, in Latin Brod&Us, an eminent critic, on whom Lipsius, Scaliger,
, in Latin Brod&Us, an eminent critic, on whom Lipsius, Scaliger, Grotius, and all the learned
of his age, have bestowed high encomiums, was descended
from a noble family in France, and born at Tours in 1500.
He was liberally educated, and placed under Alciat to
study the civil law; but, soon forsaking that, he gave himself up wholly to languages and the belles-lettres. He
travelled into Italy, where he became acquainted with Sadolet, Bembus, and other eminent characters; and here
he applied himself to the study of philosophy, mathematics, and the sacred languages, in which he made no small
proficiency. Then returning to his own country, he led a
retired but not an idle life; as his many learned lucubrations
abundantly testify. He was a man free from all ambition
and vain-glory, and suffered his works to be published
rather under the sanction and authority of others, than
under his own: a singular example, says Thuanus, of modesty in this age, when men seek glory not only from
riches and honours, but even from letters; and that too
with a vanity which disgraces them. He died in 1563, at
Tours, where he was a canon of St. Martin. His principal
works are, 1. his “Miscellanea, a collection of criticisms
and remarks, the first six books of which are published in
Gruter’s
” Lampas, seu fax artium,“vol. II. and the four
latter in vol. IV. 2.
” Annotationes in Oppianurn, Q. Calabrum, et Coluthum,“Basil, 1552, 8vo. 3.
” Notae in
Martialem,“ibid. 1619, 8vo. 4.
” Annot. in Xenophontem, Gr. et Lat.“ibid. 1559, fol. 5.
” Epigrammata Grseca
cum Annot. Brodaei et H. Steph." Francfort, 1600, fol.
Many of these epigrams were translated into Latin by Dr.
Johnson, and are printed with his works.