in Reiske's edition of
Libanius
(ix.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - b
Graec.
p.
493.
)
[P. S. ]
ing's notes ; Dem. C. Leptin. pp. 466, 467 ; Strab. LIBA'NIUS (1. 6ávios), the most distinguished
vii. p. 310, f. ; Polyaen. vi. 9 ; Athen. vi. p. 257, c. ; among the Greek sophists and rhetoricians of the
Aelian, V. H. vi. 13, with the note of Perizonius ; fourth century of our era. He was born at
Clinton, F. H. vol. ii. App. No. 13. ) [P. . S] Antioch, on the Orontes, and belonged to an illus-
LEUCON (Acúkwv), the son of Hagnon, accord- trious family of that place ; but the year of his
ing to Toup's emendation of Suidas (s. v. ), an Athe birth is uncertain, some assigning it to a. D. 314,
nian comic poet, of the old comedy, was a contem- | and others two years later, according to a passage
## p. 775 (#791) ############################################
LIBANIUS.
775
LIBANIUS.
in one of the orations of Libanius (i. p. 94, ed. I he afterwards succeeded in winning the favour of
Reiske). He received his first education, which that monarch also ; Libaniu, wrote a eulogy upon
was probably not of a very high character, in his him, and prevailed upon him to promulgate a law
native place, but being urged on by an invincible by which certain advantages were granted to na-
desire of acquiring knowledge and cultivating his tural children, in which Libanius himself was in-
mind, he went to Athens. He himself mentions terested, because he himself was not married, but
among his teachers Cleobulus, Didymus, and Ze lived in concubinage (1. c. pp. 97, 125, 166; Eunap.
nobius (Epist. 50, 100, 321, 407, 1181). While p. 133). The emperor Theodosius likewise showed
at Athens, he became the object of a series of in- him esteem (Dc Fort, sua, p. 137), but notwith-
trigues, against which he had to struggle throughout standing the marks of distinction he received from
his subsequent life. The pedantry then prevalent high quarters, his enjoyment of life was disturbed
at Athens, to which he was obliged to submit, by ill health (l. c. pp. 94, &c. , 119, 146, &c. ), by
made a bad impression upon him, so that he appears misfortunes in his family (l. c. pp. 67, &c. , 126,
to have devoted himself more to private study than &c. , 165, &c. ), and more especially by the disputes
to the methodic but pedantic system adopted in the in which he was incessantly involved, partly with
schools (Liban. De Fort. sua, p. 13, &c. ; Eunap. rival sophists, and partly with the prefects (i. c. pp.
Vit. Soph. p. 130). His favourite study was the 76, 86, 69, &c. , 92, &c. , 98, &c. , 112, &c. ). It
classical writers of Greece, and the love he thus cannot, however, be denied, that he himself was as
early imbibed for them, accompanied him through much to blame as his opponents, for he appears to
life (De Fort. sua, pp. 9, 100, 144 ; Eunap. p. have provoked them by his querulous disposition,
131). His talent and perseverance attracted ge- and by the pride and vanity which everywhere
neral attention, and he had the certain prospect of appear in his orations, and which led him to inter-
obtaining the chair of rhetoric at Athens (De Fort. fere in political questions which it would have been
sua, p. 19, &c. ), but he himself was not inclined to wiser to have left alone (l. c. pp. 129, 132, 140).
accept the office, and left Athens, accompanying In other respects, however, his personal character
his friend Crispinus to Heracleia in Pontus (De seems to have been gentle and moderate, for al-
Fort. sua, p. 21, &c. ). On his return, as he passed though he was a pagan, and sympathised with the
through Constantinople, he was prevailed upon by emperor Julian in all his views and plans, still he
the rhetorician Nicocles, who held out to him the always showed a praise worthy toleration towards
most brilliant prospects, to remain in that capital ; the Christians. He was the teacher of St. Basil
but before he settled there, he went to Athens to and John Chrysostom, with whom he always kept
settle some of his affairs. On his return to Con- up a friendly relation. The year of his death
stantinople, he found that a sophist from Cappa- is uncertain, but from one of his epistles it is evi-
docia had in the meantime occupied the place which dent that in A. D. 391 he must have been still
he had hoped to obtain (De Forl. sua, p. 25, &c). alive (Epist. 941), but it is probable that he died
He was accordingly obliged to set up a private a few years after, in the reign of Arcadius.
