Politian

Politian, full name Angelo Poliziano (1454-1494), Italian humanist scholar, teacher, and poet of the Renaissance. Born in Montepulciano in Tuscany (Toscana) and originally named Angelo Ambrogini, he was educated in Florence. He became tutor to the sons of the Florentine statesman Lorenzo de' Medici, and by the age of 30 was a professor of Greek and Latin literature in Florence. He attracted pupils from all the cities of Italy and from distant parts of Europe, among them Michelangelo, the German scholar Johann Reuchlin, and the English humanists Thomas Linacre and William Grocyn.

Although Politian died at the age of 40, his writings are numerous. He translated into Latin various Greek works, including the Enchiridion of Epictetus, the Charmides of Plato, and the history of Rome by the Greek historian Herodian (died after ad 238). He composed Latin poems, called Sylvae, on Greek and Latin authors and declaimed these poems in his lectures. His most learned production was the Miscellanea (1489), critical observations on ancient authors, which greatly influenced succeeding scholars. Politian was as accomplished a poet in Italian as in Latin. His many works include Orfeo, a lyrical drama with musical accompaniment, one of the earliest dramatic compositions of Renaissance Italy.