Praxiphanes

Praxiphanes (Greek: Πραξιφάνης) a Peripatetic philosopher, was a native of Mytilene, who lived a long time in Rhodes.[1] He lived in the time of Demetrius Poliorcetes and Ptolemy I Soter, and was a pupil of Theophrastus, about 322 BC.[2] He subsequently opened a school himself, in which Epicurus is said to have been one of his pupils.[3] Praxiphanes paid special attention to grammatical studies, and is hence named along with Aristotle as the founder and creator of the science of grammar.[4]

Writings

Of the writings of Praxiphanes, which appear to have been numerous, two are especially mentioned, a Dialogue ποιητῶν (Poiitón, 'Poetry')[5] in which Plato and Isocrates were the speakers, and an historical work cited by Marcellinus in his Life of Thucydides[6] under the title of Περὶ ἱστορίας (Perí istorías, 'About History').

Notes
  1. Algra, K., The Cambridge History of Hellenistic Philosophy. Page 36. Cambridge University Press. (1999). Cf. Clement of Alexandria, i.; Strabo, xiv.
  2. Proclus, i. in Timaeum; John Tzetzes, ad Hesiod. Op. et Dies, 1.
  3. Diogenes Laërtius, x. 13
  4. Clement of Alexandria, i.
  5. Diogenes Laërtius, iii. 8
  6. Marcellinus, Thucydides, §29

References
  • Martano, A., Matelli, E., Mirhady, D. (eds.), Praxiphanes of Mytilene and Chamaeleon of Eraclea, New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 2012 (RUSCH XVIII).
  •  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Missing or empty |title= (help)
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