Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers

For who does not see how often Philelphus, how often Ambrosius, the interpreter of Diogenes Laertius, blunders? cf. f. 514. 515.

Ambrosius, of the Order of Camaldolese, had progressed so much under Manuel Chrysoloras that he intended to translate the books of Dionysius the Areopagite, as they claim, on the celestial hierarchy, and likewise the history of the Philosophers by Diogenes Laertius; yet he is criticized by Philelphus for not being one who understands the meaning, propriety, difference, and elegance of Greek speech, he sees, therefore, that he hopes for god, he kicks against the pricks altogether?, l. 1. E. 7. & others to Lapus of Florence. Wherefore, in following times, they applied the file to both works; indeed, Joach. Perionius, a Benedictine monk, to the former; and to the latter, Benedictus Brugnolus of Venice, and, closer and more remote from Ambrosius, Adr. Turnebus and J. Sambucus.

— since so many errors in Ambrosius, the interpreter of Diogenes Laertius, have been noted by Erasmus, Robortellus, and us.

The same in Laertius in Greek, even if translated otherwise and contrarily by the interpreter.

In Diogenes Laertius, many things are even now corrupt, concerning both the history, the titles of the books, and the apophthegms.

Ambrosius, the interpreter of Laertius, just as he translates most things carelessly, so Ursini and Sambucus, the correctors of the Plantin edition, did not notice it.