Iŏphon, a son of Sophocles, who accused his father of imprudence in the management of his affairs, &c. Lucian, de Macrobii.——A poet of Gnossus, in Crete. Pausanias, bk. 1, ch. 34.
Jordānes, a river of Judæa, illustrious in sacred history. It rises near mount Libanus, and after running through the lake Samachonitis, and that of Tiberias, it falls, after a course of 150 miles, into the Dead sea. Strabo, bk. 16.
Jornandes, an historian who wrote a book on the Goths. He died A.D. 552.
Ios, now Nio, an island in the Myrtoan sea, at the south of Naxos, celebrated, as some say, for the tomb of Homer, and the birth of his mother. Pliny, bk. 4, ch. 12.
Josēphus Flavius, a celebrated Jew, born in Jerusalem, who signalized his military abilities in supporting a siege of 47 days against Vespasian and Titus, in a small town of Judæa. When the city surrendered, there were not found less than 40,000 Jews slain, and the number of captives amounted to 1200. Josephus saved his life by flying into a cave, where 40 of his countrymen had also taken refuge. He dissuaded them from committing suicide, and when they had all drawn lots to kill one another, Josephus fortunately remained the last, and surrendered himself to Vespasian. He gained the conqueror’s esteem, by foretelling that he would become one day the master of the Roman empire. Josephus was present at the siege of Jerusalem by Titus, and received all the sacred books which it contained from the conqueror’s hands. He came to Rome with Titus, where he was honoured with the name and privileges of a Roman citizen. Here he made himself esteemed by the emperors Vespasian and Titus, and dedicated his time to study. He wrote the history of the wars of the Jews, first in Syriac, and afterwards translated it into Greek. This composition so pleased Titus, that he authenticated it by placing his signature upon it, and preserving it in one of the public libraries. He finished another work, which he divided into 20 books, containing the history of the Jewish antiquities, in some places subversive of the authority and miracles mentioned in the scriptures. He also wrote two books to defend the Jews against Apion their greatest enemy; besides an account of his own life, &c. Josephus has been admired for his lively and animated style, the bold propriety of his expressions, the exactness of his descriptions, and the persuasive eloquence of his orations. He has been called the Livy of the Greeks. Though in some cases inimical to the christians, yet he has commended our Saviour so warmly, that St. Jerome calls him a christian writer. Josephus died A.D. 93, in the 56th year of his age. The best editions of his works are Hudson’s, 2 vols., folio, Oxford, 1720, and Havercamp’s, 2 vols., folio, Amsterdam, 1726. Suetonius, Vespasian, &c.
Joviānus Flavius Claudius, a native of Pannonia, elected emperor of Rome by the soldiers after the death of Julian. He at first refused to be invested with the imperial purple, because his subjects followed the religious principles of the late emperor; but they removed his groundless apprehensions, and when they assured him that they were warm for christianity, he accepted the crown. He made a disadvantageous treaty with the Persians, against whom Julian was marching with a victorious army. Jovian died seven months and 20 days after his ascension, and was found in his bed suffocated by the vapour of charcoal, which had been lighted in the room, A.D. 364. Some attribute his death to intemperance, and say that he was the son of a baker. He burned a celebrated library at Antioch. Marcellinus.
Iphianassa, a daughter of Prœtus king of Argos, who, with her sisters Iphinoe and Lysippe, ridiculed Juno, &c. See: [Prœtides].——The wife of Endymion.
Iphĭclus, or Iphicles, a son of Amphitryon and Alcmena, born at the same birth with Hercules. As these two children were together in the cradle, Juno, jealous of Hercules, sent two large serpents to destroy him. At the sight of the serpents, Iphicles alarmed the house; but Hercules, though not a year old, boldly seized them, one in each hand, and squeezed them to death. Apollodorus, bk. 2, ch. 4.—Theocritus.——A king of Phylace, in Phthiotis, son of Phylacus and Clymene. He had bulls famous for their bigness, and the monster which kept them. Melampus, at the request of his brother [See: [Melampus]], attempted to steal them away, but he was caught in the act, and imprisoned. Iphicles soon received some advantages from the prophetical knowledge of his prisoner, and not only restored him to liberty, but also presented him with the oxen. Iphicles, who was childless, learned from the soothsayer how to become a father. He had married Automedusa, and afterwards a daughter of Creon king of Thebes. He was father to Podarce and Protesilaus. Homer, Odyssey, bk. 11; Iliad, bk. 13.—Apollodorus, bk. 1, ch. 9.—Pausanias, bk. 4, ch. 36.——A son of Thestius king of Pleuron. Apollodorus, bk. 2, ch. 1.
Iphicrătes, a celebrated general of Athens, who, though son of a shoemaker, rose from the lowest station to the highest offices in the state. He made war against the Thracians, obtained some victories over the Spartans, and assisted the Persian king against Egypt. He changed the dress and arms of his soldiers, and rendered them more alert and expeditious in using their weapons. He married a daughter of Cotys king of Thrace, by whom he had a son called Mnesteus, and died 380 B.C. When he was once reproached for the meanness of his origin, he observed that he would be the first of his family, but that his detractor would be the last of his own. Cornelius Nepos, Iphicrates.——A sculptor of Athens.——An Athenian sent to Darius III. king of Persia, &c. Curtius, bk. 3, ch. 13.
Iphĭdămus, a son of Antenor and Theano, killed by Agamemnon. Homer, Iliad, bk. 11.