DE FERRARIIS, ANTONIO. – Catholic priest of the Greek rite, known as il Galateo, because he was born at Galatone (Otranto) in 1444. At Naples he attended the Pontanian Academy and, from 1490, was court physician to the Aragonese. He died at Gallipoli on 12 November 1517, leaving more than 60 pamphlets on various subjects.
He based his philosophical thought on faith in transcendence: he informed metaphysics, logic, and ethics with that concept of Providence, which he reaffirmed in the Esposizione del Pater Noster (1504), his only work in the vernacular. In addition to the De educatione, he wrote medical pamphlets in which he sought to de-Arabize medical culture. The publication of a harsh polemical pamphlet, Heremita (1496), caused a great commotion; in it, De F. failed to distinguish clearly between the Church as an institution and the conduct of some of its members. Among his moral writings are remembered: De gloria contemnenda and De inconstantia humani animi.
PEDAGOGY. - The treatise De educatione, written between 1504 and 1505, is addressed to the Pontanian academician Crisostomo Colonna, tutor of Ferdinando, firstborn son of Federico, king of Naples.
De F. would have the education of the young prince entirely imbued with a lofty and sincere spirit of Italian identity. He therefore outlines an ideal programme for the education of the prince in perfect accord with the finest Italian classical and Christian tradition alike. There is something in De F. that brings him close to his great contemporary Machiavelli: the same aversion to the barbarian invaders of the homeland and the same desire to see it free of them. In its first part, De educatione deals chiefly with education among the ancients, while displaying the highest admiration for that of the Greeks and Romans, as well as for that of the ancient Italians, who were sober, active, and fond of Latin and Greek letters, music, physical exercises, and hunting. The education of the young man, he continues, should be simple and always inspired by truth, because «nihil homine indignus quam mentiri et simulare». Let him read the poets, historians, philosophers, jurists, and theologians; let him also work and toil: work should «cibum antecedat et mane et vespere», because «nemo est melior coquus quam labor». Frugality and exercise are the best path to holiness. The young man should also be religious; he should not associate frequently with women, among whom «non modo remittitur, sed extinguitur, igniculus animi adulescentium». Let him flee gambling, whether cards or chess, as though it were the plague. Let him rather enjoy the exercise of hunting, «quae imaginem quandam habet rei bellicae». Let him then read the deeds of heroes and follow the example of his elders; through letters he learns natural history and moral philosophy. De F., in accordance with the humanist conception, exalts man as a rational being; indeed, in his De nobilitate et distinctione humani generis he says that it is the mind alone that distinguishes us from the beasts; certainly, the more outstanding we are in this respect, the more we partake of true humanity. In De dignitate disciplinarum he extols the nobility and study of letters. As an Italian in spirit, De F. advocates an entirely Italian education also because he believes that through it and by means of it he can restore to Italy the ancient worth insulted and violated by foreign domination. With regard to the education of women, De F. displays a somewhat limited outlook. In a letter to Bona Sforza he outlines a programme of education suited rather to the education of a man; it may serve Bona, who is a princess and was therefore born to command; but woman, ordinarily, «è nata a far la lana, a trattare conocchie e fusi». Even if she must not remain ignorant, a woman must not experience «quanto è fuori la soglia di casa». In agreement with the humanist educators, De F. also wished music to be cultivated, but manly and vigorous music, not effeminate, languid, and mournful music.