PROSPERO, in Latin PROSPER ALPINUS, a celebrated physician and botanist, was born at Marostica, in the republic of Venice, in November 1533. In his early years his inclination led him to the profession of arms, and he served some time in the Milanese. By the encouragement and persuasion of his father, who was a physician, he retired from the army, and devoted his attention to literature. To prosecute his studies with more advantage, he went to the university of Padua, where he was soon after elected deputy to the rector, and syndic to the students. But in the discharge of his official duties, which was distinguished by prudence and address, he was not prevented from pursuing the study of physic, which he had chosen. He continued his medical studies with zeal and success; and after having acquired the necessary qualifications, he was admitted to the degree of doctor of physic in 1578. Soon after this he left the university, and settled as a physician in Campo San Pietro, a small town in the Paduan territory, at the invitation of its citizens.

In the course of his studies he had paid particular attention to plants, and had become an enthusiast in botanical science; but the sphere of his present practice was too limited to afford him much opportunity of prosecuting his favourite study. He wished particularly to extend his knowledge of exotic plants; and considered that the only means of attaining this was to study their economy and habits in their native soil. To gratify this laudable curiosity an opportunity soon presented itself. George Emo, the consul for the Venetian republic in Egypt, appointed Alpini his physician. They sailed from Venice in September 1580, and, after experiencing a tedious and dangerous voyage, arrived at Grand Cairo in the beginning of July the following year. Alpini spent three years in Egypt, and, by his industry and assiduity, greatly improved his botanical knowledge, having travelled along the banks of the Nile, visited every place, and consulted every person from whom he expected any new information. From a practice in the management of date-trees, which he observed in this country, Alpini seems to have deduced the doctrine of the sexual difference of plants, which was adopted as the foundation of the celebrated system of Linneus. He says, that "the female date-trees, or palms, do not bear fruit unless the branches of the male and female plants are mixed together; or, as is generally done, unless the dust found in the male sheath, or male flowers, is sprinkled over the female flowers."

When Alpini returned to Venice in 1586, he was appointed physician to Andrea Doria, prince of Melfi; and during his residence at Genoa he acquired so great a name, as to be esteemed the first physician of his age. The Venetians were unwilling that the Genoese state should number among its citizens a person of such distinguished merit and reputation, whose services might be essentially beneficial, and whose fame might be highly honourable, to his native country; and in the year 1593 he was recalled to fill the botanical chair in the university of Padua, with a salary of 200 florins, which was afterwards augmented to 750. He discharged the duties of his professorship for many years with great reputation, till his declining health interrupted his labours. He died in 1617, in the 64th year of his age, and was succeeded as botanical professor by one of his sons. Alpini wrote the following works in Latin:—1. De Medicina Ægyptiorum libri iv. Venice, 1591, 4to; 2. De Plantis Ægypti liber, Venice, 1592, 4to; 3. De Balsamo Dialogus, Venice, 1592, 4to; 4. De Presagienda Vita et Morte Ægrotantium libri vii. Venice, 1601, 4to; 5. De Medicina Methodica libri xiii. Padua, 1611, folio; 6. De Rhapontico Disputatio, Padua, 1612, 4to. Of all these works there have been various editions given to the world; and, besides these, two posthumous treatises were published by his son: 1. De Plantis Exoticis libri ii. Venice, 1627, 4to; 2. Historie Naturalis Egypti libri iv. Lugd. Bat. 1635, 4to. Several other works of Alpini remain in manuscript.