It is reasonable to
conjecture
that he ad-
Zuvwvos Kitiba, remarked that this was a mistake, hered closely to the tenets of Zeno.
Zuvwvos Kitiba, remarked that this was a mistake, hered closely to the tenets of Zeno.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - c
C.
, and the first member of the lived.
In the Social or Marsic war, B.
C.
90, he
the consulship, was M. Per- was one of the legates, who served under the
perna in B. c. 130. There is considerable doubt consul P. Rutilius Lupus. (Appian, B. C. 1. 40. )
as to the orthography of the name, since both It was probably the same M. Perperna who was
Perperna and Perpenna occur in the best manu- judex in the case of C. Aculeo (Cic. de Orat. ii.
scripts ; but as we find Perperna in the Pasti 65), and also in that of Q. Roscius, for whom
Capitolini, this appears to be the preferable form. Cicero pleaded (goro Rosc. Com. 1, 8). In B. C.
(Comp. Graevius and Garaton. ad Cic. pro Rosc. 54, M. Perperna is mentioned as one of the con-
Com. ] ; Duker, ad Flor. ii. 20 ; Drakenborch, ad sulars who bore testimony on behalf of M. Scaurus
Liv. xliv. 27. ) There are no coins now extant to at the trial of the latter. (Ascon. in Scaur. p. 28,
determine the question of the orthography, al. ed. Orelli. ). The censorship of Perperna is men-
though in the time of Fronto there were coins tioned by Cicero (Verr. i. 55), and Cornelius Nepos
bearing this name. (Fronto, p. 249, ed. Rom. ) speaks of him (Cat. ]) as censorius.
1. M. PERPERNA, was sent as an ambassador 4. M. PERPERNA Vento, son of No. 3, joined
in B. c. 168 with L. Petillius to the Illyrian king the Marian party in the civil war, and was raised
Gentilis, who threw them into prison, where they to the praetorship (Perpema praetorius, Vell. Pat.
remained till the conquest of Gentius shortly after ii. 30), though in what year is uncertain. After
by the praetor Anicius. Perperna was thereupon Sulla had completely conquered the Marian party
sent to Rome by Anicius to convey the news of in Italy in B. C. 82, Perperna fled to Sicily with
the victory. (Liv. xliv. 27, 32 ; Appian, Mac. some troops ; but upon the arrival of Pompey
xvi. 1. )
shortly afterwards, who had been sent thither by
2. Ń. PerpeRNA, consul in B. C. 130, is said Sulla, Perperna evacuated the island. On the
to have been a consul before he was a citizen ; for death of Sulla in B. c. 78, Perperna joined the
Valerius Maximus relates (iii. 3. & 5), that the consul M. Aemilius Lepidus in his attempt to
father of this Perperna was condemned under the overthrow the new aristocratical constitution, and
Papia lex after the death of his son, because he retired with him to Sardinia on the failure of this
had falsely usurped the rights of a Roman citizen. attempt. Lepidus died in Sardinia in the following
M. Perperna was praetor in B. c. 135, in which year, B. c. 77, and Perpera with the remains of
year he had the conduct of the war against the his army crossed over to Spain, where the amiable
slaves in Sicily, and in consequence of the ad- disposition and brilliant genius of Sertorius had
vantages which he obtained over them received the gained the love of the inhabitants of the country,
honour of an ovation on his return to Rome. (Flor. and had for some time defied all the efforts of Q.
iii. 19 ; Fasti Capit. ) He was consul in B. C. Metellus Pius, who had been sent against him
130 with C. Claudius Pulcher Lentulus, and was with a large army by the ruling party at Rome.
