1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Patrizzi, Francesco

PATRIZZI, FRANCESCO (1520-1597), Italian philosopher and scientist, was born at Clissa, in Dalmatia, and died in Rome. He gained the patronage of the bishop of Cyprus, who brought him to Venice, where his abilities were immediately recognized by his appointment to the chair of philosophy at Ferrara. He was subsequently invited to Rome by Clement VIII. In spite of his almost incessant controversies with the Aristotelians, he found time to make a comprehensive study of contemporary science. He published in 15 books a treatise on the New Geometry (1587), and works on history, rhetoric and the art of war. He studied ancient theories of music, and is said to have invented the thirteen-syllable verse known subsequently as versi martelliani. In his philosophy he was mainly concerned to defend Plato against the followers of Aristotle.