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] Of the writings of Praxiphanes, which appear to have been numerous, two are especially mentioned, a Dialogue ποιητῶν^[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 ίστορίας.

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). "^{article name needed}". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.