sent into Asia against Aristonicus, who had de- Perperna, however, was not disposed to place him-
feated one of the consuls of the previous year, self under the command of Sertorius. He had
P. Licinius Crassus. Perperna, however, soon brought with him considerable forces and large
brought the war to a close. He defeated Aristoni- treasures; he was proud of his noble family, being
cus in the first engagement, and followed up his both the son and grandson of a consul; and
victory by laying siege to Stratoniceia, whither although his abilities were mean, he thought that
Aristonicus had fled. The town was compelled by the chief command ought to devolve upon him, and
famine to surrender, and the king accordingly fell therefore resolved to carry on the war on his own
into the consul's hands. Perperna did not how- account against Metellus. But his troops, who well
ever live to enjoy the triumph, which he would knew on which commander they could place most
undoubtedly have obtained, but died in the neigh- reliance, compelled him to join Sertorius, as soon as
bourhoood of Pergamum on his return to Rome in they heard that Pompey was crossing the Alps in
order to prosecute the war in conjunction with Me
tellus. For the next five years Perperna serred
As to this Papia lex, the date of which has under Sertorius, and was more than once defeated.
given rise to some dispute, see PAPIUS.
[For details, see SERTORIUS. ] But although
## p. 203 (#219) ############################################
PERSAEUS.
203
PERSAEUS.
Perperna acted apparently in concert with Serto for himself, he was appointed to a chief command
rius, he and the other Roman nobles who accom- in Corinth, and hence he is classed by Aelian
panied him were jealous of the ascendency of the (V. H. iii. 17), among those philosophers who
latter, and at last were mad enough to allow their have taken an active part in public affairs. Ac-
jealousy and pride to destroy the only man who cording to Athenaeus (iv. p. 162, c), who has no
could have restored them to political power. In high opinion of his morality, his dissipation led to
B. C. 72, Perperna and his friends assassinated Ser- the loss of Corinth, which was taken by Aratus
torius at a banquet. His death soon brought the the Sicyonian, B. c. 243. Pausanias (ii. 8, vii. 8)
war to a close. Perperna was completely defeated states that he was then slain. Plutarch doubtfully
in the first battle which he fought with Pompey represents him as escaping to Cenchreae. But this
after the death of Sertorius, and was taken prisoner. may have been to put into his mouth when alive,
Anxious to save his life, he offered to deliver up to what Athenaeus says of him when dead, that he
Pompey the papers of Sertorius, which contained who had been taught by Zeno to consider philo-
letters from many of the leading men at Rome, sophers as the only men fit to be generals, had
inviting Sertorius to Italy, and expressing a desire been forced to alter his opinion, being corrected by
to change the constitution which Sulla had esta- a Sicyonian youth.
blished. But Pompey refused to see him, and We find a list of his writings in Laërtius, in
commanded him to be put to death and the letters which we are startled to find Oveotas. Athenncus
to be burut. (Appian, B. C. i. 107, 110, 113, (iv. 140, p. 6, e) agrees with Laërtius, in attribut-
115; Plut. Pomp. 10, 20, Sert. 15, 25-27; Liv. ing to him a work, entitled Modetela Aakwvih.
Epit. 96 ; Eutrop. vi. 1 ; Flor. iii. 22; Oros. v. He also gives a general view of the contents of a
23 ; Vell. Pat. ii. 30 ; Sall. Hist. lib. ii. iii. ; Cic. work bearing his name, entitled EUM TOTIKOM
Verr. v. 58. )
Aládoyou (iv. p. 162, e. ). But that the favourite
PERPE'TUUS, P. TITIUS, consul A. D. 237 pupil of Zeno, and the trusted friend of Antigonus
with L. Ovinius Rusticus Cornelianus.
