59) as the founder of
Antiochus, by Laodice, is said to have excited in the heretical sect of the Hermeians or Seleucians,
the mind of this profligate and ambitious minister who belongs to the fourth century after Christ.
Antiochus, by Laodice, is said to have excited in the heretical sect of the Hermeians or Seleucians,
the mind of this profligate and ambitious minister who belongs to the fourth century after Christ.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - b
iv.
3), Clemens
the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle, and on of Alexandria (Strom. i. 29), and Origen. (Explan.
Empedocles. (Comp. Cic. Acad. ii. 30 ; Athen. Epist. ad Rom. 16. ) According to Eusebius
xiii. p. 588; Phot. Bill. Cod. 167, p. 115, b. ed. (Hist. Eccles. iii. 3), many indeed doubted the
Bekker. ) It should be remarked that his name genuineness of the Pastor, but others had it read in
was formerly written Hermachus, until it was cor- public, and regarded it as a necessary introduction
rected by Villoison in his Anecdota Graec. ii. pp. to Christianity. This latter was the case, accord-
159, 290.
(L. S. ] ing to Hieronymus (de Script. Eccles. 10), more
HERMAS ('Epuas), a disciple of the apostle especially in those countries where Greek was
Paul, and one of the apostolic fathers. So at spoken; but llieronymus himself is uncertain in
least it is generally believed, and it is further sup his opinion, for sometimes he calls it a useful book,
posed that he is the same person as the Hermas aud sometimes a foolish one. (Commcul. in Hubuc.
## p. 410 (#426) ############################################
410
HERMEIAS.
HERMEIAS.
A
1
HEKKE
1 C
i. 1. ) Tertullian (de Puicit. 10), who had judged | his authority without opposition. The exact period
it very severely, does not appear to have made of his accession is unknown, and we know not how
any deep impression upon his readers, for the fact long he had held the sovereign power when he in-
of the Pastor being declared an apocryphal work by vited Aristotle and Xenocrates to his little court,
several synods, does not imply any opinion as to about the year B. C. 347. The long sojourn of
its value or worthlessness, but only shows that Aristotle with him, and the warm attachment
they did not regard it as a canonical work. which that philosopher formed towards him, are
One of the main reasons why the Pastor was strong arguments in favour of the character of
generally held in such high esteem was undoubt- Hermias : yet the relations between them did not
edly the belief that its author, Hermas, was the escape the most injurious suspicions, for which
same as the one mentioned by St. Paul, an opinion there was doubtless as little reason as for the ol
which has been maintained in modern times by loquy with which Aristotle was loaded when, after
Dodwell, Wake, and others. But although there the death of Hermias, he married Pythias, the
is no internal evidence to prove that the author niece, or, according to other accounts, the adopted
of the Pastor was a different person, yet the un- daughter of his friend and benefactor. (Strab.
certainty of the early church (see Tertull
. l. c. ; xii. p. 610; Pseud. Ammon. rit. Aristot. ; Aristo-
Euseb. llist. Eccles. iii. 25) seems to show that cles np. Euseb. Praep. Ev. xv. 2; Diog. Laërt. v. 3. )
the author himself had given no clue to ascertain Of other occurrences under the rule of Hermias
the identity, and perhaps intentionally avoided we know nothing ; but he appears to have main-
giving any. Another opinion, which is based tained himself in the undisputed sovereignty of his
on ancient authorities (Curm. c. Marcionem, iii. in little state, and in avowed independence of Persii,
fin. ; Muratori, Antiq. Ital. med. aevi, iii. p. 853, until the year 345, when the Greek general,
&c. ), is that Hermas, the author of the Pastor, was Mentor, who was sent down by the Persian king
a brother of Pius II. , bishop of Rome, who entered to take the command in Asia Minor, decoyed him,
upon his office about the middle of the second | by a promise of safe conduct, to a personal inter-
century after Christ. But in the first place, the view, at which, defiance of his pledge, he seized
authorities on which this opinion is founded are of and detained him as a prisoner. After making
a very doubtful nature ; and secondly, a writer of use of his signet to enforce the submission of the
that time could not have avoided mentioning some governors left in the cities subject to his rule,
of the heresies which were then spreading, but of Mentor sent him as a captive to the court of
which there is not a trace in the Pastor. Con- Artaxerxes, where he was soon after put to death.
