500, and wrote
commentaries
on
cius, was one of the most zealous champions of the first six or seven books of Aristotle's Meta-
Paganism.
cius, was one of the most zealous champions of the first six or seven books of Aristotle's Meta-
Paganism.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - a
vii.
37, xxiii.
22), and upon his not len.
He derived his surname of Pharmacion from
only attending in all cases, with great assiduity, to his skill and knowledge of pharmacy, on which
everything which contributed to their comfort, but subject he wrote a work in ten books, five on ex-
also upon his flattering their prejudices and indulg- ternal remedies, and five on internal
. (Gal. ibid.
ing their inclinations. By the due application of vol. xii. p. 442. ) Galen quotes this work very
these means, and from the state of the people frequently, and generally with approbation.
among whom he practised, we may, without much 3. M. ARTORIUS ASCLEPIADES. (ARTORIUS. ]
difficulty, account for the great eminence at which 4. ASCLEPIADES PHILOPHYSICUS ($110QUOIKÓS),
he arrived, and we cannot fail to recognise in a physician, who must have lived some time in or
Asclepiades the prototype of more than one popular before the second century after Christ, as he is
physician of modern times. Justice, however, quoted by Galen, who has preserved some of his
obliges us to admit, that he seems to have pos- medical formulae. (De Compos. Medicam. sec. Lo
sessed a considerable share of acuteness and dis- cos, vii. 5, viii. 5, vol. xiii. pp. 102, 179. )
cernment, which on some occasions he employed 5. L. SCRIBONIUS ASCLEPIADES, whose name
with advantage. It is probable that to him we are occurs in a Latin inscription of unknown date, is
indebted, in the first instance, for the arrangement supposed by Rhodius (ad Scrib. Larg. p. 4) to be
of diseases into the two great classes of Acute and Scribonius Largus Designatianus (Largos), but
Chronic (Cael. Aurel. De Morb. Chron. iii. 8. p. this is very doubtful.
469), a division which has a real foundation in 6. ASCLEPIADES TITIENSIS, a physician, who
nature, and which still forms an important feature must have lived in or before the second century
in the most improved modern nosology. In his after Christ, as he is quoted by Caelius Aurelianus.
philosophical principles Asclepiades is said to have (De Morb. A cut. iii. 5, p. 201. )
been a follower of Epicurus, and to have adopted 7. ASCLEPIADES JUNIOR (Ó Neatepos), a phy-
his doctrine of atoms and pores, on which he sician quoted by Galen (De Compos. Medicam. sec.
attempted to build a new theory of disease, by Locos, i. 1. vol. xii. p. 410), who is the same per-
supposing that all morbid action might be reduced son as Asclepiades Pharmacion.
into obstruction of the pores and irregular distri- 8. AREIUS ASCLEPIADES ("Apelos ) is some-
bution of the atoms. This theory he accommodated times inserted in the list of physicians of the name
to his division of diseases, the acute being supposed of Asclepiades, but this appears to be a mistake, as
to depend essentially upon a constriction of the in the passage of Galen where the names occur (De
pores, or an obstruction of them by a superfluity of Compos
. Medicam. sec. Locos, viii. 5. vol. xiii. p.
atoms ; the chronic, upon a relaxation of the pores 182) instead of 'Apeiou ’Aukarafiáðou we should
or a deficiency of the atoms. Nothing remains of probably read 'Apelou 'AOKAIadelou. [AREIUS. ]
his writings but a few fragments, which have been 9. M. GALLUS ASCLEPIADES seems to be a
collected and published by Gumpert in the little similar mistake, as in Galen, De Compos. Medicam.
work mentioned above. There is a poem con- sec. Locos, viii. 5, vol. xiii. p. 179, instead of
taining directions respecting health (υγιεινά παραγ- Γαλλου Μάρκου του Ασκληπιάδου we should pro-
γελματα) which is ascribed to Asclepiades of Bi- bably read Γάλλου Μάρκου του Ασκληπιαδείου.
thynia, and which was first published by R. von (Gallus)
Welz, Würzberg, 1842 ; but a writer in the Rhuer- There are sereral other physicians of the name
nisches Museum (p. 444 in the vol. of 1843) has of Asclepiades mentioned in inscriptions, of whom
shewn, that this poem could not have been written nothing worth recording is known. A list of them
before the seventh century after Christ.
is given in the works mentioned above. [W. A. G. ]
The age at which Asclepiades died and the date ASCLEPIODO’RUS ('AOKAntibdwpos). 1. A
of his death are unknown; but it is said that he Macedonian, son of Timander, was one of the ge-
laid a wager with Fortune, engaging to forfeit his nerals of Alexander the Great, and after the con-
character as a physician if he should ever suffer quest of Syria was appointed by Alexander satrap
a
## p. 383 (#403) ############################################
ASCLEPIUS.
