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

1083 THEOPHRASTUS. THEOPHRASTUS.
proper name itself, which occurs elsewhere (Steph. position of the property was made by Strato and?77esaur. Ling. Graec. ed. nov. Paris), suggested Lycon, the succeeding heads of the school. (Diog.
attempts to connect it with the eloquence which so Lairt. v. 61, &c., 70.)
eminently distinguished the Eresian. To prove Theophrastus reached an advanced age; whether
the love of Aristotle for Theophrastus we do not that of eighty-five years (Diog. Laiirt. v. 40) or
need to betake ourselves to the above story, or to more (Hieronymus, Epist. ad Nepotian. even speaks
the doubtful expression of the former with respect of 107 years), we leave undecided. But the stateto the latter, that " he needed the rein, not the ment contained in the letter to Polycles, prefixed
spur," an expression which Plato is also said to to his Characteres, according to which this book
have made use of with respect to Aristotle (Diog. was composed in the ninety-ninth year of the author,
Laert. v. 39, ib. Menag.); it is proved in a much although Tzetzes (Cliil. ix. 941) already read it so,
more indubitable manner by the will of the Stagi- may very well rest on a clerical error (comp. Carite, and by the confidence which led him, when saubon. ad Tlzeophr. Cltsract. Proley. p. 8.5); and
removing to Chalcis, to designate Theophrastus as if Theophrastus was the head of the school for
his successor in the presidency of the Lyceum thirty-five years (Diog. Laert. v. 36, 58),he would,
(Diog. Laert. v. 36; comp. A. Gel!. Noct. Att. even had he only reached his hundredth year, have
xiii. 5). It is not unlikely, moreover, that Theo- been older than Aristotle. If he reached the age
phrastuts had been the disciple of Aristotle during of eighty-seven, he was ten years younger, and was
the residence of the latter in Stageira, while en- born 01. 101. 3. Theophrastus is said to have
gaged in the education of Alexander: at all events closedhis life, which was devoted to restless activity
Theophrastus, in his will, mentions an estate that (Diog. Laert. v. 36; comp. Suid.), with the cornhe possessed at Stageira (Diog. Laert. v. 52), and plaint respecting the short duration of hunlan
was on terms of the most intimate friendship with existence, that it ended just when the insight into
Callisthenes, the fellow-pupil of Alexander (Diog. its problems was beginning. (This complaint, exLaert. v. 44, ib. Menag.). Two thousand disciples pressed in different forms, we read in Cicero, Tuse.
are said to have gathered round Theophrastus, and iii. 28; Hieron. I.c.; Diog. LaMrt. v. 41.) The
among them such men as the comic poet Menander. whole people took part in his funeral obsequies.
(Diog. Laert. v. 37, 36.) Highly esteemed by the (Diog. La'rt. 1. c.) His faithful affection for Arikings Philippus, Cassander, and Ptolenlaeus, he stotle, which he had transferred to Nicomachrls,
was not the less the object of the regard of the the son of the latter and his own disciple, expresses
Athenian people, as was decisively shown when itself in the directions contained in his will respectAgonis ventured to bring an impeachment against ing the preparation and preservation of the statues
him, on the ground of impiety (1. c. 37; comp. or busts of the Stagirite and his son (Diog. Laidrt.
Aelian, V. H. iv. 19). Nevertheless, when, ac- v. 51, 52); and still more in the way in whicil he
cording to the law of Sophocles (01. 118. 3), the exerted himself to carry out the philosophical enphilosophers were banished from Athens, Theo- deavours of his teacher, to throw light upon the
phrastus also left the city, until Philo, a disciple of difficulties contained in Ilis books, to fill up the gaps
Aristotle, in the very next year, brought Sophocles in them, and, with respect to individual dogmas, to
to punishment, and procured the repeal of the law. amend them.
(Diog. La'rt. v. 38, ib. Menag.; comp. C. G. II. The preceding statement finds its confirmaZumpt, Ueber den Bestand der plhilosophisclhen tion in the list of the writings of the Eresian given
S'clsulen in Atcen, &c., Berlin, 1843, p. 17.) rs, though with his usual lhaste, by Diogenes
Whether Theophrastus succeeded Aristotle without Iab'rtius, but probably borrowed from authorities
opposition, and also came into possession of the like Herrmippus and Andronicus (Schol. at the end
hounse and garden where the former taught in the of the illetatlqlsics of Theophrastus), and the stateLyceum (not far from the present royal palace in n tlets respecting them contained in other writers,
Athens), is uncertain. In the will of Aristotle no which Menage has already, at least in part, collected
express directions were left on this point. Still in his notes. Thus Theophrastus, like Aristotle, had
there is nothing at variance therewith in the state- composed a first and second Analytic (Diog. Laiirt.
ment that Theophrastus, after the death of Aristotle, v. 42, ib. Menag.), and, at least in the case of tihe
with the assistance of Demetrius PIhalereus, obtained former, had connected his treatise with that of his
a garden of his own. (The words of Diogenes great predecessor, in the manner indicated above (see
Lagrtius, v. 39, are very obscure; the ical in the below, section III.). He had also written books
words hAe'yraL 8' albebv Kal KrTerov TcrXE~?V /5E5 Tjv on Topics (Diog. LaUrt. v. 42, 45, 50), and on the'Apr'TOTe'AovrS T-XEvTV, AaU7Tpr'OU TOO,I 4aXpEopws confutation of fallacies (ib. 42, 45); the former....0ovro aveurpdSavTos, appears rather to refer again, at all events, with a careful regard to the
to a previous possession than to exclude it.) That Topicta of Aristotle. The work of Theophrastus
the executor of the will of Aristotle instituted a " On Affirmation and Denial " (7repi rrn-arpacews
sale of the estate, respecting which no directions cal &arospdoaes, Diog. Laert. v. 44) seems to have
had been left in the will, and that Demetrius in- corresponded to that of Aristotle'i On Judgment"
terposed, in order to secure a permanent possession (irepl EpuYr7ias). To the books of Aristotle on
for the head of the school, we cannot, with the "'Principles of Natural Philosophy " (Plhysica
Zumpt (I. c. p. 8), conclude from the above words. Auscultatio), on Heaven, and on Meteorological
The garden, provided with houses, colonnades, Phenomena, Theophrastus had had regard in corwalks, &c., whether it was exclusively the private responding works. (Diog. Laurt. v. 42, 50, 47.)
property of Theophrastus, or was, at least, inherited Further, he had written on the Warm and the
ill part by him from Aristotle, is made over by the Cold (Diog. LaMrt. v. 44, ib. Menag.), on Water,
former ir his will to Strato and his other friends, Fire (Diog. LaMrt. v. 45), the Sea (ib.), on Coagnprovided they had a mind to philosophize together, lation and Melting (7rspl 7r~eows rKal T-rews),
as a common and inalienable possession (Diog. on various phenomena of organic and spiritual life
Lagrt. v. 51, &c.). A similar testamentary dis- (Diog. Laert. v. 45, ib. Menag., 43, 46, 49, 43, 44);