for many years, could have written such a work as
PERSAEUS (Tlepoaños), surnamed Cittieus he describes, seems incredible. He very probably
(KiTTieÚS), from his native town Cittium, in the did write a book bearing the title 'Trouvjuara
south of Crete, was a favourite disciple of Zeno, Evurótika (as stated by Laërtius), on the model
the stoic, who was also of Cittium. Suidas (s. o. ) of the Suurbolov of Plato ; hence the lep ráuou
states that he was also named Dorotheüs, and that and llepi 'Epórwv, mentioned by Laërtius as sepa-
his father's name was Demetrius. Diogenes La- rate treatises of Persaeus. But, being the friend
ërtius mentions that it was doubtful whether he of Antigonus, he was deemed to be an enemy to
was merely an intimate friend of Zeno's, or Greek freedom; hence the inveterate enmity of Me
whether, after having been the slave of Antigonus nedemus (Diog. Laërt. ii. 143), and hence spurious
Gonatas, and tutor to his son Alcyoneus, and then productions of a contemptible character were pro-
presented by that monarch to Zeno as a copyist, he bably assigned to him. Lipsius, however (Manu-
had been freed by the philosopher. The opinion duct. ad Stoic. Philosoph. xii. 1), seems to be of an
that he had been Zeno's slave prevails extensively opinion quite the reverse. Suidas and Eudocia
in later writers, as in A. Gellius (ii. 18). But the (p. 362) state that he wrote a history, which may
notion is contradicted by the general current of his refer to his political writings. He also wrote,
life, and seems to have originated in a remark of according te Laërtius, against the laws of Plato.
Bion Borysthenites. Bion having seen a bronze Of his philosophical opinions, we know hardly
statue of Persaeus, bearing the inscription, leporaior anything.
It is reasonable to conjecture that he ad-
Zuvwvos Kitiba, remarked that this was a mistake, hered closely to the tenets of Zeno. Accordingly,
for Περσαίον Ζήνωνος οικιτιέα. (Αthen. iv. p. we find him, on one occasion, convicting Ariston
162, d. ) But from the sal nigrum which charac- of inconsistency in not adhering in practice to his
terises Bion's sayings, this seems nothing more dogma, that the wise man was opinionless (adó{ag.
than a sneer at the servility which he thus insinu- Tos). We find him, however, if we can trust
ated that Persaeus, with whom he had come into Laërtius, agreeing with Ariston in his doctrine of
rivalry at the court of Antigonus, manifested in his indifference (aðrapopía), and himself convicted of
demeanour to Zeno. Indeed, if Persaeus had actually inconsistency by Antigonus – -- an incident which
been Zeno's slave, the sarcasm would have been has been ingeniously expanded by Themistius,
pointless. We learn from Diogenes Laërtius, that (Orat. xxxii. p. 358. ) Cicero (de Nat. Deor. i.
Zeno lived in the same house with Persaeus, and 15, where the old reading was Perseus) censures
he narrates an incident, which certainly supports an opinion of his that divinity was ascribed not
the insinuation of Bion. The same story is told only to men who had improved the arts of life, but
by Athenaeus (xüi. p. 607, a. b. ), on the authority even to those material substances which are of
of Antigonus the Carystian, somewhat differently, use to mankind. Meursius (de Cypro, ii. p. 167)
and not so much to Zeno's credit. Persaeus was in thinks that this is taken from a work of his
the prime of life in the 130th Olympiad, B. C. 260. entitled 'Hewal Exonal mentioned by Laërtius.
Antigonus Gonatas had sent for Zeno, between Minucius Felix (Octav. p. 22, ed. Lugd. Bat. 1652),
B. c. 277 and 271 (Clinton, F. H. vol. ii. p. 368, alludes also to this opinion, but he seems to bave
note i), when the philosopher was in his eighty- derived his knowledge from Cicero, as the illus-
first year. Zeno excused himself, but sent Per- trations are Roman, and not Greek, as we might
saeus and Philonides, with whom went also have expected. Dio Chrysostom (Orat. liii. ) states
the poet Aratus, who had received instructions that following the example of Zeno, Persaeus, while
from Persaeus at Athens. Persaeus seems to commenting on Homer, did not discuss his general
have been in high favour with Antigonus, and merits, but attempted to prove that he had written
to have guided the monarch in his choice of | κατά δοξάν, and not κατά αληθείαν. (Comp.
literary associates, as we learn from a sneer of Diog. Laërt. vii. , with Lipsius, Meursius, II. d. , and
Bion's, recorded by Laërtius. At last, unhappily Fabric. Bibl. Gracc. vol. iii. p. 570. ) (W. M. G. )
## p. 204 (#220) ############################################
204
PERSEPHONE.
