Silēni, a people on the banks of the Indus. Pliny, bk. 6, ch. 20.
Silēnus, a demi-god, who became the nurse, the preceptor, and attendant of the god Bacchus. He was, as some suppose, son of Pan, or, according to others, of Mercury, or of Terra. Malea in Lesbos was the place of his birth. After death he received divine honours, and had a temple in Elis. Silenus is generally represented as a fat and jolly old man, riding on an ass, crowned with flowers, and always intoxicated. He was once found by some peasants in Phrygia, after he had lost his way, and could not follow Bacchus, and he was carried to king Midas, who received him with great attention. He detained him for 10 days, and afterwards restored him to Bacchus, for which he was rewarded with the power of turning into gold whatever he touched. Some authors assert that Silenus was a philosopher, who accompanied Bacchus in his Indian expedition, and assisted him by the soundness of his counsels. From this circumstance, therefore, he is often introduced speaking with all the gravity of a philosopher concerning the formation of the world, and the nature of things. The Fauns in general, and the Satyrs, are often called Sileni. Pausanias, bk. 3, ch. 25; bk. 6, ch. 24.—Philostratus, bk. 23.—Ovid, Metamorphoses, bk. 4.—Hyginus, fable 191.—Diodorus, bk. 3, &c.—Cicero, Tusculanæ Disputationes, bk. 1, ch. 48.—Ælian, Varia Historia, bk. 3, ch. 18.—Virgil, Eclogues, poem 6, li. 13.——A Carthaginian historian who wrote an account of the affairs of his country in the Greek language.——An historian who wrote an account of Sicily.
Silicense, a river of Spain.
Silicis mons, a town near Padua.
Silis, a river of Venetia in Italy, falling into the Adriatic. Pliny, bk. 3, ch. 18.
Catius Silius Italĭcus, a Latin poet, who was originally at the bar, where he for some time distinguished himself, till he retired from Rome more particularly to consecrate his time to study. He was consul the year that Nero was murdered. Pliny has observed, that when Trajan was invested with the imperial purple, Silius refused to come to Rome and congratulate him like the rest of his fellow-citizens, a neglect which was never resented by the emperor, or insolently mentioned by the poet. [♦]Silius was in possession of a house where Cicero had lived, and another in which was the tomb of Virgil, and it has been justly remarked, that he looked upon no temple with greater reverence than upon the sepulchre of the immortal poet, whose steps he followed, but whose fame he could not equal. The birthday of Virgil was yearly celebrated with unusual pomp and solemnity by Silius; and for his partiality, not only to the memory, but to the compositions of the Mantuan poet, he has been called the ape of Virgil. Silius starved himself when labouring under an imposthume which his physicians were unable to remove, in the beginning of Trajan’s reign, about the 75th year of his age. There remains a poem of Italicus, on the second Punic war, divided into 17 books, greatly commended by Martial. The moderns have not been so favourable in their opinions concerning its merit. The poetry is weak and inelegant, yet the author deserves to be commended for his purity, the authenticity of his narrations, and his interesting descriptions. He has everywhere imitated Virgil, but with little success. [♦]Silius was a great collector of antiquities. His son was honoured with the consulship during his lifetime. The best editions of Italicus will be found to be Drakenborch’s in 4to, Utrecht, 1717, and that of Cellarius, 8vo, Lipscomb, 1695. Martial, bk. 11, ltr. 49, &c.——Caius, a man of consular dignity, greatly beloved by Messalina for his comely appearance and elegant address. Messalina obliged him to divorce his wife, that she might enjoy his company without intermission. Silius was forced to comply, though with reluctance, and he was at last put to death for the adulteries which the empress obliged him to commit. Tacitus.—Suetonius.—Dio Cassius.——A tribune in Cæsar’s legions in Gaul.——A commander in Germany, put to death by Sejanus. Tacitus, Annals, bks. [♠]3 & 4.
[♦] ‘Silinus’ replaced with ‘Silius’
[♠] ‘5’ replaced with ‘3’
Silphium, a part of Libya.
Silpia, a town of Spain. Livy, bk. 28, ch. 12.