BESSARION, Johannes, titular patriarch of Constantinople, and one of the illustrious Greek scholars who contributed to the great revival of letters in the 15th century, was born at Trebizond in 1389, or, according to others, in 1395. In 1423 he entered the order of St Basil, and studied under the celebrated Platonic scholar, George Gemistus Pletho. In 1437 he was made archbishop of Nicaea by John Palaeologus, whom he accompanied to Italy in order to bring about a union between the Greek and Latin Churches. At the councils held in Ferrara and Florence Bessarion supported the Roman Church, and gained the favour of Pope Eugenius, who invested him with the rank of cardinal From that time he resided permanently in Italy, doing much, by his patronage of learned men, by his collection of books and manuscripts, and by his own writings, to spread abroad the new learning. He held in succession the archbishopric of Siponto and the bishoprics of Sabina and Tusculum. In 1463 he received the title of patriarch of Constantinople; and it was only on account of his Greek birth that he was not elevated to the Papal chair. For five years he was legate at Bologna, and he was engaged on embassies to many foreign princes, among others to Louis XI. of France in 1471. Vexation at an insult offered him by Louis is said to have hastened his death, which took place, on the 19th November 1472, at Ravenna. Bessarion was one of the most learned scholars of his time. Besides his translations of Aristotle’s Metaphysics and of Xenophon’s Memorabilia, his most important work is a treatise directed against George of Trebizond, a violent Aristotelian, and entitled In Calumniatorem Platonis. . Bessarion, though a Platonist, is not so thoroughgoing in his admiration as Pletho, and rather strives after a ...