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{{Short description|American classical scholar and educator (1797–1867)}}
{{Infobox person
| name        = Charles Anthon
| image       = The late Charles Anthon, LL.D., of Columbia College (NYPL Hades-255870-430890).tiff
| alt         = A wood engraving of Charles Anthon
| caption     = [[Columbia College, Columbia University|Columbia]] professor Charles Anthon
| birth_date  = {{Birth date|1797|11|19}}
| birth_place = [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]], U.S.
| death_date  = {{Death date and age|1867|7|29|1797|11|19}}
| death_place =
| alma_mater  = [[Columbia College of Columbia University]]
| occupation  = [[Classical scholar]], [[professor]], headmaster of the [[Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School]]
| relatives   = [[John Anthon]], brother
}}

'''Charles Anthon''' (November 19, 1797 – July 29, 1867) was an American [[classical scholar]]. Anthon was a professor at [[Columbia College of Columbia University|Columbia College]] and became headmaster of its grammar and preparatory school. He produced classical works for schools, which contained assistance and translations in the notes. He had a disagreement with [[Martin Harris (Latter Day Saints)|Martin Harris]] over an account where they discussed the authenticity of the ''[[Anthon Transcript]]'' of the [[Book of Mormon]]. Anthon was also an acquaintance of writer [[Edgar Allan Poe]]. He died in [[New York City]] at the age of 69.

{{anchor|History|Biography}}

==Life==
His father George Christian Anthon was a [[German Americans|German]]-American medical doctor who served in the [[British Army]] during the [[American Revolution]] until the surrender of [[Fort Detroit|Detroit]] in 1796. George attained the rank of surgeon general, resigned, married the daughter of a [[Kingdom of France|French]] officer, and settled in [[New York City]].<ref name=acab>{{Appletons'|wstitle=Anthon, John|year=1900|inline=1}}</ref> Charles was born there on November 19, 1797,{{sfnp|''EB''|1911}} graduated with honors from [[Columbia College of Columbia University|Columbia College]] in 1815,{{sfnp|''EB''|1878}} and, after studying [[law]] at his elder brother's firm,<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=McCune|first=George M.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8wvlAAAACAAJ|title=Personalities in the Doctrine and Covenants and Joseph Smith–History|publisher=Hawkes Publishing|year=1991|isbn=9780890365182|location=Salt Lake City, Utah|pages=11–12}}</ref> was called to the [[bar (law)|bar]] in 1819.{{sfnp|''EB''|1878}} He never practiced.{{sfnp|''EB''|1911}} Instead, the next year, he was appointed assistant professor of [[Greek language|Greek]] and [[Latin]] at his old [[college]].{{sfnp|''EB''|1878}} In 1830, he was made a full professor{{sfnp|''EB''|1911}} and become the headmaster of the [[Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School]].{{sfnp|''EB''|1878}} In 1835, he was appointed Jay Professor of the Greek Language and Literature in Columbia College upon the resignation of [[Nathaniel Fish Moore]].<ref>[https://archive.org/details/historicalsketch00coluuoft/page/62/mode/2up?q=%22jay+professor%22 ''An historical Sketch of Columbia College in the City of New York 1754-1876'']. New York: Columbia College (1876), page 62, accessed 26 April 2021.</ref> He retired from the grammar school in 1864{{sfnp|''EB''|1911}} and died in [[New York City|New York]] on July 29, 1867,{{sfnp|''EB''|1878}} at the age of 69.<ref name=":0" />

==Works==
He produced a large number of classical works for use in colleges and schools, which enjoyed great popularity, although schoolmasters sometimes disliked their use by students, owing to the large amount of assistance and translations contained in the notes.{{sfnp|''EB''|1911}} Anthon's books on classical literature commonly included a "classical dictionary".<ref name=":0" /> He also wrote ''A Manual of Greek Literature from the Earliest Authentic Periods to the Close of Byzantine Era'', providing a list of all Greek writers in that period, with a summary of their life and works and a bibliography of editions then in use.<ref>{{cite BDA1906 |wstitle= Anthon, Charles |volume= 1 |page= 124 |short=1}}</ref> The overview is still useful today, but outdated. His intention to provide a similar volume for [[Latin literature]] was never fulfilled.

Dr. Anthon's work was carried on by his successor, [[Henry Drisler]].

