Amyot, Jacques (Amyot Jacques)

(1513-1593)
He was born in Melun, in a poor family. Learned the Greek language from humanists Dane and Toussaint, thanks to the patronage of Margaret of Navarre became professor of Greek at Bourges, where he taught for about six years, and her brother, King Francis I, gave Amyot in the management of Abbey Bellozan. Charles IX of France brought him to the rank of Grand Omonia (senior cleric in the person of the king), showered many favors, and in 1570 appointed bishop of Auxerre. Henry III made him, in spite of plebeian origin, Commander of the Order of the Holy Spirit. Amyot died Feb. 6, 1593.
His main literary achievement was sufficiently loose translation of Comparative biographies of Plutarch - Lives of famous Greeks and Romans (Les vies des hommes illustres grecs et romaines). This work was completed in 1559, in North's English translation, T. (1579) he was known to Shakespeare. Amyot not only introduced his contemporaries with the great men of antiquity, but also provided invaluable service to the French language, revealing its ability in the transfer of brand new material. Due to the simplicity of style and characteristic Amyot pedantic thoroughness deep antiquity organically entered the warehouse of a spiritual age.