sidering, moreover, that the work already enjoyed (Diod. xvi. 52; Strab. xiii. p. 610, 614; Diog.
considerable reputation in the time of Irenaeus and Laërt. v. 6. )
Clemens of Alexandria, we must suppose that it Aristotle testified his reverence for the memory
was written either in the time of the apostles or of his friend, not only by erecting a statue to him
soon after, and that its author was either the person at Delphi, but by celebrating his praises in an ode
mentioned by St. Paul, or one who assumed the or hymn, addressed to Virtue, which has fortunately
name of that person for the purpose of acquiring a been preserved to the present day. (Athen. xv.
greater influence upon the minds of his readers. p. 696 ; Diog. Laërt. v. 6,7 ) Concerning the rela-
The first edition of the Pastor is that by J. tions of the philosopher with Hermias, and the in-
Faber, Paris, 1513, which was afterwards often jurious imputations to which they gave rise, see the
reprinted. A better edition is that of Cotelier in article ARISTOTLE (vol. i. p. 318), and Blakesley's
his Patres Apostol. Paris, 1672. It is also printed Life of Aristotle, p. 35--44.
in other collections of the fathers ; but a very good 2. A Carian by birth, who had raised himself to
separate edition, together with the Epistle of Bar- be the favourite and chief minister of Seleucus
nabas, appeared at Oxford, 1685, 12mo. (Cave, Ceraunus, and was left at the head of affairs in
Hist. Lit. vol. i. p. 20, &c. ; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. Syria by that monarch when he set out on the ex-
vii. p. 18, &c. ; Mosheim, Comment. de Reb. Christ. pedition across the Taurus, in the course of which
ante Constant. p. 106; Neander, K'irchengeschichte, he met with his death, B. C. 223. That event
vol. i. p. 1107. )
(L. S. ] placed Hermeias in the possession of almost undis-
HERMEIAS or HERMIAS ('Epuelas or 'Ep- puted power, the young king, Antiochus III. , being
uías: see concerning the mode of writing this then only in his 15th year; and his jealous and
name, Suhr, Aristotelia, vol. i. p. 75). 1. Tyrant grasping disposition led him to remove as far as
or dynast of the cities of Atarneus and Assos, in possible all competitors for power. The formidable
Mysia, celebrated as the friend and patron of Ari- revolt of Molon and Alexander in the eastern pro-
stotle. He is said to have been an eunuch, and to vinces of the kingdom seemed to demand all the
have begun life as a slave, but whether he obtained attention of Antiochus, but Hermeias persuaded
his liberty or not, he appears to have early risen him to confide the conduct of the army sent against
to a confidential position with Eubulus, the ruler the insurgents to his generals, Xenon and Theo
of Atarneus and Assos. If, however, Strabo's dotus, while he advanced in person to attack Coele-
statement, that he repaired to Athens, and there Syria. Here, however, the king met with a com-
attended the lectures of both Plato and Aristotle, plete repulse, while the army sent against Molon
be correct, we cannot doubt that he had at that was totally defeated by that general, who made
time obtained his freedom, though he remained at- himself master in consequence of several of the
tached to the service of Eubulus, who had raised provinces bordering on the Tigris. The opinion of
himself from the situation of a banker to the undis- Hermeias, who still opposed the march of Antio-
puted government of the two cities already men- chus to the East, was now overruled, and the king
tioned. In this position Eubulus maintained him took the field in person the ensuing spring. But
self till his death, in defiance, it would appear, of though the favourite had succeeded in removing
the authority of Persia (see Arist. Pol. ii. 4), and his chief opponent, Epigenes, by a fabricated charge
on that event Hermias seems to have succeeded to of conspiracy, his utter incapacity for military
ta: 242
U Me
part to
1
on and
és a
as a wo
Ropa
1
SA
Via Ta
&c. in
sot
## p. 411 (#427) ############################################
HERMEIAS.
:
HERMES.
411
Affairs was fully apparent in the ensuing campaign, 11700, 8vo. ), in the Auctarium Bibl. Patr. (Paris,
in which, nevertheless, Antiochus, having followed 1624, fol. ), and in Gallandi's Bibl. Patr. vol. ii. p. 68,
the advice of Zeuxis, in opposition to that of Her &c. A separate edition, with notes by H. Wolf,
meias, defeated Molon in a pitched battle, and re- Gale, and Worth, was published by J. C. Domme-
covered the revolted provinces. But during the rich, Halle, 1764, 8vo. (Comp. Fabric. Bibl. Graec.
subsequent halt at Seleuceia, Hermeias had again an vol. vii. p. 114, &c. ; Cave, Hist. lit. vol. i.