PERSEPHONE.
PERSE (répon), a daughter of Oceanus, and became doomed to the lower world, and an agree-
wife of Helios, by whom she became the mother ment was made that Persephone should spend one
of Aeetes and Circe. (Hom. Od. x. 139; Hes. third (Inter writers say one kalf) of every year in
Theoy. 356, 956. ) She is further called the mo- Hades with Pluto, and the remaining two thirds
ther of Pasiphae (Apollod. i. 9. § 1, ii. 1. & 2 ; with the gods above. (Apollod. i. 5. • 1, &c. ; 0v.
Hygin. Praef. ), Perses (A pollod. i. 9, in fin. ), and Met. v. 565; comp. DEMETER. ) The place where
Aloeus (Tzetz. ad Lyc. 174). Homer and Apol. Persephone was said to have been carried off, is
lonius Rhodius (iv. 591) call her Perse, while different in the various local traditions. The Sici-
others call her Perseis (comp. Tzetz. ad Lyc. 798) linns, among whom her worship was probably in-
or Persen. (Virg. Cir. 66. )
(L. S. ) troduced by the Corinthian and Megarian colonists,
PERSEIDES or PERSEIUS (Tiepoeions, believed that Pluto found her in the meadows near
Tleponiáðns, Nepoeios, or Deponios), a patronymic Enna, and that the well Cyane arose on the spot
of Perseus, used to designate his descendants. where he descended with her into the lower world.
(Hom. Il. xix. 123; Thucyd. i. 9. ) But it is also (Diod. v. 3, &c. ; comp. Lydus, De Mens p.
used to designate the descendants of Perse, viz. 286; Ov. Fast. iv. 422. ) The Cretans thought
Aeetes and Hecate. (Val. Flacc. v. 582, vi. that their own island had been the scene of the
495 )
(L. S. ) rape (Schol. ad lles. Theng. 913), and the Eleu-
PERSE'PHONE (Tlepoepówn), in Latin Pro sinians mentioned the Nysaean plain in Boeotia,
scrpina, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. (Hom. and said that Persephone had descended with
11. xiv. 326, Od. xi. 216; Iles. Theng. 912, &c. ; Pluto into the lower world at the entrance of the
Apollod. i. 5. $ 1. ) Her name is commonly derived western Oceanus. Later accounts place the rape
from dépeiv pórov, “ to bring ” or “ cause death," in Attica, near Athens (Schol. ad Sopih. Oed. Col.
and the form Persephone occurs first in Hesiod 1590) or at Erineos near Eleusis (Paus i. 38.
(Theng. 913; comp. Hom. Hymn. in Cer. 56), the $ 5), or in the neighbourhood of Lerna (ii. 36. $7;
Ilomeric form being Persephoneia. But besides respecting other localities see Conon, Narr. 15;
these forms of the name, we also find Persephassa, Orph. Argon. 1192; Spanheim, ad Callim. Hymn.
Phersephassa, Persephatta, Phersephatta, Pherre- in Cer. 9).
phassa, Pherephatta, and Phersephoneia, for which The story according to which Persephone spent
various etymologies have been proposed. The Latin one part of the year in the lower world, and another
Proserpina, which is probably only a corruption of with the gods above, made her, even with the an-
the Greek, was erroneously derived by the Romans cients, the symbol of vegetation which shoots forth
from proserpere, “ to shoot forth. ” (Cic. de Nat. in spring, and the power of which withdraws into
Deor. ii. 26. ) Being the infernal goddess of death, she the earth at other seasons of the year. (Schol. ad
is also called a daughter of Zeus and Styx ( Apollod. Theocrit. iii. 48. ) Hence Plutarch identifies her
i. 3. § 1); in Arcadia she was worshipped under with spring, and Cicero (De Nat. Deor. ii. 26 ) calls
the name of Despoena, and was called a daughter of her the seed of the fruits of the field. (Comp.
