Sosistrătus, a tyrant of Syracuse, in the age of Agathocles. He invited Pyrrhus into Sicily, and afterwards revolted from him. He was at last removed by Hermocrates. Polyænus, bk. 1.——Another tyrant. Polyænus, bk. 1.
Sospis, a consul who followed the interest of Mark Antony.——A governor of Syria.——A Roman consular dignity, to whom Plutarch dedicated his Lives.
Sospĭta, a surname of Juno in Latium. Her most famous temple was at Lanuvium. She had also two at Rome, and her statue was covered with a goat-skin, with a buckler, &c. Livy, bks. 3, 6, 8, &c.—Festus, Lexicon of Festus.
Sosthĕnes, a general of Macedonia, who flourished B.C. 281. He defeated the Gauls under Brennus, and was killed in the battle. Justin, bk. 24, ch. 5.——A native of Cnidos, who wrote a history of Iberia. Plutarch.
Sostrătus, a friend of Hermolaus, put to death for conspiring against Alexander. Curtius, bk. 1, ch. 6.——A grammarian in the age of Augustus. He was Strabo’s preceptor. Strabo, bk. 14.——A statuary.——An architect of Cnidos, B.C. 284, who built the white tower of Pharos, in the bay of Alexandria. He inscribed his name upon it. See: [Pharos]. Strabo, bk. 17.—Pliny, bk. 30, ch. 12.——A priest of Venus at Paphos, among the favourites of Vespasian. Tacitus, Histories, bk. 2, ch. 7.——A favourite of Hercules.——A Greek historian, who wrote an account of Etruria.——A poet, who wrote a poem on the expedition of Xerxes into Greece. Juvenal, satire 10, li. 178.
Sotădes, an athlete. A Greek poet of Thrace. He wrote verses against Philadelphus Ptolemy, for which he was thrown into the sea in a cage of lead. He was called Cinædus, not only because he was addicted to the abominable crime which the surname indicates, but because he wrote a poem in commendation of it. Some suppose, that instead of the word Socraticos in the 2nd satire, verse the 10th, of Juvenal, the word Sotadicos should be inserted, as the poet Sotades, and not the philosopher Socrates, deserved the appellation of Cinædus. Obscene verses were generally called Sotadea carmina from him. They could be turned and read different ways without losing their measure or sense, such as the following, which can be read backwards:
Roma tibi subito motibus ibit amor.
Si bene te tua laus taxat, sua laute tenebis.
Sole medere pede, ede, perede melos.
Quintilian, bk. 1, ch. 8; bk. 9, ch. 4.—Pliny, bk. 5, ltr. 3.—Ausonius, ltr. 17, li. 29.