Claude Maltret
Encyclopedia
Claude Maltret was a French
Jesuit.
Maltret was born at Puy
. He entered the Society of Jesus
on October 12, 1637. Upon the completion of his studies, he was engaged for eleven years in teaching belles-lettres and rhetoric
and became widely known as a classical scholar. He was then appointed to a professorship in Sacred Scripture, a position which he held for the next nine years.
In 1662, he was made rector of the College of Montauban
. In the following year, he brought out his greatest and best-known work, an edition of the histories of Procopius
, with a critical commentary. This work went through many editions, being edited and augmented with notes by other scholars, and was included in the Synopsis Historiae Byzantinae, published at Venice
. From 1672 to 1674 Father Maltret was rector of the novitiate of Toulouse
, where he died.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
Jesuit.
Maltret was born at Puy
Puy
Puy is a geological term used locally in the Auvergne, France for a volcanic hill. The word derives from the Provencal puech, meaning an isolated hill, coming from Latin podium, which has given also puig in Catalan and poggio in Italian....
. He entered the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
on October 12, 1637. Upon the completion of his studies, he was engaged for eleven years in teaching belles-lettres and rhetoric
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
and became widely known as a classical scholar. He was then appointed to a professorship in Sacred Scripture, a position which he held for the next nine years.
In 1662, he was made rector of the College of Montauban
Montauban
Montauban is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. It is the capital of the department and lies north of Toulouse....
. In the following year, he brought out his greatest and best-known work, an edition of the histories of Procopius
Procopius
Procopius of Caesarea was a prominent Byzantine scholar from Palestine. Accompanying the general Belisarius in the wars of the Emperor Justinian I, he became the principal historian of the 6th century, writing the Wars of Justinian, the Buildings of Justinian and the celebrated Secret History...
, with a critical commentary. This work went through many editions, being edited and augmented with notes by other scholars, and was included in the Synopsis Historiae Byzantinae, published at Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
. From 1672 to 1674 Father Maltret was rector of the novitiate of Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, where he died.
Principal works
His principal works are the following:- Procopii Caesariensis Historiarum Libri VIII.
- Procopii Caesariensis Arcana Historia. Qui est. fiber nonus Historiarum. This is an edition, with critical notes, of the LatinLatinLatin 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...
translation of Procopius, made by Nicolaus Alemannus. In the preface of this work Father Maltret promised a translation, with comments, of a GreekGreek languageGreek 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;...
poem by Paulus Silentiarus entitled: "Descriptio Ecclesiae Santae Sophiae". This translation, however, was never published, and it is not known whether it was ever completed. - Procopii Caesariensis Historiarum sui temporis de bello Gothico libri quatuor.