Poseidon, Hippius, and Demeter, and said to have Lydus , De Mens. pp. 90, 284; Porphyr. De Ant.
been brought up by the Titan Anytus. (Paus. viii. Numph.
the consulship, was M. Per- was one of the legates, who served under the
perna in B. c. 130. There is considerable doubt consul P. Rutilius Lupus. (Appian, B. C. 1. 40. )
as to the orthography of the name, since both It was probably the same M. Perperna who was
Perperna and Perpenna occur in the best manu- judex in the case of C. Aculeo (Cic. de Orat. ii.
scripts ; but as we find Perperna in the Pasti 65), and also in that of Q. Roscius, for whom
Capitolini, this appears to be the preferable form. Cicero pleaded (goro Rosc. Com. 1, 8). In B. C.
(Comp. Graevius and Garaton. ad Cic. pro Rosc. 54, M. Perperna is mentioned as one of the con-
Com. ] ; Duker, ad Flor. ii. 20 ; Drakenborch, ad sulars who bore testimony on behalf of M. Scaurus
Liv. xliv. 27. ) There are no coins now extant to at the trial of the latter. (Ascon. in Scaur. p. 28,
determine the question of the orthography, al. ed. Orelli. ). The censorship of Perperna is men-
though in the time of Fronto there were coins tioned by Cicero (Verr. i. 55), and Cornelius Nepos
bearing this name. (Fronto, p. 249, ed. Rom. ) speaks of him (Cat. ]) as censorius.
1. M. PERPERNA, was sent as an ambassador 4. M. PERPERNA Vento, son of No. 3, joined
in B. c. 168 with L. Petillius to the Illyrian king the Marian party in the civil war, and was raised
Gentilis, who threw them into prison, where they to the praetorship (Perpema praetorius, Vell. Pat.
remained till the conquest of Gentius shortly after ii. 30), though in what year is uncertain. After
by the praetor Anicius. Perperna was thereupon Sulla had completely conquered the Marian party
sent to Rome by Anicius to convey the news of in Italy in B. C. 82, Perperna fled to Sicily with
the victory. (Liv. xliv. 27, 32 ; Appian, Mac. some troops ; but upon the arrival of Pompey
xvi. 1. )
shortly afterwards, who had been sent thither by
2. Ń. PerpeRNA, consul in B. C. 130, is said Sulla, Perperna evacuated the island. On the
to have been a consul before he was a citizen ; for death of Sulla in B. c. 78, Perperna joined the
Valerius Maximus relates (iii. 3. & 5), that the consul M. Aemilius Lepidus in his attempt to
father of this Perperna was condemned under the overthrow the new aristocratical constitution, and
Papia lex after the death of his son, because he retired with him to Sardinia on the failure of this
had falsely usurped the rights of a Roman citizen. attempt. Lepidus died in Sardinia in the following
M. Perperna was praetor in B. c. 135, in which year, B. c. 77, and Perpera with the remains of
year he had the conduct of the war against the his army crossed over to Spain, where the amiable
slaves in Sicily, and in consequence of the ad- disposition and brilliant genius of Sertorius had
vantages which he obtained over them received the gained the love of the inhabitants of the country,
honour of an ovation on his return to Rome. (Flor. and had for some time defied all the efforts of Q.
iii. 19 ; Fasti Capit. ) He was consul in B. C. Metellus Pius, who had been sent against him
130 with C. Claudius Pulcher Lentulus, and was with a large army by the ruling party at Rome.
