Ambrosi, Anton Maria

AMBROGI, ANTON MARIA. - Jesuit, b. in Firenze on 13 June 1713, d. in Roma on 11 Feb. 1788. A learned and scholarly writer, he taught eloquence and poetry at the Collegio Romano for thirty years, gaining great renown especially for his translation of Virgil’s Opere (the best edition, Roma 1763–65) and of Cicero’s Lettere scelte (Roma 1780), and for the learned and acute glosses with which he wished to accompany them. He also gave great impetus to Jesuit theatre, composing biblical tragedies and translating, adapting them, eight tragedies by Voltaire (Firenze 1752). He is credited with the explanatory work for the collections of the Museo Kirkeriano, now partly in the Museo preistorico-etnografico Pigorini, Musaei Kircheriani in Romano Soc. Jesu Collegio aerea notis illustrata (Roma 1763–65); the work, however, is by Fr. Contuccio Contucci, curator and reorganizer of the Museum; A. probably took part in II.