383
ASCLETARIO.
of that country. In B. c. 328, he led reinforce-tween Asclepius and Hermes on God, man, and
ments from Syria to Alexander in eastem Asia, the universc; we now possess only a Latin trans-
and there became involved in the conspiracy which lation of it, which in former times used to be attri-
was formed by Hermolaus against the life of the buted to Appuleius. It is cntitled “Hermetis
king. (Arrian, Anab. iv. 13, Ind. 18; Curtius, vii. Trismegisti Asclepius, seu de Natura Deorum
10, viii. 6. ) He seems to be the same as the one Dialogus," and is evidently the production of a very
whom Antigonus, in B. C. 317, made satrap of late time, that is, of the age in which a reconcilia-
Persia (Diod. xix. 48); but he must be distin- tion was attempted between the polytheism of an-
guished from an Asclepiodorus, a general of Cassan- tiquity and Christianity through the medium of
der, mentioned by Diodorus. (xix. 60. )
the views of the New Platonists. (Bosscha in
2. The author of a small work on tactics (TAK- Oudendorp's edition of Appuleius, iii. p. 517; Hil-
Tika Kepáraia), who is in some MSS. called debrand, de Vita et Scriptis Appuleii, p. 28, &c. )
Asclepiodotus. His work exists in several MSS. To the same Asclepius is also ascribed a work still
at Leyden, Paris, and Rome, but has not yet been extant, entitled opos 'Aokanalov a po's 'Apuava
published.
[L. S. ]
βασιλέα, which is printed together with a Latin
ASCLEPIODOʻRUS. 1. An Athenian painter, translation by A. Turnebus in his edition of the
a contemporary of A pelles, who considered him to Poemander ascribed to llermes Trismegistus (Paris,
excel himself in the symmetry and correctness of 1554, 4to. ), and in F. Patricius's Nova de Univer-
his drawing. (Plin. H. N. xxxv. 10. s. 36. & 21. ) sis Philosophia, Ferrara, 1591, fol. The Latin
Plutarch (de Gloria Athen. 2) ranks him with translation of the work is contained in vol. ï. of
Euphranor and Nicias.
the works (Opera) of Marsilius Ficinus, Basel,
2. A statuary, famed for statues of philosophers. 1561.
(Plin. H. N. xxxiv. 19. & 26. ) [C. P. M. ] 2. A Greek grammarian of uncertain date, who
ASCLEPIODOTUS ('Ασκληπιόδοτος. ) 1. wrote commentaries upon the orations of Demos-
The author of an epigram which seems to have thenes and the history of Thucydides; but both
been taken from the base of a statue of Memnon. works are now lost. (Ulpian, ad Dem. Philip.
(Anthol. Graec. Append. No. 16, ed. Tauchnitz. ; 1; Schol. Bavar. ad Dem. de fals. leg. pp. 375,
comp. Brunck. Analect. i. p. 490 ; Letronne in the 378; Marcellin. Vit. Thucyd. 57; Schol. ad
Transactions of the R. Society of Literature, vol. ii. Thucyd. i. 56. )
1, part i. 1832. )
3. Of Tralles, a Peripatetic philosopher and a
2. Of Alexandria, the most distinguished among disciple of Ammonius, the son of Hermias. He
the disciples of Proclus, and the teacher of Damas- lived about A. D.
500, and wrote commentaries on
cius, was one of the most zealous champions of the first six or seven books of Aristotle's Meta-
Paganism. He wrote a commentary on the Tim- physics and on the dpcountants of Nicomachus of
aeus of Plato, which however is lost. (Olympiod. Gerasa. These commentaries are still extant in MS. ,
Meteorolog. 4; Suidas, s. v. 'AonAntidotos; Da- but only a portion of them has yet been printed in
mascius, Vis. Isid. ap. Phoz. pp. 344, b. 345, b. )
Brandis, Scholia Graeca in Aristot. Metaphys. p.
