Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/77

 A C O S T A. compofed it a few days before his death, after having deter- mined to lay violent hands on himfelf. He executed mis hor- rid refolution, a little after he had failed in his attempt to kill his principal enemy j for the piftol, with which he in- tended to havefhot him as he patted his houfe, having miffed fire, he immediately fhut the door, and fhot himfelf with ano- ther piftol. This happened at Amfterdam, but in what year is not exactly known [cj. [G] It is highly probable that hekill- the Bibliotheque Univerfel!^, that he ablblutiiin, being exafperated at the tiedt- but, according to others, it was in 1640, uicnt he had received. Jt is luppoled in torn. VJ1, p. 327. 4 i ACROPOLITA (GEORGE), oneof the writers in the zantir.e Hiftory. He was born at Conftantinople, in the I22O, and brought up at the court of the emperor John Ducas, at Nice. He ftudied mathematics, poetry, and rhetoric under Theodorus Exapterygus, and learned logic of Nicephorus Blemmidas. In his one-and-twentieth year, he maintained a learned difpute with Nicholas the phyfician concerning the eclipfe of the fun, before the emperor John. He was at length appointed great Jogothete, and employed in the moft import- ant affairs of the empire. John Ducas fent him embafiador to Larifla, to eftablifli a peace with Michael of Epirus. He was alib constituted judge by this emperor, to try Michael Comnenus for a fufpicion of being engaged in a confpiracy. Theodorus Lafcarus, the fon of John, whom he had taught logic, appointed him governor of all the weftern provinces of his empire. When he held this government, in the year 1255, being engaged in a war with Michael Angel us, he was taken prifoner by him. In 1260, he gained his libcity by means of the emperor Palaeologus, who fent hjm embafiador to Con- ftamine prince of Bulgaria. After his return, he applied himfelf wholly to the inftruftion of youth, in which employ- ment he acquitted himfelf with great honour for many years; but being atlaft weary of the fatigue, he refigned it to Holo- bolus. In 1272, he fat as one of the judges upon the caufe- of John Vecchus, Patriarch of Conftantinople. The year following he was fent to pope Gregory, to fettle a peace and t0 m. v. p. reunion between the two churches, which was accordingly 93- p - ris concluded ; and he fwore to it, in the emperor's name, at the *' fecond council of Lvons, in 1274. He was fent embaffador to John prince of Bulgaria in 1282, and died foon after his return, He left behind him feveral works in the Greek tongue.
 * d himfelf foon after the ceremony of his killed himfelf about the year 1647;