Avicebron

Avicebron, long deemed, like Avempace, an Arabian philosopher, till Munk identified him in 1857 with Salomo ben Jehuda ibn Gabirol, a Jewish poet and philosopher. Born about 1020 at Cordova or Malaga, the latter in 1045 was expelled from Saragossa, and, after an unhappy, wandering life, died about 1070 at Valencia. His great work, Mekor Chajim, was written in Arabic; but through a Latin translation, Fons Vitæ, became known to the Schoolmen of the 13th century. Its speculations are largely based on those of the Neoplatonists, especially Plotinus. For a full account of it, and of Avicebron's religious poetry, artistic at once and profound, see two monographs by Geiger (Leip. 1867) and Stössel (ib. 1881).