at Magliano. After going
through his studies, he entered among the regular minor
clerks, and made his profession at Rome in 1612. His
genius prompted him to the study of languages, to which
he devoted himself entirely; so that he acquired the Greek,
Hebrew, Chaldean, Syriac, Persian, and Arabic languages,
but excelled chiefly in the Arabic. He spent the greatest
part of his life in translating books from that language,
and in writing books in it, to facilitate the learning of it to
others. He taught it many years in the college della Sapienza at Rome; and was indeed so perfect a master of
it, that he spoke an oration in it before Christina, queen
of Sweden, in 1656. The eastern prelates presented a
petition to Urban VIII. to have the Bible translated into
Arabic; and, the congregation “de propaganda fide
” complying with their desires, Guadagnolo was immediately
selected as the person best qualified to undertake this great
work. He began it in 1622, and finished it in 1649;
having, however, assistants under him, and sometimes only
acting the part of a corrector. During the time that he
was employed in it, he gave an account twice a week of
?vhat progress he had made to a congregation assembled
for that purpose. It was published ai Home, 1671, in 3
vols. folio, with this title, “Biblia Sacra Arabica Sacra?
Congregationis de propaganda fide jussu edita ad usuia
ecclesiarum orientalium. Additis c regione Bibliis Vulgatis Latinis.
” In Apologia pro Christiana Religione, qua responde*
tur ad objectiones Ahmed filii Zin Alabedin Persoe
Asphaensis contetitas in Ifbro inscripto, Politor Speculi,
” 4to.
The history of this work was as follows: A Spaniard had
published a religious book entitled “The true Lookingglass;
” which falling into the hands of a learned Persian,
he wrote an answer to it in his native tongue, entitled
‘.’ The Polisher of the Looking-glass“and added these
words at the end of it
” Let the pope answer it.“This
book being brought to Rome in 1625, Urban VIII. ordered
Guadagnolo to refute it; which he did so effectually, that
the Persian, to whom it was sent, renounced the Mahometan faith, and became as zealous a defender of Christianity as he had before been an opposer of it. Guadagnolo published his apology in Arabic, in 1637, 4to. He
wrote another work in Arabic and Latin, entitled
” Considerations against the Mahometan Religion;“in which he
shews, that the Koran is a mere rhapsody of falsehood and
imposture. He published also at Rome, in 1642,
” Breves
Institutiones Linguae Arabicae," folio; a very methodical
grammar. He had also compiled a dictionary in that language, but the publication of it was prevented by his death,
which happened in 1656. The ms. is preserved in the
convent of San Lorenzo in Lucina.