3. An author who lived in the time of Diocle 518, &c. ; comp. Fabr. Bibl. Graec. iii. p. 258 ;
tian, and seems to have written a life of this em- St. Croix in the Magasin. Encyclop. Cinquième
peror. (Vopisc. Aurelian. 44. ) He seems to be Année, vol. iii.
P.
359.
[L. S. )
the same as the one who is mentioned as a general ASCLE'PIUS ('AOKAMOs), a physician, who
in the reign of Probus. (Vopisc. Prol. 22. ) must have lived some time in or before the second
4. A pupil of Posidonius, who, according to century after Christ, as he is mentioned by Galen.
Seneca (Nal. Quaest. vi. 17), wrote a work called (De Differ. Morb. c. 9. vol. vi. p. 869. ) 8 person
“ Quaestionum Naturalium causae. "
of the same name is quoted by the Scholiast on
5. A commander of the Gallic mercenaries in the Hippocrates (Dietz, Schol. in Hippocr. et Gal. vol.
army of Perseus, king of Macedonia. (Liv. xlii. ii. p. 458, n. , 470, n. ) as having written a com-
51, xliv. 2. )
(L. S. ] mentary on the Aphorisms, and probably also on
ASCLEPIOʻDOTUS ('AOKANTOOOTOS), a phy- most of the other works of Hippocrates, as he is
sician, who was also well versed in mathematics said to have undertaken to explain his writings by
and music, and who grew famous for reviving the comparing one part with another. (Ibid. ; Littré,
use of white hellebore, which in his time had Oeuvres d'Hippocr. vol. i. p. 125. ) Another phy-
grown quite out of vogue. He lived probably sician of the same name is said by Fabricius to be
about the end of the fifth century after Christ, as mentioned by Aëtius.
(W. A. G. )
he was the pupil of Jacobus Psychrestus, and is ASCLETA'RIO, an astrologer and mathemati-
mentioned by Damascius. (Damascius, ap. Phot. cian in the time of Domitian. On one occasion he
Cod. 242, p. 344, b. , ed. Bekk. ; Suidas, s. v. was brought before the emperor for some offence.
Ewpavos ; Freind's Hist. of Physic. ) (W. A. G. ] Domitian tried to put the knowledge of the astro-
ASCLEPIO'DOTUS, CASSIUS, a man of loger to the test, and asked him what kind of
great wealth among the Bithynians, shewed the death he was to die, whereupon Ascletario an-
same respect to Soranus, when he was under swered, " I know that I shall soon be tom to
Nero's displeasure, as he had when Soranus was in pieces by the dogs. ” To prevent the realisation of
prosperity. He was accordingly deprived of his this assertion, Domitian ordered him to be put to
property and driven into exile, A. D. 67, but was death immediately, and to be buried. When his
restored by Galba. (Tac. Ann. xvi. 33; Dion body lay on the funeral pile, a vehement wind
Cass. Ixii. 26. )
arose, which carried the body from the pile, and
ASCLEʻPIUS ('Aoknýmios). 1. A fabulous some dogs, which had been near, immediately
personage, said to have been a disciple of Hermes, began devouring the half-roasted body. Domitian,
the Egyptian Thot, who was regarded as the father on being informed of this, is said to have been
of all wisdom and knowledge. There existed in more moved and perplexed than he had ever been
antiqnity a Greek dialogue (16yos téc10s) be before. This tale, which is related in all its sim-
## p. 384 (#404) ############################################
384
ASCONIUS.
ASELLUS.
plicity by Suetonius ( Domit. 15), is much distorted their discrepancies arise solely from the conjectural
in the accounts which Cedrenus, Constantine Ma- cmendations which have been introduced from
nasses, and Glycas give of it.
