LOBECK, CHRISTIAN AUGUST. - Classical philologist, b. at Naumburg on 5 June 1781; taught at the University of Königsberg, where he d. on 26 Aug. 1860.
He devoted himself especially to Greek philology: *Paralipomena grammaticae graecae* (2 vols., Leipzig 1837); *Pathologiae sermonis graeci prolegomena* (ibid. 1843); *Pathologiae graeci sermonis elementa* (Königsberg 1846); but his fame rests on the campaign which, together with J. H. Voss, he waged against the symbolic interpretation of Greek mythology upheld by F. CREAZIONE (v.). L.’s work bears the title of the alleged Orphic master of Pythagoras, Aglaophamus, and the brilliant orator mentioned by the Neoplatonic philosopher Iamblichus, *Vita Pythag.*, 96: *Aglaophamus, sive de theologiae mysticae Graecorum causis* (2 vols., Königsberg 1820). The work is divided into three sections devoted respectively to the Eleusinian, Orphic, and Samothracian mysteries; after the critical part, L. collects in each section the fragments of ancient authors relating to them. Excellent for its negative criticism, the work, given the rationalistic tendency of the author—which was that of the Enlightenment of the time—lacks from the positive point of view, inasmuch as L. takes no account of the relations between myth and cult on which the magical-symbolic value of myth and its sacred interpretation are actually based. L.’s work has the great merit of having opened the way to the positive and historical interpretation of myths, which was then fruitfully pursued by K. O. Müller and L. Preller.