Vita clarissimi viri D. Iosiae Simleri Tigurini, S. Theologiae in Schola Tigurina Professoris fidelissimi

If one must also act by authorities, is it not established (to omit innumerable other ancient and recent examples) that Philipp Melanchthon and Simon Grynaeus (the two lights of Germany) were both great theologians and mathematicians? Therefore, those who either entirely spurn these arts or certainly blame and condemn them in a theologian seem to be like both Aristippus and Epicurus, who they say were the bitterest haters and attackers of mathematics, and that Boniface, the bishop of Mainz, who (as Aventinus is witness in the annals of the Boii), when he was ἀγλωττος tongueless/unable to speak, caused Virgilius, the bishop of Salzburg, to be accused of impiety before Utilo, king of the Boii—having obtained letters from Pope Zachary to the king—and to be condemned, because he had said in public that there are antipodes, by the introduction of which he said another Christ was introduced. Therefore, just as the ignorance of that Boniface, which was a great detriment to the other bishop, is deservedly to be condemned and mocked, so on the contrary, Simler's greatness should be reckoned by the fact that he joined mathematics with theological studies, which fact Petrus Ramus, a most serious author, also greatly admired and praised when he was here among us. However, one may taste this knowledge of his to some extent from a few of his lucubrations published to the light. These are the two astronomical books on the principles of Astronomy, which he wrote when he was quite young, vehemently approved by all the most learned men. He also translated from the German language into Latin the description of the five columns of Hans Blum, an excellent architect, with their symmetric distribution; this was the first book he gave to the light. The third kind of writings of our Simler are historical. For he had a breast filled with the knowledge of all kinds of histories, as well sacred as profane. Nor could he only remember the deeds themselves, but also the names of all circumstances—such as places, times, and persons—however barbaric they were (such was his power of memory and singular knowledge of Cosmography), promptly and expeditiously for anyone asking. He was the most acute and studious searcher of antiquities, both domestic and foreign; he could happily read the coins of emperors, which are often dug up from the earth by farmers, as his friends know. I do not wish here, as I did a little while ago about mathematics, to discourse at greater length about the utility, or rather the necessity, of histories in a theologian, since that is manifest enough by itself, even if I were silent. A theologian certainly, to say this briefly, can less commodiously maintain his duty without the knowledge of histories. For there is no reason