) This Homeric
tradition
differs from those the middle of the third century B.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - b
Of Cyprus, an historian, whose "puylaxá is
powers of a variety of stones, plants, and animals, quoted by Plutarch (De Fluv. 2, 24, 12. )
and under each head it mentions some mineral, 3. Of Colophon, the son of Agoneus, an athlete.
vegetable, or animal medicine. It is generally whose statue was erected by his fellow-citizens in
supposed that this work was originally compiled honour of his victory at Olympia (Paus. vi. 17.
from Persian, Arabic, or Egyptian sources. $ 3). If he had been, as Vossius (l. c. ) supposes
## p. 416 (#432) ############################################
416
HERMIONE.
HERMIPPUS.
the same person as the poet, we may be sure that time Orestes carried off Hermione from the house
Pausanias would have said so.
(P. S. ) of Peleus, and she, in remembrance of her fornier
HERMI'NIA GENS, a very ancient patrician love for Orestes, followed him. She had also
house at Rome, which appears in the first Etruscan reason to fear the revenge of Neoptolemus, for she
war with the republic, B. C. 506, and vanishes from had made an attempt to murder Andromache,
history in B. C. 448. The name Herminius occurs whom Neoptolemus seemed to love more than her,
only twice in the Fasti, and has only one cogno- but had been prevented from committing the crime.
men, AQUILINUS. (AQUILINUS. ) Whether this According to others, Menelaus betrothed her at
pens were of Oscan, Sabellian, or Etruscan origin, Troy to Neoptolemus; but in the meantime her
is doubtful. An Herminius defends the sublician grandfather, Tyndareus, promised her to Orestes,
bridge against an Etruscan army, and probably re- and actually gave her in marriage to him. Neop-
presents in that combat one of the three tribes of tolemus, on his return, took possession of her by
Rome. Horatius Cocles, as a member of a lesser force, but was slain soon after either at Delphi or
gens, the Horatian, is the symbol of the Luceres ; in his own home at Phthia. (Virg. Aen. iii. 327,
and therefore Herminius is the symbol either of xi. 264 ; Sophocl. ar. Eustath. ad Ilom. p. 1479. )
the Ramnes or the Titienses. Probably of the Hermione had no children by Neoptolemus (Eurip.
latter, since the Titienses were the Sabine tribe, Androm. 33; Paus. i. 11. § 1; Schol. ad Pind.
and the syllable Her is of frequent occurrence in Nem. vii. 58), but by Orestes, whose wiſe she ulti-
Sabellian names-Herennius, Her-ius, Her-nicus, mately became, she was the mother of Tisamenus.
Her-silia, &c. (Comp. Müller, Etrusc. vol. i. p. (Paus. i. 33. $ 7, ii. 18. $ 3. ) The Lacelaenio-
423. ) But, on the other hand, the nomen of one nians dedicated a statue of her, the work of Calamis,
of the Herminii is Lar, Larius, or Larcins (Liv. at Delphi. (Paus. x. 16. & 2. ) A scholiast on
iii. 65; Dionys. xi. 51; Diod. xii. 27), and the Pindar (Nem. x. 12) calls her the wife of Dio-
Etruscan origin of Lar is unquestionable. (Müller, medes, and Hesychius (s. v. ) states that Hermione
Ib. p. 408. ) It is remarkable, that the first Her- was a sumame of Persephone at Syracuse. (L. S. ]
minius, cos. B. C. 506, in his consulate, on the HERMIPPUS (Epuistos). 1. An Athenian
bridge, and at the “ Battle of Regillus,” is cou- comic poet of the old comedy, was the son of
pled with Sp. Larcius. (Liv. ii. 10, 21 ; Dionys. Lysis and the brother of the comic poet Myr.
v. 22. ) The Roman antiquaries regarded the tilus. He was a little younger than Telecleides,
Herminii as an Etruscan family (Val. Max. de but older than Eupolis and Aristophanes (Suid.
Praenom. 15); and Silius Italicus gives a North- s. v. ). He vehemently attacked Pericles, espe-
Etruscan fisherman the name of Herminius. cially on the occasion of Aspasia's acquittal on the
(Punic. v. 580. ) In the diverging dialects of the charge of doébera, and in connection with the be-
West-Caucasian languages, Arminius, the Cherus- ginning of the Peloponnesian war. (Plut. Peric. 32,
can name (Tac. Ann. ii. ), and Herminius, are per- 33. ) He also attacked Hyperbolus. (Aristoph.
haps cognate appellations. (W. B. D. ] Nub. v. 553, and Schol. ) According to Suidas,
HERMI'NUS ('Epuivos), a Peripatetic phi- he wrote forty plays, and his chief actor was
losopher, a contemporary of Demonax (called by Simermon (Schol. in Aristoph. Nub. 535, 537, 542).
