Metrodorus
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Metrodorum Proper-name noun: masculine genitive plural, Proper-name noun: masculine accusative singular of Metrodorus
- Metrodorus Lampsacenus or Atheniensis, an Epicurean, Cic. Tusc. 2, 3, 8; 2, 6, 17; 5, 9, 27.—
- II M. Scepsius (from Scepsis, a city of Mysia), a rhetorical and Academic philosopher, famous for his memory, Cic. de Or. 2, 88, 360; 3, 20, 75; Plin. 34, 7, 16, § 34.—
- III M. Stratonicēus (from Stratonice, a city of Caria), a pupil of Carneades, and an excellent orator, Cic. de Or. 1, 11, 45; id. Ac. 2 (Luc.), 6, 16.—
- IV Metrodorus Chius, a pupil of Democritus and teacher of Anaxarchus and of the fourth Hippocrates (about B. C. 330), Cic. Ac. 2 (Luc.), 23, 73.—
- V A freedman of Cicero, Cic. Att. 15, 1, B, 2; id. Fam. 16, 20, 1.
- 1. vriend en volgeling v. Epicurus (330—277 v. Chr.);
- 2. uit Stratonicia in Carië (ca. 110 v. Chr.), leerling v.d. filosoof Carneades;
- 3. redenaar en staatsman uit Scepsis in Mysië (ca. 100 v. Chr.), aanhanger v.d. Academie, geschiedschrijver aan het hof v. Mithridates Eupator.
(Μητρόδωρος), an officer of Philip V. of Macedon, with whom, in B. C. 202, the Thasians capitulated on condition that they should not be required to receive a garrison, nor to pay tribute, that they should have no soldiers billeted on them, and should retain their own laws. Philip, however, broke this agreement and reduced them to slavery. (Plb. 15.24.) We learn from a fragment of Polybius that Metrodorus greatly excited Philip's displeasure, but by what conduct, or on what occasion, does not appear. (Polyb. Fragm. Hist. xxxii.; Suid. s. v. Ἀνατάσεις.) It was perhaps the same Metrodorus who is mentioned by Polybius as an ambassador from Perseus to the Rhodians, in B. C. 168. (Plb. 29.3, 5.) [E.E]
(Μητρόδωρος), literary.
1. Of Cos, the son of Epicharmus, and grandson of Thyrsus. Like several of that family he addicted himself partly to the study of the Pythagorean philosophy, partly to the science of medicine. He wrote a treatise upon the works of Epicharmus, in which, on the authority of Epicharmus and Pythagoras himself, he maintained that the Doric.was the proper dialect of the Orphic hymns. Metrodorus flourished about B. C. 460. (Iamblich. Vit. Pyth. 100.34. p. 467, ed. Kiessling; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. i. p. 852; Bode, Gesch. der Hellen. Dichtkunst, vol. i. p. 190.)
2. Of Lampsacus, a contemporary and friend of Anaxagoras. He wrote on Homer, the leading feature of his system of interpretation being that the deities and stories in Homer were to be understood as allegorical modes of representing physical powers and phenomena. He died B. C. 464. (Plat. Ion, 100.2. p. 530c; D. L. 2.11; Tatian. Assyr. in orat. Πρὸς Ἕλληνας, p. 160b; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. i. p. 517; Voss. de Hist. Graecis, p. 180, ed. West.)
3. Of Chios, a disciple of Democritus, or, according to other accounts, of Nessus of Chios He flourished about B. C. 330.
He was a philosopher of considerable reputation, and professed the doctrine of the sceptics in their fullest sense. Metrodorus did not confine himself to philosophy, but studied, at least, if he did not practise, medicine, on which he wrote a good deal. It is probably he who is quoted more than once by Pliny. He was the instructor of Hippocrates and Anaxarchus. Works Περὶ φύσεως
Cicero (Cic. Ac. 2.23.73) gives us a translation of the first sentence of his work Περὶ φύσεως : Nego scire nos sciamusne aliquid an nihil sciamus: ne id ipsum quidem nescire aut scire; nec omnino sitne aliquid, an nihil sit. The commencement of the same work is quoted in Eusebius (Praep. Evang. xiv. p. 765). Τρωϊκά
Athenaeus (iv. p. 184a) quotes from a work by Metrodorus, entitled Τρωϊκά. Περὶ ἱστορίας
A work, Περὶ ἱστορίας, is cited by the scholiast on Apollonius (4.834) as the production of a man named Metrodorus; but we have no means of determining which of the name is referred to. Further Information
D. L. 9.58; Suidas, s. vv. Δημόκριτος, Πύρρων; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. ii. p. 660; Voss. de Hist. Graecis, pp. 54, 470, ed. West.)
