Robert Gentilis
Encyclopedia
Robert Gentilis (11 September 1590 – 1655 or later) was a translator into and from multiple languages. The son of an Oxford professor, he started his university education at the age of eight, graduated at the age of twelve and became a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford
at the age of seventeen, below the minimum age, by special dispensation.
. His father was the Regius Professor of Civil Law
at All Souls College, Oxford, Alberico Gentili
. Gentilis grew up speaking many languages: his parents' native languages (Italian from his father, French from his mother), English, and Latin and Greek taught by his father. He used his linguistic ability to translate Isocrates
' from Greek into Latin, Italian, French and English when he was young. He became a member of Christ Church, Oxford
when he was eight years old and he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
degree from Jesus College
in 1603 when he was twelve years old. Through a mixture of his ability, his father's tuition and his father's influence, he was then appointed by William Laud
to be Collector of the University of Oxford
, an important position. In 1607, although he was still only seventeen years old, he was appointed as a Fellow of All Souls when the minimum age was eighteen. His father successfully argued that someone aged seventeen years and a number of days should be treated as being eighteen in the same way that a debt that has been owed for seventeen days and one minute was treated as having been owed for eighteen days.
Although Gentilis obtained his Bachelor of Civil Law
degree in 1612, his behaviour had changed before his father's death in 1608. He was described by Anthony Wood
as having "turned a rake-hell" and become "king of the beggars for a time", "given up to sordid liberty, if not downright wickedness." He moved abroad for twenty-five years, possibly abandoning a wife in the process (since Alice, "wife of Robert Gentilis", was buried in London in 1619). He married in London in January 1638. He worked as a professional translator and may have received a pension from the king. Nothing is known of him after 1655.
's Eclogues that was based upon the lessons that Gentili had given to his son. He wrote further dedications for his father's books, which were addressed to King James I
and to three heads of colleges at Oxford
. He worked for Humphrey Moseley
and Nicholas Fussell as a translator, with his works including History of the Inquisition (1639, from Italian), Antipathy between the French and the Spaniard (1641, from Spanish), Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1643, from Italian), Chief Events in the Monarchy of Spain in the Year 1639 (1647, from Italian), Considerations upon the Lives of Alcibiades and Coriolanus (1650, from Italian, this and the previous being from works of Virgilio Malvezzi
), Natural and Experimental History of Winds (1652, from the Latin of Francis Bacon
), Discourse for the Attaining of the Sciences (1654, from French) Discourse of Constancy (1654, from Latin), and Coralbo (1655, from Italian). Moseley announced the forthcoming publication of The Anatomy of profane love, translated by Gentilis, in August 1655, but it was never published and nothing further is known of Gentilis after this time; as Gentilis referred to his ill-health in his dedication of Coralbo, it is possible that he died before he completed his next work.
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
at the age of seventeen, below the minimum age, by special dispensation.
Life
Gentilis was born on 11 September 1590 and was named Robert after his godfather, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of EssexRobert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, KG was an English nobleman and a favourite of Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was placed under house arrest following a poor campaign in Ireland during the Nine Years' War in 1599...
. His father was the Regius Professor of Civil Law
Regius Professor of Civil Law (Oxford)
The Regius Chair of Civil Law, founded in the 1540s, is one of the oldest of the professorships at the University of Oxford.-Foundation:The Regius Chair of Civil Law at Oxford was founded by King Henry VIII, who established five such Regius Professorships in the University, the others being the...
at All Souls College, Oxford, Alberico Gentili
Alberico Gentili
Alberico Gentili was an Italian jurist. He left Italy due to his Protestant faith, travelled in Central Europe, and emigrated to England. In 1580 he became regius professor of civil law at the University of Oxford...
. Gentilis grew up speaking many languages: his parents' native languages (Italian from his father, French from his mother), English, and Latin and Greek taught by his father. He used his linguistic ability to translate Isocrates
Isocrates
Isocrates , an ancient Greek rhetorician, was one of the ten Attic orators. In his time, he was probably the most influential rhetorician in Greece and made many contributions to rhetoric and education through his teaching and written works....
