Tzemach David-Dittionario novo Hebraico [trilingual lexicon]

POMIS, DAVID DE

Giovanni di Gara

Venice

1587

FIRST EDITION. Arms of Pope Sixtus V on f.2r and heraldic crest of the de Pomis (“Min Hatapuchim”) Family on f.5v (Yaari Printers’ Marks no. 41)

Vinograd, Venice 717; Habermann, di Gara 97a; Adams P-1823

Celebrated Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin and Italian dictionary presenting definitions from Kimche’s Shoroshim, Levita’s Tishbi and Nathan ben Yechiel’s Aruch, within which are numerous historical and scientific observations and discourses. Trained as a medical doctor, de Pomis’s expositions of biblical and talmudic terms comprises a good deal of curious and interesting medieval scientific lore. The introductory pages embody the author’s genealogy and autobiography and recounts the remakable history of the the ancient de Pomis family, brought in chains to Italy from the Land of Israel by Emperor Titus following his annihilation of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 C.E. The work is dedicated to Pope Sextius V, in gratitude for the restoration of the concession permitting Jewish physicians to attend to Christian paitents for the years 1585-90. See C. Roth, The Jews in the Renaissance (1950) pp. 223-25