[Footnote 124: In the place just cited. The temptation, at this epoch of discovery, when criticism was at a low ebb, and curiosity was frantic, to pass off forgeries upon the learned world must have been very great. The most curious example of this literary deception is afforded by Annius of Viterbo, who, in 1498, published seventeen books of spurious histories, pretending to be the lost works of Manetho, Berosus, Fabius Pictor, Archilochus, Cato, &c. Whether he was himself an impostor or a dupe is doubtful. A few of his contemporaries denounced the histories as patent fabrications. The majority accepted them as genuine. Their worthlessness has long been undisputed. See Tiraboschi, vol. vi. lib. iii. cap. 1.] CHAPTER IV SECOND PERIOD OF HUMANISM Intricacy of the Subject -- Division into Four Periods -- Place of Florence -- Social Conditions favourable to Culture -- Palla degli Strozzi -- His Encouragement of Greek Studies -- Plan of a Public Library -- His Exile -- Cosimo de' Medici -- His Patronage of Learning -- Political Character -- Love of Building -- Generosity to Students -- Foundation of Libraries -- Vespasiano and Thomas of Sarzana -- Niccolo de' Niccoli -- His Collection of Codices -- Description of his Mode of Life -- His Fame as a Latinist -- Lionardo Bruni -- His Biography -- Translations from the Greek -- Latin Treatises and Histories -- His Burial in Santa Croce -- Carlo Aretino -- Fame as a Lecturer -- The Florentine Chancery -- Matteo Palmieri -- Giannozzo Manetti -- His Hebrew Studies -- His Public Career -- His Eloquence -- Manetti ruined by the Medici -- His Life in Exile at Naples -- Estimate of his Talents -- Ambrogio Traversari -- Study of Greek Fathers -- General of the Camaldolese Order -- Humanism and Monasticism -- The Council of Florence -- Florentine Opinion about the Greeks -- Gemistus Pletho -- His Life -- His Philosophy -- His Influence at Florence -- Cosimo de' Medici and the Florentine Academy -- Study of Plato -- Pletho's Writings -- Platonists and Aristotelians in Italy and Greece -- Bessarion -- His Patronage of Greek Refugees in Rome -- Humanism in the Smaller Republics -- In Venice.