[L. S. ] time to time for the purpose of correcting the
Q. ASCOʻNIUS PEDIA'NU'S, who holds the numerous corruptions and supplying the frequently-
first place among the ancient commentators of recurring blanks. Poggio has leti no description
Cicero, seems to have been born a year or two be- of the archetype, but it evidently must have been
fore the commencement of the Christian era, and in bad order, from the number of small gaps occa-
there is some reason to believe that he was a sioned probably by edges or corners having been
native of Padua. It appears from a casual expres- torn off
, or words rendered illegible by damp. In-
sion in his notes on the speech for Scaurus, that deed the account given of the place where the
these were written after the consulship of Largus monks had deposited their literary trcasures is
Caecina and Claudius, that is, after A. D. 42. We sufficient to account fully for such imperfections,
learn from the Eusebian chronicle that he became for it is represented to have been “ a most ſoul
blind in his seventy-third year, during the reign of and dark dungeon at the bottom of a tower, into
Vespasian, and that he attained to the age of which not even criminals convicted of capital
eighty-five. The supposition that there were two offences would have been thrust down. "
Asconii, the one the companion of Virgil and the The first edition of Asconius was taken directly
expounder of Cicero, the other an historian who from the transcript of Poggio, and was published
fourished at a later epoch, is in opposition to the at Venice in 1477, along with sundry essays and
clear testimony of antiquity, which recognises one dissertations on the speeches of Cicero. The work
only. He wrote a work, now lost, on the life of was frequently reprinted in the early part of the
Sallust; and another, which has likewise per- sixteenth century, and numerous editions have
ished, against the censurers of Virgil, of which appeared from time to time, either separately or
Donatus and other grammarians have availed them- attached to the orations themselves ; but, notwith-
belves in their illustrations of that poet ; but there standing the labours of many excellent scholars,
is no ground for ascribing to him the tract entitled the text is usually exhibited in a very corrupt and
Origo gentis Romanae, more commonly, but interpolated form. By far the best is that which
with as little foundation, assigned to Aurelius is to be found in the fifth volume of Cicero's works
Victor.
as edited by Orelli and Baiter; but many improve-
But far more important and valuable than the ments might yet be made if the three original
above was his work on the speeches of Cicero; and transcripts were to be carefully collated, instead of
fragments of commentaries, bearing his name, are reproducing mere copies of copies which have been
still extant, on the Divinatio, the first two speeches disfigured by the carelessness or presumption of
against Verres and a portion of the third, the successive scribes.
(W. R. )
speeches for Cornelius (i. ii. ), the speech In toga ASCUS ("Aokos ), a giant, who in conjunction
candida, for Scaurus, against Piso, and for Milo. The with Lycurgus chained Dionysus and threw him
remarks which were drawn up for the instruction into a river. Hermes, or, according to others,
of his sons (Comm. in Milon. 14) are conveyed in Zeus, rescued Dionysus, conquered (eduarev) the
very pure language, and refer chiefly to points of giant, flayed him, and made a bag ( đokos) of his
history and antiquities, great pains being bestowed skin. From this event the town of Damascus in
on the illustration of those constitutional forms of Syria was believed to bare derived its name.
the senate, the popular assemblies, and the courts (Etym. M. and Steph. Byz. s. r. Aauaokós. ) (L. S. ]
of justice, which were fast falling into oblivion A'SDRUBAL. [HASDRUBAL. ]
under the empire. This character, however, does ASE'LLIO, P. SEMPRONIUS, was tribune
not apply to the notes on the Verrine orations, of the soldiers under P. Scipio Africanus at Nu-
which are of a much more grammatical cast, and mantia, B. c. 133, and wrote a history of the affairs
exhibit not unfrequently traces of a declining in which he had been engaged. (Geli. ii. 13. ) His
Latinity. Hence, after a very rigid and minute work appears to bave commenced with the Punic
examination, the most able modern critics have wars, and it contained a very full account of the
decided that these last are not from the pen of times of the Gracchi. The exact title of the work,
Asconius, but must be attributed to some gram- and the number of books into which it was divided,
marian of a much later date, one who may have are not known. From the great superiority which
been the contemporary or successor of Servius or Asellio assigns to history above annals (ap. Gell.
Donatus. It is impossible here to analyse the v. 18), it is pretty certain that his own work was
reasoning by which this conclusion has been satis- not in the form of annals. It is sometimes cited
factorily established, but those who wish for full by the name of libri rerum gestarum, and some-
information will find everything they can desire in times by that of historiae ; and it contained at
the excellent treatise of Madrig. (De Asconii least fourteen books. (Gell. xiii. 3, 21; Charis. ii.
Pediani, fc. Commentariis, Hafniae, 1828, 8vo. ) p. 195. ) It is cited also in Gell. i. 13, ir. 9, xiii.
