Calvin, whose exalted soul was attracted by all that is beautiful, became attached to this distinguished professor. His father had sent him to study civil law; but Wolmar 'solicited him to devote himself to a knowledge of the Greek classics.' At first Calvin hesitated, but yielded at last. 'I will study Greek,' he said, 'but as it is you that urge me, you also must assist me.' Melchior answered that he was ready to devote to him abundantly, not only his instruction, but his person, his life, himself.[28] From that time Calvin made the most rapid progress in Greek literature. The professor loved him above all his pupils.[29] In this way he was placed in a condition to become the most illustrious commentator of Scripture. 'His knowledge of Greek,' adds Beza, 'was of great service to all the Church of God.' What Cordier had been to him for Latin, Wolmar was for Greek. [Footnote 1: 'Jurisconsultorum Gallorum princeps.'—Bezæ _Vita Calvini_.] [Footnote 2: 'Jam dedisti nomen inter rei litterariæ professores.'— Calvinus Chemino, Berne MSS. This letter will be found in the _Letters of John Calvin_, published in English at Philadelphia, by the learned Dr. Jules Bonnet, to whom I am indebted for the communication of the Latin manuscripts.] [Footnote 3: 'In ea natus es dexteritate, quæ nihil imprudenter præjudicare soleat.'—Calvinus Chemino.] [Footnote 4: 'Mi Chemine! amice mi! mea vita charior!'—Calvinus Chemino.] [Footnote 5: 'Vide ne desidem te faciat tuus pudor!'—Ibid.] [Footnote 6: Le Maire, _Antiquités d'Orléans_, i. p. 388.—_Theod. Beza_ von Baum, i. p. 27.] [Footnote 7: 'Ille quasi stella matutina in medio nebulæ et quasi sol refulgens emicuit.'—Bimbenet, _Histoire de l'Université des Lois d'Orléans_, p. 357.] [Footnote 8: Ibid. pp. 354-357.] [Footnote 9: 'Hæretici divina primum vindicta, post etiam ... ultione plectendi.'—_Justiniani Codicis_ lib. i. tit. i.: _De summa Trinitate, et ut nemo de ea publice contradicere audeat_.] [Footnote 10: 'Publicum crimen, quia quod in religionem divinam committitur in omnium fertur injuriam.'—Ibid. tit. v.: _De Hæreticis_.] [Footnote 11: The Justinian code dates from 529 A.D., just a thousand years before the time of Calvin's studies; but the greater part of the laws contained in it were of older date.] [Footnote 12: Bimbenet, _Hist. de l'Univ. des Lois d'Orléans_, p. 30.] [Footnote 13: Bimbenet, _Hist. de l'Univ. d'Orléans_, p. 358. The prefecture now occupies the site of Bonne Nouvelle.] [Footnote 14: Ibid. pp. 40, 41, 51, 52, 358.] [Footnote 15: This _maille_ was probably the gold florin of Florence. The _giglio fiorentino_ is the badge of this city, and John the Baptist its patron. 'La lega suggellata del Batista,' says Dante in the _Inferno_, xxx. 74.] [Footnote 16: M. Bimbenet, chief greffier to the Imperial Court of Orleans, gives this tradition in his _Hist. de l'Univ. d'Orléans_, pp. 161, 162, 179-358.] [Footnote 17: _Hist. de l'Univ. d'Orléans_, pp. 173, 176, 179.]