CHAP. III. Of certain Learned men who lived about that time.
IN the interim, from the third year of the 60 Olympiad, and the rise of Cyrus in Babylonia, to the death of Darius, and the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, the memories of the most fa∣mous in all literature and several Arts are delivered to posterity. Some exquisite in Poetry, Simonides Ceus, a famous Lyrick, to whom Eusebius ascribes the Bayes in the 61 Olympiad, together with Phocylis.
After him Anacreon, a great Favourite of Polycrates the Samian Tyrant, as (a) Herodotus tells us: which Polycrates dyed by the hands of Oroetes in the 64 Olympiad.
(b) Aeschylus also, the brother of Cynegirus, who behaved himself so valiantly in the Battle at Marathonia, was very famous at Athens about this time: which Aeschylus likewise was in the same fight, as the Writer of his life tells us: But in the life of Sophocles we are informed Cynegirus was son to one Archontes Philippus, and born in the second year of the 71 Olympiad, and younger than Aeschy∣lus by 17 years; by which account, Aeschylus was born in the first year of the 67 Olympiad, and of the Julian Period the 4202, and fought this Battle of Marathonia in the 22, or 23 year of his age; so that his death will fall in the 4267 year of the Julian Period. For he lived 65 years. But since 'tis apparent he lived and dyed in the time of Hiero King of Sicilie, and that Hiero himself dyed in the 4247 year of the Julian Period; the story hangs not well together, but in all likelihood he was born long before the 67 Olympiad.
Amongst the Philosophers, Xenophanes, an excellent Naturalist, stands upon record, who was also very famous for Poetry, whom Diogenes and Eusebius place about the 60 Olympian.
But this Age was more honourable in nothing than Pythagoras himself, who took his origen from Samos, and after a long travel returning to his native Countrey, Polycrates still reigning there, went to Crotona in Italy, where he had the discipline of very many who came to be tutor'd by him, as Diogenes reports. Some say he very much disaffected Sylosontes, brother and successour to Po∣lycrates. He was renowned in the 60 Olympiad, if we may be∣lieve Diogenes. About the 62 Olympiad he writes, That Jam∣blicus went into Italy, where Polycrates had begun his reign. He dyed in the fourth year of the 70 Olympiad, when he had lived either eighty or ninety years, as Diogenes delivers. Jamblicus re∣ports he was very intimate with Phalaris the Tyrant, and Abaris;