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Concept
Jacob Anatoli
Summary
Jacob ben Abba Mari ben Simson Anatoli (c. 1194 – 1256) was a translator of Arabic texts to Hebrew. He was invited to Naples by Frederick II. Under this royal patronage, and in association with Michael Scot, Anatoli made Arabic learning accessible to Western readers. Among his most important works were translations of texts by Averroes.
Born in southern France, perhaps in Marseille, Anatoli had an interest in literary activity that was stimulated early by his learned associates and relations at Narbonne and Béziers. He so distinguished himself that the emperor Frederick II, the most genial and enlightened monarch of the time, invited him to come to Naples. Under the emperor's patronage, Antatoli was enabled to devote himself to his studies. He translated scientific Arabic literature into the more accessible Hebrew language. Anatoli produced his most important literary and scientific translations while in Naples, and his works were copied under his name.
Anatoli was the son-in-law (and possibly also the brother-in-law) of Samuel ibn Tibbon, a well-known translator of Maimonides. Moses b. Samuel ibn Tibbon frequently refers to Anatoli as his uncle, which makes it likely that Samuel married Anatoli's sister. Anatoli later married Samuel's daughter. Because of this intimate connection with the ibn Tibbons, Anatoli was introduced to the philosophy of Maimonides. He found study of this man to be such a great revelation that he later referred to it as the beginning of his intelligent and true comprehension of the Scriptures. He also frequently alluded to Ibn Tibbon as one of the two masters who had instructed and inspired him. His esteem for Maimonides knew no bounds: he placed him next to the Prophets, and he exhibited little patience with Maimonides's critics and detractors.
He accordingly interprets the Bible and the Haggadah in a truly Maimonistic spirit, rationalizing the miracles and investing every possible passage in the ancient literature with philosophic and allegoric significance.
Official source
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