school, and in short time he obtained so large a This account of the life of Libanius is mainly
number of pupils, that the classes of the public based upon an autobiography of the rhetorician
professors were completely deserted (l. c. p. 29). which is prefixed to Reiske's edition of his works
The latter, stimulated by envy and jealousy, de (vol. i. p. 1, &c. ), under the title Bios o óyos nepl
vised means of revenge: they charged him with tîs autoũ Túxns, or De Fortuna sua, the brief
being a magician, and the prefect Limenius, who article of Suidas (s. v. Allávios), and on the in-
was a personal enemy of Libanius, supported them, formation given by Eunapius in his Vitae Sophis-
and about A. D. 346 expelled him from the city of tarum (p. 139, &c. ). We still posses a considerable
Constantinople (l. c. p. 30, &c. ; Eunap. p. 131, number of the works of Libanius, but how many
&c. ). He went to Nicomedeia, where he taught may have been lost is uncertain.
with equal success, but also drew upon himself an 1. Προγυμνασμάτων παραδείγματα, i. e. model
equal degree of malice from his opponents (De Fort. pieces for rhetorical exercises, in thirteen sections,
sua, p. 36, &c. ). After a stay of five years, which to which, however, some more sections were added
he himself calls the happiest of his whole life (1. c. p. by F. Morellus in his edition (Paris, 1606). But
38), he was called back to Constantinople. But he modern criticism has shown pretty clearly that the
met with a cool reception there, and soon after re- additions of Morellus are the productions of two
turned to Nicomedeia, to which place he had formed other rhetoricians, Nicolaus and Severus (Walz,
a strong attachment. An epidemic disease, how- Rhet. Graec. i. pp. 394, &c. , 546).
ever, which raged there, obliged him again to go
back 2. nóyou or orations, whose number, in Reiske's
to Constantinople (l. c. p. 54, &c. ). Strategius, edition, amounts to sixty-five (vol. i. -iii. ). Ano-
one of his friends, procured him an invitation to ther oration of Libanius Liepl 'Onvuniou, was dis-
the chair of rhetoric at Athens, which however covered in a Barberini MS. by J. Ph. Siebenkees,
Libanius declined to accept (l. c. p. 58, &c. ), and who published it in his Anecdota Graeca (Nürn-
being tired of the annoyances to which he was ex- berg, 1798, pp. 75, 89). A sixty-seventh oration
posed at Constantinople, he paid a visit to his was first published by A. Mai in his second edition
native city of Antioch ; and as on his retum to of Fronto (Rome, 1823, p. 421, &c. ).
Constantinople, he began to suffer from ill health, 3. Menétai or declamations, i. e. orations on fic-
his medical atterdants advised him to give up titious subjects, and descriptions of various kinds.
teaching, and he sued for and obtained from the Their number in Reiske's edition is forty-eight, but
emperor Gallus permission to settle at Antioch, two additional ones were published afterwards, one
where he spent the remainder of his life. The by F. Morellus (Venice, 1785, 8vo. ), and the other
emperor Julian, who showed him great favour and by Boissonade, in his Anecdota Graeca (1. pp. 165
admired his talent, corresponded with him (l. c. p. –171).
87 ; Eunap. p. 135 ; Snidas, s. v. Actávios). In 4. A life of Demosthenes, and arguments to
the reign of Valens he was at first persecuted, but the speeches of the same orator. They are printed
3D 4
## p. 776 (#792) ############################################
776
LIBANIUS.