' from Greek into Latin, Italian, French and English when he was young. He became a member of Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
when he was eight years old and he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Jesus College
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
in 1603 when he was twelve years old. Through a mixture of his ability, his father's tuition and his father's influence, he was then appointed by William Laud
William Laud
William Laud was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645. One of the High Church Caroline divines, he opposed radical forms of Puritanism...
to be Collector of the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, an important position. In 1607, although he was still only seventeen years old, he was appointed as a Fellow of All Souls when the minimum age was eighteen. His father successfully argued that someone aged seventeen years and a number of days should be treated as being eighteen in the same way that a debt that has been owed for seventeen days and one minute was treated as having been owed for eighteen days.
Although Gentilis obtained his Bachelor of Civil Law
Bachelor of Civil Law
Bachelor of Civil Law is the name of various degrees in law conferred by English-language universities. Historically, it originated as a postgraduate degree in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, but many universities now offer the BCL as an undergraduate degree...
degree in 1612, his behaviour had changed before his father's death in 1608. He was described by Anthony Wood
Anthony Wood
Anthony Wood or Anthony à Wood was an English antiquary.-Early life:Anthony Wood was the fourth son of Thomas Wood , BCL of Oxford, where Anthony was born...
as having "turned a rake-hell" and become "king of the beggars for a time", "given up to sordid liberty, if not downright wickedness." He moved abroad for twenty-five years, possibly abandoning a wife in the process (since Alice, "wife of Robert Gentilis", was buried in London in 1619). He married in London in January 1638. He worked as a professional translator and may have received a pension from the king. Nothing is known of him after 1655.
Works
When Gentilis was ten years old, he wrote a dedication in Latin to accompany his father's Lectiones Virgilianae (1603), a commentary upon VirgilVirgil
Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
's Eclogues that was based upon the lessons that Gentili had given to his son. He wrote further dedications for his father's books, which were addressed to King James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
and to three heads of colleges at Oxford
Colleges of the University of Oxford
The University of Oxford comprises 38 Colleges and 6 Permanent Private Halls of religious foundation. Colleges and PPHs are autonomous self-governing corporations within the university, and all teaching staff and students studying for a degree of the university must belong to one of the colleges...
. He worked for Humphrey Moseley
Humphrey Moseley
Humphrey Moseley was a prominent London publisher and bookseller in the middle seventeenth century.Possibly a son of publisher Samuel Moseley, Humphrey Moseley became a "freeman" of the Stationers Company, the guild of London booksellers, on 7 May 1627; he was selected a Warden of the Company on...
and Nicholas Fussell as a translator, with his works including History of the Inquisition (1639, from Italian), Antipathy between the French and the Spaniard (1641, from Spanish), Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1643, from Italian), Chief Events in the Monarchy of Spain in the Year 1639 (1647, from Italian), Considerations upon the Lives of Alcibiades and Coriolanus (1650, from Italian, this and the previous being from works of Virgilio Malvezzi
Virgilio Malvezzi
Virgilio Malvezzi was an Italian historian and essayist, soldier and diplomat, born in Bologna. He became court historian to Philip IV of Spain. He used the anagram-pseudonym Grivilio Vezzalmi.-Life:He fought for the Spanish forces in Flanders....
), Natural and Experimental History of Winds (1652, from the Latin of Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Albans, KC was an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist, author and pioneer of the scientific method. He served both as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England...
), Discourse for the Attaining of the Sciences (1654, from French) Discourse of Constancy (1654, from Latin), and Coralbo (1655, from Italian). Moseley announced the forthcoming publication of The Anatomy of profane love, translated by Gentilis, in August 1655, but it was never published and nothing further is known of Gentilis after this time; as Gentilis referred to his ill-health in his dedication of Coralbo, it is possible that he died before he completed his next work.