Antonio de Ferraris
Encyclopedia
Antonio De Ferraris (Latin: Antonius De Ferraris, Galateus), (Italian
: Antonio Ferrari, Galateo), (Greek
: Ἀντώνιος Φεράρις, Γαλάτειος) also called by the epithet Galateus was a Greek southern Italian scholar, academic, doctor and humanist
. The saying "sapere il Galateo" has given a name to good breeding is to know the arts of polite society and is named after Galateo.
, located in Salento
, in the province of Lecce
(Apulia
, in southern Italy
) to a family of Greek descent. His great-grandfather and a grandfather were priests in the Eastern Orthodox Church
and were fluent in both Greek
and Latin
literature. His father was also fluent in both Greek and Latin. His family was part of the remaining historical Greek community of Southern Italy. He later wrote of his pride to be descended from Greek ancestors and priests and of the Greek traditions of his province proclaiming:
He was commonly called “il Galateo", a epithet
he took from the city of his origin Galatone. He used the nickname in almost every document, and the name was also inherted by his children and grandchildren, it ultimately replaced his original family name of “De Ferraris”.
After receiving his education from a maternal uncle who was abbot of the monastery of St. Nicola Pergoleto, Galateus was sent to study in the Gymnasium of Nardò
, a center of theological culture where also taught the humanities. Here he learned Greek and Latin texts, and hereinafter guidelines on philosophical and medical matters which came to characterize his cultural journey.
At sixteen he went to Naples
on Etiquette for the first time, in order to pursue studies in medicine and philosophy and then to practice as a doctor. In the following years he returned to Naples several times, and received medical training, and studies of humanism from some of the leading cultural representatives including Antonio Beccadelli
, Giovanni Pontano and Giacomo Sannazaro.
Galateus first approached to the cultural environments of Catalan-Aragonese
Naples in the 1460s and by 1471 was part of the 'Accademia Pontaniana”, and during that period he became friends with the Venetian humanist Ermolao Barbaro
. This student shared fully the method of investigation, the distrust of the sterile disputes of philosophers over the Alps, and he argued the need to read the classics in bare text, without the use of exegetical apparatus.
On August 3, 1474 Galateus received his “Privilegium artibus et medicine” under the guidance of Girolamo Castelli in the Studio of Ferrara. Following this Galateus alternated his residence more or less between Naples, Gallipoli and Lecce. In the decade of 1470-1480 Galateus lived more permanently in Salento, where in 1478 he married Maria Lubelli dei baroni of Sanarica and together they had five children, Antonino, Betta, Galieno, Lucrezia and Francesca. In 1480-81, during the Ottoman invasion of Otranto, Lecce, Galateus took refuge in the countryside and spent long periods in the villa he had purchased near Trepuzzi where he could concentrate on his study and contemplation. Galateus observed how the inhabitants of Kallipoli (Gallipoli
in Apulia
) as still conversing in their original Greek
mother tongue, he indicated that the Greek classical tradition had remained alive in this region of Italy and that the population is probably of Lacedaemonian (Spartan) stock.
In 1490 he once again returned to Naples at the invitation of King Ferdinand of Aragon, who offered him a job as a court doctor, there he associated with Giovanni Pontano. It was during this time that the French invaded under king Charles VIII
. The fall of the Catalan-Aragonese dynasty followed and King Ferdinand of Aragon, a friend of Galatues was exiled, accusations of malice were made against him thus motivating Galatues to farewell the Neapolitan academics and return permanently to Salento
.
Galateus tried to revive him education lessons in the Accademia lupiensis in Lecce
or Bari
in the small court of Isabella of Aragon
, daughter of Alfonso II of Naples
, there he exchanged letters in later years with the latest generation of academics including Belisario Acquaviva, Pietro Summonte, Crisostomo.
in 15l0 Galateus visited Pope Julius II
, in Rome with a manuscript copy of the donation Constantine extracted from the library of San Nicola di Casole in Otranto. Galateus returned to Salento for the final time where he spent his last years between Gallipoli
and Lecce
. And in Lecce, in his home indicated epigraph “Apollini Aesculapio et Musis”. Antonio died in Lecce in his native province of Otranto
on November 12, 1517.
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
: Antonio Ferrari, Galateo), (Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: Ἀντώνιος Φεράρις, Γαλάτειος) also called by the epithet Galateus was a Greek southern Italian scholar, academic, doctor and humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
. The saying "sapere il Galateo" has given a name to good breeding is to know the arts of polite society and is named after Galateo.
Life
Antonius De Ferraris was born in 1444 in GalatoneGalatone
Galatone is a town and comune located in Salento, in the province of Lecce , ancient seat of the Marquess of Galatone.-History:...
, located in Salento
Salento
Salento is the south-eastern extremity of the Apulia region of Italy. It is a sub-peninsula of the main Italian Peninsula, sometimes described as the "heel" of the Italian "boot"...
, in the province of Lecce
Province of Lecce
The Province of Lecce is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Lecce. Totally included in the Salento peninsula, it is the second most populous province in Apulia and the twenty-first most populous in Italy....
(Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
, in southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) to a family of Greek descent. His great-grandfather and a grandfather were priests in the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
and were fluent in both Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
literature. His father was also fluent in both Greek and Latin. His family was part of the remaining historical Greek community of Southern Italy. He later wrote of his pride to be descended from Greek ancestors and priests and of the Greek traditions of his province proclaiming:
He was commonly called “il Galateo", a epithet
Epithet
An epithet or byname is a descriptive term accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, divinities, objects, and binomial nomenclature. It is also a descriptive title...
he took from the city of his origin Galatone. He used the nickname in almost every document, and the name was also inherted by his children and grandchildren, it ultimately replaced his original family name of “De Ferraris”.
