Treatise of Religion and Learning, Book 3 · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
THo. Erastus a learned Physician.Annum clausit more Thoma Erasti Badenis in Helvetiis nati, qui Philosophiae & Medicinae studiis hac aetate claruit, solidis, veris, atque adeo à veteribus proditis utriusque scientiae primordiis constanter insistens, itaque & Astrologiam, quae ex positu Astrorum de fortunis hominum decetnit, validis argumentis confutavit, & Paracelsiam medicinam, quae seu novitate seu vanitate sua in Germania ac alibi tot ingenia allexit, validis itidem argumentis confutatem acerrime insectatus est ad ultimum etiam humanas scientias egressus Theologica tractavit, & quaestionem de disciplina ac censuris non omnino ex suorum sententia agiravit, unde graves in Helvetiorum Ecclesiis exortae contentiones tandem sexagenatio major hoc anno Basilea, ubi sicuti Neidelbergae diu antes docuerat, qui naturam tot doctissimis scriptis illustraverat, naturae debitum persolvit. Thuan. Hist. Tomo tertio. lib. 79.
He wrote against the Excommunication of Church-officers, and is an-answered by Beza.
Many follow his judgement in these dayes, which some call Erastians.
His Works are mentioned in Oxford Catalogue.
aEratosthenes foreign, & post hominum memoriam variae eruditionis princeps omnium bonarum artium peritus, unde & priscis foreign, quòd omni disciplinarum certamine contendere minimè detrectaret. Joan. Wovweri. De umbra c. 14. Natus est sub Ptolemaeo Philadelpho anno primo Olympiadis 126. sed à successore illius Ptolomaeo Euergete arcessitus, Athenis venit in Aegyptum, atque ibi Alexandrinae Bibliothecae praefectus fuit. Voss. De Histor. Graec. l. 1. c. 17.Eratosthones.
He is called by some Plato minor, Plato the younger for his singular Learning.
Erinna a learned Poet.
She wrote in the Dorick Tongue an elegant Poeme, consisting of three hundred Verses, and also other Epigrams.
They report that her Verses ad Homericam accessisse Majestatem.
Politian mentions her in his Epistle to Cassandra, l. 3. Epist. 17.
Mores compositi erant & suaves, ut faci…è omnes in sui amorem pelliceret. Ingenium faelix, non modò ad aliquid capiendum; sed etiam reservandum: amicitiam Lon…ini iniit cum Gulielmo Bedello, viro longè doctissimo, atque orientalium linguarum peritissimo: qui Erpenium ad easdem excolendas plurimum hortabatur. In Helvetia nullius ei jucundior amicitia fuit, quam viri clariffimi Joannis Buxtorfii, quo Hebraicarum literarum intelligentiorem magisque in Rabbinicis & Talmudicis exercitatum Europa habet nominem Suada quaedam insidebat viri illius labris quae sic orationem temperabat, ut non solùm quae tetrica viderentur, perspicuè tractaret; sed auditorum etiam animos incredibili quadam perfunderet voluptate. Constantinus L'Emperour Sixtinus ab Amama & Jacobus Golius ejus erant discipuli. Voss. Orat. in obitum Erpenii. Ille vir viderur mihi divinicus nactus esse spartam ornandi lingtias exoticas, praefertim Arabicam; cujus eam cognitionem lab…re imprebo & magnis impensis est consecutus, ut ipsis Arabibus suerit miraculo jam ante unum aut alterum annum Ego certè …upore defigor, quoties de illo portentoso ingenio cogito. Casaub. Epist. 116. Heinsio. Vide Epist. e…ium Erpenio.Thom. Erpenius.
He was excellently skilled in the Oriental Tongues, the Hebrew, Chaldee, Arabick, Syriack, Aethiopick, Persian and Turkish. The King of Morocco did so much esteem his Letters written in Arabick for their Elegancy, that he kept them amongst his Cymelia. He is celebrated through the whole Christian world, as the restorer of the Arabick Tongue. He was of incredible diligence and industry, to which was added a rare facility of wit and sweetnesse of manners, for which he was much respected by Philip Mornie, Joseph Scaliger, Isaac Casaubone.
He died at Leyden in the flour of his Age Anno 1624.
These were his Works,
Grammatica Arabica cum Lockmanni fabulis & adag. Arabum.