Porphyrius, Vit. Plot. 20, a stoic). He appears to There are extant of his plays several fragments and
have written commentaries on most of the works | nine titles; viz. Αθηνας γοναι, 'Αρτοπώλιδες, Δημό-
of Aristotle. Simplicius (ad Arist. de Cuelo, ii. Η ται, Ευρώπη, Θεοί, Κέρκωπες, Μοίραι, Στρατιωται,
23, fol. 105) says he was the instructor of Alex. Popuocópoi. The statement of Athenaeus (xv. p.
ander of Aphrodisias. His writings, of which no- 699, a. ) that Hermippus also wrote parodies, seems
thing now remains, are frequently referred to by to refer not to any separate works of his, but to
Boëthius, who mentions a treatise by him, hep parodies contained in his plays, of which there are
'Epunvelas, as also Analytica and Topica. (Lucian, examples in the extant fragments, as well as in
Demon. Ø 56 ; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. iii. p. the plays of other comic poets.
495. )
[C. P. M. ] Besides the comedies of Hermippus, several of
HERMION ('Epuiwv), a son of Europs, and the ancient writers quote his Iambics, Trimeters,
grandson of Phoroneus, was, according to a tradi- and Tetrameters. Meineke's analysis of these
tion of Hermione, the founder of that town on the quotations leaves little room to doubt that Her-
south-east coast of Peloponnesus. (Paus. ii. 34. mippus published scurrilous poems, like those of
§ 5. )
[L. S. ] the old iambic poets, partly in lambic trimeters,
HERMIONE ('Epuiévn), the only daughter of and partly in trochaic tetrameters. (Meineke,
Menelaus and Helena, and beautiful, like the golden Frag. Com. Graec. vol. i. pp. 90—99, vol
. ii. pp.
Aphrodite. (Hom. Od. iv. 14, Il. ii. 175). As 380—417; Bergk, Comment. de Reliq. Com. Att.
she was a grand-daughter of Leda, the mother of Ant. c. 3. )
IIelena, Virgil (Acn. iii. 328) calls her Ledaea. 2. Of Smyrna, a distinguished philosopher, sur-
During the war against Troy, Menelaus promised named by the ancient writers the Callimacheian
her in marriage to Neoptolemus (Pyrrbus); and (ó Katajuá xelos). From this title it may be in-
after his returu he fulfilled his promise. (Od. iv. ferred that he was a disciple of Callimachus about
4, &c.
) This Homeric tradition differs from those the middle of the third century B. C. , while the
of later writers. According to Euripides (Androm. fact of his having written the life of Chrysippus
891, &c. ; comp. Pind. Nem. vii. 43; Hygin. Fab. proves that he lived to about the end of the cen-
1:23), Menelaus, previous to his expedition against tury. His writings seem to have been of very great
Troy, had promised Hermione to Orestes. After importance and value. (Joseph. c. A pion. i. 22;
the return of Neoptolemus, Orestes informed him Hieronym. de Vir. Illustr. Praef. ) They are re-
of this, and claimed Hermione for himself; but peatedly referred to by the ancient writers, under
Neoptolemus baughtily refused to give her up. many titles, of which, however, most, if not all,
Orestes, in revenge, incited the Delphians against seem to have been chapters of his great biogra-
bim, and Neoptolemus was slain. In the mean-phical work, which is often quoted under the title
## p. 417 (#433) ############################################
HERMOCRATES.
HERMOCRATES.
417
of Blon. It can scarcely be doubled that the follow- citizens of that state at the tinie of the Athenian
ing were portions of that work : Nepl Twv év har invasion. We have no account of his early life or
deią dawkártwy (Westermann believes this to have rise, but his family must have been illustrious, for,
been the title of the whole work),—Hepi tûvérta according to Timacus (ap. Longin. iv. 3 ; comp.
