UGDULENA, GREGORIO. - Orientalist, b. at Termini Imerese on 30 Apr. 1815, d. at Rome on 7 June 1872.
In 1843, being already a priest, U. obtained the chair of Hebrew at the University of Palermo. But, for having taken part in the insurrection of 1848, after the Bourbon restoration he was confined (1850) on the island of Favignana, where he began a work of translation and exegesis, namely La S. Scrittura in volgare riscontrata nuovamente con gli originali ed illustrata con breve commento. Having obtained permission to return to Palermo (1856), U. published 2 vols. of it (1859, 1862), comprising the Pentateuch and the books Joshua-Kings. Having enthusiastically resumed political activity, a work so promising from the scientific standpoint was abandoned. U. joined the Garibaldian movement, which appointed him Minister of Public Education in the provisional government of Sicily. After the union with the Kingdom of Italy took place, he was elected deputy. At Florence in 1865 he was appointed professor of Greek at the Institute of Higher Studies; having moved to Rome in 1870, to the teaching of Greek he added that of Hebrew. His decidedly liberal attitude in politics drew him many criticisms from the conservatives, who at that time could not but disapprove of certain positions in a priest. Besides the writings mentioned, U. left not a few speeches and memoirs. Notable among his publications are Biblici textus and G. U. interpretati (Palermo 1843); Sulle monete punico-ricule (ibid. 1857); Discorso pronunciato alla Camera sopra l'elezione dei vescovi (Florence 1871).
Bibliography3 works
Angelo Penna