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Astorini, Ella

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Astori, Giovanni Antonio

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an Italian theologian, was born at Calabria in 1651. He took holy orders at the age of sixteen years, and devoted himself with ardor to the study of philosophy; and with so much zeal did he propagate the new doctrine throughout the kingdom of Naples that he was accused of magic. Fortunately for him, the Inquisition decided to spare him on account of his learning. In order that he might not further expose himself, he resorted to Zurich; then to Basle; next to Marburg, where he was appointed vice- chancellor of the university. He then went to Groningen, where he was made doctor of medicine in 1686, and taught mathematics. The religious wars which were waged in the Low Countries cooled his ardor for the principles of Protestantism, and he returned to his Church. He went to Hamburg, and procured a safe conduct from the Inquisition at Rome. Having arrived at the capital of the Christian world, he was made general preacher at Pisa. In 1690 he became professor of mathematics at Sienna, and there founded the academy of the Fisiocritici. He then returned to his monastery at Cosenza, where he was appointed general commissary. But his philosophical ideas made for him a good many enemies. He quitted Cosenza, and died, April 4, 1702, at Terra Nova di Tarsia. He wrote, De Vitali Economia Feetus in Utero (Groningen, 1686):-Elementa Euclidis, ad Usumn Novce Academice Nobilium Senensium, Nova Methodo et Compendiaria Demonstrata (Sienna, 1791; Naples, 1791):-Prodromus Apologeticus de Potestate S. Sedis Apostolicce (Sienna, 1793): - De Vera Ecclesia Jesu Christi contra Lutheranos et Calvinianos (Naples, 1700). See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.