Pertateuchus Arabicè.
Hist. Josephi Patriarchae. Arabicè cum triplici versione Lat. & Scholiis Tho. Erpenii.
Per XL. annos in Parisiensi Academia humanioribus, Philosophicis ac Theologicis studiis cum incredibili omni admitratione operam novasset, à Francisco Melodunum, ab Henrico 11. Bononiam, 1 Francisco 11. Aurelianum, à Carolo IX. Possitum inter primarios religionis hoc in regno antistites nunc legatus nunc disceptator sanctissime ac doctissime de Controversis rei Christianae capitibus cum delectis adversariae partis theologis summa aequitate ac moderatione egit, & voce, ac eruditissimis in complures Scripturae locos editis Commentariis religionis negotium promovit, sacri etiam olim galeri decus potius meritus quam adeptus, tandem ex gravissimis calculi doloribus, quod ferê praemium pro vigiliis à natura studiosis rependitur, extinctus est anno aetatis LX. magno sui relicto desiderio, cum unus è paucorum numero esset, qui de idoneis pacis in Ecclesia constituendae rationibus serio semper cogitaverit, atque adeo de tollenda è domo Dei scissura, quam multi hodie, dum praepostero pietatis ardore strenui in ea causa videri volunt, firmant magis quam oppugnant, alienatis & obduratis adversariorum animis, quos potius emendationis facta spe & subtatis offendiculis conciliari & sensim ad … abduci oportuit. Thuan. Hist. Tomo secundo l. 48. p. 637. Claudiūs Espencaeus Theologus Parisiensis, … in Epitaphio adhuc Parisis in Templo Casmae & Damiani extante vocarut nobilissimus, piissimus, omniumque disciplinarum genere cumulatissimus Theologus, imò Theologorum sui seculi facilè Princeps, quemque Gilbertus 'Genebrardus & Scaevola Samarthanu… in Elogiis operi praefixis nominant admirabilem. Gerhar. Confess. Cathol. contra Pontif. lib. 2. Artic. 2. cap. 4.Claudius Espencaeus a French Bishop.
None of the Divines of Paris had a greater concourse of all sorts of Degrees, and was more admired for his frequent Sermons to the people then he. He was very eloquent.
There are many Questions concerning Religion discussed by him in Latine and French with great subtilty.
His Commentaries upon Timothy and Titus are well liked.
He hath published many other Works.
Petrus Espinacus Archbishop of Lions.
A witty and eloquent man, at first addicted to the Doctrine of the Protestants,Archiepiscopus Lugdumensis, quia in adolescentia Protestantium doctrinam professus, postea mutaverat, & impotenti in eos odio ferebatur: verone an adfectato ad consequendam Cardinalis dignitatem, quam perditè ambiebat, incertum: de cetero doctus & vehementi facundia praeditus. Thuan. Hist. Tomo quarto l. 81. but he fell off afterward.
Gulielm Estius, a Hollander, a Doctor of Doway, a learned and modest Papist.Scripsit Commentarium absolutissimum ac doctissimum in omnes B. Pauli Epistolas: Cujus Editioni intermortuus est. Valeri Andreae Bibliotheca Belgica.
His Exposition of all Pauls Epistles is generally liked.
Gulielmus Estius in adnotationibus aureis ad difficiliora Scripturae loca. Dilher. Disput. Acad. Tom. 2.
Georgius Macropedius was his Master at Vtrect.
This Epigram was added to his Picture,
Quicunque effigiem Gulielmi conspicis Esti,
Esti, qui una fuit gloria Theologôn:
Relligio, Virtus, Doctrina, modestia morum,
Haec uno obtutu conspicienda patent.
Evagrius cAnno Aerae Christi 527. Helv. Chron.Scholasticus.
Nic. *Plures certè haec Nicolaiorum familia extulit. Caput & parens Nic. Everardus Middelburgi in Valacria Zelandiae infula natus, varia eruditione & judicii acumine (quod vel Topica ejus Legalia comprobant) docto… inter sui aevi viros inclaruit. Auberti Mirai Elog. Belg.Everardus.
Several of his Works are published.
Ordo studendi Consil. in materia monetaria loca legalia, which last is much commended by Aubertus Miraeus.
Also Theses Juridicae ex ministeria de regalibus collectae, and other things.
