A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

"'588 JOANNES. JOANNES.
from a letter~ of Francesco Filelfo to Pietro Per- most eminent in Italy for intellect and social po.
leoni (Philelphus, Epistol. v. 3), engaged in pub- sition,and yet dependent upon their pupils, and comlic teaching, but it is uncertain how long he petitors with each other for their patronage, that.had been established there. Probably he had re- the charge is credible enough. A letter of introturned some time between A. D. 1434 and 1439, duction or recommendation written by Francesco
and accompanied Bessarion to and from the council Filelfo, while speaking highly of his erudition,
of Florence. Among his pupils at Constantinople apologises for his "moroseness and fickleness.".was Michael Apostolius. Argyropulus must have The allegation, sufficiently improbable in itself,
left Constantinople not long after the date of the that it was jealousy which led him to depreciate
~letter of Philelphus, for in 1442 he was rector of Cicero's acquaintance with Greek literature (by
the university of Padua (Facciolati, Fasti Gym- which depreciation he incurred much reproach),:nzasii Patavini); and he was still there A. D. 1444, shows the judgment which was formed of his chawhen Francesco della Rovere, afterwards pope racter. Yet Theodore Gaza is said to have
Sixtus IV., took his degree, not, however, as Nic. esteemed him very highly; and when he found
Comnen. Papadopoli (1. c.) states, as a student (dis- that Argyropulus was engaged in translating
cipulus), but, according to the better authority of some pieces of Aristotle on which he had also
Tiraboschi (I. c.), as master of the school of philo- been occupied, he burnt his own versions, that
sophy (philosophiae magister scholaris). That he re- he might not, by provoking any unfavourable
-turned to Constantinople after 1444 is improbable, comparison, stand in the way of his friend's rising
and rests on no better evidence than the assertion, reputation.
chiefly of later writers, that he fled into Italy on Reuchlin when in Italy had an interview with
*its capture in 1453. During his abode in Italy, Argyropulus at Rome. Argyropulus was explain*after his last removal thither, he was honourably ing Thucydides; and having asked Reuchlin to
received by Cosmo de' Medici, then the principal translate and expound a passage, was so astonished
person at Florence, for whose assistance in be- at the extent of his erudition, that in the words of
coming acquainted with the philosophy of Aristotle, Melancthon, nephew of Reuchlin, who has recorded
some of his Latin versions of that great writer the anecdote, "gemens exclamat,'Graecia nostro
were made. He also assisted the studies of Piero de' exilio Alpes transvolavit'" (Melancthon, Oratio de
Medici, son of Cosmo, and was preceptor to Lo- Jo. Caplione, apud Boerner.) This anecdote de-renzo de' Medici, the celebrated son of Piero, serves. notice, inasmuch as, if it refers (which is
whom he instructed in Greek and in the Aris- probable) to Reuchlin's visit to Italy in 1482, it.totelian philosophy, especially in ethics. When shows that the date 1480, assigned by some to
Lorenzo, who, from his father's ill health, took a Argyropulus's death, is inaccurate.
leading part in affairs during his life, and succeeded, Argyropulus had several sons. Hody thinks,on his death (A. D. 1469), to his pre-eminence at that the Joannes Argyropulus who translated Aris-;Florence, established the Greek academy in that totle's work IIEsp'Epny1vetas, and to whose name
-city, Argyropulus read and expounded the clas- some subjoin the epithet "junior," was one of his
-sical Greek writers to the Florentine youth, and sons, and that he died before his father; but this
had several, among his pupils who afterwards at- version was the work of Argyropulus himself, nor
tained to eminence, as Angelo Poliziano (Politi- does he appear to have had a son Joannes. He,anus) and Donato Acciajuoli. had a son Bartolommeo, a youth of great attainArgyropulus is said to have visited France (A. D. ments, who was mortally wounded by assassins
J1456), to ask the assistance of the French king in pro- (A. D. 1467) at Rome, where he was living under
curing the release of some of his kindred who were the patronage of Cardinal Bessarion. Another son,
detained in captivity by the Turks, but he returned Isaac, survived his father, and became eminent as
to Florence. From Florence he removed to Rome, a musician. Demetrius Argyropulus, who is menon account of the plague which had broken out in tioned (A. D. 1451) in a letter of Francesco Fithe former city: the time of his removal is not as- lelfo, was apparently a brother of Joannes.
certained, but it was- before 147]. At Rome he The works of Argyropulus are as follows:-I.
obtained an ample subsistence, by teaching. Greek Original works. 1. Ip1 r TiS TOUi. a)'io f vevy'a~and philosophy, and especially by publicly ex- ToEs C7ropcderews, De Processione Spiritus Sancti;
pounding the works of Aristotle. He died at the printed with a Latin version in the Graecia Ortho-:age of seventy, from an autumnal fever, said to doxa of Leo Allatius (vol. i. pp. 400-418). 2.
have been brought on by eating too freely of me- Oratio quarta pro Synodo Florentina, cited by NiIons. But the year of his death is variously stated: colaus Comnenus Papadopoli in his Praenotiones
all that appears to be certainly known is, that he Mystagogicae. We do not know if this has been
*survived Theodore Gaza, who died A. D. 1478. published, or whether it is in Latin or Greek. 3.
Fabricius states that he died A. D. 1480; but this Commentarii in Ethica Nicomachea, fol. Florence,
-date appears from the anecdote of his interview 1478. This work comprehends the substance of:with Reuchlin to be too early. his expository lectures on the Nicomachean Ethics
The attainments of Argyropulus were highly of Aristotle, taken down from his lips, and pub-.estimated in his own and the succeeding age. The lished by Donatus Acciaiolus or Donato Accialove and-reverence of his most eminent pupils, Lo- juoli, who has already been mentioned as a pupil
renzo de' Medici, Poliziano, and Acciajuoli, is an of Argyropulus, and who dedicated this work'honourable testimony to his character. Yet he has to Cosmo de' Medici. 4. Commentarii in Aristotelis
been severely censured; and is charged with glut- Metaplhysica, published with Bessarion's version of
tony, to which his corpulence is ascribed, and with that work, fol. Paris, 1515. The other original:drunkenness, as well as with conceit and jealousy. works of Argyropulus are scattered in MS. through
These last qualities were so likely to be manifested the libraries of Europe. They are, 5. Consolatio
by persons in the situations of these Greek exiles, ad Imperatorema Constantinum in morte fratris Joreverenced and sought as instructors by the. men annis Palaeologi extincti, A. D. 1448. This work is