HERCULES, a person eminently skilled in the science of music, though not a musician by profession, was descended of a noble family of Bologna, and born in that city in the year 1531. He seems to have entertained a strong predilection in favour of the ancient music; and he attempted, as Vincentine and others had done, to introduce the chromatic scale into practice, but with no better success than had attended the endeavours of his predecessors. He corrected Gogavino's Latin version of Ptolemy in numberless instances, and to so good purpose, that Dr Wallis has in general conformed to it in the translation of the same author, which he gave to the world many years afterwards. He also translated into Italian *Boetius de Musica*, with as much of Plutarch and Macrobius as relates to music; and besides this, he made annotations upon Aristoxenus, Franchinus, Spataro, Vicentino, Zarline, Galislei, and, in short, on almost every musical treatise he could lay his hands on, as appears by the copies once belonging to him, which are now deposited in many libraries in Italy. Bottrigari's works contain greater proofs of his learning and skill in music, than of his abilities as a writer, his style being remarkably inelegant. Nevertheless, he affected the character of a poet; and there is extant a collection of poems by him, in 8vo, printed in 1537. Walther represents him as an able mathematician, and a collector of curiosities; and says that he was possessed of a cabinet which the emperor Ferdinand II. had a great desire to purchase. He died in 1612, and not in 1609, as stated by Mazzucchelli. From what has been said, a general idea may be formed of his works, a small portion of which only has been printed, and a correct list cannot now be obtained.

BOTS. See Entomology, Index.