LASCARIS, CoNsTANTIxE, a celebrated Greek refugee, after the capture of Constan tinople by the Turks, and one of the first founders of Greek studies in the west. He was received with distinction by Francesco Sforza, duke of Milan, in 1454, who intrusted to him the education of his daughter Hippolyta; but more important scene of his labors was where he settled in the train of the learned Greek cardinal, Bessarion, and, finally, Naples and :Messina, where lie taught rhetoric and Greek letters until his •death in 1493. His Greek grammar, entitled Brotemata, and dated 1476, is the earliest 'stinted Greek book. To him his contemporaries were also indebted for several other elementary Greek books of less note. His grammar is known chiefly through a Latin translation printed at the Aldine press, and frequently reprinted. Ills library, which is very valuable, is now in the Escurial.—Jourc JANUS LASCARIS, a. member of the sense
family, surnamed RDYNDACENUS, has also acquired a place in the history of the revival of letters. He was one of those whom Lorenzo de' Medici employed in the collection of ancient, and especially Greek classical authors, of whom Lascaris brought home a vain .able collection from Mt. Athos. On the death of Lorenzo, Lascaris went to Paris, where Ile taught Greek under Charles VIII. and Louis XII. ; but he eventually settled in Rome, where lie was appointed by Leo X. to the superintendence of the Greek press which that pontiff established. Lascaris edited several of the editiones principes at the Roman press. lle was employed as ambassador at the court of Francis I., and afterwards at Venice, and died in Rome, at a very great age, in 1535. See Villemain's Lasearis, on les Gree8 41a 15"" Sieele (Paris, 1825).