The history of the preservation of the book is 3, 21 ; Priscian, v. p. 668; Serv. ad Virg. Aen.
curious. Poggio Bracciolini, the renowned Floren- xii. 121; Nonius, s. v.
only attending in all cases, with great assiduity, to his skill and knowledge of pharmacy, on which
everything which contributed to their comfort, but subject he wrote a work in ten books, five on ex-
also upon his flattering their prejudices and indulg- ternal remedies, and five on internal
. (Gal. ibid.
ing their inclinations. By the due application of vol. xii. p. 442. ) Galen quotes this work very
these means, and from the state of the people frequently, and generally with approbation.
among whom he practised, we may, without much 3. M. ARTORIUS ASCLEPIADES. (ARTORIUS. ]
difficulty, account for the great eminence at which 4. ASCLEPIADES PHILOPHYSICUS ($110QUOIKÓS),
he arrived, and we cannot fail to recognise in a physician, who must have lived some time in or
Asclepiades the prototype of more than one popular before the second century after Christ, as he is
physician of modern times. Justice, however, quoted by Galen, who has preserved some of his
obliges us to admit, that he seems to have pos- medical formulae. (De Compos. Medicam. sec. Lo
sessed a considerable share of acuteness and dis- cos, vii. 5, viii. 5, vol. xiii. pp. 102, 179. )
cernment, which on some occasions he employed 5. L. SCRIBONIUS ASCLEPIADES, whose name
with advantage. It is probable that to him we are occurs in a Latin inscription of unknown date, is
indebted, in the first instance, for the arrangement supposed by Rhodius (ad Scrib. Larg. p. 4) to be
of diseases into the two great classes of Acute and Scribonius Largus Designatianus (Largos), but
Chronic (Cael. Aurel. De Morb. Chron. iii. 8. p. this is very doubtful.
469), a division which has a real foundation in 6. ASCLEPIADES TITIENSIS, a physician, who
nature, and which still forms an important feature must have lived in or before the second century
in the most improved modern nosology. In his after Christ, as he is quoted by Caelius Aurelianus.
philosophical principles Asclepiades is said to have (De Morb. A cut. iii. 5, p. 201. )
been a follower of Epicurus, and to have adopted 7. ASCLEPIADES JUNIOR (Ó Neatepos), a phy-
his doctrine of atoms and pores, on which he sician quoted by Galen (De Compos. Medicam. sec.
attempted to build a new theory of disease, by Locos, i. 1. vol. xii. p. 410), who is the same per-
supposing that all morbid action might be reduced son as Asclepiades Pharmacion.
into obstruction of the pores and irregular distri- 8. AREIUS ASCLEPIADES ("Apelos ) is some-
bution of the atoms. This theory he accommodated times inserted in the list of physicians of the name
to his division of diseases, the acute being supposed of Asclepiades, but this appears to be a mistake, as
to depend essentially upon a constriction of the in the passage of Galen where the names occur (De
pores, or an obstruction of them by a superfluity of Compos
. Medicam. sec. Locos, viii. 5. vol. xiii. p.
atoms ; the chronic, upon a relaxation of the pores 182) instead of 'Apeiou ’Aukarafiáðou we should
or a deficiency of the atoms. Nothing remains of probably read 'Apelou 'AOKAIadelou. [AREIUS. ]
his writings but a few fragments, which have been 9. M. GALLUS ASCLEPIADES seems to be a
collected and published by Gumpert in the little similar mistake, as in Galen, De Compos. Medicam.
work mentioned above. There is a poem con- sec. Locos, viii. 5, vol. xiii. p. 179, instead of
taining directions respecting health (υγιεινά παραγ- Γαλλου Μάρκου του Ασκληπιάδου we should pro-
γελματα) which is ascribed to Asclepiades of Bi- bably read Γάλλου Μάρκου του Ασκληπιαδείου.
thynia, and which was first published by R. von (Gallus)
Welz, Würzberg, 1842 ; but a writer in the Rhuer- There are sereral other physicians of the name
nisches Museum (p. 444 in the vol. of 1843) has of Asclepiades mentioned in inscriptions, of whom
shewn, that this poem could not have been written nothing worth recording is known. A list of them
before the seventh century after Christ.
is given in the works mentioned above. [W. A. G. ]
The age at which Asclepiades died and the date ASCLEPIODO’RUS ('AOKAntibdwpos). 1. A
of his death are unknown; but it is said that he Macedonian, son of Timander, was one of the ge-
laid a wager with Fortune, engaging to forfeit his nerals of Alexander the Great, and after the con-
character as a physician if he should ever suffer quest of Syria was appointed by Alexander satrap
a
## p. 383 (#403) ############################################
ASCLEPIUS.