He left four Sonnes Everardum Nicolaum, Nic. Grudin, Hadr. Marium, & Jo. Secundum, partim Juris Civilis, partim Poeticae tractatione clarus.
Euclide. He was of Megara.Inter opera ejus facilè palmam obtinent libri tredecim elementorum, magno reipub. literariae bono ad nostra us que tempora conservati. Savil. Lect. 1. Eucl. Duo ferè annorum millia existimatur toto terrarum orbe ab omni reprehensione liber & sacrosanctus suisse, & si quid post homines natos solidae scientiae comprehensum & animadversum est, id Euclidi uni acceptum refertur. Rami Scholae Mathem. l. 3. Quem virum Mathematica singularum propositionum scientia tanquam singularem & propè divinum suspicio equidem & admiror, in eoque mihi observandum religiose & Colendum propono: At Logica rectè & ex ordine docendi prudentia, parem efficere nequeo. Rami Praefat. Mathemat. 2. Megara civitas clara Theognide Poëta & Euclide, qui Mathematica principia, totiusque hujvs disciplinae artem immensa subtilitate descripsit. Ejus elementorum Geometricorum libri 15. cum Theonis Alexandrinis & Procli Diadochi eruditis Graecis Commentariis etramnum supersunt. Neand. Geog. part. 1. Vide Blancani Dissertat. De natura Mathemat.
He fitly answered to one asking many things of the gods, Caetera quidem nescio, illud scio, quod ode resos.
There hath not been any thing of any worth added to his Labours in Geometry by posterity, in so many Centuries of years since he flourished.
God hath raised up certain singular and heroical wits in all Sciences. Demosthenes and Tully excelled in eloquence, Aristotle in Philosophy, Euclide, Archimedes and Ptolomy in the Mathematicks. Therefore the Profession of the Mathematicks is is called Professio Euclidea, Archimedea, Ptolemaica. Alsted. Eucyclop. l. 4. c. 14.
Euclides Artis elementa continuo ordine & magna solertia ita tradidit, ut à quovis mediocris ingenii acumine praedito non difficulter percipi possent. Tych. Brahe Orat. De Discliplinis Mathematicis.
Euripides dAnno Aerae Christi 4040. Calvis. Chron. 3486. Helv..
It is a great Question, Which was the better Poet, he or Sophocles, though they went a different way. Quintilian eInstitut. orat. l. 10. c. 1.determines it after a sort. There is all moral Philosophy in Verse, in him.
Eusebius Caesariensis, inter Graecos Theologos antesignanus. Biblian. De Rat. Communi omnium Linguarum. Anno Aerae Christi 306. Helv. Chron. Caesariensis Episcopus vir longe doctissimus & in omni historiarum genere exercitatissimus. Casaub. exercit. ad Apparat. Annal. exercit. 1. Eusebius sanctissimi martyris Pamphili familiaris cujus res gestas proprie opere executus est, quem sic amavit ac coluit, ut ab eo etiam cognomen nactus sit, ab hoc enim viro dictus est Eusebius Pamphili. Daliaeus de Pseudepig. l. 3. c. 23. Vide R. Vsser. Syntagma De Edit. LXX. Interp. p. 73. Eusebius Pamphili (quemadmodum propter amiciriam cum Pamphilo Martyre, reste …ieronymo vocabatur) Caesareae Palestinae (imperante Constantino) Episcopus, sui seculi sine controversia vir eruditissimus fuisse perhibetur. Whear. Method. Leg. Hist. part. 1. Sect. 34. Quo nullus Ecclesiasticorum veterum plura ad historiam Christianismi contulit, nullus plura errata in scriptis suis reliquit nullius plures hallucinationes extant. Scalig. Elench. Trihaeref. Serar. c. 29. Vide Sixt. Seneus. Biblioth. l. 4. Et Neand. Geog. parte secunda.Eusebius, Anno Domini 330.
He was made Bishop of Caesarea in Palestina. He flourished under Constantine and his Son.
Eusebius Pamphili, not Pamphilus, as he is commonly called.
He had that name from Pamphilus the Martyr whom he dearly loved.
He is taxed for an Arian, Gerhard in his Patrologia saith he was so, and alledgeth authority for it, yet he is justified by others, he is therefore to be read with the greater caution, as to that partcular, for he much favoured that opinion, though he subscribed the Nicene Councel.