P.
50. )
opportunity of displaying his evil disposition by This Hermeias must not be confounded with Her-
the cruelties with which, notwithstanding the op- meias Sozomenus, the ecclesiastical historian [Sozo-
position of Antiochus, he stained the victory of the MENUS), nor with the Hermeias who is mentioned
young king. Meanwhile, the birth of a son of by St. Augustin (De Haeres.
59) as the founder of
Antiochus, by Laodice, is said to have excited in the heretical sect of the Hermeians or Seleucians,
the mind of this profligate and ambitious minister who belongs to the fourth century after Christ. A
the project of getting rid of the king himself, in few more persons of this name are mentioned by
order that he might rule with still more uncon- Fabricius. (Bibl. Gracc. vol. vii. p. 114, &c) (L. S. )
trolled authority under the name of his infant son. HERMERICUS, king of the Suevi, who, in
This nefarious scheme was fortunately revealed in conjunction with the Vandals and Alans, entered
time to Antiochus, who had long regarded Hermeias Spain, A. D. 409. The Suevi occupied a considerable
with fear as well as aversion, and he now gladly part of Gallaecia, in the N. W. part of Spain ; but
availed himself of the assistance of his physiciar, the rest of the Gallaecians retained their independ-
Apollophanes, and others of his friends, to rid him- ence; and, though apparently unsupported by the
self of his minister by assassination. Polybius, troops of the empire, carried on an obstinate and
who is our sole authority for all the preceding desultory warfare with the invaders. In A. D. 419
facts, has drawn the character of Hermeias in the war broke out between Hermeric and his former
blackest colours, and represents his death as a sub- allies, the Vandals, who, under their king Gun-
ject of general rejoicing, though he considers his deric, attacked the Suevi in the mountains of Ner-
fate as a very inadequate punishment for his mis- vasi or Nerbasis (Tillemont understands the moun-
deeds. (Polyb. v. 41-56. ) [E. H. B). tains of Biscay, but we rather identify them with
HERÀEIAS ('Epuelas). 1. An iambic poet, the mountains of Gallicia or of Portugal, N. of the
a native of Curia in Cyprus. He was a contem- Douro); but the Vandals were recalled to their own
porary of Alexander the Great, but only a few settlements in Baetica, by the advance of the Roman
fragments of his productions have come down to troops into Spain. In their retreat they had a severe
us. (Athen. xiii. p. 563; Schneidewin, Delectus conflict at Bracara (Braga), in which they slew many
Poes. p. 242. )
of the Suevi. In A. D. 431 Hermeric, who had con-
2. Of Methymna in Lesbos, the author of a cluded peace with the independent portion of the
history of Sicily, the third book of which is quoted Gallaecians, broke the treaty, and ravaged their ter-
by Athenaeus (x. p. 438); but we know from ritory ; but, failing to reduce their strongholds, re-
Diodorus Siculus (xv. 37) 'that Hermeias related stored his captives, and renewed the peace. Next
the history of Sicily down to the year B. c. 376, year (A. D. 432) he broke it again; and Idatius, the
and that the whole work was divided into ten or chronicler, was sent to Aëtius, the patrician, then in
twelve books. Stephanus Byzantius (s. e. Xalkis) Gaul, to solicit help. In A. D. 433 Idatius, accom
speaks of a Periegesis of Hermeias, and Athe- panied by Count Censorius, returned to Spain, and
naeus (iv. p. 149) quotes the second book of a by his intervention peace was made, but was not
work Tiepl Toll f'puvelov 'Amówvos, by one Her- ratified by the court of Valentinian III. In A. D.
meias, but whether both or either of them is iden- | 437 Censorius was sent again to Hermeric, and in
tical with the historian of Sicily is quite uncer- 438 peace was concluded. Hermeric resigned his
tain.