383
ASCLETARIO.
of that country. In B. c. 328, he led reinforce-tween Asclepius and Hermes on God, man, and
ments from Syria to Alexander in eastem Asia, the universc; we now possess only a Latin trans-
and there became involved in the conspiracy which lation of it, which in former times used to be attri-
was formed by Hermolaus against the life of the buted to Appuleius. It is cntitled “Hermetis
king. (Arrian, Anab. iv. 13, Ind. 18; Curtius, vii. Trismegisti Asclepius, seu de Natura Deorum
10, viii. 6. ) He seems to be the same as the one Dialogus," and is evidently the production of a very
whom Antigonus, in B. C. 317, made satrap of late time, that is, of the age in which a reconcilia-
Persia (Diod. xix. 48); but he must be distin- tion was attempted between the polytheism of an-
guished from an Asclepiodorus, a general of Cassan- tiquity and Christianity through the medium of
der, mentioned by Diodorus. (xix. 60. )
the views of the New Platonists. (Bosscha in
2. The author of a small work on tactics (TAK- Oudendorp's edition of Appuleius, iii. p. 517; Hil-
Tika Kepáraia), who is in some MSS. called debrand, de Vita et Scriptis Appuleii, p. 28, &c. )
Asclepiodotus. His work exists in several MSS. To the same Asclepius is also ascribed a work still
at Leyden, Paris, and Rome, but has not yet been extant, entitled opos 'Aokanalov a po's 'Apuava
published.
[L. S. ]
βασιλέα, which is printed together with a Latin
ASCLEPIODOʻRUS. 1. An Athenian painter, translation by A. Turnebus in his edition of the
a contemporary of A pelles, who considered him to Poemander ascribed to llermes Trismegistus (Paris,
excel himself in the symmetry and correctness of 1554, 4to. ), and in F. Patricius's Nova de Univer-
his drawing. (Plin. H. N. xxxv. 10. s. 36. & 21. ) sis Philosophia, Ferrara, 1591, fol. The Latin
Plutarch (de Gloria Athen. 2) ranks him with translation of the work is contained in vol. ï. of
Euphranor and Nicias.
the works (Opera) of Marsilius Ficinus, Basel,
2. A statuary, famed for statues of philosophers. 1561.
(Plin. H. N. xxxiv. 19. & 26. ) [C. P. M. ] 2. A Greek grammarian of uncertain date, who
ASCLEPIODOTUS ('Ασκληπιόδοτος. ) 1. wrote commentaries upon the orations of Demos-
The author of an epigram which seems to have thenes and the history of Thucydides; but both
been taken from the base of a statue of Memnon. works are now lost. (Ulpian, ad Dem. Philip.
(Anthol. Graec. Append. No. 16, ed. Tauchnitz. ; 1; Schol. Bavar. ad Dem. de fals. leg. pp. 375,
comp. Brunck. Analect. i. p. 490 ; Letronne in the 378; Marcellin. Vit. Thucyd. 57; Schol. ad
Transactions of the R. Society of Literature, vol. ii. Thucyd. i. 56. )
1, part i. 1832. )
3. Of Tralles, a Peripatetic philosopher and a
2. Of Alexandria, the most distinguished among disciple of Ammonius, the son of Hermias. He
the disciples of Proclus, and the teacher of Damas- lived about A. D.
500, and wrote commentaries on
cius, was one of the most zealous champions of the first six or seven books of Aristotle's Meta-
Paganism. He wrote a commentary on the Tim- physics and on the dpcountants of Nicomachus of
aeus of Plato, which however is lost. (Olympiod. Gerasa. These commentaries are still extant in MS. ,
Meteorolog. 4; Suidas, s. v. 'AonAntidotos; Da- but only a portion of them has yet been printed in
mascius, Vis. Isid. ap. Phoz. pp. 344, b. 345, b. )
Brandis, Scholia Graeca in Aristot. Metaphys. p.