==Anthon Transcript==
{{main article|Anthon Transcript}}
Charles Anthon is famous in connection with the history of the [[Latter Day Saint movement]] because of his interactions with [[Martin Harris (Latter Day Saints)|Martin Harris]] in February 1828 concerning a fragment of [[Joseph Smith]]'s translation of the [[Book of Mormon]].<ref name=":0" /> The fragment later came to be known as the ''[[Anthon Transcript]]''. According to Harris, Anthon wrote Harris a letter of authenticity declaring the fragment to contain true Egyptian characters. Anthon also confirmed the translation of these characters as correct. When informed that an angel of God had revealed the characters to Joseph Smith, Anthon tore up the authentication, stating that there was no such thing as angels, and asked Harris to bring the plates to him for translation. Martin Harris went to Dr. [[Samuel L. Mitchill]] afterwards and received a letter of authenticity from him.<ref>“Read This I Pray Thee”: Martin Harris and the Three Wise Men of the East Richard E. Bennett. page 178. Oct. 2010. http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1052&context=mormonhistory</ref><ref>The Contributions of Martin Harris. Matthew S. McBride. 3 January 2013. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/revelations-in-context/the-contributions-of-martin-harris?lang=eng</ref>  Anthon, however, disagreed with Harris' version of their encounter and stated in a letter to [[Eber D. Howe]] on February 17, 1834, that the story of Anthon's authentication was false, that Anthon had identified the writings as a hoax, and that Anthon had told Harris that the writings were part of "a scheme to cheat the farmer [Martin Harris] of his money..."<ref>''So What's the Difference?'', p. 154-156, Fritz Ridenour, ed., Regal Books (1973).</ref> Anthon gave a second account in 1841 as to whether he gave Harris a written opinion about the document: "[Harris] requested me to give him my opinion in writing about the paper which he had shown to me. I did so without hesitation, partly for the man's sake, and partly to let the individual 'behind the curtain' see that his trick was discovered. The import of what I wrote was, as far as I can now recollect, simply this, that the marks in the paper appeared to be merely an imitation of various alphabetical characters, and had, in my opinion, no meaning at all connected with them."<ref name="SRA">{{cite web |url=http://thedigitalvoice.com/enigma/essays/AAffair1.htm |title=The Anthon Affair |first=Jerome J. |last=Kniujet |year=2000 |publisher=Spalding Research Associates |access-date=14 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061213225146/http://thedigitalvoice.com/enigma/essays/AAffair1.htm |archive-date=13 December 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=April 2014}}

==Acquaintance with Poe==
Dr. Anthon was a friend and correspondent of [[Edgar Allan Poe]], who attempted to use their acquaintance to gain a national reputation in literature and journalism as well as publication in 1845 of his collected stories through Harper and Brothers. This was, at the time, unsuccessful due to a doubtful accusation of plagiarism against Poe; however, Poe went on to establish himself in the first rank of American letters.