Σοφών,-Περί των Νομοθετών,-Βίοι των Φιλοσό- also Plut. Nic. 1), it claimed descent from the god
owv, of which a great portion was occupied with the Hermes, and it is evident that he was a person of
life of Pythagoras, and which also contained lives of consideration and influence in the state as early as
Empedocles, Heracleitus, Democritus, Zeno, So B. C. 424, as he was one of the deputies sent by the
crates, Plato, Aristotle, Antisthenes, Diogenes, Syracusans to the general congress of the Greek
Stilpo, Epicurus, Theophrastus, Heracleides, De cities of Sicily, held at Gela in the summer of that
metrius Phalereus, Chrysippus, and others, --Bíol year. Thucydides, who puts a long speech into
TV 'Pntopwr, under which, again, may be in- his mouth on that occasion, ascribes mainly to his
cluded the titles Iepl ropylov, nel 'lookpátous, influence the resolution adopted by the assembled
Περί των Ισοκράτους Μαθητών. The work seems | deputies to terminate the troubles of Sicily by a
almo to have contained lives of historians (Marcell. general pence. (Thuc. iv. 58, 65 ; Timacus, ap.
Vit. Thuc. 18), and of poets, for we have the title Polyb. xii. Frag. Vut. 22. ) In 415, when the
Tepl 'ITTÚVAKTOS. It is not improbable that the news of the impending invasion from Athens came
treatise Περί των διαπρεψάντων εν Παιδεία Δούλων | to be generally rife, though still discredited by
also belonged to the same great work, but the sub many, Hermocrates again came forward to urge the
ject creates a suspicion that it may belong to Her- truth of the rumour, and the necessity of inime-
mippus of Berytus. There is more uncertainty diate preparations for defence. (Thuc. vi. 32–
about the work Nepi Máywv, and about several 35. ) It does not appear that he at this time held
miscellaneous quotations on points of geography, any public situation or command ; but in the fol-
music, and astronomy. If the Hermippus whom lowing winter, after the first defeat of the Syra-
Athenaeus quotes under the surname of ó dotporo-cusans by the Athenians, he represented this dis-
girós (xi. p. 478, a. ) be a different person, the aster as owing to the too great number as well as
work Tepl Máyw and the astronomical quotations insufficient authority of their generals, and thus
would naturally be referred to him. Lastly, Sto- induced them to appoint himself, together with
baeus (Serm. 5) quotes from the work of a certain Heracleides and Sicanus, to be conimanders-in-
Hermippus, Evvayan TV kanas dvadwindertwr chief, with full powers. (Thuc. vi. 72, 73 ; Plut.
et Ouñpov. Perhaps this work should be assigned Nic. 16 ; Diod. xiii. 4; who, however, places their
to Hermippus of Berytus. (Vossius, de Hist. Graec. appointment too early. ) He was soon after sent to
pp. 138-140, ed. Westermann; Fabric. Bill. Camarina, to counteract the influence of the Athe-
Graec. vol. ii. p. 495 ; Lozynski, Hermippi Smyr. nian envoys, and gain the Car rinaeans to the
naei Peripatetici Fragmenta, Bonn, 1832, 8vo. ; alliance of Syracuse, but he only succeeded in in-
Preller, in Jahn's Jahrbücher für Philologie, vol. ducing them to remain neutral. (Thuc. vi. 75,
xvii. p. 159; Clinton, Fast. Hellen. vol. ii. p. 88. ) According to 'Thucydides, Hermocrates had
518. )
already given proofs of valour and ability in war,
3. Of Berytus, a grammarian, who flourished before his elevation to the command ; but his first
under Trajan and Hadrian. By birth he was a proceedings as a general were unsuccessful : his
slave, but having become the disciple of Philo great object was to prevent the Athenians from
Biblius, he was recommended by him to Herennius making themselves masters of the heights of Epi-
Severus, and attained to great eminence by his elo polae, above the town, but they landed suddenly
quence and learning. He wrote many works, from Catana, carried the Epipolae by surprise, and
ainong which were an account of dreams in five commenced their lines of circumvallation. The
books (Tertull. De Anim. 46), and a book Nepi Syracusans next, by the advice of Hermocrates,
'Eldováðos (Clem. Alex. Stroni. vi. p. 291). He is began to construct a cross wall, interrupt the
also quoted again by Clemens (Strom. i. p. 132), Athenian lines; but they were foiled in this
and by Stephanus Byzantinus, s. v. 'Páterva. project too: the Athenians attacked their counter-
(Suid. s. v. "Epuntos, Nirayópas; Vossius, De work, and destroyed it, while they themselves
Mist. Graec. pp. 262, 263, ed. Westermann. ) were repulsed in all their attacks upon the
4. There is a dialogue on astrology, in two Athenian lines. Dispirited by their ill success,
books, under the name of "EpUITTOS, which is not they laid the blame upon their generals, whom they
the name of the author but of the principal speaker. deposed, and appointed three others in their stead.
