A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

542 HYPSICRATES. HYRCANUS.
Casiri makes: mention, from Arabic writers, of a Terentius Varro. He is mentioned by Varro (dle
work of Hypsicles on the magnitudes and distances Ling. Lat. v. 88), by Stephanus (s. v. AiOioq,), and
of the heavenly bodies. But the only astronomical Gellius (xvi. 12), who speaks of him as having
work of his remaining is 7repl rt T'cv ~i'woov de va- written libros sane nobiles super his quae a Graecis
popas, which was published (Gr. Lat.) with the accepta sunt. [C. P.M.]
Optics of Heliodorus by Erasmus Bartholinus. HYPSIPYLE. [THoAS, JASON, ADRASTUS.]
(Paris, 1567, 4to.) This liber anaphoricus exists HYPSUS ("T*os), a son of Lycaon, believed to
in Arabic, edited by Costha ben Luca, and emen- have been the founder of Hypsus. (Paus. viii. 3.
dated by Alchindus. It was one of those which ~ 1, 35. ~ 6.) [L. S.]
were read preparatory to the study of the Syntaxis, HYRCA'NUS, JOANNES ('TpKavPs),
a distinction which it also preserved among the prince and high-priest of the Jews, was the son
Saracens. Delambre wonders that a book contain- and successor of Simon Maccabaeus, the restorer
ing matter which is as easily and more correctly of the independence of Judaea. In B.C. 137,
treated in the Syntaxis itself should have gained Antiochus VII. having established himself on the
such a position: but the date of it may remove the throne of Syria after the defeat and death of
cause of surprise. Tryphon, determined to effect the reduction of
With respect to the two books of the Elements Judaea to its former condition of a tributary proabove mentioned, it is clear enough that EucLID did vince of the Syrian monarchy, and sent a force,
not write them, because they begin with a preface, under his general, Cendebeus, to invade the couna thing which is not found even at the commence- try. Simon, being now a man of advanced years,
ment of the Elements; because that preface makes confided the command of the force which he opmention of. Apollonius *, who came after Euclid; posed to them, to his two sons, Judas and Joand because the author states himself to be the annes Hyrcanus: they were completely successpupil of Isidore, as above noted. The Arabic ful, defeated Cendebeus, and drove him out of
writers, according to Casiri, represent Hypsicles as Judaea. But Simon did not long enjoy the fruits
only emendating these books; and the early traps- of this victory, being treacherously seized and as]ations of the Elements from the Arabic do not sassinated by his son-in-law, Ptolemy, the governor
mention his name. The direct evidence for his of Jericho, B. C. 135. Two of his sons, Judas and
connection with these books seems to be the oc- Mattathias, perished with him, but Hyrcanus
currence of his name on the manuscripts as the escaped the snares of the assassin, and assumed
author, unsupported by the testimony of any the dignity of high-priest and prince of the Jews,
writer of authority: but this, from the date, they and advanced with an army against Ptolemy, who
could not have had. It is in favour of it, how- took refuge in the fortress of Dagon, where he was
ever, that different, species of manuscripts, of every able to defy the arms of Hyrcanus. It is not
order of authority, unite in one testimony. Those, improbable that the crime of Ptolemy had been
for instance, from which Zamberti translated, though previously concerted with Antiochus Sidetes: at
they make the fourteenth book only an addition to least, that monarch immediately took advantage of
the thirteenth, and turn the fifteenth into the four- it to invade Judaea with a large army; and,
teenth, give both the addition and the so-called Hyrcanus being unable to meet him in the field,
fourteenth book as the work of Hypsicles. (Suidas; laid siege to Jerusalem itself. The siege was
Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. iv. pp. 20, 213; Gartz, de closely pressed, and the Jews suffered severely
Interpret. Euclid. Arabic.). [A. De M.] from famine; but at length Antiochus consented
HYPSI'CRATES ('Tr~ipd-7rS). 1. An histo- to conclude a treaty, by which Jerusalem and its
rical writer, who wrote an account of Phoenicia in inhabitants were spared, on condition of the fortithe Phoenician language, which was translated fications being dismantled and the payment of an
into Greek by a man named'AorL-os, or Aa?-os. annual tribute, B. C. 133. (Joseph. Ant. xiii. 7.
(Tatian. Orat. ad Gent. 58; Euseb. Praep. Evang. ~~ 3, 4, 8. ~ 1-3, B. J. i. 2. ~ 5; 1 Macc.
x. p. 289.) xv. xvi.; Justin. xxxvi. 1.; Diod. Exec. Hoesch.
2. An historical writer, a native of Amisus. He xxxiv. 1.; Plut. Apophth. p. 184. f.; Euseb. Arm.
is mentioned by Lucian (Macrob. 22) as having p. 167.) Four years afterwards Hyrcanus accomlived to the age of ninety-two, and been distin- panied Antiochus in his expedition against Parthia,
guished for his learning. It is perhaps this writer and bore an important part in his first successes,
whom Strabo quotes (vii. p. 479, xi. p. 769). but returned with his auxiliaries to Jerusalem, at
3. A writer Ilepl rILvdKWV, mentioned by Dio- the approach of winter, by. which means he fortugenes Laertius (vii. 188). nately escaped the final disaster that overwhelmed
4. A Roman grammarian, a contemporary of M. the Syrian king and his army. But as soon as he
heard of the death of Antiochus, he took advannobis traders. But Achilles Tatius does not show tage of the unsettled state of the Syrian monarchy
the least symptom of astrology; andwe are inclined to prosecute his own schemes, reduced several
to suppose, with Fabricius, Wiedler, &c., that the cities on the confines of Judaea; among others,
Achilles mentioned by Firmicus is another person. Sichem, in Samaria, and destroyed the temple on
And moreover, in looking at the above quotation, Mount Gerizim: after which he completely subit seems as likely as not that Firmicus only means dued the Idumaeans, whom he compelled to adopt
to say that his two friends, Abraam and Achilles, the laws and customs of the Jews. (Joseph. Ant.
had endeavoured to supply him, and not the public, xiii. 9. ~ 1.) At the same time he took a still
with some information. more important measure in order to secure his inThis mention of Apollonius is supposed to ac- dependence, by sending an embassy to Rome,
count for the Arabic story, which is, that Apollonius which was favourably received by the senate, who
the carpenter was the first who wrote Elements, and confirmed the alliance already concluded by them
that Euclid was employed by Ptolemy to amend with Simon. (Id. ibid. ~ 2.)
and enlarge them. Demetrius II., who had returned from his capw