Aspasius

(Ἀσπάσιος).

1. Of Byblus, a Greek sophist, who according to Suidas (s. v. Ἀσπάσιος) was a contemporary of the sophists Adrianus and Aristeides, and who consequently lived in the reign of M. Antoninus and Commodus, about A. D. 180. He is mentioned among the commentators on Demosthenes and Aeschines; and Suidas ascribes to him a work on Byblus, meditations, theoretical works on rhetoric, declamations, an encomium on the emperor Hadrian, and some other writings. All these are lost with the exception of a few extracts from his commentaries. (Ulpian, ad Demosth. Leptin. p. 11; Phot. Bibl. p. 492a., ed. Bekk.; Schol. ad Hermog. p. 260, &c.; Schol. ad Aeschin. c. Tim. p. 105.)

2. A Peripatetic philosopher, who seems to have lived during the latter half of the first century after Christ, since Galen (vol. vi. p. 532, ed. Paris), who lived under the Antonines, states, that he heard one of the pupils of Aspasius. Works Commentaries on Aristotle

Boethius, who frequently refers to his works, says that Aspasius wrote commentaries on most of the works of Aristotle. The following commentaries are expressly mentioned: on De Interpretatione, the Physica, Metaphysica, Categoriae, and the Nicomachean Ethics. Editions

A portion of the commentary on the Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle (viz. on books 1, 2, 4, 7, and 8) are still extant, and were first printed by Aldus Manutius, in his collection of the Greek commentators on the Nicomachean Ethics. (Venice, 1536, fol.) A Latin translation by J. B. Felicianus appeared at Venice in 1541, and has often been reprinted. Commentaries on Plato

From Porphyrius, who also states that Aspasius wrote commentaries on Plato, we learn that his commentaries on Aristotle were used in the school of Plotinus. Further Information

Fabric. Bibl. Graec. iii. p. 264, &c.; Buhle, Aristot. Op. i. p. 296.

3. Of Ravenna, a distinguished sophist and rhetorician, who lived about A. D. 225, in the reign of Alexander Severus. He was educated by his father Demetrianus, who was himself a skilful rhetorician; afterwards he was also a pupil of Pausanias and Hippodromus, and then travelled to various parts of the ancient world, as a companion of the emperor and of some other persons. He obtained the principal professorship of rhetoric at Rome, which he held until his death at an advanced age. At Rome he also began his long rhetorical controversy with Philostratus of Lemnos, which was afterwards continued by other disputants in Ionia. Aspasius was also secretary to the emperor, but his letters were censured by his opponent Pausanias, for their declamatory character and their want of precision and clearness. He is said to have written several orations, which, how ever, are now lost. They are praised for their simplicity and originality, and for the absence of all pompous affectation in them. (Philostr. Vit. Soph. 2.33; Eudoc. p. 66; Suidas, s. v. Ἀσπάσιος.)

4. Of Tyre, a Greek rhetorician and historian of uncertain date, who, according to Suidas (s. v. Ἀσπάσιος), wrote a history of Epeirus and of things remarkable in that country, in twenty books, theoretical works on rhetoric, and some others. (Comp. Eudoc. p. 66.) [L.S]