LUDOLPHUS, JOB (the Latinised form of his real name LINITIIOLF), was born at Erfurt, the 15th of June 1624, and was educated at the University of Leyden, where he principally studied jurisprudence and the Oriental languages. After leaving Leyden, be remained for some time in Paris as tutor to the sons of the Swedish ambassador. In 1652 he removed to the court of the Duke of Saxe-Gotha, in order to superintend the education of the duke's children. During the latter part of his life he resided at Frankfurt•ou-the-Main, where he died on the 8th of April, 1704.
Ludolphus was one of the most eminent Oriental scholars of his age, and appears to have been the first European who acquired a knowledge of the Ethiopic language, which he learnt with the assist ance of a native of Abyssinia. He published at London, in 1661, a dictionary and grammar of this language ; but a much improved edition of the dictionary appeared at Frankfurt in 1698, and of the grammar in 1702. Ludolphus also paid great attention to the
Amharic language, of which he published a dictionary and grammar in 1693.
The most important of Ludolphus's other works are Historia iEthiopica, sive Descriptio Regni Habessinorum, quod vialgo male Presbyteri Johannis vocatur,' Frankfurt, 1631; 'Acl Historiarn ./Ethio picam Commentarius,' Frankfurt, 1691 (there is an English edition of the History of Ethiopia '); 'Relatio Nova de hodiemo Habessinim states ex India nuper allata,' Frankfurt, 1693; 'Appendix Secuuda ad Historiam Athiopicam, continena Dissertationem de Locustis,' Frank furt, 1694 ; Epistola /Ethiopice ad universam Habessinorum geutem scripta,' Frankfurt, I633; Epistolm Samaritanm Sichemitarum ad Ludolphum,' with a Latin translation and notes, 1633; and a transla tion of the Psalms into Ethiopic, Frankfurt, 1701.