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

1130 TIMAEUS. TIMAEUS.
after their city had been destroyed by Dionysius, scribed; but on the contrary confined his residence
and settled them in the town of Tauromenium, to one spot for fifty years, and there gained all his
which had been recently founded, and of which he knowledge from books alone. Polybius also rebecame the tyrant, or supreme ruler, B. C. 358 marks that Timaeus had so little poswer of observa.
(Diod. xvi. 7, comp. xiv. 59, with Wesseling's tion, and so weak a judgment, that he was unable
note). Andromachus received Timoleon at Tau- to give a correct account even of the things he
romenium, when he came to Sicily in B. c. 344, and had seen, and of the places he had visited; and
he was almost the only one of the tyrants whom adds that he was likewise so superstitious, that his
Timoleon left in possession of their power (Plut. work abounded with old traditions and well-known
Tinm. 10; Marcellin. Fit. Tlhuc. ~ 42). We do not fables, while things of graver importance were
know the exact date of the birth or death of entirely omitted (Polyb. lib. xii. with the FragTimaeus, but we can make an approximation to it, menta Vaticana of his work). His ignorance of
which cannot be very far from the truth. We geography and natural history appears to have
know that his history was brought down to B. C. been very great, and Polybius frequently mentions
264 (Polyb. i. 5), and that he attained the age of his errors on these subjects (e.g. ii. 16, xii. 3, 5).
ninety-six (Lucian, AlIacrob. 22). Now as his But Polybius brings still graver charges against
father could not have been a very young man be- Timaeus. He accuses him of frequently stating
tween B. c. 358 and 344, during which time he wilful falsehoods, of indulging in all kinds of caheld tile tyrannis of Tauromenium, we probably lumnies against the most distinguished men, such
shall not be far wrong in placing the birth of as Homer, Aristotle, and Theophrastus, and of
Timaeus in B. c. 352, and his death in B. c. 256. attacking his personal enemies, such as AgathoWe learn from Suidas that Timaeus received in- cles, in the most atrocious manner. These
struction from Philiscus, the Milesian, a disciple of charges are repeated by Diodorus and other anIsocrates; but we have no further particulars of cient writers, among whom Timaeus earned so bad
his life, except that he was banished from Sicily by a character by his slanders and calumnies, that he
Agathocles, and passed his exile at Athens, where was nick-named Epitinmaeus ('E7rvlrLMaeos), or the
he had lived fifty years when he wrote the thirty- Fault-Finder (Athen. vi. p. 272, b; comp. Diod.
fourth book of his history (Diod. Exe. ex libr. v. 1, xiii. 90, Ezc. xxi. p. 561, Wess.; Strab. xiv.
xxi. p. 560, Wess.; Polyb. E;eC. Vat. pp. 389, p. 640). Lastly, Polybius censures the speeches
393; Plut. de Emil. p. 605, c). We are not in- in the history of Timaeus, as unsuitable to the
formed in what year he was banished by Aga- speakers, and the times at which they are reprethocles, but it may have been in the year that the sented as delivered, and as marked by a scholastic,
latter crossed over to Africa (B. c. 31 0), since we verbose, and inflated style of oratory.
are told that the tyrant, fearing an insurrection in Most of the charges of Polybius against Timaeus
his absence, either put to death or drove into exile are unquestionably founded upon truth; but from
all the persons whom he suspected to be hostile to the statements of other writers, and from the
his government. (Diod. xx. 4.) fragments which we possess of Timaeus's own work,
Timaeus wrote the history of Sicily from the we are led to conclude that Polybius has greatly
earliest times to B. C. 264, in which year Polybius exaggerated the defects of Timaeus, and omitted
commences the introduction to his work (Polyb. i. to mention his peculiar excellencies. Nay, several of
5). This history was one of great extent. Suidas the very points which Polybius regarded as great
quotes the thirty-eighth book (s. v.' Tb'ipb, blemishes in his work, were, in reality, some of its'rrp), and there were probably many books after greatest merits. The rationalizing Polybius quite
this. It appears to have been divided into several approved of the manner in which Ephorus and
great sections, which are quoted with separate Theopompus dealt with the ancient myths, which
titles, though they in reality formed a part of one they attempted, by stripping them of all their
great whole. Thus Suidas speaks of'ITaX/Ka Kali miracles and marvels, to turn into sober history;
ZrK'e2Lrca in eight books, and of'EXX?7vc Karal but it was one of the great merits of Timaeus, for
LtceXlKaci. It has been conjectured that the Italica which he is loudly denounced by Polybius, that
and Sicelica were the title of the early portion of he attempted to give the myths in their simplest
the work, during which period the history of Sicily and most genuine form, as related by the most
was closely connected with that of Italy; and ancient writers. There can be little doubt that
that the second part of the work was called Sicelica if the early portion of the history of Timaeus had
and Hellenzica, and comprised the period during been preserved, we should be able to gain a more
which Sicily was brought more into contact with correct knowledge of many points than from the
Greece by the Athenian invasions as well as by histories of Theopompus and Ephorus. Timaeus
other events. The last five books contained the also collected the materials of his history with the
history of Agathocles (Diod. p. 561, Wess.). Ti- greatest diligence and care, a fact which even Pomaeus wrote the history of Pyrrhus as a separate lybius is obliged to admit (Exc. Vit. p. 402, init.).
work (Dionys. i. 6; Cic. ad Fast. v. 12); but, as He likewise paid very great attention to chronoit falls within the time treated of in his general logy, and was the first writer who introduced the
History, it may almost be regarded as an episode practice of recording events by Olympiads, which
of the latter. was adopted by almost all subsequent writers of
The value and authority of Timaeus as an his- Greek history (Diod. v. 1). For this purpose he
torian have been most vehemently attacked by Po- drew up a list of the Olympic conquerors, which is
lybius in many parts of his work. He maintains called by Suidas'OAvulreLovrKar Xpo lKa'pa5that Timaeus was totally deficient in the first ilea. Cicero formed a very different opinion of
qualificatious of an historian, as he possessed no the merits of Timaeus from that of Polybius. He
practical knowledge of war or politics, and never says (de Orat. ii. 14):-" Timaeus, quantum judiattempted to obtain by travelling a personal ac- care possim, longe eruditissimuns, et rerum copia et
quaintance with the places and countries he de- sententiarum varietate abundantissimus, ct ipsa