Gemistus Pletho
Bessarion was one of the most learned scholars of his time. Besides his translations of Aristotle's "Metaphysics" and Xenophon's "Memorabilia", his most important work is a treatise directed against George of Trebizond, a vehement Aristotelian who had written a polemic against Plato, which was entitled "In Calumniatorem Platonis" ("Against the Slanderer of Plato"). Bessarion, though a Platonist, was not so thoroughgoing in his admiration as Gemistus Pletho, and he strove instead to reconcile the two philosophies. His work, by opening up the relations of Platonism to the main questions of religion, contributed greatly to the extension of speculative thought in the department of theology.