After receiving his education from a maternal uncle who was abbot of the monastery of St. Nicola Pergoleto, Galateus was sent to study in the Gymnasium of Nardò
Nardò
Nardò is a town and comune of 31,185 inhabitants and comune in the southern Italian region of Apulia, in the province of Lecce.-History:...
, a center of theological culture where also taught the humanities. Here he learned Greek and Latin texts, and hereinafter guidelines on philosophical and medical matters which came to characterize his cultural journey.
At sixteen he went to Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
on Etiquette for the first time, in order to pursue studies in medicine and philosophy and then to practice as a doctor. In the following years he returned to Naples several times, and received medical training, and studies of humanism from some of the leading cultural representatives including Antonio Beccadelli
Antonio Beccadelli
Antonio Beccadelli , called Il Panormita , was an Italian poet, canon lawyer, scholar, diplomat, and chronicler. He generally wrote in Latin...
, Giovanni Pontano and Giacomo Sannazaro.
Galateus first approached to the cultural environments of Catalan-Aragonese
Crown of Aragon
The Crown of Aragon Corona d'Aragón Corona d'Aragó Corona Aragonum controlling a large portion of the present-day eastern Spain and southeastern France, as well as some of the major islands and mainland possessions stretching across the Mediterranean as far as Greece...
Naples in the 1460s and by 1471 was part of the 'Accademia Pontaniana”, and during that period he became friends with the Venetian humanist Ermolao Barbaro
Ermolao Barbaro
Ermolao or Hermolao Barbaro, also Hermolaus Barbarus , was an Italian Renaissance scholar.-Education:Ermolao Barbaro was born in Venice, the son of Zaccaria Barbaro, and the grandson of Francesco Barbaro...
. This student shared fully the method of investigation, the distrust of the sterile disputes of philosophers over the Alps, and he argued the need to read the classics in bare text, without the use of exegetical apparatus.
On August 3, 1474 Galateus received his “Privilegium artibus et medicine” under the guidance of Girolamo Castelli in the Studio of Ferrara. Following this Galateus alternated his residence more or less between Naples, Gallipoli and Lecce. In the decade of 1470-1480 Galateus lived more permanently in Salento, where in 1478 he married Maria Lubelli dei baroni of Sanarica and together they had five children, Antonino, Betta, Galieno, Lucrezia and Francesca. In 1480-81, during the Ottoman invasion of Otranto, Lecce, Galateus took refuge in the countryside and spent long periods in the villa he had purchased near Trepuzzi where he could concentrate on his study and contemplation. Galateus observed how the inhabitants of Kallipoli (Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
in Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
) as still conversing in their original Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
mother tongue, he indicated that the Greek classical tradition had remained alive in this region of Italy and that the population is probably of Lacedaemonian (Spartan) stock.
In 1490 he once again returned to Naples at the invitation of King Ferdinand of Aragon, who offered him a job as a court doctor, there he associated with Giovanni Pontano. It was during this time that the French invaded under king Charles VIII
Charles VIII
Charles VIII may refer to:* Charles VIII of Sweden, actually Charles II of Sweden, Charles I of Norway * Charles VIII of France, "the Affable" * Carlos VIII , regnal name of two claimants to the Spanish throne...
. The fall of the Catalan-Aragonese dynasty followed and King Ferdinand of Aragon, a friend of Galatues was exiled, accusations of malice were made against him thus motivating Galatues to farewell the Neapolitan academics and return permanently to Salento
Salento
Salento is the south-eastern extremity of the Apulia region of Italy. It is a sub-peninsula of the main Italian Peninsula, sometimes described as the "heel" of the Italian "boot"...
.
Galateus tried to revive him education lessons in the Accademia lupiensis in Lecce
Lecce
Lecce is a historic city of 95,200 inhabitants in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Lecce, the second province in the region by population, as well as one of the most important cities of Puglia...
or Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
in the small court of Isabella of Aragon
Isabella of Aragon
Isabella of Aragon , infanta of Aragon, was, by marriage, Queen consort of France in the Middle Ages from 1270 to 1271.-Life:...
, daughter of Alfonso II of Naples
Alfonso II of Naples
Alfonso II of Naples , also called Alfonso II d'Aragon, was King of Naples from 25 January 1494 to 22 February 1495 with the title King of Naples and Jerusalem...
, there he exchanged letters in later years with the latest generation of academics including Belisario Acquaviva, Pietro Summonte, Crisostomo.
in 15l0 Galateus visited Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II , nicknamed "The Fearsome Pope" and "The Warrior Pope" , born Giuliano della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513...
, in Rome with a manuscript copy of the donation Constantine extracted from the library of San Nicola di Casole in Otranto. Galateus returned to Salento for the final time where he spent his last years between Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
and Lecce
Lecce
Lecce is a historic city of 95,200 inhabitants in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Lecce, the second province in the region by population, as well as one of the most important cities of Puglia...
. And in Lecce, in his home indicated epigraph “Apollini Aesculapio et Musis”. Antonio died in Lecce in his native province of Otranto
Otranto
Otranto is a town and comune in the province of Lecce , in a fertile region once famous for its breed of horses.It is located on the east coast of the Salento peninsula. The Strait of Otranto, to which the city gives its name, connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea and Italy with Albania...
on November 12, 1517.