Gerolamo Cardano

I was born in Pavia, Italy, September 24, 1501. My mother had attempted to abort me shortly before my illegitimate birth in the public outhouse. (un?)Fortunately for me, my mother, in order to escape the plague, left my three elder siblings to die. In 1525, I repeatedly applied to the College of Physicians in Milan, but was not allowed due to my reputation as an eccentric, confrontational loner, with bad odor, and illegitimate birth. I was notoriously short of money and kept myself solvent by being an accomplished gambler. Around 1560 I wrote a book about occult superstitions and effective cheating methods, as well as a section on imaginary numbers, although I didn't understand their properties. My eldest and favorite son was executed in 1560 after he confessed to poisoning his wife. My other son was a gambler, who stole money from me, so I cropped his ears. I myself was accused of heresy in 1570 because I had computed and published the horoscope of Jesus in 1554. My own son was awarded the position of official torturer for the inquisition, for his contribution to my prosecution. I received a lifetime annuity from Pope Gregory XIII.