crown the same year to his son Rechilda, having
3. A Christian writer, who seems to have lived been suffering for four years from some disease, of
in the latter half of the second century after Christ, which he died, three years after his abdication
and about the time of Tatianus. Respecting his (A. D. 441). Isidore of Seville says he reigned
life nothing is known, but we possess under his 14 years, which, reckoned back from his abdication
name a Greek work, entitled Alagupuds TvěEW (A. D. 438), carries us to 424. As this was long
Diogopwv, in which the author holds the Greek after his invasion and settlement in Gallaecia, it
philosophers up to ridicule. It is addressed to the perhaps marks the epoch of his recognition by the
friends and relations of the author, and is intended Romans of the Western Empire. (Idatius, Chron-
to guard them against the errors of the pagan phi- con; Isid. Hispal. Histor. Suevor. ; Tillemont, Hist.
losophers. The author puts together the various des Emp. vol. v. vi. )
[J. C. M. ]
opinions of philosophers on nature, the world, God, HERMES ('Epuñis, 'Epuelas, Dor. 'Epuas), a
his nature, and relation to the world, the human son of Zeus and Maia, the daughter of Atlas, was
soul, &c. ; shows their discrepancies and inconsist-born in a cave of Mount Cyllene in Arcadia (Hom.
encies, and thus proves their uselessness and in- Od. viii. 335, xiv. 435, xxiv. 1; Hymn, in Merc.
sufficiency on those important questions. The 1, &c. ; Ov. Met. i. 682, xiv. 291), whence he is
author is not without considerable wit and talent, called Atlantiades or Cyllenius ; but Philostratus
and his work is of some importance for the history (Icon. i. 26) places his birth in Olympus. In the
of ancient philosophy. It is divided into nineteen first hours after his birth, he escaped from his
chapters, and was first published with a Latin cradle, went to Pieiria, and carried off some of the
translation by Seiler at Zurich, 1553, 8vo. , and oxen of Apollo. (Hom. Hymn. in Merc. 17. ) In
again in 1560, fol. It was subsequently printed the Iliad and Odyssey this tradition is not men-
in several collections of ecclesiastical writers, e. g. tioned, though Hermes is characterised as a cun-
in Morell's Tabul. Compendios. (Basel, 1580, 8vo. ning thief. (Il
. v. 390, xxiv. 24. ) Other accounts,
p. 189, &c. ), in several editions of Justin Martyr, again, refer the theft of the oxen to a more ad-
in the edition of Tatianus by W. Worth (Oxford, vanced period of the life of the god. (Apollod. iii.
3
.
a
## p. 412 (#428) ############################################
412
HERMES.
HERMES
1
1
:
10. & 2; Anton. Lib. 23. ). In order not to be dis- | both in words and actions, and even fraud, perjury,
covered by the traces of his footsteps, Hermes put and the inclination to steal ; but acts of this kind
on sandals, and drove the oxen to Pylos, where he were committed by Hermes always with a certain
killed two, and concealed the rest in a cave. (Comp. skill, dexterity, and even gracefulness. Examples
the different stratagems by which he escaped in occur in the Homeric hymn on Hermes (66, 260,
Hom. Hymn. in Merc. 75, &c. , and Anton. Lib. 383 ; comp. Eustath. ad Hom. p. 1337 ; Hom.
1. c. ) The skins of the slaughtered animals were Il. v, 390, xxiv. 24 ; Apollod. i. 6. & 3).
nailed to a rock, and part of their flesh was pre- Being endowed with this shrewdness and saga-
pared and consumed, and the rest burnt ; at the city, he was regarded as the author of a variety of
same time he offered scrifices to the twelve gods, inventions, and, besides the lyre and syrinx, he is
whence he is probably called the inventor of divine said to have invented the alphabet, numbers, as-
worship and sacrifices. (Hom. Hymn. in Merc. tronomy, music, the art of fighting, gymnastics, the
125, &c. ; Diod. i. 16. ) Hereupon he returned cultivation of the olive tree, measures, weights, and
to Cyllene, where he found a tortoise at the en- many other things. (Plut. Sympos. ix. 3; Diod. 1. c.
trance of his native cave. He took the animals and v. 75 ; Hygin. Fab. 277. ) The powers which
shell, drew strings across it, and thus invented the he possessed himself he conferred upon those•mor-
lyre and plectrum. The number of strings of his tals and heroes who enjoyed his favour, and all
new invention is said by some to have been three who had them were under his especial protection, or
and by others seven, and they were made of the are called his sons. (Od. x. 277, &c. , xv. 318, &c. ,
guts either of oxen or of sheep. (Hom. 1. c. 51; Diod. xix. 397 ; Soph. Philoct. 133 ; Hes. Op. 67 ; Eu-
i. 16, v. 75; Orph. Argon. 381 ; Hornt. Carm. i.
the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle, and on of Alexandria (Strom. i. 29), and Origen. (Explan.
