Chrysole'ras

Chrysole'ras, MANUEL, the first to transplant Greek literature into Italy, was born at Constantinople in the middle of the 14th century A.D. About the year 1391 he was sent by the Byzantine emperor, John Palæologus, to England and Italy to entreat assistance against the Turks, and in 1397 he left his native land and went to Florence, where, as teacher of Greek literature, he was highly esteemed and admired. Leonardo Bruno, Poggius, Philelpus, Guarinus of Verona, and other eminent scholars were among his pupils. He was afterwards employed by Pope Gregory XII. in an attempt to promote a union of the Greek with the Roman Church, and in 1413 went with John XXIII. to the Council of Constance, where he died 1415. His chief work was Erotemata, a Greek grammar (Venice, 1484).—Manuel Chrysoloras must be distinguished from his nephew, JOHN CHRYSOLORAS, who also taught Greek in Italy.