Rigalti, præf. libri Achmetis. Barthius Adverf. lib: xxxi. c. 14. 10. De Proportione Motuum. 11. In Mundini anatomiam an- Vander Linden mentions another book. 12. De Humani Corporis anatʊmia. He left the following works which were never published : I. De Subftantia Orbis. 3. Metaphyfices, Rhetorica Ariftotelis correctæ, lib. i. 4. Tractatus de Anima. ACHILLINI (Claudius) grandfon of the preceding, lived in the feventeenth century. He was reputed a great philofopher, a learned divine, an excellent lawyer, an eloquent orator, a good mathematician, and an elegant poet. He read law lectures at Bologna, Ferrara, and Parma. He afterwards travelled to Rome, and accompanied cardinal Ludovino to Piedmont,, who went there in quality of legate. This cardinal, who became pope under the name of Gregory XV. having neglected Achillini, he left Rome highly diffatisfied. It was at this time that the duke of Parma invited him to be profeffor of law in his capital, and appointed him a handsome fallary. Achillini published a volume of Latin letters, and another of poems in the Italian language, which gained him great reputation. He died in 1640, in the fixty-fixth year of his age. ACHMET, the fon of Seirim, author of a book on the interpretation of dreams, according to the doctrine of the Indians, Perfians, and Egyptians. In the year 1160, Leo Tufcus tranflated it from the Greek into Latin, and dedicated it to Hugo Echerianus. It was publifhed in Latin in 1577, from a very imperfect manufcript found in the library of Sambucus; but it paffed as a work of Apomafares, till the learned Leunclavius informed the public of the mistake in his Annals of the Turks. Rigault first published this work in Greek, annexing it to Artimedorus, which he printed at Paris in 1603; but did not make any alterations in the Latin verfion given by Leunclavius. In the two Greek manuscripts in the French king's library, from whence Rigault publifhed this book on dreams, Achmet, fon of Seirim, is not mentioned as the author; but, as the beginning is wanting, we may fuppofe when the manufcripts were complete, that his name was at the head of them. This is but a conjecture, but it may be ftrengthened by this circumftance, that Achmet's name has been written in one of the copies in a fresher hand. The name seems not to have been in the сору whence 14. Leo Tufcus, in the twelfth century, made his Latin translation, as may be inferred from Tricaffo's Italian translation of this work. Rigault tranflated the preface into Latin, but Bibliotheque fuppofes it to be wrote by Leo Tufcus, and not by Achmet. de Du VerBarthius had this tranflation of Leo's in his poffeffion, and he dier, p. 940. thinks his copy of the original was wrote even in the time of the tranflator. The extracts he gives of this tranflation, fhew Barth. Adv. that it was not a literal one, and that many paffages had been lib. xxxi. c. omitted. What is moft remarkable is, that we find the names of Achmet and Seirim in the title of the manufcript, with thofe of Syrnacham, Baram, and Tarpham. The first of thefe was interpreter of dreams to the king of the Indies, the fecond to Saanifan king of Perfia, and the third to Pharoah king of Egypt. Barthius from thence fuppofes, that Achmet and Seirim had alfo interpreted dreams in the court of fome Barbarian monarch. Rigault thinks the Greek is only an old tranflation of this work, and that the original was in Arabic. According to Lambecius, Achmet lived in the ninth century, in the court of Mamoun Khalif of Babylon: but Du Cange is of a different opinion. ACIDALIUS (Valens) would, in all probability, have been one of the greatest critics in these latter ages, had he lived longer to perfect those talents which nature had given him. He was born at Witstock, in Brandenburg, and having visited feveral academies in Germany, Italy, and other countries, where he was greatly esteemed, he afterwards took up his refidence at Breflaw, the metropolis of Silefia. Here he remained a confiderable time, in expectation of fome employment; but nothing offering, he turned Roman catholic, and was chosen rector of a school at Nieffa. It is related, that about four months after, as he was following a proceffion of the hoft, he was feized with a fudden frenzy, and being carried home, expired in a very fhort time. Some fay he killed himfelf; but his brother Chriftian reprefents this as a malicious calumny (a'. Thuanus tells us, that his exceffive applica- Thuanus tion to ftudy was the occafion of his untimely death; that Hift. I. cxiii, his fitting up a-nights in compofing his Conjectures on Plau- P. 687. tus, brought upon him a distemper, which carried him off in three days, on the 25th of May, 1595, being just turned (a) Ut mirari fatis nequeam calida multorum in judicando nimium præcipitantium et temerariorum in of genia, qui et ipfius morbi et loci Tam ficti pravique tenax quam nuncia veri nes; of twenty-eight. He left feveral works (b); a little piece, printed in 1595, under the title of Mulieres non effe homi"That women were not of the human fpecies," was falfely afcribed to him (c). Scioppius fays, that he was a phyfician. He did indeed take a doctor's degree; but it was Crit. p. 18. only, ad honores; for he never practifed (d). Had he lived De Arte Ibid. longer, he intended to have given notes upon Aulus Gellius; and we find, by his letters, that he had wrote upon Apuleius. Mr. Baillet has given him a place amongft his Enfans celebres, and fays, that he wrote a comment upon Plautus when he was but feventeen or eighteen years old, and that he composed several Latin poems at the fame age. His edition of Paterculus was one of his firft printed works, being published de obitu ipfius fparfit, propagare though rash and precipitate condu& of many perfons, who though they did not know his distemper, nor even the place where he died, yet have been fo bold as to spread and propagate, in foreign countries, whatever their own malevolent difpofition dictated, or fame, Who fpreads around at random truth or lies, published concerning his death, and (b) He wrote a