It is the ancientest Ecclesiastical History now extant. See a commendation of him in Crakanth. Defence of Constantine, c. 6. p. 107. and several Elogies of him in Gerhards Patrologia.
Eusebius Emissenus, Anno Christi 330.
Episcopus elegantis & rhetorici ingenii. Hieron. de Script. Eccles. Eusebius Emissenus, seu quicunque autor est earum homiliarum vir certè eruditus & antiquus. Cham. De Oecum. Pontif. l. 3. c. 2.There are Homilies abroad in the name of another Eusebius Emissenus (which is said to have flourished about the year 430.) upon the Gospels of the whole year, and also fifty most eloquent Homilies of divers subjects. Though some Question, Whether the man be the same Author of those short Homilies upon all the Gospels, who is of those fifty Homilies of divers arguments, seeing the style in both is very different.
Eustathius Antiochenus. 350. Thessalonicensis suit Eustathius ejus urbis praesul, cujus extant duo amplissima volumina Commentariorum in Homerum, in quibus est maxima doctrinae eruditae & variae varietas. Neand. Orb. Ter. part. Succinct. Explicat. parte 1a. In Dionysium etiam Poetam Afrum qui orbem terrarum descripsit habentur ejusdem eruditi Commentarii; qui cum textu Dionysii excusi habentur. …d. ibid.Eustathius.
He lived under the Emperour Andronicus, in the year about 1180 from Christs birth.
He was Archbishop of Thessalonica. He hath written Commentaries upon Homers Books, and on Dionysius his description of the world.
From Aristarchus old Didymus made his Commentary upon Homer, and Eustathius from both, and many more ancient. Brought. Exposition of the 21th of the Revel.
Valde inclinata jam & magnas mutationes passa Graeca lingua erat aetate Eustathii. Steph. De Bene Instit. Ling. Graec. Stud.
Eustochium *Paulae mulieris Romanae silia, Latinarum, Hebraicarum, Literarum studiis plurimum excelluit. Unde & suo tempore novum orbis prodigium vocata est: ingenium sacris literis devovit maximè, atque adeò, ut Psalmos Hebraicè legeret cursim & mirâ celeritate. Qua in re amorem beati Hieronymi multum sibi demeruit. Catal. Doctarum Virginum & Foeminarum. Annexus. Parthen. Elis. Joan. Weston.a learned woman, of whom Jerom makes honourable mention.
Euthymius Zigabenus. Anno 1080.
He wrote Commentaries on all the Psalms, and the four Gospels, and Panopliam adversus omnes haereses.
Eutropius, He lived under Valentinian the elder.Anno Aerae Christi 408. Helv. Chron. Minus quidem elegans, sed cum ex Livio & Salustio res nobis ignotas decerpserit, & omnem historiam Romanam breviter ab urbe Condita usque ad Juliani Principis mortem lib. deceni persequatur, magni à nobis fieri debt. Sigon. de Rom. Hist. Script.
Aben Ezra *Commentariis suis Astrologiam, & quae inde pendent, Divinis haut satis pie miscere solet. Seldenus De Dis Syris Syntag. 1. c. 3. Aben-Esra, sive Abraham Bon-Esra, Hispanus, qui circiter annum claruit 160. Hic praeter Commentarios, quos edidit in libros sacros, scripsit librum elegantiarum in Grammaticis, item librum bilancis linguae sanctae, quia regulas tradit, ad quas examinari oport… linguam Hebraicam. Voss. De Arte Grammatica. l. 1. c. 4., a most learned Grammarian. He lived about the year of Christ 1140.
The sharpest and best learned that ever ye bred. Broughtons Require of Consent.
Schickard in his Bechinath Happeruschin, shewing how the Jews magnifie Rabi Salomon Jarchi, addes, At si me arbitro res ista disceptaretur, palmam ego deferrem sequenti Aben Ezrae, quia non tantùm magis perspicuus est, methodicus & in stilo multùm elegantior; Scripturaeque idiotismorum tenax, sed etiam prudentior, cantior, & nugarum parcior: Cum vicissim ille à fabulis abstineat minus, obscurior sit & in Orthographiam alicubi impingat, ut cum Kimchaeo interdum non agat mitius, quam nostrates pueri cum Prisciano.