Squarcialupus Marcellus , (Italien, Squarcialupo,) was a native of Piombino, and obtained great celebrity by his singular erudition in the studies connected with the medical profession. He was for a time the companion of Blandrata and Faust Socin ; and was one of the refugees, who, in the sixteenth century, left Italy on account of their religion. He first joined the Reformed Church at Basle ; but afterwards went into Transylvania, under the auspices of Blandrata, obtained a pension from the reigning Prince, and avowed himself an Antitrinitarian. Notwithstanding his eminent attainments, he was a man of choleric temper. Of this he gave ample proof in his controversy with Simon Simonius ; and in a peevish letter, which he addressed to Faust Socin, Sept. 15th, 1581, written in the capital of Transylvania, and printed at the head of that eminent man's correspondence. The object of this letter was to dissuade Socin from entering into any controversies, but such as were absolutely necessary for the interests of the Church ; and to urge upon him the desirableness of being less hasty in publishing what he wrote. He blames Socin in particular for his book against James Palaeologus, which, though published anonymously, was known to be his ; and from the strain of his letter, it is evident, that he deprecated the continuance of the dispute concerning the Invocation of Christ. This letter excited the displeasure of Blandrata ; and Alciati also complained of the bitter spirit in which it was written. Socin replied to it, Nov. 20th of the same year; and defended himself at so much length, that Bock says, his answer was more properly a treatise than an epistle. Dr. Toulmin refers to this answer as an evidence of the writer's patience of reproof ; and the spirit of it certainly affords an admirable contrast to the querulous tone of Squarcialupus's letter, which gave occasion to it. Little is known of the subsequent part of Squarcialupus's history ; and of the time, or circumstances of his death.

Bitter as are the charges, which he brings against Simonius, on account of the fickleness of his opinions, this was a fault, from which he was himself by no means free. At one time he seems to have contemplated a return into the bosom of the Catholic Church ; but whether he left the Antitrinitarian party or not, does not appear. Godfrey Schwartz gives to his controversy with Simonius the name, " Scripta amoebea Squarcialupi et Simonii." The fifth and last pamphlet of the series, written by Squarcialupus, contained a severe attack upon the professions of Simonius, with regard to religion ; and was entitled, "Simonis Simonii Lucensis, primum Romani, tum Calviniani, deinde Lutherani, denuo Romani, semper autem Athei, summa Religio: Authore D. M. S. P. Cracoviae, Typis Alexii Rodecii, 1588," 4to. This pamphlet is now of great rarity, having been rigidly suppressed.

Squarcialupus was an intimate friend of Dudithius, whom he visited in Poland ; and to whom he addressed a learned treatise, in the form of a letter, "On Comets in general, and particularly on that which was seen in the Year 1577." In this treatise he inveighed against the absurd notions of the astrologers respecting these bodies ; discussed the nature, causes and effects of comets ; exposed the opinion of those, who regarded them in any other light than as mere physical phenomena ; and contended, that their nature was unknown at the time at which he wrote. Dudithius sent this little work to his friend, Thomas Erastus, accompanied by a letter, in which he says, that nothing has ever been written on the subject more learned, more accurate, or more elegant, either by the ancients or moderns.

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