Commentary on (c) Acidalius happening to meet fcript, and a terrible outcry was made against Acidalius. A story goes, that being one day to dine at a friend's houfe, where there happened to be feveral ladies at table, who fuppofing him to be the author, were moved with fo much indignation, that they threatened to throw their plates at his head, Acidalius, however, ingeniously diverted their wrath. In his opinion, he said, the author was a judicious perfon, the ladies being certainly more of the fpecies of angels than of men. (d) As may be feen from his own words: "Medicum rй mṣažɛ, neg ago, nec agere propofitum unquam fuit; certo confilio tamen inter ejus artis candidatos nomen dedi, nec pœnitet, eo quod pretii, inde jam ablato, &c. i. e. "I do not practise phyfic, nor did I ever intend it; nevertheless I had a certain reafon for putting my name down amongst the candidates of that fcience; nor do I repent of it, hav, ing already reaped the advantages thereof." Val, Acidal, ep. p. 215. at at Padua in 1591. He himself fays he was afhamed of this hafty production, and expreffes his furprize that they should Val. Acidal. intend to reprint it in France. Lipfius, who wrote him Epist. p. 70. fome letters full of expreffions of the highest esteem and friendship, confidered him as one who would one day be a great man. Ipfe Valens (non te fallam augur) gemmula erit Germaniæ veftræ, vivat modo. " Valens (if I am not greatly mistaken) if he does but live, will be a precious ornament to your Germany." Thus he wrote to Monavius in 1594, as may be seen at the beginning of Acidalius's epiftles. co, to be at ACINDYNUS (Gregory) a monk of the Greek church, who lived in the fourteenth century. He joined with Barlaam to confute the Hefycaftes, a fect which had spread much amongst the monks of mount Athos. They were a kind of contemplative devotees, and from their names we may fee From Hou there were quietifts in the world even in that age. When they xa quief were in the height of prayer, they imagined they faw a light reft. resembling that which fhone upon Jefus Chrift at his tranffiguration on mount Tabor; they held this light to be uncreated, though at the fame time very diftinct from the effence of God. Acindynus was a good second to Barlaam, in writing against the illufions of thefe fanatics, and became one of their greatest opponents in the council of Conftantinople; but he had the misfortune to meet with an antagonist more formidable than either himself or Barlaam, fo that both of them were brought under cenfures and condemnations in feveral councils. But notwithstanding his ill fuccefs in 1337, this did not hinder him from publicly accufing of herefy Gregorius Palamas, the head of that fect, and his followers. The patriarch of Conftantinople fummoned Acindynus to appear in 1341, who having made his appearance in the council, was condemned to filence, on pain of excommunication. Six years afterwards, he was attacked more violently than before, John Cantaguzenus, a great tickler for Palamus," being at this time emperor. The many cenfures and excommunications thundered against Acindynus at different times, reduced him at laft to a life of quiet and obfcurity. In 1616, James Gretzer, a German Jefuit, publifhed at Ingolstad Acindynus's two pieces, De effentia, et operatione Dei. Hift. Liter Leo Állatius published alfo a poem, and fome fragments of Script. Ecc the same author. ACINDYNUS (Septimius) was conful of Rome with Valerius Proculus, the fame year that Conftantine, fon to E 4 Conftantine P. 34. Mont. lib. i. cap. 17. Conftantine the great, was killed at Aquileia. He had been governor of Antioch, and during his government, there happened an event which deferves to be mentioned. St. Auftin De Sermone has related the ftory: A certain man not having carried to Domini in the treafury the pound of gold he was taxed, Acindynus threw him into prifon, and fwore he would hang him if he did not procure the money upon a certain day appointed. The time was almost elapfed, and the poor man found himfelf unable to fatisfy the governor's demand. He had indeed a very handsome wife, and it was through her alone that he conceived any hopes of life and liberty. It happened that a very rich man being fmitten with this woman, offered her the pound of gold, and for this he asked no other requital but the pleasure of paffing a night with her. The woman, taught by fcripture that her body was not at her own disposal, but in the power of her husband, communicated to him the offer of her gallant, declaring fhe was ready to comply, provided he, who had the abfolute power of her body, would confent that the fhould fave his life at the expence of her chastity. The husband thanked his wife, and defired her to gratify the rich gallant. She obeyed; "giving, on this occafion (as St. Auftin expreffes it) her body to her husband, not in the ufual commerce betwixt them, but to the defire he had to live (a." The fum agreed upon was given her by the gallant; but he contrived to have it taken away again, and another purse was substituted in its place, filled only with earth. The good woman, at her return home (for she had fpent the night with her gallant at his country feat) no fooner perceived the trick, but the complained publicly of it. She even fued for juftice before the governor, and ingenuously confeffed the whole affair, Acindynus became highly fenfible of his own fault, and expressed his forrow, that, by his feverity and threats, he had driven the unhappy couple to fuch an expedient. He condemned himself to pay the pound of gold into the treafury, and made a decree, that the woman should for ever poffefs the land whence the earth had been taken that was put into her purse. (a) Illa corpus nomini marito dedit non concumbere, ut folet, fed vivere cupienti. Auguft. de fermone Domini in Monte, lib. i. c. 17. ACOMINATUS (Michael) Choniata, born in Phrygia. He was archbishop of Athens, and flourished in the year 1204. He wrote feveral books of hiftory, part of which is to be found in manufcript in the imperial library at Vienna, He |