ARETIN, Francis, a man of great reading, and well acquainted with the Greek language. He translated into Latin the Commentaries of St Chrysostom upon St John, and about 20 homilies of the same father; he also translated the Letters of Phalaris into Latin, and wrote a treatise De balneis Puteolani. He studied at Siena, about the year 1443; and afterwards taught law there with such reputation, that they called him the Prince of Subtleties, and his wit became a proverb. He displayed his talents chiefly in disputes, in which nobody could withstand him. He gave his opinions in law with so much confidence, as to assure those who consulted him that they should carry their cause: nor did experience contradict him; for it was a common saying at the bar, such a cause has been condemned by Aretin, it must therefore be lost. He taught also in the university of Pisa, and in that of Ferrara. He was at Rome under the pontificate of Sixtus IV. but did not stay here long; for he soon perceived that the great hopes which he had built upon his reputation would come to nothing. This pope, however, declared he would have given him a cardinal's hat, had he not thought he should have done a public injury by depriving the youth of such an excellent professor. When old age would not permit him to go through the duties of his office, they dispensed with his reading of
Aretin, Aretologi. of lectures, and his salary was continued. He continued, however, sometimes to mount the chair; and although his lectures had now but little spirit in them, yet he had still many hearers on account of his reputation. One day when the students were gone to some public shows, there were but 40 persons in his auditory; which so mortified him, that he threw away his book: and crying out, "Aretin shall never explain law to a few persons," retired in a passion, and would teach no more. He was severe in his temper, and never kept a servant longer than a month or two; for it was a maxim of his, "that new-hired servants always served best." He was honoured with the title of knight, and spent all his life in celibacy; and his way of living was so parsimonious, that he was thereby enabled to amass a great deal of wealth. He had designed this wealth for the maintenance of a college; but he altered his resolution, and left it to his relations.