Castellio

Castellio, SEBASTIANUS, a theologian, born in Savoy in 1515, studied at Lyons, and about 1540, on Calvin's recommendation, was appointed rector of a school at Geneva. His views, however, as to the Song of Solomon (a mere erotic poem to him) and Christ's descent into hell embroiled him with the reformer; and in 1544 he was forced to migrate to Basel, where in 1553 he became Greek professor, and where he died 23d December 1563. Besides various treatises, he published in 1551-53 translations of the Bible into Latin and French, the former dedicated to Edward VI. of England. See CALVIN; and the Lives of Castellio by Mähly (Basel, 1862), Broussoix (Strasb. 1867), and Buisson (Par. 1892).