LIBER.
in Reiske's edition of Libanius (ix. p. 266, &c. ), | more complete edition is that of F. Morellus (
and also in most of the editions of Demosthenes. bunii Prucludia Orut. LXXII. , Declamut. XLI.
5. 'ETOTOlal, or letters, of which a very large ct Dissertat. Moral. , Paris, 1606, fol. ), but some
number is still extant. In the edition of J. C. further additions were subsequently made by Leo
Wolf (Amsterdam, 1738, fol. ) there are no less Allatius, and the whole is to be found in Reiske's
than 1605 epistles in Greek, in addition to which edition (vol. iv. p. 853, &c. ). The orations and
there are 397 epistles of which we only possess a declamations were first published, though very in-
Latin translation by Zambicarius, first published at complete, at Ferrara, 1517, 4to. , then in the above-
Krakau, but reprinted with several others in Wolf's mentioned edition of F. Morellus ; and after se-
edition (p. 735, &c. ). Two other letters in the veral more had been published from MSS. by J.
Greek original were published by Bloch, in Mun. Gothofredus, Fabricius and A. Bongiovanni, a com-
ter's Miscellanea (Hafniae, i. 2, p. 139, &c. ). plete collection, with some fresh additions, was
Many of these letters are extremely interesting, published by J. J. Reiske (Lilanii Sophistae Ora-
being addressed to the most eminent men of his tiones et Declamationes ad fidem codd. recens. et
time, such as the emperor Julian, Athanasius, perpet. adnotat. illustravit, Altenburg, 1791–97,
Basil, Gregory of Nyssa, John Chrysostom, and 4 vols. 8vo. ). The best edition of the epistles is
others. In this collection there are also many very that of J. Ch. Wolf (Libani Epistolae, Graece et
short letters, being either letters of introduction, or Latine edid. et notis illustr. , Amsterdam, 1738,
formal notes of politeness and the like. The style fol. ). For further particulars see J. G. Berger, De
in all of them is neat and elegant. Among the Libanio Dispututiones Sca, Vitebergne, 1696, &c. ,
same class of litemry compositions we may also 4to. ; Reiske, in the first vol. of his edition ; F.
reckon the ÉTIOTONIko xapartñpes, or formulae of C. Petersen, Commentat. de Libanio Sophista, part
letters, which were first edited by W. Morellus i. (containing an account of the life of Libanius) ;
(Paris, 1551, 1558, 8vo. ), and afterwards at Lug- | Hafniae, 1827, 4to. ; Fabric. Bill. Graec. vi. p. 750,
dunum (1618, 12mo. ). Many epistles as well as Cic. ; Westerniann, Gesch. der Griech. Beredtsam-
orations are still extant in MS. at Madrid, Venice, keit, $ 103, and Beilage, xv. p. 330, &c.
and other places, but have never been published, Four other persons of the name of Libanius,
and others which are now and then alluded to by none of whom is of any importance are enumerated
later writers seem to be lost.
by Fabricius (Bibl. Graec. x. p. 106). (L. S. ]
As regards the style of Libanius as an orator, LIBENTINA, LUBENTINA, or LUBEN-
some modern critics have called him a real model | TIA, a surname of Venus among the Romans, by
of pure Attic Greek (Reiske, Praefat. p. xvii. ), which she is described as the goddess of sexual
but this is carrying praise too far, and even pleasure (dea libidinis, Varr. de Ling. Lat. v. 6;
Photius entertained a much more correct opinion Cic. de Nat. Deor. ii. 23 ; August. de Civ. Dei,
of him (Bibl. Cod. 90, p. 67, b. ). There can iv. 8; Nonius, i. 324 ; Plaut. Asin. ii. 2. 2; Ar-
be no doubt that Libanius is by far the most nob. adv. Gent. i. p. 15, who however speaks of
talented and most successful among the rhetoricians Libentini dii. )
(L. S. ]
of the fourth century ; he took the best orators of LIBER. This name, or Liber pater, is fre-
the classic age as his models, and we can often see quently applied by the Roman poets to the Greek
in him the disciple and happy imitator of Demos- Bacchus or Dionysis, who was accordingly regarded
thenes, and his animated descriptions are often full as identical with the Italian Liber. Cicero (de
of power and elegance ; but he is not able always Nat. Deor. ii. 24), however, very justly distin-
to rise above the spirit of his age, and we rarely guishes between Dionysus (the Greek Liber) and
find in him that natural simplicity which constitutes the Liber who was worshipped by the early Ita-
the great charm of the best Attic orators. His lians in conjunction with Ceres and Libera. Liber
diction is a curious mixture of the pure old Attic and the feminine Libera were ancient Italian divi-
with what may be termed modern, and the latter nities, presiding over the cultivation of the vine
would be more excusable, if he did not so often and fertility of the fields ; and this seems to have
claim for himself the excellencies of the ancient given rise to the combination of their worship with
orators. In addition to this, it is evident that, that of Ceres. A temple of these three divinities
like all other rhetoricians, he is more concerned was vowed by the dictator, A. Postumius, in B. C.
