After studying at the university of his native town, where he profited by the instruction of G Hermann, he was appointed in 1835 to the lectureship in Latin at the orphan school at Halle. After holding posts at Neustrelitz, Berlin and Cassel, he succeeded (1842) KF Hermann as professor of classical literature at Marburg. In 1852 he went to Freiburg, and in 1857 returned to Halle.
In 1868 he resigned his professorship, and settled down to study and literary work in Bonn. He died on July 20 1881, at Ragatz in Switzerland, where he had gone for the benefit of his health.
Bergk's literary activity was very great, but his reputation mainly rests upon his work in connexion with Greek literature and the Greek lyric poets. His Poetae Lyrici Graeci (1843), and Griechische Litteraturgeschichte (1872—1887) completed by G Hinrichs and R Peppmfiller) are standard works.
He also edited Anacreon (1834), the fragments of Aristophanes (1840), Aristophanes (3rd ed., 1872), Sophocles (2nd ed., 1868), a lyric anthology (4th ed., 1890). Among his other works may be mentioned: Augusti Rerum a se gestarum Index (1873); Inschriften römischer Schleudergeschosse (1876); Zur Geschichte und Topographie der Rheinlande in römischer Zeit (1882); Beitrage zur romischen Chronologie (1884).
His Kleine philologische Schriften have been edited by Peppmuller (1884-1886), and contain, in addition to a complete list of his writings, a sketch of his life.
This entry was originally from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.