It was printed by Fabricius (Bibl. Graec. vol. xii. (Thuc. vi. 96—103. ) The arrival of Gylippus soon
p. 261, old edition ; comp. vol. iv. p. 159, ed. Har- after superseded the new generals, and gave a fresh
less), and has been re-edited by 0. D. Bloch. turn to affairs ; but Hermocrates, though now in a
(Hermippus, incerti auctoris Christiani Dialogus s. private situation, was not less active in the service
de Astrologia Libri II. Gr. ex apog. cod. Vatic. of his country : we hear of his heading a chosen
Hasnjae, 1830, 8vo. )
(P. S. ) band of warriors in resisting the great night attack
HERMOʻCHARES. [ACONTIUS; CTESYLLA. ) on the Epipolae, immediately after the arrival of
HE'RMOCLES ('Epuoranis), of Rhodes, a sta- Demosthenes (Diod. xiii. 11): he is also mentioned
tuary, who made the bronze statue of Combabus in as joining with Gylippus in urging the Syracusans
the temple of Hera at Hierapolis in Syria He to try their fortune aguin by sea, as well as by
lived, therefore, in the reign of Antiochus II. land : and when, after the final defeat and de-
(Soter), about B. C. 280, and belonged, no doubt, struction of their feets, the Athenian generals were
like Chares, to the Rhodian school of artists, who preparing to retrcat by land, it was Hermocrates
were the followers of Lysippus. (Lucian, de Dea who anticipated their purpose, and finding it im-
Syria, 26. )
[P. S. ) possible to induce his countrymen to march forth
HERMO'CRATES ('Epuokpáns). 1. Son of at once and occupy the passes, nevertheless suc-
Hermon, a Syracusan, and one of the most eminent ceeded, by an ingenious stratagem, in causing the
VOL. II.
ER
## p. 418 (#434) ############################################
418
HERMOCRATES.
HERMOCREON.
Athenians themselves to defer their departure for allies, laid waste the territories of Motya and Pa-
two days, a delay which proved fntal to the whole normus, and defeated the Panormitans in a battle.
army. (Thuc. vii. 21, 73; Diod. xiii. 18 ; Plut. By these means he acquired great fame and popu-
Nic. 26. ) Thucydides makes no mention of the larity, which were still increased when in the fol.
part taken by Hermocrates in regard to the Athe-lowing year (B. C. 407) he repaired to Himera, and
nian prisoners, but both Diodorus and Plutarch finding that the bones of the Syracusans who had
represent him as exerting all his influence with his been slain in battle against the Carthaginians two
countrymen, though unsuccessfully, to save the years before still lay there unburied, caused them
lives of Nicias and Demosthenes. According to a to be gathered up, and removed with all due fune-
statement of Timaeus, preserved by the latter au- ral honours to Syracuse. But, though the revulsion
thor, when he found all his efforts fruitless, he of feeling thus excited led to the banishment of
gave a private intimation to the two generals that Diocles, and other leaders of the opposite party
they might anticipate the ignominy of a public ex- yet the sentence of exile against Hermocrates stil.
ecution by a voluntary death. (Diod. xiii. 19; remained unreversed. Not long afterwards he app
Plut. Nic. 28. )
proached Syracuse with a considerable force, and
After the destruction of the Athenian armament was admitted by some of his friends into the city;
in Sicily, Hermocrates employed all his influence but was followed in the first instance only by a
with his countrymen to induce them to support select band, which the Syracusans no sooner dis
with vigour their allies the Lacedaemonians in the covered than they took up arms, and attacked and
war in Greece itself. But he only succeeded in slew him, together with the greater part of his fol-
prevailing upon them to send a squadron of twenty lowers, before his troops could come to their assist-
triremes (to which the Selinuntians added two ance. (Diod. xiii. 63, 75. ) The character of
more); and with this small force he himself, with Hermocrates is one of the brightest and purest in
two colleagues in the command, joined the Lace the history of Syracuse ; and the ancient republics
daemonian fleet under Astyochus, before the close present few more striking instances of moderation
of the summer of 412. (Thuc. viii.
powers of a variety of stones, plants, and animals, quoted by Plutarch (De Fluv. 2, 24, 12. )
and under each head it mentions some mineral, 3. Of Colophon, the son of Agoneus, an athlete.
vegetable, or animal medicine. It is generally whose statue was erected by his fellow-citizens in
supposed that this work was originally compiled honour of his victory at Olympia (Paus. vi. 17.
from Persian, Arabic, or Egyptian sources. $ 3). If he had been, as Vossius (l. c. ) supposes
## p. 416 (#432) ############################################
416
HERMIONE.