==Publications==

===Reference and instructional works===
* Charles Anthon, ''Elements of Latin Prosody and Metre'', New York: Swords (1824). [https://books.google.com/books?id=u2gZAAAAYAAJ online]
* ''[[Lemprière's Bibliotheca Classica|A classical dictionary: containing a copious account of all the proper names mentioned in ancient authors]]'' etc., by [[John Lemprière|J. Lemprière, D.D.]], 5th American edition, corrected and improved by Charles Anthon (1825). [https://books.google.com/books?id=YeYYAAAAYAAJ online]
* [[Richard Valpy]], ''The Elements of Greek Grammar'', with additions by C. Anthon, 8th edition (1833). [https://books.google.com/books?id=axMZAAAAYAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''A Grammar of the Greek Language'' (1838). [https://books.google.com/books?id=ChoBAAAAYAAJ online]; revised and corrected by the Rev. J.R. Major, D.D., London: [[Thomas Tegg]] (1840). [https://books.google.com/books?id=S-kDAAAAQAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''A System of Greek Prosody and Metre: for the use of schools and colleges'' (1839). [https://books.google.com/books?id=fBEOAAAAYAAJ online]; (1842) [https://books.google.com/books?id=Nl8SAAAAIAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''A System of Latin Prosody and Metre, from the Best Authorities, Ancient and Modern,'' Harper and Brothers (1842).[https://books.google.com/books?id=f2wZAAAAYAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''First Greek lessons: containing all the inflexions of the Greek language, together with appropriate exercises in the translating and writing of Greek, for the use of beginners''.  Anthon's Greek Lessons, Part I (1842). [https://books.google.com/books?id=cG8ZAAAAYAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''An Introduction to Greek Prose Composition''.  Anthon's Greek Lessons, Part II (1842). [https://books.google.com/books?id=N24ZAAAAYAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''First Latin Lessons, containing the most important parts of the grammar of the Latin language, together with appropriate exercises in the translating and writing of Latin, for the use of beginners''. Anthon's Latin Grammar, Part I (1838). [https://books.google.com/books?id=WyIPAAAAYAAJ online], [https://books.google.com/books?id=SWRJAAAAYAAJ (1846 printing)]
* Charles Anthon, ''An Introduction to Latin Prose Composition''.  Anthon's Latin Grammar, Part II (1842). [https://books.google.com/books?id=1aIAAAAAYAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''A Classical Dictionary, containing an account of the principal proper names mentioned in ancient authors'', Harper and Brothers (1842). [https://books.google.com/books?id=kzEoAAAAYAAJ online]
* ''A new abridgement of [[Robert Ainsworth (lexicographer)|Ainsworth]]'s dictionary: English and Latin, for the use of grammar schools'', by John Dymock, LL.D., new American edition with corrections and improvements by Charles Anthon, Philadelphia: Butler & Williams (1844). [https://books.google.com/books?id=LsU9AAAAYAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''A System of Latin Versification, in a series of progressive exercises'' (1845). [https://books.google.com/books?id=0ngZAAAAYAAJ online]
* ''A school dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities'', abridged from the [[Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities|larger dictionary]] by [[William Smith (lexicographer)|William Smith, LL.D.]], with corrections and improvements by Charles Anthon, LL.D. (1846). [https://books.google.com/books?id=PeYRAAAAYAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''A system of ancient and mediæval geography for the use of schools and colleges'' (1850). [https://books.google.com/books?id=S1lDAAAAIAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''A Manual of Roman Antiquities, with numerous illustrations'' (1851). [https://books.google.com/books?id=_lIMAAAAYAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''A Manual of Grecian Antiquities, with numerous illustrations'' (1852). [https://books.google.com/books?id=zxIMAAAAYAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''A Manual of Greek Literature from the Earliest Authentic Periods to the Close of Byzantine Era'' (1853). [https://books.google.com/books?id=N7pEAAAAIAAJ online]
* ''A copious and critical English-Latin lexicon'', founded on the German-Latin dictionary of Dr. {{Interlanguage link|Charles Ernest Georges|2=de|3=Karl Ernst Georges|4=it|5=Karl Ernst Georges|preserve=1}} by [[Joseph Esmond Riddle]] and [[Thomas Kerchever Arnold]], first American edition, carefully revised, and containing a copious dictionary of proper names from the best sources, by Charles Anthon, LL.D., New York: Harper and Brothers (1856). [https://books.google.com/books?id=bIVBAAAAYAAJ online]
* ''A Latin-English and English-Latin dictionary: for the use of schools'', chiefly from the lexicons of [[Wilhelm Freund|Freund]], Georges, and Kaltschmidt, by Charles Anthon (1859). [https://books.google.com/books?id=JFoSAAAAIAAJ online]
* ''A School Grammar of the Latin Language'' by [[Karl Gottlob Zumpt|C.G. Zumpt]], translated and adapted by Leonhard Schmitz, corrected and enlarged by Charles Anthon (1859). [https://books.google.com/books?id=h2ASAAAAIAAJ online]
* ''A new classical dictionary of Greek and Roman biography, mythology and geography'', partly based upon the ''[[Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology]]'' by William Smith, LL.D., revised, with numerous corrections and additions, by Charles Anthon, LL.D. (1862). [https://books.google.com/books?id=FjIaAAAAYAAJ online]