about the form than about the substance, whence 496, near the Circus Flaminius; it was afterwards
Eunapius (p. 133) calls his orations weak, dead, restored by Augustus, and dedicated by Tiberius.
and lifeless. This tendency not seldom renders (Tac. Ann. ii. 49; Dionys. vi. 17. ) The most
his style obscure, notwithstanding his striving after probable etymology of the name Liber is from
purity, inasmuch as he sometimes sacrifices the liberare ; Servius (ad Virg. Georg. i. 7) indeed
logical connection of his sentences to his rhetorical states that the Sabine name for Liber was Loeba-
mode of expressing them. As far as the history of sius, but this seems to have been only an obsolete
Libanius's age is concerned, however, some of his form for Liber, just as we are told that the ancient
orations, and still more his epistles are of great Romans said loebesus and loebertas for the later
value, such as the oration in which he relates the forms liber(us) and libertas. (Paul. Diac. p. 121,
events of his own life, the eulogies on Constantius ed. Müller. ) Hence Seneca (de Trang. Anim. 15)
and Constans, the orations to and on Julian, several says, “ Liber dictus est quia liberat servitio cura-
orations describing the condition of Antioch, and rum animi ;” while others, who were evidently
those which he wrote against his professional and thinking of the Greek Bacchus, found in the name
political opponents.
an allusion to licentious drinking and speaking,
A complete edition of all the works of Libanius (Macrob. Sat. i. 18; August. de Cit. Dei, vi. 9 ;
does not yet exist. The first edition of the Pro- Paul. Diac. p. 115. ) Poets usually call him Liber
gymnasmata appeared under the name of Theon, pater, the latter word being very commonly added
together with a similar work by the latter author, by the Italians to the names of gods. The female
at Basel, 1641, 8vo. , edited by J. Cammerarius ; a Libera was identified by the Romans with Cora or
## p. 777 (#793) ############################################
LIBERATUS.
7. 7
LIBERIUS.
Persephone, the daughter of Demeter (Ceres), / parently oral, of men of character and weight. Ho
whence Cicero (de Nat. Dcor. ii. 24) calls Liber made considerable use of the Breviculus Historiuc
and Libera children of Ceres ; whereas Ovid (Fast. Eutychianistarum, and of other sources of informa-
iii. 512) calls Ariadne Libera. The festival of the tion not particularly mentioned by him. His
Liberalia was celebrated by the Romans every Latin style is generally clear, without ornament,
year on the 17th of March. (Dict. of Ant. s. v. but unequal, from the bad Latin into which pas-
Lileralia; Hartung, Die Relig. der Röm. vol. ii. p. sages from Greek writers have been rendered. "lle
135, &c. ; Klausen, Aeneas und die Penuten, vol. | has been charged with partiality to the Nestorians,
ii. p. 750, &c. )
[L. S. ) or with following Nestorian writers too implicitly.
LI'BERA. (LIBER. )
The Breviarium is contained in most editions of
LIBERA'LIS, ANTONI'NUS.