HERMIPPUS.
the same person as the poet, we may be sure that time Orestes carried off Hermione from the house
Pausanias would have said so.
(P. S. ) of Peleus, and she, in remembrance of her fornier
HERMI'NIA GENS, a very ancient patrician love for Orestes, followed him. She had also
house at Rome, which appears in the first Etruscan reason to fear the revenge of Neoptolemus, for she
war with the republic, B. C. 506, and vanishes from had made an attempt to murder Andromache,
history in B. C. 448. The name Herminius occurs whom Neoptolemus seemed to love more than her,
only twice in the Fasti, and has only one cogno- but had been prevented from committing the crime.
men, AQUILINUS. (AQUILINUS. ) Whether this According to others, Menelaus betrothed her at
pens were of Oscan, Sabellian, or Etruscan origin, Troy to Neoptolemus; but in the meantime her
is doubtful. An Herminius defends the sublician grandfather, Tyndareus, promised her to Orestes,
bridge against an Etruscan army, and probably re- and actually gave her in marriage to him. Neop-
presents in that combat one of the three tribes of tolemus, on his return, took possession of her by
Rome. Horatius Cocles, as a member of a lesser force, but was slain soon after either at Delphi or
gens, the Horatian, is the symbol of the Luceres ; in his own home at Phthia. (Virg. Aen. iii. 327,
and therefore Herminius is the symbol either of xi. 264 ; Sophocl. ar. Eustath. ad Ilom. p. 1479. )
the Ramnes or the Titienses. Probably of the Hermione had no children by Neoptolemus (Eurip.
latter, since the Titienses were the Sabine tribe, Androm. 33; Paus. i. 11. § 1; Schol. ad Pind.
and the syllable Her is of frequent occurrence in Nem. vii. 58), but by Orestes, whose wiſe she ulti-
Sabellian names-Herennius, Her-ius, Her-nicus, mately became, she was the mother of Tisamenus.
Her-silia, &c. (Comp. Müller, Etrusc. vol. i. p. (Paus. i. 33. $ 7, ii. 18. $ 3. ) The Lacelaenio-
423. ) But, on the other hand, the nomen of one nians dedicated a statue of her, the work of Calamis,
of the Herminii is Lar, Larius, or Larcins (Liv. at Delphi. (Paus. x. 16. & 2. ) A scholiast on
iii. 65; Dionys. xi. 51; Diod. xii. 27), and the Pindar (Nem. x. 12) calls her the wife of Dio-
Etruscan origin of Lar is unquestionable. (Müller, medes, and Hesychius (s. v. ) states that Hermione
Ib. p. 408. ) It is remarkable, that the first Her- was a sumame of Persephone at Syracuse. (L. S. ]
minius, cos. B. C. 506, in his consulate, on the HERMIPPUS (Epuistos). 1. An Athenian
bridge, and at the “ Battle of Regillus,” is cou- comic poet of the old comedy, was the son of
pled with Sp. Larcius. (Liv. ii. 10, 21 ; Dionys. Lysis and the brother of the comic poet Myr.
v. 22. ) The Roman antiquaries regarded the tilus. He was a little younger than Telecleides,
Herminii as an Etruscan family (Val. Max. de but older than Eupolis and Aristophanes (Suid.
Praenom. 15); and Silius Italicus gives a North- s. v. ). He vehemently attacked Pericles, espe-
Etruscan fisherman the name of Herminius. cially on the occasion of Aspasia's acquittal on the
(Punic. v. 580. ) In the diverging dialects of the charge of doébera, and in connection with the be-
West-Caucasian languages, Arminius, the Cherus- ginning of the Peloponnesian war. (Plut. Peric. 32,
can name (Tac. Ann. ii. ), and Herminius, are per- 33. ) He also attacked Hyperbolus. (Aristoph.
haps cognate appellations. (W. B. D. ] Nub. v. 553, and Schol. ) According to Suidas,
HERMI'NUS ('Epuivos), a Peripatetic phi- he wrote forty plays, and his chief actor was
losopher, a contemporary of Demonax (called by Simermon (Schol. in Aristoph. Nub. 535, 537, 542).