4. A distinguished Greek philosopher, a native, according to some accounts (Strab. xiii. p.589; Cic. Tusc. Disp. 5.37.109), of Lampsacus; according to others (D. L. 10.22, though the text in that passage seems to be corrupt), of Athens. This is to some extent confirmed by the fact that his brother, Timocrates, was an Athenian citizen of the deme Potamus, in the tribe Leontis [Timocrates]; but the former account seems to be supported by the best authority. Metrodorus was the most distinguished of the disciples of Epicurus, with whom he lived on terms of the closest friendship, never having left him since he became acquainted with him, except for six months on one occasion, when he paid a visit to his home. He died in B. C. 277, in the 53d year of his age, seven years before Epicurus, who would have appointed him his successor had he survived him. He left behind him a son named Epicurus, and a daughter, whom Epicurus, in his will, entrusted to the guardianship of Amynomachus and Timocrates, to be brought up under the joint care of themselves and Hermachus, and provided for out of the property which he left behind him. In a letter also which he wrote upon his death-bed, Epicurus commended the children to. the care of Idomeneus, who had married Batis, the sister of Metrodorus. The 20th of each month was kept by the disciples of Epicurus as a festive day in honour of their master and Metrodorus. Leontium is spoken of as the wife or mistress of Metrodorus.
The philosophy of Metrodorus appears to have been of a more grossly sensual kind than that of Epicurus. (Cic. de Nat. Deor. i 40, Tusc. Disp. 5.9, de Fin. 2.28.92, 30.99, 31.101.) Perfect happiness, according to Cicero's account, he made to consist in having a well-constituted body, and knowing that it would always remain so. He found fault with his brother for not admitting that the belly was the test and measure of every thing that pertained to a happy life. Of the writings of Metrodorus Diogenes Laertius mentions the following: 1. Πρὸς τοὺς ἰατροὺς, in three books; 2. Περὶ αἰσθήσεων, addressed to Timocrates (Cic. de Nat. Deor. 1.40); 3. Περὶ μεγαλοψυχίας; 4. Περὶ τῆς Ἐπικούρου ἀρρωστίας; 5. Προὶς τοὺς διαλεκτικούς; 6. Περὶ τοὺς σοφιστας, in nine books; 7. Περὶ τῆς ἐπὶ σοφίαν πορείας; 8. Περὶ τῆς μεταβολῆς; 9. Περὶ πλούτου; 10. Πρὸς Δμόκριτον; 11. Περὶ Εὐγενείας. But besides these, Metrodorus wrote: 12. Περὶ Ποιητῶν, in which he attacked Homer. (Plut. Moral. p. 1087a. 1094, d.) 13. Πρὸς Τίμαρχον (Plut. ad v. Colot. p. 1117b); and 14. Περὶ συνηθείας (Athen. 9.391d.) Athenaeus (xii. p. 546f.) also mentions his letters, and quotes a passage from one addressed to Timocrates. These letters may possibly consist of or include some of the treatises above enumerated. The passage which Athenaeus quotes is similar in import to what Cicero refers to (d Nat. Deor. 1.40). The treatise Περὶ φιλοσοφίας, mentioned by Plutarch (ad v. Colot. extr.), is perhaps the same as the seventh in the preceding list. (D. L. 10.22, &c., with the notes of Menagius; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. iii. p. 606 ; Bode, Gesch. der Hellen. Dichtkunst, vol. i. p. 11. )
5. Surnamed ὁ Δεωρηματικύς, a disciple first of Theophrastus, afterwards of Stilpo, is mentioned only by Diogenes Laertius (2.113).
6. Of Scepsis, a contemporary and friend of Demetrius of Scepsis, to whom he was indebted for his advancement, when he abandoned philosophy, and betook himself to politics. Hie was originally poor, but gained distinction by his writings, the style of which was peculiar and new, and married a wealthy Carthaginian lady. He attached himself to Mithridates Eupator, accompanied him into Pontus, and was raised to a position of great influence and trust, being appointed supreme judge, without appeal even to the king. Subsequently, however, he was led to desert his allegiance, when sent by Mithridates on an embassy to Tigranes, king of Armenia. Tigranes sent him back to Mithridates, but he died on the road. According to some accounts he was despatched by order of the king; according to others he died of disease (Strab. xiii. pp. 609, 610). Methodorus is frequently mentioned by Cicero; he seems to have been particularly celebrated for his powers of memory (Cic. de Orat. 2.88.360). This is also mentioned by Pliny (Plin. Nat. 7.24). In consequence of his hostility to the Romans he was surnamed the Roman-hater (Plin. H.N. 34.7 or 16). He was a contemporary of L. Crassus, the orator, who heard him when in Asia (Cic. de Orat. 3.20.75). Athenaeus (xii. p. 552c.) quotes a work by this Metrodorus, Περὶ ἀλειπτικῆς. We also find mention of a Metrodorus as the author of a Περιήγησις (Placidus Lutatius on Statius, 3.478). Notices which might very well have been derived from a work of that kind, are given by Pliny (Plin. Nat. 5.31. s. 38, 8.14), on the authority of a Metrodorus ; and as similar notices (H. N. 3.16. s. 20, 28.7. s. 23, 37.4. s. 15) are taken by him from Metrodorus of Scepsis, the latter was very probably the author of the Περιήγησις in question. Strabo also (xi. p. 504) quotes from Metrodorus of Scepsis a geographical notice respecting the Amazons. (Voss. de Hist. Graecis, p. 180, ed. West.)