sent into Asia against Aristonicus, who had de- Perperna, however, was not disposed to place him-
feated one of the consuls of the previous year, self under the command of Sertorius. He had
P. Licinius Crassus. Perperna, however, soon brought with him considerable forces and large
brought the war to a close. He defeated Aristoni- treasures; he was proud of his noble family, being
cus in the first engagement, and followed up his both the son and grandson of a consul; and
victory by laying siege to Stratoniceia, whither although his abilities were mean, he thought that
Aristonicus had fled. The town was compelled by the chief command ought to devolve upon him, and
famine to surrender, and the king accordingly fell therefore resolved to carry on the war on his own
into the consul's hands. Perperna did not how- account against Metellus. But his troops, who well
ever live to enjoy the triumph, which he would knew on which commander they could place most
undoubtedly have obtained, but died in the neigh- reliance, compelled him to join Sertorius, as soon as
bourhoood of Pergamum on his return to Rome in they heard that Pompey was crossing the Alps in
order to prosecute the war in conjunction with Me
tellus. For the next five years Perperna serred
As to this Papia lex, the date of which has under Sertorius, and was more than once defeated.
given rise to some dispute, see PAPIUS.
[For details, see SERTORIUS. ] But although
## p. 203 (#219) ############################################
PERSAEUS.
203
PERSAEUS.
Perperna acted apparently in concert with Serto for himself, he was appointed to a chief command
rius, he and the other Roman nobles who accom- in Corinth, and hence he is classed by Aelian
panied him were jealous of the ascendency of the (V. H. iii. 17), among those philosophers who
latter, and at last were mad enough to allow their have taken an active part in public affairs. Ac-
jealousy and pride to destroy the only man who cording to Athenaeus (iv. p. 162, c), who has no
could have restored them to political power. In high opinion of his morality, his dissipation led to
B. C. 72, Perperna and his friends assassinated Ser- the loss of Corinth, which was taken by Aratus
torius at a banquet. His death soon brought the the Sicyonian, B. c. 243. Pausanias (ii. 8, vii. 8)
war to a close. Perperna was completely defeated states that he was then slain. Plutarch doubtfully
in the first battle which he fought with Pompey represents him as escaping to Cenchreae. But this
after the death of Sertorius, and was taken prisoner. may have been to put into his mouth when alive,
Anxious to save his life, he offered to deliver up to what Athenaeus says of him when dead, that he
Pompey the papers of Sertorius, which contained who had been taught by Zeno to consider philo-
letters from many of the leading men at Rome, sophers as the only men fit to be generals, had
inviting Sertorius to Italy, and expressing a desire been forced to alter his opinion, being corrected by
to change the constitution which Sulla had esta- a Sicyonian youth.
blished. But Pompey refused to see him, and We find a list of his writings in Laërtius, in
commanded him to be put to death and the letters which we are startled to find Oveotas. Athenncus
to be burut. (Appian, B. C. i. 107, 110, 113, (iv. 140, p. 6, e) agrees with Laërtius, in attribut-
115; Plut. Pomp. 10, 20, Sert. 15, 25-27; Liv. ing to him a work, entitled Modetela Aakwvih.
Epit. 96 ; Eutrop. vi. 1 ; Flor. iii. 22; Oros. v. He also gives a general view of the contents of a
23 ; Vell. Pat. ii. 30 ; Sall. Hist. lib. ii. iii. ; Cic. work bearing his name, entitled EUM TOTIKOM
Verr. v. 58. )
Aládoyou (iv. p. 162, e. ). But that the favourite
PERPE'TUUS, P. TITIUS, consul A. D. 237 pupil of Zeno, and the trusted friend of Antigonus
with L. Ovinius Rusticus Cornelianus.
for many years, could have written such a work as
PERSAEUS (Tlepoaños), surnamed Cittieus he describes, seems incredible. He very probably
(KiTTieÚS), from his native town Cittium, in the did write a book bearing the title 'Trouvjuara
south of Crete, was a favourite disciple of Zeno, Evurótika (as stated by Laërtius), on the model
the stoic, who was also of Cittium. Suidas (s. o. ) of the Suurbolov of Plato ; hence the lep ráuou
states that he was also named Dorotheüs, and that and llepi 'Epórwv, mentioned by Laërtius as sepa-
his father's name was Demetrius. Diogenes La- rate treatises of Persaeus. But, being the friend
ërtius mentions that it was doubtful whether he of Antigonus, he was deemed to be an enemy to
was merely an intimate friend of Zeno's, or Greek freedom; hence the inveterate enmity of Me
whether, after having been the slave of Antigonus nedemus (Diog. Laërt. ii. 143), and hence spurious
Gonatas, and tutor to his son Alcyoneus, and then productions of a contemptible character were pro-
presented by that monarch to Zeno as a copyist, he bably assigned to him. Lipsius, however (Manu-
had been freed by the philosopher. The opinion duct. ad Stoic. Philosoph. xii. 1), seems to be of an
that he had been Zeno's slave prevails extensively opinion quite the reverse. Suidas and Eudocia
in later writers, as in A. Gellius (ii. 18). But the (p. 362) state that he wrote a history, which may
notion is contradicted by the general current of his refer to his political writings. He also wrote,
life, and seems to have originated in a remark of according te Laërtius, against the laws of Plato.