Porphyrius, Vit. Plot. 20, a stoic). He appears to There are extant of his plays several fragments and
have written commentaries on most of the works | nine titles; viz. Αθηνας γοναι, 'Αρτοπώλιδες, Δημό-
of Aristotle. Simplicius (ad Arist. de Cuelo, ii. Η ται, Ευρώπη, Θεοί, Κέρκωπες, Μοίραι, Στρατιωται,
23, fol. 105) says he was the instructor of Alex. Popuocópoi. The statement of Athenaeus (xv. p.
ander of Aphrodisias. His writings, of which no- 699, a. ) that Hermippus also wrote parodies, seems
thing now remains, are frequently referred to by to refer not to any separate works of his, but to
Boëthius, who mentions a treatise by him, hep parodies contained in his plays, of which there are
'Epunvelas, as also Analytica and Topica. (Lucian, examples in the extant fragments, as well as in
Demon. Ø 56 ; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. iii. p. the plays of other comic poets.
495. )
[C. P. M. ] Besides the comedies of Hermippus, several of
HERMION ('Epuiwv), a son of Europs, and the ancient writers quote his Iambics, Trimeters,
grandson of Phoroneus, was, according to a tradi- and Tetrameters. Meineke's analysis of these
tion of Hermione, the founder of that town on the quotations leaves little room to doubt that Her-
south-east coast of Peloponnesus. (Paus. ii. 34. mippus published scurrilous poems, like those of
§ 5. )
[L. S. ] the old iambic poets, partly in lambic trimeters,
HERMIONE ('Epuiévn), the only daughter of and partly in trochaic tetrameters. (Meineke,
Menelaus and Helena, and beautiful, like the golden Frag. Com. Graec. vol. i. pp. 90—99, vol
. ii. pp.
Aphrodite. (Hom. Od. iv. 14, Il. ii. 175). As 380—417; Bergk, Comment. de Reliq. Com. Att.
she was a grand-daughter of Leda, the mother of Ant. c. 3. )
IIelena, Virgil (Acn. iii. 328) calls her Ledaea. 2. Of Smyrna, a distinguished philosopher, sur-
During the war against Troy, Menelaus promised named by the ancient writers the Callimacheian
her in marriage to Neoptolemus (Pyrrbus); and (ó Katajuá xelos). From this title it may be in-
after his returu he fulfilled his promise. (Od. iv. ferred that he was a disciple of Callimachus about
4, &c.
) This Homeric tradition differs from those the middle of the third century B. C. , while the
of later writers. According to Euripides (Androm. fact of his having written the life of Chrysippus
891, &c. ; comp. Pind. Nem. vii. 43; Hygin. Fab. proves that he lived to about the end of the cen-
1:23), Menelaus, previous to his expedition against tury. His writings seem to have been of very great
Troy, had promised Hermione to Orestes. After importance and value. (Joseph. c. A pion. i. 22;
the return of Neoptolemus, Orestes informed him Hieronym. de Vir. Illustr. Praef. ) They are re-
of this, and claimed Hermione for himself; but peatedly referred to by the ancient writers, under
Neoptolemus baughtily refused to give her up. many titles, of which, however, most, if not all,
Orestes, in revenge, incited the Delphians against seem to have been chapters of his great biogra-
bim, and Neoptolemus was slain. In the mean-phical work, which is often quoted under the title
## p. 417 (#433) ############################################
HERMOCRATES.
HERMOCRATES.
417
of Blon. It can scarcely be doubled that the follow- citizens of that state at the tinie of the Athenian
ing were portions of that work : Nepl Twv év har invasion. We have no account of his early life or
deią dawkártwy (Westermann believes this to have rise, but his family must have been illustrious, for,
been the title of the whole work),—Hepi tûvérta according to Timacus (ap. Longin. iv. 3 ; comp.
