CASTELLIO, or, as he called himself, CAS TALIO, (CHATEILLON) SEBASTIAN, was born in Savoy or Dauphine, in 1515. He first studied at Lyons, then at Strasburg, where he lived in the same house with Calvin. When the latter re turned to Geneva, Castalio got the situation of teacher in a school there through his influence. He soon spewed, however, independent thought and inquiry—not agreeing with the Geneva cate chism about Christ's descent into hell, nor with Calvin's doctrine of election. Here he began to translate the Bible into Latin and French ; but Calvin did not like many parts of the work. He was obliged to leave Geneva, having been refused admission into the ministry, and repaired to Basel, where he had to contend with poverty, till a pro fessorship of Greek was conferred upon him in 1553. He was involved in controversy with Beza; and with his colleague Borrhaus about predestina tion. In consequence of complaints from various quarters, he Was cautioned by the Basel council to confine himself to the duties of his office. His death took place on 23d December 1563. His principal work is the Latin translation of the Bible, Biblia Veteris et Novi Y'estamenti ex versione Sebast.
Castalionis, cunt ejusdem annotationibus, Basil, 1551, folio ; which was reprinted several times. He also published a French translation of the Bible, Basil, 1555 ; Dialogi 4 de pradestinatione, electione, libero arbitrio, et fide, 157S ; Defensio snaruin translationum Bibliorunt et maxinze N. T., 1562. He edited Theologia Cennanica, 1557 ; and Thomas a Kenzpis, 1563, besides several of the ancient classics. Castellio was an elegant Latin scholar, as his version of the Bible attests. The language is Ciceronian and polished. It loses, however, on this very account, much of the strength belonging to the original. His spirit was tolerant, benevolent, independent, as the dedication to his Bible and the anonymous work written against Calvin respecting the persecution of Servetus, shew. Beza accused him of Pelagianism and laxity in his religious belief ; for which there was ground, if the stand-point of Calvinism be taken as the criterion. But Castellio was liberal and enlightened beyond his day.—S. D.