Torrentinus, commonly called Vander Bekin, or Torrentin, was a native of Ghent, and bred in the university of Louvain. He afterwards made the tour of Italy, where his virtues obtained him the friendship of the most illustrious personages of his time. On his return to the Low Countries; he was made canon of Liege, and vicar-general to Ernest de Baviere, bishop of that see. At length, having executed a successful embassy to Philip II. of Spain, he was rewarded with the bishopric of Antwerp; from whence he was translated to the metropolitan church of Mechlin, and died there in 1595. He founded a college of Jesuits at Louvain, to which he left his library, medals, and curiosities. He wrote several poems that obtained him the character of being, after Horace, the prince of lyric poets.

LÆVIUS, a Latin poet. It is not well known at what time he lived, but probably before the age of Cicero. A poem of his, entitled, Erotopaignia, i.e., Love-Games, is quoted by Aulus Gellius. Apuleius also quotes six lines from the same poet; but he does not tell from what work he borrowed them. Lælius had also composed a poem, entitled, The Centaurs, which Festus quotes under the title of Petram.