[P. S. ]
ing's notes ; Dem. C. Leptin. pp. 466, 467 ; Strab. LIBA'NIUS (1. 6ávios), the most distinguished
vii. p. 310, f. ; Polyaen. vi. 9 ; Athen. vi. p. 257, c. ; among the Greek sophists and rhetoricians of the
Aelian, V. H. vi. 13, with the note of Perizonius ; fourth century of our era. He was born at
Clinton, F. H. vol. ii. App. No. 13. ) [P. . S] Antioch, on the Orontes, and belonged to an illus-
LEUCON (Acúkwv), the son of Hagnon, accord- trious family of that place ; but the year of his
ing to Toup's emendation of Suidas (s. v. ), an Athe birth is uncertain, some assigning it to a. D. 314,
nian comic poet, of the old comedy, was a contem- | and others two years later, according to a passage
## p. 775 (#791) ############################################
LIBANIUS.
775
LIBANIUS.
in one of the orations of Libanius (i. p. 94, ed. I he afterwards succeeded in winning the favour of
Reiske). He received his first education, which that monarch also ; Libaniu, wrote a eulogy upon
was probably not of a very high character, in his him, and prevailed upon him to promulgate a law
native place, but being urged on by an invincible by which certain advantages were granted to na-
desire of acquiring knowledge and cultivating his tural children, in which Libanius himself was in-
mind, he went to Athens. He himself mentions terested, because he himself was not married, but
among his teachers Cleobulus, Didymus, and Ze lived in concubinage (1. c. pp. 97, 125, 166; Eunap.
nobius (Epist. 50, 100, 321, 407, 1181). While p. 133). The emperor Theodosius likewise showed
at Athens, he became the object of a series of in- him esteem (Dc Fort, sua, p. 137), but notwith-
trigues, against which he had to struggle throughout standing the marks of distinction he received from
his subsequent life. The pedantry then prevalent high quarters, his enjoyment of life was disturbed
at Athens, to which he was obliged to submit, by ill health (l. c. pp. 94, &c. , 119, 146, &c. ), by
made a bad impression upon him, so that he appears misfortunes in his family (l. c. pp. 67, &c. , 126,
to have devoted himself more to private study than &c. , 165, &c. ), and more especially by the disputes
to the methodic but pedantic system adopted in the in which he was incessantly involved, partly with
schools (Liban. De Fort. sua, p. 13, &c. ; Eunap. rival sophists, and partly with the prefects (i. c. pp.
Vit. Soph. p. 130). His favourite study was the 76, 86, 69, &c. , 92, &c. , 98, &c. , 112, &c. ). It
classical writers of Greece, and the love he thus cannot, however, be denied, that he himself was as
early imbibed for them, accompanied him through much to blame as his opponents, for he appears to
life (De Fort. sua, pp. 9, 100, 144 ; Eunap. p. have provoked them by his querulous disposition,
131). His talent and perseverance attracted ge- and by the pride and vanity which everywhere
neral attention, and he had the certain prospect of appear in his orations, and which led him to inter-
obtaining the chair of rhetoric at Athens (De Fort. fere in political questions which it would have been
sua, p. 19, &c. ), but he himself was not inclined to wiser to have left alone (l. c. pp. 129, 132, 140).
accept the office, and left Athens, accompanying In other respects, however, his personal character
his friend Crispinus to Heracleia in Pontus (De seems to have been gentle and moderate, for al-
Fort. sua, p. 21, &c. ). On his return, as he passed though he was a pagan, and sympathised with the
through Constantinople, he was prevailed upon by emperor Julian in all his views and plans, still he
the rhetorician Nicocles, who held out to him the always showed a praise worthy toleration towards
most brilliant prospects, to remain in that capital ; the Christians. He was the teacher of St. Basil
but before he settled there, he went to Athens to and John Chrysostom, with whom he always kept
settle some of his affairs. On his return to Con- up a friendly relation. The year of his death
stantinople, he found that a sophist from Cappa- is uncertain, but from one of his epistles it is evi-
docia had in the meantime occupied the place which dent that in A. D. 391 he must have been still
he had hoped to obtain (De Forl. sua, p. 25, &c). alive (Epist. 941), but it is probable that he died
He was accordingly obliged to set up a private a few years after, in the reign of Arcadius.
