In acquiring the Oriental languages, then cultivated at Florence, he displayed unwonted quicksightedness, ease and penetration. His genius, industry and erudition won him influential friends, among them the Cardinals de'Medici, subsequently popes Leo X and Clement VII.
He was exceptionally adept at acquiring Oriental languages, cultivated in Florence. This talent, coupled with his industriousness and extensive knowledge, led to him gaining the support of influential individuals, including the Cardinals de'Medici, who would later become popes Leo X and Clement VII.