Kaspar von Barth

Kaspar von Barth (1587-1658), German philologist, was born at Küstrin in the province of Brandenburg on the June 21, 1587. He was an extremely precocious child, and was looked upon as a marvel of learning. After studying at Gotha, Eisenach, Wittenberg and Jena, he travelled extensively, visiting most of the countries of Europe. Too independent to accept any regular post, he lived alternately at Halle and on his property at Sellerhausen near Leipzig.

In 1636, his library and manuscripts at Sellerhausen having been destroyed by fire, he moved to the Paulinum at Leipzig, where he died on the September 17, 1658. Barth was a very voluminous writer. Of his writings those considered to be most important are:

• Adversariorum commentariorum in 60 books (Frankfurt 1624, reprinted in 1658), a storehouse of miscellaneous learning, dealing not only with classical but also with medieval and modern writers
• commentaries on Claudian (1650)
• and Statius (1664).