Martianay, Jean

Martianay, Jean a learned Benedictine of St. Maur, was born at St. Sever Calp in the diocese of Aire, Dec. 30, 1647. In 1667 he entered the convent of La Daurade, at Toulouse. He now applied himself with great zeal to the study of Oriental languages and Biblical literature, both of which he afterwards taught in colleges of his order. During his residence at Bordeaux he wrote a work against the chronological system of Pezron, which attracted the notice of his superiors. He was called to the head-quarters of his order, the abbey of St. Germain des Pres, and intrusted with the preparation of a new edition of the works of St. Jerome. In 1690 he published his prodromus of this work, in which he demonstrated the incorrectness of preceding editions. His edition was violently attacked by Simon and Leclerc, but Martianay as vigorously defended it. This controversy lasted a long time, yet did not prevent him from publishing a large number of works, more remarkable for their learning and ingenuity than for largeness of thought or critical acumen. He died June 16, 1717. Among his works we notice the above-mentioned edition of the works of St. Jerome (Paris, 1693-1706, 5 vols. fol.): — Defense du texte Hebreu et de la chronologie de la Vulgate (Par. 1689): — Continuation de la Defense du texte, etc. (Par. 1693). In both these works he endeavors to prove that the Hebrew text is to be preferred to the Septuagint, and that less than 4000 years elapsed from the creation of the world to the advent of Christ: Traites de la comnnmissance et de la vr-it de I'Ecrifure Sainte (Paris, 1694-95, 4 vols.): — Trait methodique, ou maniere d'expliquer I'Ecriture par le secourds es trois syntaxes, la propr, re, la figurie, et l'harmonique (1704): — Vie de St. Jerome (1706): — artmonzie analy tique de plusieurs sens caches et

rapports inconnus de l'A ncien et du Nouveau Testament (1708): — Essais de Traduction ou Remarques sur les traducltions Frangaises du Nouveau Testament (1709): — Le Nouveau Testament traduit en Frangais sur la VulgLate (1712): — Methode sacree, pour a pprendre a expliquer I'Ecriture sainte par l'Ecritlure meme (1716); etc. See Journal des Savants, Aug. 9 1717; Hist. Litt. de la Congreg. de St. Maur, p. 382-397; Herzog, Real-Encyklopädie, 9:120; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, 34:2. (J. N. P.)