Aquila

Aquila. 1. A Jew born at Pontus in Asia Minor, who with his wife Priscilla was driven out of Rome by the edict of Claudius, and then resided at Corinth. Being tent-makers like Paul, he and his wife entertained the apostle, and afterwards accompanied him to Ephesus (Acts xviii. 18), where they remained.

2. A Greek of Sinope alleged to be a relative of Hadrian, who employed him to build the city AEolia Capitolina on the site of Jerusalem. Here he became a convert to Christianity, but was expelled from the Church for practising astrology. He then turned Jew, and translated the Old Testament into Greek.

3. Caspar, whose German name Adler (eagle) was Latinised for literary purposes, was born at Augsburg in 1488 and entered the Church. He threw himself with ardour into Luther's movement, became a great friend of the reformer, aiding him in the translation of the Bible. In 1550 he was appointed dean of Schmalkald, but ultimately returned to Saalfeld and died there in 1560.