7. Of Stratonice in Caria. He was at first a disciple of the school of Epicurus, but afterwards attached himself to Carneades. Cicero speaks of himn as an orator of great fire and volubility (de Orat. 1.11.45). He flourished about B. C. 110. (D. L. 10.9; Cic. Ac. 2.6. § 16, 24.78; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. iii. p. 607.)
8. A distinguished grammarian, the brother of Anthemius of Tralles [Anthemius], mentioned by Agathias, 5.6. (Voss. de Hist. Graecis, p. 470.)
9. A native apparently of Alexandria or Egypt, mentioned by Photius (Phot. Bibl. 115, 116) as the author of a cycle for the calculation of the time of Easter. He lived after the time of Diocletian, but nothing more exact is known respecting him. (Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. x. p. 712 ; Noris. Dissert. de Cyclo Pasch. Ravenn. ch. 3, p. 183.) [C.P.M]
(Μητρόδορος), the author of two epigrams in the Greek Anthology. (Brunck, Anal. vol. ii. p. 476; Jacobs, Anth. Graec. vol. iii. p. 180.) His age is very uncertain, and it is even doubtful whether both the epigrams ought to be ascribed to the same poet. (Jacobs, Anth. Graec. vol. xiii. pp. 917, 918; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. iv. p. 482.) [P.S]
of Athens, a painter and philosopher, of such distinction, that when Aemilius Paullus, after his victory over Perseus (B. C. 168), requested the Athenians to send him their most approved philosopher, to educate his children, and their best painter, to represent his triumph, they selected Metrodorus as the most competent man for both offices; and Paullus concurred in their opinion. (Plin. Nat. 35.11. s. 40.30.) [P.S]
(Μητρόδωρος), the name of several physicians.
1. A pupil of Chrysippus of Cnidos, and tutor to Erasistratus, who lived in the fourth and third centuries B. C. He was the third husband of Pythias, the daughter of Aristotle, by whom he had a son named after her celebrated father. (Sext. Empir. Cont. Mathem. 1.12, p. 271. ed. Fabric.)
2. A pupil of Sabinus, in the first and second centuries after Christ, is mentioned by Galen as one of those who had commented on part of the Hippocratic Collection (Comment. in Hippocr. " Epid. III." 1.4, " Epid. VI." 1.29, vol. xvii. pt. i. pp. 508, 877), and is probably the physician who was one of the followers of Asclepiades. (Galen, De Simpl. Medicam. Temper. ac Fcultt. 1.29, 35, vol. xi. pp. 432, 442.)
3. The author of the work quoted by Pliny (Plin. Nat. 20.81), and entitled Ἐπιτομὴ τῶν Ῥιζοτομουμένων, appears to have been a different person (though sometimes reckoned as the same), and may be supposed to have been a contemporary of Cratevas in the first century B. C. (Plin. Nat. 25.4.)
4. The physician mentioned by Cicero (Ep. ad Famil. 16.20) as attending on his freedman Tiro, B. C. 46.
One of the above (perhaps the third) is quoted by Marbodus (De Gemmis), and called by him " maximus auctor." (See Fabric. Bibl. Gr. vol. xiii. p. 337, ed. vet.) [W.A.G]
(Μητρόδωρος). A name of several Greek philosophers, the most important of whom was a native of Lampsacus or Athens, an Epicurean philosopher, and the most distinguished of the disciples of Epicurus, with whom he lived on terms of the closest friendship. He died 277, in the fiftythird year of his age, seven years before Epicurus, who would have appointed him his successor had he survived him. The philosophy of Metrodorus appears to have been of a more grossly sensual kind than that of Epicurus. Perfect happiness he made to consist in having a well-constituted body. He found fault with his brother Timocrates for not admitting that the stomach was the test and measure of every thing that pertained to a happy life. He was the author of several works, quoted by the ancient writers.
Another Metrodorus, of Scepsis, was raised to a position of great influence and trust by Mithridates Eupator, being appointed supreme judge without appeal even to the king. Subsequently he was led to abandon his allegiance, when sent by Mithridates on an embassy to Tigranes, king of Armenia. Tigranes sent him back to Mithridates, but he died on the road. According to some accounts he was despatched by order of the king; according to others he died of disease. In consequence of his hostility to the Romans he was surnamed “the Roman-hater” (Cic. De Orat. ii. 88, 360; Strabo, p. 609).
- Paus. 6.15.6
- Hdt. 4.138