proportion to those possibly even greater works of Archimedes which are lost to the world for ever; and which may be supposed to have contained many truths, whose re-discovery has employed and will employ the labours of scientific men of modern times. Not less than the scientific knowledge of Archimedes, was his practical skill; a subject of wonder to his contemporaries, of incredulity to many subsequent ages, and of admiration to more recent times, since the marvels reported to have been achieved by him, which once seemed incredible, have been realized by the re-discoveries of modern science. Thus the burning of the Roman fleet, by concentrating within a small space the sunbeams reflected from a vast number of suitably placed plane mirrors, was long regarded as fabulous, until the experiment was successfully repeated by Buffon. This achievement took place during the siege of Syracuse, by the army of the Roman republic under Marcellus, in the year 212 b.c.; when Archimedes, at the age of seventy-five, employed his extraordinary skill in contriving machines for the defence of his native city, with such success, that the Roman soldiers, inspired with a fear, unparalleled before or afterwards, used to fly on the appearance of any object above the ramparts, believing it to be some new engine of destruction.
When Syracuse was at length taken by surprise, Archimedes was slain amidst the general massacre of its defenders. Marcellus, who had desired to preserve his life, lamented his death, and fulfilled his wishes by causing the representation of his famous theorem of the sphere and the cylinder to be carved on his tomb. With Archimedes fell the Greek science and philosophy in Sicily; and in like manner did all arts and learning fall, in every region conquered by the Romans.—W. J. M. R.
ARCHIMELUS, a poet of Greece, who flourished about 220 b.c. An epigram bearing his name is found in Athenæus; it is the only well-authenticated writing of his now extant.
ARCHINTO, a noble family of Milan, which claimed descent from the royal house of Lombardy. Several of its members greatly distinguished themselves at different periods, of whom the following, arranged in alphabetical order, are the most celebrated:—
Alberico, born in 1698, died in 1758. He was archbishop of Nicæa, and afterwards was created a cardinal. In 1753 we find him acting as governor of Rome.
Alessandro, created a count by Charles V., died at Milan, 1567. He was the author of many theological works, the whole of which are preserved in manuscript in the Ambrosian library.
Alessandro, born 1577; died 1645. He belonged to the order of Jesus; and besides two works on rhetoric, has left several eulogistic writings upon the members of that society, which are preserved in its library at Milan.
Ambrogio Giovanni, who in 1518 held the office of decurion, or chief of ten, in Milan. He was the author of several literary works, and editor of those of Pius II.
Anselmo and Manfredo, who, in 1135, founded the monastery of Chiaravalle.
Carlo Antonio, who lived in the first half of the 17th century, and became an abbot of the Canons Regular of the Lateran, was author of several works in praise of the fathers of his order.
Carlo, Count, son of Count Filippo, born at Milan in 1669; died 1732; was reputed one of the most learned men of his age. He was founder of an academy for sciences and mechanics in his native city, which he enriched with a valuable library, and the best mathematical instruments then known. He was also the founder of the press, known as the Ædes Palatinæ, from which so many great works have been issued. He wrote on various subjects, both in Italian and Latin; and three monarchs conferred titles upon him as marks of their esteem.
Filippo, born 3d July, 1500; died 1558. The only ecclesiastic, of lesser dignity than a cardinal, who was ever appointed vicar of the pope. He was held in much esteem both by Paul IV. and the Emperor Charles V., who confided to him the settlement of many affairs of great importance, and by the former of whom he was created archbishop of Milan. Besides many published works, he has left a great number of MSS., which are still to be found in the family library in his native city.
Filippo, Count, was born at Milan in 1649; died 1720. He was a member of the college of Nobili Giurisconsulti in Milan, and successively filled various important offices of great trust. He was the author of several works,—his letters alone, in the possession of the family, occupying twelve folio volumes of MS.
Girolamo, born about 1671, died in 1721; began life as a jurisconsult, and ended as a dignitary of the church. He was created titular archbishop of Tarsus, and was sent as nuncio to the grand-duke of Tuscany, and afterwards as legate a latere to Germany. There still exists an unpublished work of his upon the Council of Trent.