3. An author who lived in the time of Diocle 518, &c. ; comp. Fabr. Bibl. Graec. iii. p. 258 ;
tian, and seems to have written a life of this em- St. Croix in the Magasin. Encyclop. Cinquième
peror. (Vopisc. Aurelian. 44. ) He seems to be Année, vol. iii.
P.
359.
[L. S. )
the same as the one who is mentioned as a general ASCLE'PIUS ('AOKAMOs), a physician, who
in the reign of Probus. (Vopisc. Prol. 22. ) must have lived some time in or before the second
4. A pupil of Posidonius, who, according to century after Christ, as he is mentioned by Galen.
Seneca (Nal. Quaest. vi. 17), wrote a work called (De Differ. Morb. c. 9. vol. vi. p. 869. ) 8 person
“ Quaestionum Naturalium causae. "
of the same name is quoted by the Scholiast on
5. A commander of the Gallic mercenaries in the Hippocrates (Dietz, Schol. in Hippocr. et Gal. vol.
army of Perseus, king of Macedonia. (Liv. xlii. ii. p. 458, n. , 470, n. ) as having written a com-
51, xliv. 2. )
(L. S. ] mentary on the Aphorisms, and probably also on
ASCLEPIOʻDOTUS ('AOKANTOOOTOS), a phy- most of the other works of Hippocrates, as he is
sician, who was also well versed in mathematics said to have undertaken to explain his writings by
and music, and who grew famous for reviving the comparing one part with another. (Ibid. ; Littré,
use of white hellebore, which in his time had Oeuvres d'Hippocr. vol. i. p. 125. ) Another phy-
grown quite out of vogue. He lived probably sician of the same name is said by Fabricius to be
about the end of the fifth century after Christ, as mentioned by Aëtius.
(W. A. G. )
he was the pupil of Jacobus Psychrestus, and is ASCLETA'RIO, an astrologer and mathemati-
mentioned by Damascius. (Damascius, ap. Phot. cian in the time of Domitian. On one occasion he
Cod. 242, p. 344, b. , ed. Bekk. ; Suidas, s. v. was brought before the emperor for some offence.
Ewpavos ; Freind's Hist. of Physic. ) (W. A. G. ] Domitian tried to put the knowledge of the astro-
ASCLEPIO'DOTUS, CASSIUS, a man of loger to the test, and asked him what kind of
great wealth among the Bithynians, shewed the death he was to die, whereupon Ascletario an-
same respect to Soranus, when he was under swered, " I know that I shall soon be tom to
Nero's displeasure, as he had when Soranus was in pieces by the dogs. ” To prevent the realisation of
prosperity. He was accordingly deprived of his this assertion, Domitian ordered him to be put to
property and driven into exile, A. D. 67, but was death immediately, and to be buried. When his
restored by Galba. (Tac. Ann. xvi. 33; Dion body lay on the funeral pile, a vehement wind
Cass. Ixii. 26. )
arose, which carried the body from the pile, and
ASCLEʻPIUS ('Aoknýmios). 1. A fabulous some dogs, which had been near, immediately
personage, said to have been a disciple of Hermes, began devouring the half-roasted body. Domitian,
the Egyptian Thot, who was regarded as the father on being informed of this, is said to have been
of all wisdom and knowledge. There existed in more moved and perplexed than he had ever been
antiqnity a Greek dialogue (16yos téc10s) be before. This tale, which is related in all its sim-
## p. 384 (#404) ############################################
384
ASCONIUS.
ASELLUS.
plicity by Suetonius ( Domit. 15), is much distorted their discrepancies arise solely from the conjectural
in the accounts which Cedrenus, Constantine Ma- cmendations which have been introduced from
nasses, and Glycas give of it.
