Vincenzo de Vit
Encyclopedia
Vincenzo de Vit was an Italian Latin scholar and historian of Ancient Rome
.
He made his studies at Padua, was ordained priest in 1836, in 1844 became librarian of the Academia dei Concordi at Rovigo
and canon of the cathedral. He was thus advancing in the path of ecclesiastical honours, but under the influence of Antonio Rosmini-Serbati
he entered the latter's religious order, known as the Institute of Charity, in Stresa
. He began his revision of Egidio Forcellini
's lexicon in Stresa. Compelled to have recourse to libraries, he went first to Florence
in 1861, and in 1862 to Rome, where he took up his residence, returning to Northern Italy in the summer.
De Vit's idea differed from that of Forcellini and Furlanetto, it being his intention to include in his book all the periods and all the varieties of Latin down to A.D. 568. He likewise gave an exact digest of the authors of the Church Fathers
, and accorded considerable space to inscriptions, which he also treated in special works. His work was a third larger than Furlanetto's edition, which extension compelled him to leave out proper names. The Lexicon totius latinitatis was completed in 1879. De Vit undertook the Onomasticon, which he brought down to the beginning of the letter P. The "Lexicon" allows the restoration of the exact history of each word according to writers and periods.
He also worked on the history of his home town, and published his researches in eight volumes: Il lago maggiore Stresa e le isole Borromeo (Prato, 1875–78); Memorie storiche di Borgomanero e del suo mandamento (1859; 2nd ed., 1880); Adria e le sue antiche epigrafi illustrate (Prato, 1888); La provincia romana dell' Ossola ossia delle Alpe Atreziane (Pratom 1892). All these works were collected in a series of "Opere varie" (11 vols., Prato, 1875–92), which also contains numerous memoirs of antiquity and lexicography
, the best known being Della distinzione tra i Britanni o Brittonnni dell' Isola e i Britanni o Brittonni del continente, (Modena, 1867–72). According to de Vit the name Brittany
was given to Armorica
because some Brython
s had established themselves there in the time of Julius Caesar
, coming from the east bank of the Rhine. These must have been the Britons, while the inhabitants of the island must have been the Britanni. A confusion of names subsequently arose. This theory has not, however, been accepted by scholars. Another dissertation (1873–74 and 1881), concerning the road of the invasion of the Cimbri
, and on the site of the Battle of Aquae Sextiae
, also aroused controversy.
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
.
He made his studies at Padua, was ordained priest in 1836, in 1844 became librarian of the Academia dei Concordi at Rovigo
Rovigo
Rovigo is a town and comune in the Veneto region of North-Eastern Italy, the capital of the eponymous province. -Geography:...
and canon of the cathedral. He was thus advancing in the path of ecclesiastical honours, but under the influence of Antonio Rosmini-Serbati
Antonio Rosmini-Serbati
Blessed Antonio Rosmini-Serbati was an Italian Roman Catholic priest and philosopher. He founded the Rosminians, officially the Institute of Charity or Societas a charitate nuncupata.-Biography:...
he entered the latter's religious order, known as the Institute of Charity, in Stresa
Stresa
Stresa is a town and comune of about 5,000 inhabitants on the shores of the Lago Maggiore in the region of Piedmont, northern Italy; it is situated on the road and rail routes to the Simplon pass, about 90 km north-west of Milan. Since the early 20th century, the main source of income has been the...
. He began his revision of Egidio Forcellini
Egidio Forcellini
Egidio Forcellini , Italian philologist, was born at Fener in the district of Treviso and belonged to a very poor family.He went to the seminary at Padua in 1704, studied under Facciolati, and in due course attained the priesthood. From 1724 to 1730 he held the office of rector of the seminary at...
's lexicon in Stresa. Compelled to have recourse to libraries, he went first to Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
in 1861, and in 1862 to Rome, where he took up his residence, returning to Northern Italy in the summer.
De Vit's idea differed from that of Forcellini and Furlanetto, it being his intention to include in his book all the periods and all the varieties of Latin down to A.D. 568. He likewise gave an exact digest of the authors of the Church Fathers
Church Fathers
The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were early and influential theologians, eminent Christian teachers and great bishops. Their scholarly works were used as a precedent for centuries to come...
, and accorded considerable space to inscriptions, which he also treated in special works. His work was a third larger than Furlanetto's edition, which extension compelled him to leave out proper names. The Lexicon totius latinitatis was completed in 1879. De Vit undertook the Onomasticon, which he brought down to the beginning of the letter P. The "Lexicon" allows the restoration of the exact history of each word according to writers and periods.
He also worked on the history of his home town, and published his researches in eight volumes: Il lago maggiore Stresa e le isole Borromeo (Prato, 1875–78); Memorie storiche di Borgomanero e del suo mandamento (1859; 2nd ed., 1880); Adria e le sue antiche epigrafi illustrate (Prato, 1888); La provincia romana dell' Ossola ossia delle Alpe Atreziane (Pratom 1892). All these works were collected in a series of "Opere varie" (11 vols., Prato, 1875–92), which also contains numerous memoirs of antiquity and lexicography
Lexicography
Lexicography is divided into two related disciplines:*Practical lexicography is the art or craft of compiling, writing and editing dictionaries....
, the best known being Della distinzione tra i Britanni o Brittonnni dell' Isola e i Britanni o Brittonni del continente, (Modena, 1867–72). According to de Vit the name Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
was given to Armorica
Armorica
Armorica or Aremorica is the name given in ancient times to the part of Gaul that includes the Brittany peninsula and the territory between the Seine and Loire rivers, extending inland to an indeterminate point and down the Atlantic coast...
because some Brython
Brython
The Britons were the Celtic people culturally dominating Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Early Middle Ages. They spoke the Insular Celtic language known as British or Brythonic...
s had established themselves there in the time of Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, coming from the east bank of the Rhine. These must have been the Britons, while the inhabitants of the island must have been the Britanni. A confusion of names subsequently arose. This theory has not, however, been accepted by scholars. Another dissertation (1873–74 and 1881), concerning the road of the invasion of the Cimbri
Cimbri
The Cimbri were a tribe from Northern Europe, who, together with the Teutones and the Ambrones threatened the Roman Republic in the late 2nd century BC. The Cimbri were probably Germanic, though some believe them to be of Celtic origin...
, and on the site of the Battle of Aquae Sextiae
Battle of Aquae Sextiae
The Battle of Aquae Sextiae took place in 102 BC. After a string of Roman defeats , the Romans under Gaius Marius finally defeated the Teutones and Ambrones.-The battle:...
, also aroused controversy.