Giuseppe, born in 1651, died in 1712; first studied law in Paris, but forsook it to follow the ecclesiastical career, in which he attained to high honours, being appointed by Innocent XI. vice-legate of Bologna, and afterwards, by the same pontiff and his successors, apostolic nuncio to various states. By Innocent XII. he was made archbishop of Milan, and in the same year cardinal, by the title of Santa Prisca. He is the author of several works, some of which have been published.
ARCHINUS, a citizen of Athens, who, in 401-3 b.c., aided Thrasybulus in the expulsion of the thirty tyrants and the re-establishment of democracy in that city. Some writers ascribe to him the honour of originating that patriotic scheme which others carried to a successful issue.
ARCHIPPUS, an Athenian comic poet, of whom little is now known, flourished in the early part of the fifth century b.c. His writings are characterized by coarseness of expression.
ARCHON, Louis, a writer of French ecclesiastical history, born in 1645 at Riom in Auvergne; died in 1717. He obtained a canonry in his native town, was made chaplain to Louis XIV., and in 1678 appointed to an abbey in the diocese of Clermont. He wrote "Histoire ecclesiastique de la chapelle des rois de France sous les trois races de nos rois jusqu'au regne de Louis XIV."
ARCHYTAS (Ἀρχύτας) of Tarentum, mathematician, general, statesman, and philosopher, flourished about the middle of the fifth century before the Christian era, and was the son either of Mnesagoras, or (according to Aristoxenus) of Hestiæus (Ἑστιάιος). Archytas was one of the most renowned of the renowned Pythagoreans, lawgivers and governors of the ancient Greek colonies in southern Italy, and founders of the experimental and inductive method in science. Seven times did he command in war the armed force of his fellow-citizens, and was never defeated. He was the friend and instructor of Plato, whom, by his intercession, he saved from the cruelty of Dionysius the younger. A letter of Archytas to Plato, and Plato's answer, are extant in the works of Diogenes Laertius. According to this author, Archytas was the first who reduced mechanics to scientific principles, and the first who applied mechanism to descriptive geometry. He is said to have constructed various marvellous machines, such as automatic flying birds. In logic and ethics, he was not less eminent than in mathematics and mechanics, as is well attested by the fragments of his works (unfortunately small and few) which have been handed down to our times, and of which the following are the titles:—"Δὶατρίβαὶ μαθηματικῆς ἐπιστήμης," (discourses on mathematical science;) "Δέκα λόγοι καθολικοὶ" (the ten categories,) otherwise called "Περὶ παντὸς φυσεως;" "Περὶ σοφίας," (on wisdom;) "Περὶ Ἀρχῶν," (on principles;) "Περὶ τοῦ Νοῦ και Ἀισθήσεως," (on the understanding and the emotions;) "Περὶ τοῦ Ὄντος, (on being;) "Περὶ Ἐὐδαιμονίας," (on happiness;) "Περὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ Ἀνδρὸς και ἐυδαίμονος," (of a good and happy man;) "Περὶ τῆς ἠθικῆς παιδείας," (on moral instruction;) "Περὶ Νόμου και Δικαιοσύνη," (on law and justice.) The latest complete edition of the fragments of Archytas is that published by Oreilli at Leipzig, 1821. On the authority of Horace, (Book I., Ode 28,) Archytas is believed to have lost his life by shipwreck on the coast of Apulia.—(Diogenes Laertius, Libri; Histoire des Sciences Mathématiques en Italie.)—W. J. M. R.
ARCHYTAS of Mitylene, a musician, mentioned by Diogenes Laertius.
ARCHYTAS, a writer on agriculture, mentioned by Diogenes Laertius.
ARCHYTAS, an epigrammatic poet, mentioned by Diogenes Laertius.
ARCHYTAS, an architect and mechanical author, mentioned with doubt by Diogenes Laertius.
ARCIMBOLDI. A noble family of Milan, of which the most distinguished members were—
Antonello, the son of Giovanni A., was born before his father entered into orders. A good Hellenist, he translated many works from the Greek, amongst which were several of the writings of St. Chrysostom. Philip II. of Spain, in 1557, created him a senator of Milan. Died in 1578.
