Reiske, Johann Jacob
A celebrated Greek scholar, born at Zörbig, in Saxony, on Christmas Day, 1716. He
was educated at Leipzig, where he gave much attention to the study of the Semitic languages,
especially Arabic, but also took up medicine, graduating as a physician in 1746. In 1758,
after living in great indigence, he secured the rectorship of the Nikolai Gymnasium, an office
which he held till his death, August 14th, 1774. As rector he devoted his attention chiefly to
Hellenic literature, in which he became a recognized authority. His most important published
works are editions of Plutarch (including notes and translation), in 12 vols.
(1782); Dionysius of Halicarnassus, 6 vols.
(1777); of the Greek
orators, in 12 vols.
(1770-75); and of Dio Chrysostom, Libanius, Theocritus, and
Tyrius Maximus; besides his
Animadversiones in Graecos Auctores, in 5 vols.
(1757-66). Some of these works, as the dates show, were published after his
death by his wife, Ernestine Christine Reiske. See his
Autobiography
(1783); and Haupt,
Opuscula, iii. pp. 137 foll.
