Prof. Vito Volterra, For.Mem.R.S

Abstract

VITO VOLTERRA, who died on October 11, 1940, was the best known of the many fine mathematicians whom Italy has produced in our time. He knew everybody and went everywhere. He was a member of every academy from Leningrad to Washington. One found him lecturing now at the Sorbonne, now at Princeton, now at Prague and now at Madrid. He was a great personage in Rome for many years, professor at the University, member of the Senate, president of the Lincei; he had his hospitable flat in the Via in Lucina near the Piazza Coloiina, and his Villina Volterra at Ariccia on the Appian Way. But like many another Italian scholar, he failed now and then to see eye to eye with his Government; his family were more incautious than he, and troubles came to them and to him; but he worked on to the ena.