Sobolevsky Sergey (1864–1963) – philologist, specialist in classical studies, translator. Brother of Aleksey Ivanovich Sobolevsky.
In 1882, he finished the 5th Moscow Gymnasium with the golden medal and enrolled to the Historical and Philological Faculty of the Moscow University. In 1886, he graduated from it with the Candidate degree and the golden medal, and stayed at the university to teach and to make his studies.
In 1890, he got the Master degree for his composition ‘De praepositionum usu Aristophaneo’ (Moscow, 1890) and a position of Ass. Docent at the Chair of Classical Philology. In 1891, he became Doctor in Greek Literature for his thesis ‘Syntaxis Aristophaneae capita selecta. De sententiarum condicionalium temporalium relativarum formis et usu’ (Moscow, 1891).
Since 1892, he was free lance Professor ; since 1896 – Ass. Professor ; since 1899 – Full Professor ; since 1915 – Honoured Professor of the Moscow University.
At teh sa,e period he worked at the Chair of Greek Paleography at teh Moscow Archeological Institute (since 1907), and taught at the Moscow Spiritual Academy (since 1909) ; since 1912, he was Professor at the Moscow Spiritual Academy.
Since 1909, he was Actual State Councilor.
When spiritual academies were closed in 1918, as well as the Historical and Philological Faculty of the Moscow University, he taught at various Moscow high schools.
In 1934, he headed the process of foundation of the Classical Department at the Moscow Institute of Philosophy, Literature and History; and he was Professor of the Chair of Classical Philology at that Institute. In 1934-1942m he was Professor of the Historical Faculty if the First Moscow State University/ After the joining of the Moscow State University and the Moscow Institute of Philosophy, Literature and History, S. Was Professor of the Chair of Classical Philology there.
Since 1927, he worked at the part-time contract at the Institute of teh World Literature of the Ac. of Sc. of the U.S.S.R. ; since 1948, he was Head of the Classical Department. He worked also at some other high schools of Moscow.
Awarded with the Lenin Order. Correspondent Member of the Ac. of Sc. of the U.S.S.R. (1928).
During all his life, S. worked at the philological research of Aristophan, but that work was not completed.
By 1917, he published a number of reviews and notes at classical authors. He was able to solve complicated tasks ; he wrote manuals for adults – even for those who had no previous experience in ancient languages. The whole complex included a grammar book, a reading book (on morphology and syntax), and an assortment of recommended publications of classical authors – such series were made for Latin ; but for Greek language only a grammar book has been published.
For historians of religion his work on the New Testament Greek language and his article on the interrelation between classical philology and theology are of special importance.