Bion Borysthenites. Bion having seen a bronze Of his philosophical opinions, we know hardly
statue of Persaeus, bearing the inscription, leporaior anything.
It is reasonable to conjecture that he ad-
Zuvwvos Kitiba, remarked that this was a mistake, hered closely to the tenets of Zeno. Accordingly,
for Περσαίον Ζήνωνος οικιτιέα. (Αthen. iv. p. we find him, on one occasion, convicting Ariston
162, d. ) But from the sal nigrum which charac- of inconsistency in not adhering in practice to his
terises Bion's sayings, this seems nothing more dogma, that the wise man was opinionless (adó{ag.
than a sneer at the servility which he thus insinu- Tos). We find him, however, if we can trust
ated that Persaeus, with whom he had come into Laërtius, agreeing with Ariston in his doctrine of
rivalry at the court of Antigonus, manifested in his indifference (aðrapopía), and himself convicted of
demeanour to Zeno. Indeed, if Persaeus had actually inconsistency by Antigonus – -- an incident which
been Zeno's slave, the sarcasm would have been has been ingeniously expanded by Themistius,
pointless. We learn from Diogenes Laërtius, that (Orat. xxxii. p. 358. ) Cicero (de Nat. Deor. i.
Zeno lived in the same house with Persaeus, and 15, where the old reading was Perseus) censures
he narrates an incident, which certainly supports an opinion of his that divinity was ascribed not
the insinuation of Bion. The same story is told only to men who had improved the arts of life, but
by Athenaeus (xüi. p. 607, a. b. ), on the authority even to those material substances which are of
of Antigonus the Carystian, somewhat differently, use to mankind. Meursius (de Cypro, ii. p. 167)
and not so much to Zeno's credit. Persaeus was in thinks that this is taken from a work of his
the prime of life in the 130th Olympiad, B. C. 260. entitled 'Hewal Exonal mentioned by Laërtius.
Antigonus Gonatas had sent for Zeno, between Minucius Felix (Octav. p. 22, ed. Lugd. Bat. 1652),
B. c. 277 and 271 (Clinton, F. H. vol. ii. p. 368, alludes also to this opinion, but he seems to bave
note i), when the philosopher was in his eighty- derived his knowledge from Cicero, as the illus-
first year. Zeno excused himself, but sent Per- trations are Roman, and not Greek, as we might
saeus and Philonides, with whom went also have expected. Dio Chrysostom (Orat. liii. ) states
the poet Aratus, who had received instructions that following the example of Zeno, Persaeus, while
from Persaeus at Athens. Persaeus seems to commenting on Homer, did not discuss his general
have been in high favour with Antigonus, and merits, but attempted to prove that he had written
to have guided the monarch in his choice of | κατά δοξάν, and not κατά αληθείαν. (Comp.
literary associates, as we learn from a sneer of Diog. Laërt. vii. , with Lipsius, Meursius, II. d. , and
Bion's, recorded by Laërtius. At last, unhappily Fabric. Bibl. Gracc. vol. iii. p. 570. ) (W. M. G. )
## p. 204 (#220) ############################################
204
PERSEPHONE.
PERSEPHONE.
