Carmeli, Michelangelo

CARMELI, MICHELANGELO. - Franciscan philologist, b. Sept. 27, 1705 at Cittadella (Venice), d. at Padua on Dec. 15, 1766. On Oct. 25, 1723 he embraced the rule of the Order of Friars Minor in the Venetian province. After his theological studies he went to Rome to perfect himself in languages, and he also studied Hebrew with the help of a rabbi. Having returned to Padua, he perfected himself especially in Hebrew, conversing with Jews; for Greek his teacher was Antonio Straticò. With his writings on classical subjects Fr. C. had acquired such a reputation that on Apr. 9, 1744 he was appointed professor of the chair newly established "ad linguam hebraicam, graecam ceterasque orientales" at the University of Padua. Subsequently he was also admitted to the college of Theologians, then among its procurators with the right to establish there a permanent sixth chair. In the convent of S. Francesco Grande, in which he lived, he also founded a famous library, called by his name, incorporated in 1836 into the University library.

C. was a valiant Hellenist, also with regard to New Testament Greek. He knew Hebrew very well, as his translations from the original text of Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs demonstrate; a skilled interpreter of Holy Scripture, he strove to expound the literal sense. He deserves to be remembered and studied even today by biblical scholars. His printed works are, in chronological order: Ragionamento sopra il fenomeno apparso la notte del dì 14 dic. 1737 (Venice 1738); Panegirici (ibid. 1738); P. Lacerni..., in militem gloriosum Plauti commentarius, etc. (ibid. 1742); Euripide..., Padua (1743-53); Risposta del p. C. ... sopra «Animadversiones in Hebraicum Exodi Librum et in Graecam LXX Interpretationem» (ibid. 1744); Storia di vari costumi sacri e profani... (2 vols., ibid. 1750, 2nd ed. ibid. 1761; 3rd ed. Venice 1778); Pro Euripide et novo eis. italico interprete (Padua 1750); Il Pluto... di Aristofane (Venice 1752); Oratio apologetica... de sua Euripidis editione (Padua 1753); Spiegamento dell'Ecclesiaste sul testo ebreo... Venice 1765; Spiegamento della Cantica sul testo ebreo (posthumous, ibid. 1767); Dissertazioni varie filologiche (posthumous, Rome 1768); Concilio degli Dei, poema (Padua 1777). Of the works remaining in manuscript, special mention is deserved by the Osservazioni su le annotazioni fatte agli Evangeli dall'Autore del libro intitolato «Catena sacra» (Venice 1759); the Prolissioni; many others are enumerated by Fanzago.

Arduino Kleinhans