school, and in short time he obtained so large a This account of the life of Libanius is mainly
number of pupils, that the classes of the public based upon an autobiography of the rhetorician
professors were completely deserted (l. c. p. 29). which is prefixed to Reiske's edition of his works
The latter, stimulated by envy and jealousy, de (vol. i. p. 1, &c. ), under the title Bios o óyos nepl
vised means of revenge: they charged him with tîs autoũ Túxns, or De Fortuna sua, the brief
being a magician, and the prefect Limenius, who article of Suidas (s. v. Allávios), and on the in-
was a personal enemy of Libanius, supported them, formation given by Eunapius in his Vitae Sophis-
and about A. D. 346 expelled him from the city of tarum (p. 139, &c. ). We still posses a considerable
Constantinople (l. c. p. 30, &c. ; Eunap. p. 131, number of the works of Libanius, but how many
&c. ). He went to Nicomedeia, where he taught may have been lost is uncertain.
with equal success, but also drew upon himself an 1. Προγυμνασμάτων παραδείγματα, i. e. model
equal degree of malice from his opponents (De Fort. pieces for rhetorical exercises, in thirteen sections,
sua, p. 36, &c. ). After a stay of five years, which to which, however, some more sections were added
he himself calls the happiest of his whole life (1. c. p. by F. Morellus in his edition (Paris, 1606). But
38), he was called back to Constantinople. But he modern criticism has shown pretty clearly that the
met with a cool reception there, and soon after re- additions of Morellus are the productions of two
turned to Nicomedeia, to which place he had formed other rhetoricians, Nicolaus and Severus (Walz,
a strong attachment. An epidemic disease, how- Rhet. Graec. i. pp. 394, &c. , 546).
ever, which raged there, obliged him again to go
back 2. nóyou or orations, whose number, in Reiske's
to Constantinople (l. c. p. 54, &c. ). Strategius, edition, amounts to sixty-five (vol. i. -iii. ). Ano-
one of his friends, procured him an invitation to ther oration of Libanius Liepl 'Onvuniou, was dis-
the chair of rhetoric at Athens, which however covered in a Barberini MS. by J. Ph. Siebenkees,
Libanius declined to accept (l. c. p. 58, &c. ), and who published it in his Anecdota Graeca (Nürn-
being tired of the annoyances to which he was ex- berg, 1798, pp. 75, 89). A sixty-seventh oration
posed at Constantinople, he paid a visit to his was first published by A. Mai in his second edition
native city of Antioch ; and as on his retum to of Fronto (Rome, 1823, p. 421, &c. ).
Constantinople, he began to suffer from ill health, 3. Menétai or declamations, i. e. orations on fic-
his medical atterdants advised him to give up titious subjects, and descriptions of various kinds.
teaching, and he sued for and obtained from the Their number in Reiske's edition is forty-eight, but
emperor Gallus permission to settle at Antioch, two additional ones were published afterwards, one
where he spent the remainder of his life. The by F. Morellus (Venice, 1785, 8vo. ), and the other
emperor Julian, who showed him great favour and by Boissonade, in his Anecdota Graeca (1. pp. 165
admired his talent, corresponded with him (l. c. p. –171).
87 ; Eunap. p. 135 ; Snidas, s. v. Actávios). In 4. A life of Demosthenes, and arguments to
the reign of Valens he was at first persecuted, but the speeches of the same orator. They are printed
3D 4
## p. 776 (#792) ############################################
776
LIBANIUS.
LIBER.
in Reiske's edition of Libanius (ix. p. 266, &c. ), | more complete edition is that of F. Morellus (
and also in most of the editions of Demosthenes. bunii Prucludia Orut. LXXII. , Declamut. XLI.