[L. S. ] time to time for the purpose of correcting the
Q. ASCOʻNIUS PEDIA'NU'S, who holds the numerous corruptions and supplying the frequently-
first place among the ancient commentators of recurring blanks. Poggio has leti no description
Cicero, seems to have been born a year or two be- of the archetype, but it evidently must have been
fore the commencement of the Christian era, and in bad order, from the number of small gaps occa-
there is some reason to believe that he was a sioned probably by edges or corners having been
native of Padua. It appears from a casual expres- torn off
, or words rendered illegible by damp. In-
sion in his notes on the speech for Scaurus, that deed the account given of the place where the
these were written after the consulship of Largus monks had deposited their literary trcasures is
Caecina and Claudius, that is, after A. D. 42. We sufficient to account fully for such imperfections,
learn from the Eusebian chronicle that he became for it is represented to have been “ a most ſoul
blind in his seventy-third year, during the reign of and dark dungeon at the bottom of a tower, into
Vespasian, and that he attained to the age of which not even criminals convicted of capital
eighty-five. The supposition that there were two offences would have been thrust down. "
Asconii, the one the companion of Virgil and the The first edition of Asconius was taken directly
expounder of Cicero, the other an historian who from the transcript of Poggio, and was published
fourished at a later epoch, is in opposition to the at Venice in 1477, along with sundry essays and
clear testimony of antiquity, which recognises one dissertations on the speeches of Cicero. The work
only. He wrote a work, now lost, on the life of was frequently reprinted in the early part of the
Sallust; and another, which has likewise per- sixteenth century, and numerous editions have
ished, against the censurers of Virgil, of which appeared from time to time, either separately or
Donatus and other grammarians have availed them- attached to the orations themselves ; but, notwith-
belves in their illustrations of that poet ; but there standing the labours of many excellent scholars,
is no ground for ascribing to him the tract entitled the text is usually exhibited in a very corrupt and
Origo gentis Romanae, more commonly, but interpolated form. By far the best is that which
with as little foundation, assigned to Aurelius is to be found in the fifth volume of Cicero's works
Victor.
as edited by Orelli and Baiter; but many improve-
But far more important and valuable than the ments might yet be made if the three original
above was his work on the speeches of Cicero; and transcripts were to be carefully collated, instead of
fragments of commentaries, bearing his name, are reproducing mere copies of copies which have been
still extant, on the Divinatio, the first two speeches disfigured by the carelessness or presumption of
against Verres and a portion of the third, the successive scribes.
(W. R. )
speeches for Cornelius (i. ii. ), the speech In toga ASCUS ("Aokos ), a giant, who in conjunction
candida, for Scaurus, against Piso, and for Milo. The with Lycurgus chained Dionysus and threw him
remarks which were drawn up for the instruction into a river. Hermes, or, according to others,
of his sons (Comm. in Milon. 14) are conveyed in Zeus, rescued Dionysus, conquered (eduarev) the
very pure language, and refer chiefly to points of giant, flayed him, and made a bag ( đokos) of his
history and antiquities, great pains being bestowed skin. From this event the town of Damascus in
on the illustration of those constitutional forms of Syria was believed to bare derived its name.
the senate, the popular assemblies, and the courts (Etym. M. and Steph. Byz. s. r. Aauaokós. ) (L. S. ]
of justice, which were fast falling into oblivion A'SDRUBAL. [HASDRUBAL. ]
under the empire. This character, however, does ASE'LLIO, P. SEMPRONIUS, was tribune
not apply to the notes on the Verrine orations, of the soldiers under P. Scipio Africanus at Nu-
which are of a much more grammatical cast, and mantia, B. c. 133, and wrote a history of the affairs
exhibit not unfrequently traces of a declining in which he had been engaged. (Geli. ii. 13. ) His
Latinity. Hence, after a very rigid and minute work appears to bave commenced with the Punic
examination, the most able modern critics have wars, and it contained a very full account of the
decided that these last are not from the pen of times of the Gracchi. The exact title of the work,
Asconius, but must be attributed to some gram- and the number of books into which it was divided,
marian of a much later date, one who may have are not known. From the great superiority which
been the contemporary or successor of Servius or Asellio assigns to history above annals (ap. Gell.
Donatus. It is impossible here to analyse the v. 18), it is pretty certain that his own work was
reasoning by which this conclusion has been satis- not in the form of annals. It is sometimes cited
factorily established, but those who wish for full by the name of libri rerum gestarum, and some-
information will find everything they can desire in times by that of historiae ; and it contained at
the excellent treatise of Madrig. (De Asconii least fourteen books. (Gell. xiii. 3, 21; Charis. ii.
Pediani, fc. Commentariis, Hafniae, 1828, 8vo. ) p. 195. ) It is cited also in Gell. i. 13, ir. 9, xiii.
The history of the preservation of the book is 3, 21 ; Priscian, v. p. 668; Serv. ad Virg. Aen.
curious. Poggio Bracciolini, the renowned Floren- xii. 121; Nonius, s. v.