PERSE (répon), a daughter of Oceanus, and became doomed to the lower world, and an agree-
wife of Helios, by whom she became the mother ment was made that Persephone should spend one
of Aeetes and Circe. (Hom. Od. x. 139; Hes. third (Inter writers say one kalf) of every year in
Theoy. 356, 956. ) She is further called the mo- Hades with Pluto, and the remaining two thirds
ther of Pasiphae (Apollod. i. 9. § 1, ii. 1. & 2 ; with the gods above. (Apollod. i. 5. • 1, &c. ; 0v.
Hygin. Praef. ), Perses (A pollod. i. 9, in fin. ), and Met. v. 565; comp. DEMETER. ) The place where
Aloeus (Tzetz. ad Lyc. 174). Homer and Apol. Persephone was said to have been carried off, is
lonius Rhodius (iv. 591) call her Perse, while different in the various local traditions. The Sici-
others call her Perseis (comp. Tzetz. ad Lyc. 798) linns, among whom her worship was probably in-
or Persen. (Virg. Cir. 66. )
(L. S. ) troduced by the Corinthian and Megarian colonists,
PERSEIDES or PERSEIUS (Tiepoeions, believed that Pluto found her in the meadows near
Tleponiáðns, Nepoeios, or Deponios), a patronymic Enna, and that the well Cyane arose on the spot
of Perseus, used to designate his descendants. where he descended with her into the lower world.
(Hom. Il. xix. 123; Thucyd. i. 9. ) But it is also (Diod. v. 3, &c. ; comp. Lydus, De Mens p.
used to designate the descendants of Perse, viz. 286; Ov. Fast. iv. 422. ) The Cretans thought
Aeetes and Hecate. (Val. Flacc. v. 582, vi. that their own island had been the scene of the
495 )
(L. S. ) rape (Schol. ad lles. Theng. 913), and the Eleu-
PERSE'PHONE (Tlepoepówn), in Latin Pro sinians mentioned the Nysaean plain in Boeotia,
scrpina, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. (Hom. and said that Persephone had descended with
11. xiv. 326, Od. xi. 216; Iles. Theng. 912, &c. ; Pluto into the lower world at the entrance of the
Apollod. i. 5. $ 1. ) Her name is commonly derived western Oceanus. Later accounts place the rape
from dépeiv pórov, “ to bring ” or “ cause death," in Attica, near Athens (Schol. ad Sopih. Oed. Col.
and the form Persephone occurs first in Hesiod 1590) or at Erineos near Eleusis (Paus i. 38.
(Theng. 913; comp. Hom. Hymn. in Cer. 56), the $ 5), or in the neighbourhood of Lerna (ii. 36. $7;
Ilomeric form being Persephoneia. But besides respecting other localities see Conon, Narr. 15;
these forms of the name, we also find Persephassa, Orph. Argon. 1192; Spanheim, ad Callim. Hymn.
Phersephassa, Persephatta, Phersephatta, Pherre- in Cer. 9).
phassa, Pherephatta, and Phersephoneia, for which The story according to which Persephone spent
various etymologies have been proposed. The Latin one part of the year in the lower world, and another
Proserpina, which is probably only a corruption of with the gods above, made her, even with the an-
the Greek, was erroneously derived by the Romans cients, the symbol of vegetation which shoots forth
from proserpere, “ to shoot forth. ” (Cic. de Nat. in spring, and the power of which withdraws into
Deor. ii. 26. ) Being the infernal goddess of death, she the earth at other seasons of the year. (Schol. ad
is also called a daughter of Zeus and Styx ( Apollod. Theocrit. iii. 48. ) Hence Plutarch identifies her
i. 3. § 1); in Arcadia she was worshipped under with spring, and Cicero (De Nat. Deor. ii. 26 ) calls
the name of Despoena, and was called a daughter of her the seed of the fruits of the field. (Comp.
Poseidon, Hippius, and Demeter, and said to have Lydus , De Mens. pp. 90, 284; Porphyr. De Ant.
been brought up by the Titan Anytus. (Paus. viii. Numph.