5. 'ETOTOlal, or letters, of which a very large ct Dissertat. Moral. , Paris, 1606, fol. ), but some
number is still extant. In the edition of J. C. further additions were subsequently made by Leo
Wolf (Amsterdam, 1738, fol. ) there are no less Allatius, and the whole is to be found in Reiske's
than 1605 epistles in Greek, in addition to which edition (vol. iv. p. 853, &c. ). The orations and
there are 397 epistles of which we only possess a declamations were first published, though very in-
Latin translation by Zambicarius, first published at complete, at Ferrara, 1517, 4to. , then in the above-
Krakau, but reprinted with several others in Wolf's mentioned edition of F. Morellus ; and after se-
edition (p. 735, &c. ). Two other letters in the veral more had been published from MSS. by J.
Greek original were published by Bloch, in Mun. Gothofredus, Fabricius and A. Bongiovanni, a com-
ter's Miscellanea (Hafniae, i. 2, p. 139, &c. ). plete collection, with some fresh additions, was
Many of these letters are extremely interesting, published by J. J. Reiske (Lilanii Sophistae Ora-
being addressed to the most eminent men of his tiones et Declamationes ad fidem codd. recens. et
time, such as the emperor Julian, Athanasius, perpet. adnotat. illustravit, Altenburg, 1791–97,
Basil, Gregory of Nyssa, John Chrysostom, and 4 vols. 8vo. ). The best edition of the epistles is
others. In this collection there are also many very that of J. Ch. Wolf (Libani Epistolae, Graece et
short letters, being either letters of introduction, or Latine edid. et notis illustr. , Amsterdam, 1738,
formal notes of politeness and the like. The style fol. ). For further particulars see J. G. Berger, De
in all of them is neat and elegant. Among the Libanio Dispututiones Sca, Vitebergne, 1696, &c. ,
same class of litemry compositions we may also 4to. ; Reiske, in the first vol. of his edition ; F.
reckon the ÉTIOTONIko xapartñpes, or formulae of C. Petersen, Commentat. de Libanio Sophista, part
letters, which were first edited by W. Morellus i. (containing an account of the life of Libanius) ;
(Paris, 1551, 1558, 8vo. ), and afterwards at Lug- | Hafniae, 1827, 4to. ; Fabric. Bill. Graec. vi. p. 750,
dunum (1618, 12mo. ). Many epistles as well as Cic. ; Westerniann, Gesch. der Griech. Beredtsam-
orations are still extant in MS. at Madrid, Venice, keit, $ 103, and Beilage, xv. p. 330, &c.
and other places, but have never been published, Four other persons of the name of Libanius,
and others which are now and then alluded to by none of whom is of any importance are enumerated
later writers seem to be lost.
by Fabricius (Bibl. Graec. x. p. 106). (L. S. ]
As regards the style of Libanius as an orator, LIBENTINA, LUBENTINA, or LUBEN-
some modern critics have called him a real model | TIA, a surname of Venus among the Romans, by
of pure Attic Greek (Reiske, Praefat. p. xvii. ), which she is described as the goddess of sexual
but this is carrying praise too far, and even pleasure (dea libidinis, Varr. de Ling. Lat. v. 6;
Photius entertained a much more correct opinion Cic. de Nat. Deor. ii. 23 ; August. de Civ. Dei,
of him (Bibl. Cod. 90, p. 67, b. ). There can iv. 8; Nonius, i. 324 ; Plaut. Asin. ii. 2. 2; Ar-
be no doubt that Libanius is by far the most nob. adv. Gent. i. p. 15, who however speaks of
talented and most successful among the rhetoricians Libentini dii. )
(L. S. ]
of the fourth century ; he took the best orators of LIBER. This name, or Liber pater, is fre-
the classic age as his models, and we can often see quently applied by the Roman poets to the Greek
in him the disciple and happy imitator of Demos- Bacchus or Dionysis, who was accordingly regarded
thenes, and his animated descriptions are often full as identical with the Italian Liber. Cicero (de
of power and elegance ; but he is not able always Nat. Deor. ii. 24), however, very justly distin-
to rise above the spirit of his age, and we rarely guishes between Dionysus (the Greek Liber) and
find in him that natural simplicity which constitutes the Liber who was worshipped by the early Ita-
the great charm of the best Attic orators. His lians in conjunction with Ceres and Libera. Liber
diction is a curious mixture of the pure old Attic and the feminine Libera were ancient Italian divi-
with what may be termed modern, and the latter nities, presiding over the cultivation of the vine
would be more excusable, if he did not so often and fertility of the fields ; and this seems to have
claim for himself the excellencies of the ancient given rise to the combination of their worship with
orators. In addition to this, it is evident that, that of Ceres. A temple of these three divinities
like all other rhetoricians, he is more concerned was vowed by the dictator, A. Postumius, in B. C.
