270 
PLINT's KATtJBAL HISTOET. 
[Book III. 
Polyliistor^ Thucydides^, Theoplirastiis^, Isidorus'', Theo- 
pompus^, Metrodorus of Scepsis^, Callicrates^, Xenophon 
of Lampsacus^, Diodorus of Syracuse^, ISFymphodorus^^, 
Calliplianes^^ and Timagenes^^. 
1 Also called by Pliny Cornelius Alexander. Suidas states that lie 
was a native of Ephesus and a disciple of Crates, and during the war of 
Sylla in Greece was made prisoner and sold as a slave to C. Lentulus, who 
made him the tutor of his children, and afterwards restored him to free- 
dom. Servius however says that he received the franchise from L. Cor- 
neHus Sylla. He was burnt with his house at Laurentum. Other writers 
say that he was a native of Catiseum in Lesser Phrygia. The surname of 
" Polyhistor" was given to him for his prodigious learning. His greatest 
work seems to have been a historical and geographical account of the 
world, in forty- two books. Other works of Ins are frequently mentioned 
by Plutarch, Photius, and other writers. 
2 The historian of the Peloponnesian war, and the most famous, per- 
haps, of all the ancient writers in prose. 
3 Of Eresus in Lesbos ; the favourite disciple of Aristotle, and desig- 
nated by him as his successor in the presidency of the Lyceum. Pie 
composed more than 200 works on various subjects, of which only a very 
few survive. ** See end of B. ii. ^ See end of B. ii. 
^ Pie is frequently mentioned by Cicero, and was famous for his elo- 
quence. Phny informs us in his 34th book, that from his hatred of the 
Komans he was called the " K-oman-hater." It is probable that he was 
the writer of a Periegesis, or geographical work, from which Phny seems 
to quote. 
7 No particulars of this author are known. He probably wrote on 
geography. 
^ He is again mentioned by Phny in B. iv. c. 13, and B. vi. c. 31, and 
by Sohnus, c. xxii. 60. It is supposed that he was the author of a Pe- 
riplus or Cfrcumnavigation of the Earth, mentioned by Phny B. vii. c. 48 ; 
but nothing further is known of him. 
9 Diodorus Siculus was a native of Agyra or Agyrium, and not of 
Syracuse, though he may possibly have resided or studied there. It can- 
not be doubted that he is the person here meant, and Phny refers in his 
preface by name to liis Bij3\Lo9rjicr}, " Library," or Universal History. 
A great portion of this miscellaneous but valuable work has perished. 
We have but few particulars of his hfe ; but he is supposed to have 
written his work after B.C. 8. 
Of Syracuse ; an historian probably of the time of Phihp and Alex- 
ander. He was the author of a Periplus of Asia, and an account of Sicily 
and Sardinia. From his stories in the last he obtained the name of 
" Thaumatographus " or " writer of wonders." 
Of Calliphanes the Geographer nothing is known. 
^2 Probably Timagenes, the rhetorician of Alexandria. He was taken 
prisoner and brought to Rome, but redeemed from captivity by Eaustus, 
the son of Sylla. He wrote many works, but it is somewhat doubtful 
whether the " Periplus," in five Books, was written by this Tunagenes. He 
is also supposed to have written a work on the Antiquities of Gaul. 
