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Grigoriy PoleticaWriter
Country:
 Ukraine |
Content:
Biography of Grigory Poletika
Grigory Andreevich Poletika (1725 - 1784) was a Russian writer, lexicographer, and translator from German and Latin. He attended the Kiev Spiritual Academy and later worked as a translator at the Academy of Sciences and the Synod. He also served as an inspector of classes in the Naval Cadet Corps.
Political Involvement
In 1767, Poletika was elected as a deputy from the Lubenskaya regiment of the nobility to the commission for the composition of a new Code of Laws. In this role, he wrote two extensive notes: "Objections to the instructions of the Little Russian Collegium of the Commission Deputy Dmitry Natalin" ("Readings of the Moscow Society of History and Antiquities", 1851, vol. III) and "Opinion on the essay read in 1768 by the Commission on the composition of the project for the new Code of Laws on the rights of the nobility" ("Collection of the Imperial Russian Historical Society", vol. XXXVI). In these writings, he defended the autonomy of Little Russia and fervently advocated for the affirmation of rights and privileges for the Little Russian nobility, which had been confirmed during the time of Little Russia's existence under Poland.
Writing and Translations
In his youth, Poletika, according to Miller, translated articles from Greek for the "Monthly Essays" and wrote an article entitled "On the Origin, Revival, and Spread of Teaching and Schools in Russia and their Current State". This article, which did not mention Russian schools before the 17th century, was deemed "improper" for publication by Lomonosov and later by the Academic Chancellery.
Poletika's translations include "Epictetus, Stoic Philosophy Enchiridion and Apophthegms" (1759), "Kevit Phyveiski, Picture or Depiction of Human Life" (1759), "Xenophon, on the Memorable Deeds and Conversations of Socrates and the Defense of Socrates before the Judges" (1762), "True Foundations and Duties of the Christian Faith, or Instructions for Pagans Converting to the Christian Faith" (1762), and a "Dictionary in Six Languages: Russian, Greek, Latin, French, German, and English" (1763).
In the "Readings in the Historical Society of Nestor the Chronicler" (vol. XI), excerpts from his "Notes on the Beginning of the Kiev Academy" are published. Additional information about Poletika can be found in A. Lazarevsky's "Excerpts from the Poletika Family Archive" (in "Kiev Antiquity", 1891, no. 4); P.P. Pekarsky's "Editor, Collaborators, and Censorship in Russian Journals from 1755 to 1764" (St. Petersburg, 1868); and D. Miller's "Essays on the History and Legal Life of Old Little Russia" (1897; this work analyzes Poletika's notes on the nobility).