Σοφών,-Περί των Νομοθετών,-Βίοι των Φιλοσό- also Plut. Nic. 1), it claimed descent from the god
owv, of which a great portion was occupied with the Hermes, and it is evident that he was a person of
life of Pythagoras, and which also contained lives of consideration and influence in the state as early as
Empedocles, Heracleitus, Democritus, Zeno, So B. C. 424, as he was one of the deputies sent by the
crates, Plato, Aristotle, Antisthenes, Diogenes, Syracusans to the general congress of the Greek
Stilpo, Epicurus, Theophrastus, Heracleides, De cities of Sicily, held at Gela in the summer of that
metrius Phalereus, Chrysippus, and others, --Bíol year. Thucydides, who puts a long speech into
TV 'Pntopwr, under which, again, may be in- his mouth on that occasion, ascribes mainly to his
cluded the titles Iepl ropylov, nel 'lookpátous, influence the resolution adopted by the assembled
Περί των Ισοκράτους Μαθητών. The work seems | deputies to terminate the troubles of Sicily by a
almo to have contained lives of historians (Marcell. general pence. (Thuc. iv. 58, 65 ; Timacus, ap.
Vit. Thuc. 18), and of poets, for we have the title Polyb. xii. Frag. Vut. 22. ) In 415, when the
Tepl 'ITTÚVAKTOS. It is not improbable that the news of the impending invasion from Athens came
treatise Περί των διαπρεψάντων εν Παιδεία Δούλων | to be generally rife, though still discredited by
also belonged to the same great work, but the sub many, Hermocrates again came forward to urge the
ject creates a suspicion that it may belong to Her- truth of the rumour, and the necessity of inime-
mippus of Berytus. There is more uncertainty diate preparations for defence. (Thuc. vi. 32–
about the work Nepi Máywv, and about several 35. ) It does not appear that he at this time held
miscellaneous quotations on points of geography, any public situation or command ; but in the fol-
music, and astronomy. If the Hermippus whom lowing winter, after the first defeat of the Syra-
Athenaeus quotes under the surname of ó dotporo-cusans by the Athenians, he represented this dis-
girós (xi. p. 478, a. ) be a different person, the aster as owing to the too great number as well as
work Tepl Máyw and the astronomical quotations insufficient authority of their generals, and thus
would naturally be referred to him. Lastly, Sto- induced them to appoint himself, together with
baeus (Serm. 5) quotes from the work of a certain Heracleides and Sicanus, to be conimanders-in-
Hermippus, Evvayan TV kanas dvadwindertwr chief, with full powers. (Thuc. vi. 72, 73 ; Plut.
et Ouñpov. Perhaps this work should be assigned Nic. 16 ; Diod. xiii. 4; who, however, places their
to Hermippus of Berytus. (Vossius, de Hist. Graec. appointment too early. ) He was soon after sent to
pp. 138-140, ed. Westermann; Fabric. Bill. Camarina, to counteract the influence of the Athe-
Graec. vol. ii. p. 495 ; Lozynski, Hermippi Smyr. nian envoys, and gain the Car rinaeans to the
naei Peripatetici Fragmenta, Bonn, 1832, 8vo. ; alliance of Syracuse, but he only succeeded in in-
Preller, in Jahn's Jahrbücher für Philologie, vol. ducing them to remain neutral. (Thuc. vi. 75,
xvii. p. 159; Clinton, Fast. Hellen. vol. ii. p. 88. ) According to 'Thucydides, Hermocrates had
518. )
already given proofs of valour and ability in war,
3. Of Berytus, a grammarian, who flourished before his elevation to the command ; but his first
under Trajan and Hadrian. By birth he was a proceedings as a general were unsuccessful : his
slave, but having become the disciple of Philo great object was to prevent the Athenians from
Biblius, he was recommended by him to Herennius making themselves masters of the heights of Epi-
Severus, and attained to great eminence by his elo polae, above the town, but they landed suddenly
quence and learning. He wrote many works, from Catana, carried the Epipolae by surprise, and
ainong which were an account of dreams in five commenced their lines of circumvallation. The
books (Tertull. De Anim. 46), and a book Nepi Syracusans next, by the advice of Hermocrates,
'Eldováðos (Clem. Alex. Stroni. vi. p. 291). He is began to construct a cross wall, interrupt the
also quoted again by Clemens (Strom. i. p. 132), Athenian lines; but they were foiled in this
and by Stephanus Byzantinus, s. v. 'Páterva. project too: the Athenians attacked their counter-
(Suid. s. v. "Epuntos, Nirayópas; Vossius, De work, and destroyed it, while they themselves
Mist. Graec. pp. 262, 263, ed. Westermann. ) were repulsed in all their attacks upon the
4. There is a dialogue on astrology, in two Athenian lines. Dispirited by their ill success,
books, under the name of "EpUITTOS, which is not they laid the blame upon their generals, whom they
the name of the author but of the principal speaker. deposed, and appointed three others in their stead.