Empedocles. (Comp. Cic. Acad. ii. 30 ; Athen. Epist. ad Rom. 16. ) According to Eusebius
xiii. p. 588; Phot. Bill. Cod. 167, p. 115, b. ed. (Hist. Eccles. iii. 3), many indeed doubted the
Bekker. ) It should be remarked that his name genuineness of the Pastor, but others had it read in
was formerly written Hermachus, until it was cor- public, and regarded it as a necessary introduction
rected by Villoison in his Anecdota Graec. ii. pp. to Christianity. This latter was the case, accord-
159, 290.
(L. S. ] ing to Hieronymus (de Script. Eccles. 10), more
HERMAS ('Epuas), a disciple of the apostle especially in those countries where Greek was
Paul, and one of the apostolic fathers. So at spoken; but llieronymus himself is uncertain in
least it is generally believed, and it is further sup his opinion, for sometimes he calls it a useful book,
posed that he is the same person as the Hermas aud sometimes a foolish one. (Commcul. in Hubuc.
## p. 410 (#426) ############################################
410
HERMEIAS.
HERMEIAS.
A
1
HEKKE
1 C
i. 1. ) Tertullian (de Puicit. 10), who had judged | his authority without opposition. The exact period
it very severely, does not appear to have made of his accession is unknown, and we know not how
any deep impression upon his readers, for the fact long he had held the sovereign power when he in-
of the Pastor being declared an apocryphal work by vited Aristotle and Xenocrates to his little court,
several synods, does not imply any opinion as to about the year B. C. 347. The long sojourn of
its value or worthlessness, but only shows that Aristotle with him, and the warm attachment
they did not regard it as a canonical work. which that philosopher formed towards him, are
One of the main reasons why the Pastor was strong arguments in favour of the character of
generally held in such high esteem was undoubt- Hermias : yet the relations between them did not
edly the belief that its author, Hermas, was the escape the most injurious suspicions, for which
same as the one mentioned by St. Paul, an opinion there was doubtless as little reason as for the ol
which has been maintained in modern times by loquy with which Aristotle was loaded when, after
Dodwell, Wake, and others. But although there the death of Hermias, he married Pythias, the
is no internal evidence to prove that the author niece, or, according to other accounts, the adopted
of the Pastor was a different person, yet the un- daughter of his friend and benefactor. (Strab.
certainty of the early church (see Tertull
. l. c. ; xii. p. 610; Pseud. Ammon. rit. Aristot. ; Aristo-
Euseb. llist. Eccles. iii. 25) seems to show that cles np. Euseb. Praep. Ev. xv. 2; Diog. Laërt. v. 3. )
the author himself had given no clue to ascertain Of other occurrences under the rule of Hermias
the identity, and perhaps intentionally avoided we know nothing ; but he appears to have main-
giving any. Another opinion, which is based tained himself in the undisputed sovereignty of his
on ancient authorities (Curm. c. Marcionem, iii. in little state, and in avowed independence of Persii,
fin. ; Muratori, Antiq. Ital. med. aevi, iii. p. 853, until the year 345, when the Greek general,
&c. ), is that Hermas, the author of the Pastor, was Mentor, who was sent down by the Persian king
a brother of Pius II. , bishop of Rome, who entered to take the command in Asia Minor, decoyed him,
upon his office about the middle of the second | by a promise of safe conduct, to a personal inter-
century after Christ. But in the first place, the view, at which, defiance of his pledge, he seized
authorities on which this opinion is founded are of and detained him as a prisoner. After making
a very doubtful nature ; and secondly, a writer of use of his signet to enforce the submission of the
that time could not have avoided mentioning some governors left in the cities subject to his rule,
of the heresies which were then spreading, but of Mentor sent him as a captive to the court of
which there is not a trace in the Pastor. Con- Artaxerxes, where he was soon after put to death.
sidering, moreover, that the work already enjoyed (Diod. xvi. 52; Strab. xiii. p. 610, 614; Diog.
