Pomis, David De

Pomis, David de a Jewish savant of note, was born in 1525 at Spoleto, of the celebrated family called in Hebrew התפוחים, which, like the families הנערים מן and הנעוים, traced their origin to those Jews who were led into captivity after the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus and Vespasian. His father gave him his first instruction, initiating him in all the cycle of Biblical and Talmudic lore in Mecenia. After his father's death De Pomis studied medicine, and greatly distinguished himself in that department. In 1545 he went to Perugia, where he remained till 1552, prosecuting his studies in medicine, philosophy, and philology. He then entered into official service at Maghaus in Sabionetta till 1555; became physician to count Nicolo Ursino (1555-1560), and to prince Sforza (1560-1563); went to Rome, and then to Venice, where he died. Of De Pomis we have the following works: צמח דוד, i.e. The Offspring of David, a Hebrew and Talmudic Lexicon in Hebrew, Latin, and Italian (Ven. 1587), dedicated to Sixtus V: — קהלת, an Italian commentary on Ecclesiastes (ibid. 1571): — Discorso a l'humana misera, etc., being a supplement to the commentary on Ecclesiastes (ibid. 1572): — a commentary on Job an a commentary on Daniel, which are still in MS. See Fürst, Bibl. Jud. 3, 111 sq.; Basnage, Hist. des JuiJs (Engl. transl. by Taylor), p. 724; Kitto, Cyclop. s.v.; Jahrbuch der Gesch. d. Juden, 2, 359; De Rossi, Dizionario storico degli Autori Ebrei (Germ. transl. by Hamberger), p. 266 sq.; Acosta, Israel and the Gentiles, p. 487; Etheridge, Hebrew Literature, p. 454. (B. P.)