Jean-Baptiste Dugas-Montbel

Jean-Baptiste Dugas-Montbel (11 March 1776, Saint-Chamond, Loire – 30 November 1834) was a French translator and Hellenist.

Early life and education Jean-Baptiste Dugas-Montbel was born in Saint-Chamond, Loire, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France to Camille Dugas, a ribbon merchant and manufacturer, and his wife, Antoinette Victoire Crozet. His mother died in 1784, when Dugas-Montbel was eight years old. Dugas-Montbel was educated in a school run by the Oratorians in Lyon, but performed poorly. He briefly served in a volunteer batallion during the French Revolution, aged sixteen, but quickly returned to working for his father's business.

Life and career Camille Dugas died in 1799, and Dugas-Montbel took over his father's business alongside his older brother, Thomas.

Dugas-Montbel became a member of the Academy of Lyon in 1803, and left his family's business to pursue his interest in ancient Greek language and literature in 1810. He was elected to a local government position in his native region of Rhône on July 3 the same year. He was re-elected twice, on July 5, 1831, and June 23, 1834. He received the Legion of Honour in 1833.

Dugas-Montbel died in Paris in on November 30, 1834. He was unmarried and had no children. In his will, he gifted his personal library to the town of Saint-Chamond, along with 8,000 francs for upkeep of the collection and 10,000 additional francs for a savings fund for the town. This collection was partially destroyed by a fire in 1841. He is buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris.