Johann Schweighäuser
Encyclopedia
Johann Schweighäuser was a German
classical scholar.
. From an early age his favourite subjects were philosophy
(especially Scottish moral philosophy as represented by John Hutchinson
and Adam Ferguson
) and Oriental languages; Greek
and Latin
he took up later, and although he owes his reputation to his editions of Greek authors, he was always diffident as to his classical attainments. After visiting Paris
, London
and the principal cities of Germany, he became assistant professor of philosophy (1770) at University of Strasbourg
.
When the French Revolution
broke out, he was banished; in 1794 he returned, and after the reorganization of the Academy in 1809 was appointed professor of Greek. He resigned his post in 1824.
(1785), with Latin translation and commentary, and an account of the MSS. On Brunck's recommendation, he had collated an Augsburg MS. of Appian for Samuel Musgrave
, who was preparing an edition of that author, and after Musgrave's death he felt it a duty to complete it. His Polybius
, with translation, notes and special lexicon, appeared in 1789-1795. But his chief work is his edition of Athenaeus
(1801–1807), in fourteen volumes, one of the Bipont editions. According to Paul Louis Courier
, this edition is a great progress on the one of Isaac Casaubon
, which was two centuries old at the time. His Herodotus
(1816; lexicon, 1824) is less successful; he depends too much on earlier editions and inferior MSS., and lacks the finer scholarship necessary in dealing with such an author. Mention may also be made of his Enchiridion of Epictetus
and Tabula
of Cebes
(1798), which appeared at the time when the doctrines of the Stoic
s were fashionable; the letters of Seneca
to Lucilius
(1809); corrections and notes to Suidas (1789); some moral philosophy essays. His minor works are collected in his Opuscida academica (1806).
, was also a distinguished scholar and archaeologist.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
classical scholar.
Biography
He was born at StrasbourgStrasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
. From an early age his favourite subjects were philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
(especially Scottish moral philosophy as represented by John Hutchinson
John Hutchinson (writer)
John Hutchinson was an English theological writer.He was born at Spennithorne, Yorkshire, and served as steward in several families of position, latterly in that of the Duke of Somerset, who ultimately obtained for him the post of riding purveyor to the master of the horse, a sinecure worth about...
and Adam Ferguson
Adam Ferguson
Adam Ferguson FRSE, also known as Ferguson of Raith was a Scottish philosopher, social scientist and historian of the Scottish Enlightenment...
) and Oriental languages; Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
he took up later, and although he owes his reputation to his editions of Greek authors, he was always diffident as to his classical attainments. After visiting Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and the principal cities of Germany, he became assistant professor of philosophy (1770) at University of Strasbourg
University of Strasbourg
The University of Strasbourg in Strasbourg, Alsace, France, is the largest university in France, with about 43,000 students and over 4,000 researchers....
.
When the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
broke out, he was banished; in 1794 he returned, and after the reorganization of the Academy in 1809 was appointed professor of Greek. He resigned his post in 1824.
Works
Schweighäuser's first important work was his edition of AppianAppian
Appian of Alexandria was a Roman historian of Greek ethnicity who flourished during the reigns of Trajan, Hadrian, and Antoninus Pius.He was born ca. 95 in Alexandria. He tells us that, after having filled the chief offices in the province of Egypt, he went to Rome ca. 120, where he practised as...
(1785), with Latin translation and commentary, and an account of the MSS. On Brunck's recommendation, he had collated an Augsburg MS. of Appian for Samuel Musgrave
Samuel Musgrave
Samuel Musgrave, FRS was an English classical scholar and physician.Musgrave was born at Washfield in Devon, and was educated at the University of Oxford. There he was elected to a Radcliffe travelling fellowship, and he spent several years abroad...
, who was preparing an edition of that author, and after Musgrave's death he felt it a duty to complete it. His Polybius
Polybius
Polybius , Greek ) was a Greek historian of the Hellenistic Period noted for his work, The Histories, which covered the period of 220–146 BC in detail. The work describes in part the rise of the Roman Republic and its gradual domination over Greece...
, with translation, notes and special lexicon, appeared in 1789-1795. But his chief work is his edition of Athenaeus
Athenaeus
Athenaeus , of Naucratis in Egypt, Greek rhetorician and grammarian, flourished about the end of the 2nd and beginning of the 3rd century AD...
(1801–1807), in fourteen volumes, one of the Bipont editions. According to Paul Louis Courier
Paul Louis Courier
Paul Louis Courier , French Hellenist and political writer, was born in Paris.Brought up on his father's estate of Méré in Touraine, he conceived a bitter aversion for the nobility, which seemed to strengthen with time. He would never take the name "de Méré", to which he was entitled, lest he...
, this edition is a great progress on the one of Isaac Casaubon
Isaac Casaubon
Isaac Casaubon was a classical scholar and philologist, first in France and then later in England, regarded by many of his time as the most learned in Europe.-Early life:...
, which was two centuries old at the time. His Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
(1816; lexicon, 1824) is less successful; he depends too much on earlier editions and inferior MSS., and lacks the finer scholarship necessary in dealing with such an author. Mention may also be made of his Enchiridion of Epictetus
Enchiridion of Epictetus
The Enchiridion, or Handbook of Epictetus, , often shortened to simply "The Handbook", is a short manual of Stoic ethical advice compiled by Arrian, who had been a pupil of Epictetus at the beginning of the 2nd century....
and Tabula
Tabula
Tabula was a board game in the tables family, and is generally thought to be the direct ancestor of modern backgammon.The earliest description of tabula is in an epigram of Byzantine Emperor Zeno , given by Agathias of Myrine , who describes a game in which Zeno goes from a strong position to a...
of Cebes
Cebes
Cebes of Thebes was a disciple of Socrates in the late 5th-century BCE. One work, known as the Pinax or Tabula, attributed to Cebes still survives, but it is believed to be a composition by an anonymous author of the 1st or 2nd century....
(1798), which appeared at the time when the doctrines of the Stoic
STOIC
STOIC was a variant of Forth.It started out at the MIT and Harvard Biomedical Engineering Centre in Boston, and was written in the mid 1970s by Jonathan Sachs...
s were fashionable; the letters of Seneca
Seneca the Younger
Lucius Annaeus Seneca was a Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, dramatist, and in one work humorist, of the Silver Age of Latin literature. He was tutor and later advisor to emperor Nero...
to Lucilius
Lucilius
Lucilius is the nomen of the gens Lucilia of ancient Rome.*Gaius Lucilius, satirist 2nd century BC. Lucilius was credited by Horace and others with originating the genre of satire.*Lucilius Junior, friend and correspondent of the younger Seneca....
(1809); corrections and notes to Suidas (1789); some moral philosophy essays. His minor works are collected in his Opuscida academica (1806).
Family
His son, Johann GottfriedJohann Gottfried Schweighauser
Johann Gottfried Schweighauser , son of the classicist Johann Schweighauser was also a distinguished scholar and archaeologist, joint-author with M. Golbéry of Antiquités de l'Alsace ....
, was also a distinguished scholar and archaeologist.