Theon, a philosopher, who used frequently to walk in his sleep. Diogenes Laërtius.——An astronomer of Smyrna, in the reign of Adrian.——A painter of Samos. Ælian, Varia Historia, bk. 3, ch. 44.——Another philosopher. Diogenes Laërtius.——An infamous reviler. Horace, bk. 1, ltr. 19.
Theonoe, a daughter of Thestor, sister to Calchas. She was carried away by sea pirates, and sold to Icarus king of Caria, &c. Hyginus, fable 190.——A daughter of Proteus and a Nereid, who became enamoured of Canobus, the pilot of a Trojan vessel, &c.
Theope, one of the daughters of Leos.
Theophăne, a daughter of Bisaltus, whom Neptune changed into a sheep, to remove her from her numerous suitors, and conveyed to the island Crumissa. The god afterwards assumed the shape of a ram, and under this transformation he had by the nymph a ram with a golden fleece, which carried Phryxus to Colchis. Ovid, Metamorphoses, bk. 6, li. 177.—Hyginus, fable 188.
Theophănes, a Greek historian, born at Mitylene. He was very intimate with Pompey, and from his friendship with the Roman general, his countrymen derived many advantages. After the battle of Pharsalia, he advised Pompey to retire to the court of Egypt. Cicero, For Archias, &c.—Paterculus.—Plutarch, Cicero & Pompey.——His son Marcus Pompeius Theophanes was made governor of Asia, and enjoyed the intimacy of Tiberius.——The only edition of Theophanes the Byzantine historian, is that of Paris, folio, 1649.
Theophania, festivals celebrated at Delphi in honour of Apollo.
Theophĭlus, a comic poet of Athens.——A governor of Syria in the age of Julian.——A friend of Piso.——A physician, whose treatise de Urinis is best edited by Guidotius, Leiden, 1728, and another by Morell, 8vo, Paris, 1556.——One of the Greek fathers, whose work ad Autolycum is best edited in 12mo, by Wolf, Hamburg, 1724.——The name of Theophilus is common among the primitive christians.
Theophrastus, a native of Eresus in Lesbos, son of a fuller. He studied under Plato, and afterwards under Aristotle, whose friendship he gained, and whose warmest commendations he deserved. His original name was Tyrtamus, but this the philosopher made him exchange for that of Euphrastus, to intimate his excellence in speaking, and afterwards for that of Theophrastus, which he deemed still more expressive of his eloquence, the brilliancy of his genius, and the elegance of his language. After the death of Socrates, when the malevolence of the Athenians drove all the philosopher’s friends from the city, Theophrastus succeeded Aristotle in the Lyceum, and rendered himself so conspicuous, that in a short time the number of his auditors was increased to 2000. Not only his countrymen courted his applause, but kings and princes were desirous of his friendship: and Cassander and Ptolemy, two of the most powerful of the successors of Alexander, regarded him with more than usual partiality. Theophrastus composed many books, and Diogenes has enumerated the titles of above 200 treatises, which he wrote with great elegance and copiousness. About 20 of these are extant, among which are his history of stones, his treatise on plants, on the winds, on the signs of fair weather, &c., and his Characters, an excellent moral treatise, which was begun in the 99th year of his age. He died, loaded with years and infirmities, in the 107th year of his age, B.C. 288, lamenting the shortness of life, and complaining of the partiality of nature in granting longevity to the crow and to the stag, but not to man. To his care we are indebted for the works of Aristotle, which the dying philosopher entrusted to him. The best edition of Theophrastus, is that of Heinsius, folio, Leiden, 1613; and of his Characters, that of Needham, 8vo, Cambridge. 1712, and that of Fischer, 8vo, Coburg, 1763. Cicero, Tusculanæ Disputationes, bk. 3, ch. 28; Brutus, ch. 31; Orator, ch. 19, &c.—Strabo, bk. 13.—Diogenes Laërtius, Lives.—Ælian, Varia Historia, bk. 2, ch. 8; bk. 34, ch. 20; bk. 8, ch. 12.—Quintilian, bk. 10, ch. 1.—Plutarch, Adversus Colotem.——An officer entrusted with the care of the citadel of Corinth by Antigonus. Polyænus.
Theopolĕmus, a man who, with his brother Hiero, plundered Apollo’s temple at Delphi, and fled away for fear of being punished. Cicero, Against Verres, bk. 5.
Theopŏlis, a name given to Antioch, because the christians first received their name there.