about the form than about the substance, whence 496, near the Circus Flaminius; it was afterwards
Eunapius (p. 133) calls his orations weak, dead, restored by Augustus, and dedicated by Tiberius.
and lifeless. This tendency not seldom renders (Tac. Ann. ii. 49; Dionys. vi. 17. ) The most
his style obscure, notwithstanding his striving after probable etymology of the name Liber is from
purity, inasmuch as he sometimes sacrifices the liberare ; Servius (ad Virg. Georg. i. 7) indeed
logical connection of his sentences to his rhetorical states that the Sabine name for Liber was Loeba-
mode of expressing them. As far as the history of sius, but this seems to have been only an obsolete
Libanius's age is concerned, however, some of his form for Liber, just as we are told that the ancient
orations, and still more his epistles are of great Romans said loebesus and loebertas for the later
value, such as the oration in which he relates the forms liber(us) and libertas. (Paul. Diac. p. 121,
events of his own life, the eulogies on Constantius ed. Müller. ) Hence Seneca (de Trang. Anim. 15)
and Constans, the orations to and on Julian, several says, “ Liber dictus est quia liberat servitio cura-
orations describing the condition of Antioch, and rum animi ;” while others, who were evidently
those which he wrote against his professional and thinking of the Greek Bacchus, found in the name
political opponents.
an allusion to licentious drinking and speaking,
A complete edition of all the works of Libanius (Macrob. Sat. i. 18; August. de Cit. Dei, vi. 9 ;
does not yet exist. The first edition of the Pro- Paul. Diac. p. 115. ) Poets usually call him Liber
gymnasmata appeared under the name of Theon, pater, the latter word being very commonly added
together with a similar work by the latter author, by the Italians to the names of gods. The female
at Basel, 1641, 8vo. , edited by J. Cammerarius ; a Libera was identified by the Romans with Cora or
## p. 777 (#793) ############################################
LIBERATUS.
7. 7
LIBERIUS.
Persephone, the daughter of Demeter (Ceres), / parently oral, of men of character and weight. Ho
whence Cicero (de Nat. Dcor. ii. 24) calls Liber made considerable use of the Breviculus Historiuc
and Libera children of Ceres ; whereas Ovid (Fast. Eutychianistarum, and of other sources of informa-
iii. 512) calls Ariadne Libera. The festival of the tion not particularly mentioned by him. His
Liberalia was celebrated by the Romans every Latin style is generally clear, without ornament,
year on the 17th of March. (Dict. of Ant. s. v. but unequal, from the bad Latin into which pas-
Lileralia; Hartung, Die Relig. der Röm. vol. ii. p. sages from Greek writers have been rendered. "lle
135, &c. ; Klausen, Aeneas und die Penuten, vol. | has been charged with partiality to the Nestorians,
ii. p. 750, &c. )
[L. S. ) or with following Nestorian writers too implicitly.
LI'BERA. (LIBER. )
The Breviarium is contained in most editions of
LIBERA'LIS, ANTONI'NUS.
