Henri Valois

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Henri Valois ( Henricus Valesius ; born September 10, 1603 in Paris , † May 7, 1676 ibid) was a French philologist and historian . His critical editions of late antique Greek church historians were important , to which he added Latin translations and extensive commentaries. They represented a considerable improvement on the editions that already existed at the time and remained relevant into the 20th century.

Life

The most important source for the biography of Henri Valois is the vita that was written down by his younger brother Adrien Valois (1607-1692) and first published in Paris in 1677 as an appendix to a reprint of the Latin translations of ancient church histories written by Henri Valois. The modern portrayals of Valois' life largely depend on this biography.

Henri Valois came from a nearby Bayeux and Lisieux resident Norman noble family. His grandfather achieved a certain wealth through trading ventures in Paris. Valois studied with the Jesuits first in Verdun and then at the Collège de Clermont in Paris, where he received rhetoric lessons from Denis Pétau . From 1622 to 1624 he studied law in Bourges and then returned to Paris, where he worked as a lawyer for seven years, according to his father's wishes, but against his own inclination. After regaining his freedom, he resumed the studies of classical ancient works, which he was particularly interested in.

Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc had acquired a manuscript in Cyprus from the collection of the Byzantine emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos on virtue and vice. From this manuscript, Valois excerpted numerous previously unknown fragments of ancient Greek historians and published them under the title Polybii , Diodori Siculi … Nicolai Damasceni , Dionysii Halicarnassii , Appiani , Alexandri , Dionis et Ioannis Antiocheni excerpta (1634). He also published the historical work of Ammianus Marcellinus under the title Ammiani Marcellini rerum gestarum libri XVIII (1636) with a detailed annotation apparatus . In this edition he also included an excerpt from two anonymous ancient histories in Latin, which was named after him Anonymus Valesianus . In 1681 his brother Adrien published a new edition of this edition.

In 1650, the French assembly of clergymen commissioned Valois to publish the works of ancient church historians after the Archbishop of Toulouse, Charles de Montchal , had to postpone this task. Thereupon Valois edited Eusebius' church history as well as his Vita and Panegyrikus of Constantine and Constantine speech in the assembly ( Eusebii Pamphili ecclesiasticae historiae libri decem. Ejusdem de Vita imp. Constantini libri IV, quibus subjicitur Oratio Constantini ad sanctos E et Panegiiyricus , 1659). A new Latin translation, scholarly notes, and four dissertations on Donatism , Anastasius, the Septuagint, and the Roman Martyrology have been added to the text . In 1668 Valois presented an edition of the church histories of Socrates Scholastikos and Sozomenos under the title Socratis Scholastici et Hermiae Sozomeni historia ecclesiastica . In 1673 he published his edition of corresponding works by Theodoret , Euagrios Scholastikos and the excerpts from Philostorgios and Theodorus Lector : Theodoriti, ... et Evagrii Scholastici Historia ecclesiastica. Item excerpta ex historiis Philostorgii et Theodori Lectoris .

At first Valois had only the modest means left by his father at his disposal, but later he received pensions from the President de Mesmes, the French clergy, Cardinal Mazarin and King Louis XIV. These financial contributions ensured him the leisure he needed for his work and the support of an assistant, since his eyesight was impaired and in 1637 he could no longer see anything with his right eye. In 1662 he underwent a star operation, which was only successful in one eye. At the age of 60, he married the young Marguerite Chesneau in 1664, with whom he had four sons and three daughters.

Valois's achievement in the field of classical studies was significant, although his manuscripts were often inadequate. His criticism was mostly accurate, and his comments are excellent testimony to French scholarship of the 17th century. Valois was in contact with the most important scholars of his time, but always reserved his freedom of judgment. He wrote the eulogies for Jacques Sirmond , Pierre Depuy and Denis Pétau . He also wrote occasional Latin poems. He died in Paris in 1676 at the age of 72.

literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ a b Martin Wallraff : The Church historian Socrates . Studies on the representation of history, method and person , 1997, p. 15 .
  2. ↑ Martin Wallraff: The church historian Socrates. Studies on the representation of history, method and person , 1997, p. 14 f., Note 14.
  3. ^ A b c d e Paul Lejay: Valois, Henri , in: Catholic Encyclopedia . 1st edition, Vol. 15 (1912), p. 263 f.
  4. ^ Valois, Henri de , in: Encyclopædia Britannica , 11th edition 1910-11, Vol. 27, p. 865.
personal data
SURNAME Valois, Henri
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Valesius, Henricus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French philologist and historian
DATE OF BIRTH September 10, 1603
PLACE OF BIRTH Paris
DATE OF DEATH May 7, 1676
Place of death Paris