Gesner, Johann Matthias
A German classical scholar, born at Roth, April 9th, 1691. He studied philology at the
University of Jena, and after receiving his degree became librarian at Weimar
(1715), afterwards filling the offices of Rector of the Gymnasium at Ansbach
(1729), and Rector of the Thomas School at Leipzig
(1730). At the
Thomas School he had for his colleagues Ernesti and Johann Sebastian Bach. When the University
of Göttingen was founded, he was called to the chair of Rhetoric in that institution,
acting also as librarian. He died at Göttingen, August 3d, 1761.
His published works include an edition of the
Philopatris ascribed to Lucian
(1714), of the
Scriptores Rei Rusticae (2d ed.
1773), of Quintilian
(1738), of Claudian
(1759), of the
younger Pliny
(2d ed. 1770), of Horace
(2d ed. 1772), and of the
Orphic Hymns; besides a
Novus Linguae et Eruditionis Romanae Thesaurus. See
Ernesti, Opuscula Oratoria (1762); and
Göttinger Professoren (1872).