considerable reputation in the time of Irenaeus and Laërt. v. 6. )
Clemens of Alexandria, we must suppose that it Aristotle testified his reverence for the memory
was written either in the time of the apostles or of his friend, not only by erecting a statue to him
soon after, and that its author was either the person at Delphi, but by celebrating his praises in an ode
mentioned by St. Paul, or one who assumed the or hymn, addressed to Virtue, which has fortunately
name of that person for the purpose of acquiring a been preserved to the present day. (Athen. xv.
greater influence upon the minds of his readers. p. 696 ; Diog. Laërt. v. 6,7 ) Concerning the rela-
The first edition of the Pastor is that by J. tions of the philosopher with Hermias, and the in-
Faber, Paris, 1513, which was afterwards often jurious imputations to which they gave rise, see the
reprinted. A better edition is that of Cotelier in article ARISTOTLE (vol. i. p. 318), and Blakesley's
his Patres Apostol. Paris, 1672. It is also printed Life of Aristotle, p. 35--44.
in other collections of the fathers ; but a very good 2. A Carian by birth, who had raised himself to
separate edition, together with the Epistle of Bar- be the favourite and chief minister of Seleucus
nabas, appeared at Oxford, 1685, 12mo. (Cave, Ceraunus, and was left at the head of affairs in
Hist. Lit. vol. i. p. 20, &c. ; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. Syria by that monarch when he set out on the ex-
vii. p. 18, &c. ; Mosheim, Comment. de Reb. Christ. pedition across the Taurus, in the course of which
ante Constant. p. 106; Neander, K'irchengeschichte, he met with his death, B. C. 223. That event
vol. i. p. 1107. )
(L. S. ] placed Hermeias in the possession of almost undis-
HERMEIAS or HERMIAS ('Epuelas or 'Ep- puted power, the young king, Antiochus III. , being
uías: see concerning the mode of writing this then only in his 15th year; and his jealous and
name, Suhr, Aristotelia, vol. i. p. 75). 1. Tyrant grasping disposition led him to remove as far as
or dynast of the cities of Atarneus and Assos, in possible all competitors for power. The formidable
Mysia, celebrated as the friend and patron of Ari- revolt of Molon and Alexander in the eastern pro-
stotle. He is said to have been an eunuch, and to vinces of the kingdom seemed to demand all the
have begun life as a slave, but whether he obtained attention of Antiochus, but Hermeias persuaded
his liberty or not, he appears to have early risen him to confide the conduct of the army sent against
to a confidential position with Eubulus, the ruler the insurgents to his generals, Xenon and Theo
of Atarneus and Assos. If, however, Strabo's dotus, while he advanced in person to attack Coele-
statement, that he repaired to Athens, and there Syria. Here, however, the king met with a com-
attended the lectures of both Plato and Aristotle, plete repulse, while the army sent against Molon
be correct, we cannot doubt that he had at that was totally defeated by that general, who made
time obtained his freedom, though he remained at- himself master in consequence of several of the
tached to the service of Eubulus, who had raised provinces bordering on the Tigris. The opinion of
himself from the situation of a banker to the undis- Hermeias, who still opposed the march of Antio-
puted government of the two cities already men- chus to the East, was now overruled, and the king
tioned. In this position Eubulus maintained him took the field in person the ensuing spring. But
self till his death, in defiance, it would appear, of though the favourite had succeeded in removing
the authority of Persia (see Arist. Pol. ii. 4), and his chief opponent, Epigenes, by a fabricated charge
on that event Hermias seems to have succeeded to of conspiracy, his utter incapacity for military
ta: 242
U Me
part to
1
on and
és a
as a wo
Ropa
1
SA
Via Ta
&c. in
sot
## p. 411 (#427) ############################################
HERMEIAS.
:
HERMES.
411
Affairs was fully apparent in the ensuing campaign, 11700, 8vo. ), in the Auctarium Bibl. Patr. (Paris,
in which, nevertheless, Antiochus, having followed 1624, fol. ), and in Gallandi's Bibl. Patr. vol. ii. p. 68,
the advice of Zeuxis, in opposition to that of Her &c. A separate edition, with notes by H. Wolf,
meias, defeated Molon in a pitched battle, and re- Gale, and Worth, was published by J. C. Domme-
covered the revolted provinces. But during the rich, Halle, 1764, 8vo. (Comp. Fabric. Bibl. Graec.
subsequent halt at Seleuceia, Hermeias had again an vol. vii. p. 114, &c. ; Cave, Hist. lit. vol. i.