It was printed by Fabricius (Bibl. Graec. vol. xii. (Thuc. vi. 96—103. ) The arrival of Gylippus soon
p. 261, old edition ; comp. vol. iv. p. 159, ed. Har- after superseded the new generals, and gave a fresh
less), and has been re-edited by 0. D. Bloch. turn to affairs ; but Hermocrates, though now in a
(Hermippus, incerti auctoris Christiani Dialogus s. private situation, was not less active in the service
de Astrologia Libri II. Gr. ex apog. cod. Vatic. of his country : we hear of his heading a chosen
Hasnjae, 1830, 8vo. )
(P. S. ) band of warriors in resisting the great night attack
HERMOʻCHARES. [ACONTIUS; CTESYLLA. ) on the Epipolae, immediately after the arrival of
HE'RMOCLES ('Epuoranis), of Rhodes, a sta- Demosthenes (Diod. xiii. 11): he is also mentioned
tuary, who made the bronze statue of Combabus in as joining with Gylippus in urging the Syracusans
the temple of Hera at Hierapolis in Syria He to try their fortune aguin by sea, as well as by
lived, therefore, in the reign of Antiochus II. land : and when, after the final defeat and de-
(Soter), about B. C. 280, and belonged, no doubt, struction of their feets, the Athenian generals were
like Chares, to the Rhodian school of artists, who preparing to retrcat by land, it was Hermocrates
were the followers of Lysippus. (Lucian, de Dea who anticipated their purpose, and finding it im-
Syria, 26. )
[P. S. ) possible to induce his countrymen to march forth
HERMO'CRATES ('Epuokpáns). 1. Son of at once and occupy the passes, nevertheless suc-
Hermon, a Syracusan, and one of the most eminent ceeded, by an ingenious stratagem, in causing the
VOL. II.
ER
## p. 418 (#434) ############################################
418
HERMOCRATES.
HERMOCREON.
Athenians themselves to defer their departure for allies, laid waste the territories of Motya and Pa-
two days, a delay which proved fntal to the whole normus, and defeated the Panormitans in a battle.
army. (Thuc. vii. 21, 73; Diod. xiii. 18 ; Plut. By these means he acquired great fame and popu-
Nic. 26. ) Thucydides makes no mention of the larity, which were still increased when in the fol.
part taken by Hermocrates in regard to the Athe-lowing year (B. C. 407) he repaired to Himera, and
nian prisoners, but both Diodorus and Plutarch finding that the bones of the Syracusans who had
represent him as exerting all his influence with his been slain in battle against the Carthaginians two
countrymen, though unsuccessfully, to save the years before still lay there unburied, caused them
lives of Nicias and Demosthenes. According to a to be gathered up, and removed with all due fune-
statement of Timaeus, preserved by the latter au- ral honours to Syracuse. But, though the revulsion
thor, when he found all his efforts fruitless, he of feeling thus excited led to the banishment of
gave a private intimation to the two generals that Diocles, and other leaders of the opposite party
they might anticipate the ignominy of a public ex- yet the sentence of exile against Hermocrates stil.
ecution by a voluntary death. (Diod. xiii. 19; remained unreversed. Not long afterwards he app
Plut. Nic. 28. )
proached Syracuse with a considerable force, and
After the destruction of the Athenian armament was admitted by some of his friends into the city;
in Sicily, Hermocrates employed all his influence but was followed in the first instance only by a
with his countrymen to induce them to support select band, which the Syracusans no sooner dis
with vigour their allies the Lacedaemonians in the covered than they took up arms, and attacked and
war in Greece itself. But he only succeeded in slew him, together with the greater part of his fol-
prevailing upon them to send a squadron of twenty lowers, before his troops could come to their assist-
triremes (to which the Selinuntians added two ance. (Diod. xiii. 63, 75. ) The character of
more); and with this small force he himself, with Hermocrates is one of the brightest and purest in
two colleagues in the command, joined the Lace the history of Syracuse ; and the ancient republics
daemonian fleet under Astyochus, before the close present few more striking instances of moderation
of the summer of 412. (Thuc. viii.
