Antônio Mendonça (latinist)

Antônio da Silveira Mendonça
Born	(1930-02-03)3 February 1930 Santa Lúcia, São Paulo, Brazil
Died	November 28, 2023(2023-11-28) (aged 93) São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Nationality	Brazilian
Alma mater	University of São Paulo, University of Campinas
Occupation(s)	Latinist, Educator, Translator
Years active	1950s–2020s
Notable work	Bellum Civile* by Julius Caesar, Works by Pliny the Elder, Ovid

Antônio da Silveira Mendonça (February 3, 1930 – November 28, 2023) was a Brazilian Latinist, educator, and translator. He was a tenured professor at several Brazilian universities, during which he devoted his scholarship to the study of classical literature. His development of classical studies programs left a lasting impact on education and academia in Brazil.

Early life and education

Mendonça was born in 1930 in Santa Lúcia, São Paulo, Brazil. Mendonça's childhood was interrupted by the death of his father. This shock would lead Mendonça to spend the years of his adolescence pursuing a religious career in the Roman Catholic Church.

At the age of 12, Mendonça was taken in by priests from a church in São Carlos, in the interior of the state of São Paulo. Beginning his studies there, he excelled academically and was sent to Italy to study theology. However, he would later give up and chose to return to Brazil and pursue a secular, liberal arts education.

He studied classical languages and became involved in the field of Latin and Ancient Greek. Mendonça graduated in Letters before earning his postgraduate qualifications, beginning a long career academia.

Academic career

Mendonça served as a professor at the University of São Paulo (USP) for over four decades, specializing in Latin and Classical Studies. In the 1980s, he was a key figure in the establishment of the Department of Classical Languages at the University of Campinas (Unicamp). At USP, Mendonça taught and advised graduate students, continuing his work after his retirement. His contributions helped shape the next generation of students in his field.

Throughout his career, he translated several works from Latin into Portuguese, including De Pictura by Leon Battista Alberti, Naturalis Historia by Pliny the Elder, and Bellum Catilinae by Sallust .

Mendonça was particularly well-regarded for his tenure as a professor of Portuguese at Colégio Santa Cruz in São Paulo, where he taught from the 1960s into the 1980s. Although his approach was rigorous, former students would recall his genuine care for and interest in their academic growth.

Translation work

Mendonça's translation work was extensive, including important texts from Latin, such as Bellum Civile by Julius Caesar and works by Pliny the Elder. He also translated from Greek and Italian, contributing to the accessibility of classical texts in Portuguese. His translations earned recognition for their scholarly accuracy and literary quality, and he became a key figure in making ancient works more accessible to Brazilian readers.

Personal life

Outside of the lecture hall, Mendonça was a lifelong admirer of music. Mendonça's interest in samba and MPB (Brazilian Pop) reflected his love for Brazilian culture. This was in addition to his appreciation for classical music, Gregorian chants (reflecting his experiences with the Church), and French chanson music by Édith Piaf.

Mendonça also had a casual interest sports. He was lifelong fan of football, supporting the Palmeiras football club. He also enjoyed playing tennis.

A polyglot, Mendonça could speak, teach, and read in Portuguese, Spanish, Greek, Italian, French and Latin.

Mendonça passed away from a stroke on November 28, 2023, at the age of 93. His legacy as a scholar and educator continues to influence classical scholarship and education in Brazil. Mendonça's extensive body of translated work is still included in university curricula, leaving a lasting contribution to the modern understanding of ancient texts.