===School editions with commentary===
* ''C. Crispi Sallusti opera, omissis fragmentis, omnia: ad optimorum exemplarium fidem recensita'', animadversionibus illustravit P. Wilson, LL.D., 4th ed. recensuit notasque suas adspersit Charles Anthon, New York: Carvill (1825). [https://books.google.com/books?id=9mFJAAAAYAAJ online]; Charles Anthon, ''C. Crispi Sallustii de Catilinae conjuratione belloque Jugurthino Historiae'', New York: Carvill (1829) [https://books.google.com/books?id=hiwPAAAAIAAJ online]; 4th ed., Boston (1833) [https://books.google.com/books?id=-KgWAAAAYAAJ online]; ''Sallust's Jugurthine War and Conspiracy of Catiline, with an English Commentary, and Geographical and Historical Indexes'', 6th ed., New York: Harper and Brothers (1837) [https://books.google.com/books?id=poELAAAAYAAJ online]; 6th ed. (1838) [https://books.google.com/books?id=vlpOAAAAYAAJ online];  10th ed. (1854) [https://books.google.com/books?id=Iy4YAAAAYAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War; and The First Book of the Greek Paraphrase; with English Notes, Critical and Explanatory, Plans of Battles, Sieges, Etc., and Historical, Geographical, and Archaeological Indexes,'' Harper and Brothers (1838). [https://books.google.com/books?id=cX0LAAAAYAAJ online (1862 printing)]
* Charles Anthon, ''Q. Horatii Flacci Poëmata'', New York: Carvill (1830). [https://books.google.com/books?id=QsQAAAAAYAAJ online]; ''The Works of Horace, with English Notes, Critical and Explanatory,'' Harper and Brothers (1839); new edition (1849) [https://books.google.com/books?id=rXkGAQAAIAAJ online (1857 printing)]
* ''The Greek Reader'', by Frederic Jacobs, new edition, with English notes, critical and explanatory, a metrical index to Homer and Anacreon, and a copious lexicon. By Charles Anthon. (1840). [https://books.google.com/books?id=RV5DAAAAYAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''The Aeneid of Virgil, with English Notes, Critical and Explanatory, a Metrical Clavis, an Historical, Geographical, and Mythological Index,'' Harper and Brothers (1843). [https://books.google.com/books?id=eespAAAAYAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''M. Tullii Ciceronis Orationes Selectae'', ex recensione [[Johann August Ernesti|Jo. Aug. Ernesti.]], with an English commentary, London: Priestley (1837) [https://books.google.com/books?id=4yU9AAAAcAAJ online]; new edition, London (1846) [https://books.google.com/books?id=rtxGAAAAIAAJ online]; ''Select Orations of Cicero, with English Notes, Critical and Explanatory'', new edition, New York: Harper and Brothers (1845). [https://books.google.com/books?id=F2JHAAAAIAAJ online]; new edition (1849) [https://books.google.com/books?id=uNcMAAAAYAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''The De senectute, De amicitia, Paradoxa, and Somnium Scipionis of Cicero, and the Life of Atticus by Cornelius Nepos, with English Notes, Critical and Explanatory'' (1848). [https://books.google.com/books?id=7cENAAAAYAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''The First Six Books of Homer's Iliad with English Notes, Critical and Explanatory, A Metrical Index, and Homeric Glossary,'' Harper and Brothers (1851). [https://books.google.com/books?id=vk4NAAAAYAAJ online]; ''The first three books of Homer's Iliad, according to the ordinary text, and also with the restoration of the [[digamma]]'', new edition by Benjamin Davies, London (1854) [https://books.google.com/books?id=nS5JAAAAYAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''The Anabasis of Xenophon, with English Notes, Critical and Explanatory'', Harper and Brothers (1852). [https://books.google.com/books?id=yNMNAAAAIAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''Cornelius Nepos with Notes, Historical and Explanatory,'' Harper and Brothers (1852). [https://books.google.com/books?id=EmUZAAAAYAAJ online (1871 printing)]
* Charles Anthon, ''The Germania and Agricola, and also Selections from the Annals, of Tacitus, with English Notes, Critical and Explanatory'', (1847). [https://books.google.com/books?id=v9IgAAAAMAAJ online (1852 printing)]; (1853) [https://books.google.com/books?id=nrIQAAAAIAAJ online]
* Charles Anthon, ''The Satires of Juvenal and Persius with English Notes Critical and Explanatory, from the Best Commentators,'' Harper and Brothers, (1857). [https://books.google.com/books?id=TsMWAAAAYAAJ online]
* [[Hubert Ashton Holden]], ''M.T. Ciceronis De Officiis libri tres, with marginal analysis and an English commentary'', first American edition corrected and enlarged by Charles Anthon, (1859). [https://books.google.com/books?id=pSfKhvO-QJ0C online]
* Charles Anthon, ''An English commentary on the Rhesus, Medea, Hippolytus, Alcestis, Heraclidae, Supplices, and Troades of Euripides'' (1877). [https://books.google.com/books?id=zMpOMBC-xUIC online]

