AGELLI (Ajelli, Agellius), ANTONIO. - Theatine biblical scholar, b. at Sorrento in 1532, d. at Rome on 19 Nov. 1608. Having entered the Theatine Clerics Regular of S. Paolo Maggiore in Naples in 1551, he devoted himself to the study of the biblical languages in Rome, under the patronage of the future card. Sirleto. He was superior of the Theatine house at Genoa from 1572 and at Cremona from 1579. An active member of the various pontifical commissions on the biblical text, he collaborated in the revision of the Vulgate under St. Pius V, in the edition of the Greek version of the Septuagint prepared by Sixtus V, and then again in the revision of the Vulgate up to the Clementine edition of 1592. Appointed bishop of Acerno by Clement VIII in 1593, after governing zealously he resigned in 1604, in order to devote himself to his studies among his confrères in Rome (at S. Silvestro al Quirinale).
The principal biblical works of A., written in good Latin, are: Commentarius in Threnos collectus ex auctoribus graecis et in eosdem explicatio et catena graecorum Patrum ex eiusdem versione, Rome 1598; Commentarius in Psalmos et Cantica, Rome 1606 (this is his major work). Published posthumously were: Comm. in Proverbia Salomonis, Verona 1649; Commentarius in prophetam Habacus, Antwerp 1697. Other works of his have remained in manuscript.