P.
50. )
opportunity of displaying his evil disposition by This Hermeias must not be confounded with Her-
the cruelties with which, notwithstanding the op- meias Sozomenus, the ecclesiastical historian [Sozo-
position of Antiochus, he stained the victory of the MENUS), nor with the Hermeias who is mentioned
young king. Meanwhile, the birth of a son of by St. Augustin (De Haeres.
59) as the founder of
Antiochus, by Laodice, is said to have excited in the heretical sect of the Hermeians or Seleucians,
the mind of this profligate and ambitious minister who belongs to the fourth century after Christ. A
the project of getting rid of the king himself, in few more persons of this name are mentioned by
order that he might rule with still more uncon- Fabricius. (Bibl. Gracc. vol. vii. p. 114, &c) (L. S. )
trolled authority under the name of his infant son. HERMERICUS, king of the Suevi, who, in
This nefarious scheme was fortunately revealed in conjunction with the Vandals and Alans, entered
time to Antiochus, who had long regarded Hermeias Spain, A. D. 409. The Suevi occupied a considerable
with fear as well as aversion, and he now gladly part of Gallaecia, in the N. W. part of Spain ; but
availed himself of the assistance of his physiciar, the rest of the Gallaecians retained their independ-
Apollophanes, and others of his friends, to rid him- ence; and, though apparently unsupported by the
self of his minister by assassination. Polybius, troops of the empire, carried on an obstinate and
who is our sole authority for all the preceding desultory warfare with the invaders. In A. D. 419
facts, has drawn the character of Hermeias in the war broke out between Hermeric and his former
blackest colours, and represents his death as a sub- allies, the Vandals, who, under their king Gun-
ject of general rejoicing, though he considers his deric, attacked the Suevi in the mountains of Ner-
fate as a very inadequate punishment for his mis- vasi or Nerbasis (Tillemont understands the moun-
deeds. (Polyb. v. 41-56. ) [E. H. B). tains of Biscay, but we rather identify them with
HERÀEIAS ('Epuelas). 1. An iambic poet, the mountains of Gallicia or of Portugal, N. of the
a native of Curia in Cyprus. He was a contem- Douro); but the Vandals were recalled to their own
porary of Alexander the Great, but only a few settlements in Baetica, by the advance of the Roman
fragments of his productions have come down to troops into Spain. In their retreat they had a severe
us. (Athen. xiii. p. 563; Schneidewin, Delectus conflict at Bracara (Braga), in which they slew many
Poes. p. 242. )
of the Suevi. In A. D. 431 Hermeric, who had con-
2. Of Methymna in Lesbos, the author of a cluded peace with the independent portion of the
history of Sicily, the third book of which is quoted Gallaecians, broke the treaty, and ravaged their ter-
by Athenaeus (x. p. 438); but we know from ritory ; but, failing to reduce their strongholds, re-
Diodorus Siculus (xv. 37) 'that Hermeias related stored his captives, and renewed the peace. Next
the history of Sicily down to the year B. c. 376, year (A. D. 432) he broke it again; and Idatius, the
and that the whole work was divided into ten or chronicler, was sent to Aëtius, the patrician, then in
twelve books. Stephanus Byzantius (s. e. Xalkis) Gaul, to solicit help. In A. D. 433 Idatius, accom
speaks of a Periegesis of Hermeias, and Athe- panied by Count Censorius, returned to Spain, and
naeus (iv. p. 149) quotes the second book of a by his intervention peace was made, but was not
work Tiepl Toll f'puvelov 'Amówvos, by one Her- ratified by the court of Valentinian III. In A. D.
meias, but whether both or either of them is iden- | 437 Censorius was sent again to Hermeric, and in
tical with the historian of Sicily is quite uncer- 438 peace was concluded. Hermeric resigned his
tain.
crown the same year to his son Rechilda, having
3. A Christian writer, who seems to have lived been suffering for four years from some disease, of
in the latter half of the second century after Christ, which he died, three years after his abdication
and about the time of Tatianus. Respecting his (A. D. 441). Isidore of Seville says he reigned
life nothing is known, but we possess under his 14 years, which, reckoned back from his abdication
name a Greek work, entitled Alagupuds TvěEW (A. D. 438), carries us to 424. As this was long
Diogopwv, in which the author holds the Greek after his invasion and settlement in Gallaecia, it
philosophers up to ridicule. It is addressed to the perhaps marks the epoch of his recognition by the
friends and relations of the author, and is intended Romans of the Western Empire. (Idatius, Chron-
to guard them against the errors of the pagan phi- con; Isid. Hispal. Histor. Suevor. ; Tillemont, Hist.
