Along with this classical revival, Oriental studies now assumed
considerable proportions. The controversial writings of the great
Florentine statesman and scholar, Giannozzo Manetti (d. 1459) against
the Jews afford an early instance of a complete mastery of their
language and science. His son Agnolo was from his childhood instructed
in Latin, Greek and Hebrew. The father, at the bidding of Nicholas V,
translated the whole Bible afresh, as the philologists of the time
insisted on giving up the 'Vulgata.'
Many other humanists devoted themselves before Reuchlin to the study of
Hebrew, among them Pico della Mirandola, who was not satisfied with a
knowledge of the Hebrew grammar and ScriptureS, but penetrated into the
Jewish Cabbalah and even made himself as familiar with the literature
of the Talmud as any Rabbi.
Among the Oriental languages, Arabic was studied as well as Hebrew. The
science of medicine, no longer satisfied with the older Latin
translations of the great Arab physicians, had constant recourse to the
originals, to which an easy access was offered by the Venetian
consulates in the East, where Italian doctors were regularly kept.
Hieronimo Ramusio, a Venetian physician, translated a great part of
Avicenna from the Arabic and died at Damascus in 1486. Andrea Mongaio
of Belluno lived long at Damascus for the purpose of studying Avicenna,
learnt Arabic, and emended the author's text.
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