==Family==
His brother [[John Anthon]] was a noted jurist. His brother Henry Anthon (1795-1861) was a noted clergyman.<ref name=acab/> His son Charles Edward Anthon was a professor of history and belles-lettres at the New York Free Academy (which later became the [[City College of New York|College of the City of New York]]), and a prominent [[Numismatist (specialist)|numismatist]].<ref>[http://www.numismaticmall.com/numismaticmall-com/anthon-charles-edward Anthon, Charles Edward, NumismaticMall.com], accessed 15 Aug. 2018; [http://numismatics.org/authority/anthon Anthon, Charles E., 1823-1883, American Numismatic Society], accessed 15 Aug. 2018.</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography}}
*[[Reformed Egyptian]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|30em}}

==References==
* {{cite EB9 |mode=cs2 |wstitle=Charles Anthon |volume=2  |ref={{harvid|EB|1878}} |page=106 }}
* {{cite EB1911 |mode=cs2 |wstitle=Anthon, Charles |volume=2 |ref={{harvid|EB|1911}} |page=96 }}

==External links==
* [http://archives.lib.byu.edu/repositories/14/resources/6968 Catalogue of Prof. Charles E. Anthon's collection of autographs], [[L. Tom Perry Special Collections Library|L. Tom Perry Special Collections]], [[Harold B. Lee Library]], [[Brigham Young University]]
*[http://archives.lib.byu.edu/repositories/14/archival_objects/60400 Letter, portrait, and a newspaper clipping, 1849-1858], L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University
*{{DBCS}}
{{AmCyc Poster|Anthon, Charles|Charles Anthon}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.utlm.org/onlineresources/anthonletter.htm|title=Anthon Letter|publisher=|access-date=7 April 2017}}
*{{cite web |first=Jerome J. |last=Knuijt |year=2017 |url=http://thedigitalvoice.com/enigma/essays/AAffair1.htm |title=The "Anthon Affair" |work=thedigitalvoice.com/enigma/index.htm |access-date=7 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061213225146/http://thedigitalvoice.com/enigma/essays/AAffair1.htm |archive-date=13 December 2006 |url-status=dead }} — Anti-Mormon view of Anthon's testimony regarding Mormonism
*{{cite journal|author=Stanley B. Kimball |title=The Anthon Transcript: People, Primary Sources, and Problems |url=http://www.shields-research.org/Scriptures/BoM/BYUSAntn.html |journal=BYU Studies |volume=10 |number=2 |pages=325–352  |date=Spring 1970}} — Pro-Mormon view of Anthon's testimony regarding Mormonism
*{{cite web|url=http://www.mlloyd.org/gen/navarre/text/anthon.htm|title=George Christian Anthon|publisher=|access-date=7 April 2017}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.eapoe.org/misc/letters/t3706010.htm|title=Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore - Misc - Letters - C. Anthon to E. A. Poe (June 1, 1837)|publisher=|access-date=7 April 2017}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.eapoe.org/works/letters/p4410000.htm|title=Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore - Works - Letters - E. A. Poe to C. Anthon (about October 31, 1844)|publisher=|access-date=7 April 2017}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.eapoe.org/misc/letters/t4411020.htm|title=Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore - Misc - Letters - C. Anthon to E. A. Poe (November 2, 1844)|publisher=|access-date=7 April 2017}}
*[https://findingaids.library.columbia.edu/ead/nnc-rb/ldpd_4078632 Finding aid to Charles Anthon manuscripts at Columbia University. Rare Book & Manuscript Library.]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anthon, Charles}}
[[Category:1797 births]]
[[Category:1867 deaths]]
[[Category:American classical scholars]]
[[Category:Columbia College, Columbia University alumni]]
[[Category:Classical scholars of Columbia University]]
[[Category:Scholars of ancient Greek literature]]
[[Category:Scholars of Latin literature]]