losophers. The author puts together the various des Emp. vol. v. vi. )
[J. C. M. ]
opinions of philosophers on nature, the world, God, HERMES ('Epuñis, 'Epuelas, Dor. 'Epuas), a
his nature, and relation to the world, the human son of Zeus and Maia, the daughter of Atlas, was
soul, &c. ; shows their discrepancies and inconsist-born in a cave of Mount Cyllene in Arcadia (Hom.
encies, and thus proves their uselessness and in- Od. viii. 335, xiv. 435, xxiv. 1; Hymn, in Merc.
sufficiency on those important questions. The 1, &c. ; Ov. Met. i. 682, xiv. 291), whence he is
author is not without considerable wit and talent, called Atlantiades or Cyllenius ; but Philostratus
and his work is of some importance for the history (Icon. i. 26) places his birth in Olympus. In the
of ancient philosophy. It is divided into nineteen first hours after his birth, he escaped from his
chapters, and was first published with a Latin cradle, went to Pieiria, and carried off some of the
translation by Seiler at Zurich, 1553, 8vo. , and oxen of Apollo. (Hom. Hymn. in Merc. 17. ) In
again in 1560, fol. It was subsequently printed the Iliad and Odyssey this tradition is not men-
in several collections of ecclesiastical writers, e. g. tioned, though Hermes is characterised as a cun-
in Morell's Tabul. Compendios. (Basel, 1580, 8vo. ning thief. (Il
. v. 390, xxiv. 24. ) Other accounts,
p. 189, &c. ), in several editions of Justin Martyr, again, refer the theft of the oxen to a more ad-
in the edition of Tatianus by W. Worth (Oxford, vanced period of the life of the god. (Apollod. iii.
3
.
a
## p. 412 (#428) ############################################
412
HERMES.
HERMES
1
1
:
10. & 2; Anton. Lib. 23. ). In order not to be dis- | both in words and actions, and even fraud, perjury,
covered by the traces of his footsteps, Hermes put and the inclination to steal ; but acts of this kind
on sandals, and drove the oxen to Pylos, where he were committed by Hermes always with a certain
killed two, and concealed the rest in a cave. (Comp. skill, dexterity, and even gracefulness. Examples
the different stratagems by which he escaped in occur in the Homeric hymn on Hermes (66, 260,
Hom. Hymn. in Merc. 75, &c. , and Anton. Lib. 383 ; comp. Eustath. ad Hom. p. 1337 ; Hom.
1. c. ) The skins of the slaughtered animals were Il. v, 390, xxiv. 24 ; Apollod. i. 6. & 3).
nailed to a rock, and part of their flesh was pre- Being endowed with this shrewdness and saga-
pared and consumed, and the rest burnt ; at the city, he was regarded as the author of a variety of
same time he offered scrifices to the twelve gods, inventions, and, besides the lyre and syrinx, he is
whence he is probably called the inventor of divine said to have invented the alphabet, numbers, as-
worship and sacrifices. (Hom. Hymn. in Merc. tronomy, music, the art of fighting, gymnastics, the
125, &c. ; Diod. i. 16. ) Hereupon he returned cultivation of the olive tree, measures, weights, and
to Cyllene, where he found a tortoise at the en- many other things. (Plut. Sympos. ix. 3; Diod. 1. c.
trance of his native cave. He took the animals and v. 75 ; Hygin. Fab. 277. ) The powers which
shell, drew strings across it, and thus invented the he possessed himself he conferred upon those•mor-
lyre and plectrum. The number of strings of his tals and heroes who enjoyed his favour, and all
new invention is said by some to have been three who had them were under his especial protection, or
and by others seven, and they were made of the are called his sons. (Od. x. 277, &c. , xv. 318, &c. ,
guts either of oxen or of sheep. (Hom. 1. c. 51; Diod. xix. 397 ; Soph. Philoct. 133 ; Hes. Op. 67 ; Eu-
i. 16, v. 75; Orph. Argon. 381 ; Hornt. Carm. i.
