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

44 ORIBASIUS. ORIBASIUS.
6(. SER. SALVIDIENUS ORFITUS, consul A. D. Dec. 355, he took Oribasius with him (Julian, I. c.
110, with M. Peducaeus Priscinus. p. 277, C.; Oribas. ap. Phot. Biblioth. Cod. 217);
7. SER. SCIPIO ORFITUS, consul A. D. 149, and in the following year (see Clinton's Fasts
with Q. Nonius Priscus. He is perhaps the same Rom.), on the occasion of some temporary absence,
as the Orfitus who was praefectus urbi in the reign addressed to him a letter, which is still extant
of Antoninus Pius (Capitol. Anton. Pius, 8). This (Epist. 17), and is an evidence both of their intiemperor reigned from A. D. 138 to 161. macy and of their devotion to paganism. It was
8. M. GAVIUS ORFITUS, consul A. D. 165, with while they were in Gaul together that Julian comL. Arrius Pudens. manded Oribasius to make an epitome of Galen's
9. ORFITUS, consul A. D. 172, with Maximus. writings, with which he was so much pleased that
(Lamprid. Comnrod. 11.) he imposed upon him the further task of adding to
10. ORFITUS GAVIUS, consul xA.D. 178, with the work whatever was most valuable in the other
Julianus Rufus. (Lamprid. Commod. 12.) medical writers. This he accomplished (though
As the three persons last mentioned all lived in not till after Julian had become emperor, A. D. 361)
the reign of M. Aurelius (A. D. 161-180), it is in seventy (Phot. Biblioth. Cod. 217) or (accordimpossible to say which of them was the Orfitus ing to Suidas) in seventy-two books, part of which
who was advanced to various honours in the state are still extant under the title Yvvaywycal'IacrpKat,
by this emperor, although he was the paramour of Collecta Medicinalia, and will be mentioned again
the empress (Capitol. M. Anton. Phil. 29). below. Eunapius seems to say that Oribasius was
1 1. ORFITUS, consul in A. D. 270, with An- in some way instrumental in raising Julian to the
tiochianus. Trebellius Pollio (Claud. 1]) calls his throne (GaaLosAa Tdv'IovXLavs dcre'&set), but the
colleague Atticianus. meaning of the passage is doubtful, as the writer
M. O'RFIUS, a Roman eques, of the municipium refers for the particulars of the transaction to one
of Atella, was a tribune of the soldiers in Caesar's of his lost works. He was appointed by the emarmy, whom Caesar strongly recommended in B. C. peror, soon after his accession, quaestor of Con59 to his brother Quintus, who was then one of stantinople (Suid. 1. c.), and sent to Delphi to
Caesar's legates. (Cic. ad Qz. Fr. ii. 14.) endeavour to restore the oracle of Apollo to its
ORGE'TORIX, the noblest and richest among former splendour and authority; but in this mission
the Helvetii, anxious to obtain the royal power, he failed, as the only answer he brought back was
formed a conspiracy of the principal chiefs in B. c. that the oracle was no more:61, and persuaded his countrymen to emigrate from EYrave T f aaoec Xayal eiee 6ailaXor csiAd.
their own country with a view of conquering the
O, * 1L qPogos E'XE KtiaAvgoav7, 05/AaVTLa 8a'(~yV
whole of Gaul. Two years were devoted to ray
making the necessary preparations; but the real
designs of Orgetorix having meantime transpired, (Cedren. Hist. Compend. p. 304, ed. 1647.)
the Helvetii brought him to trial for his ambitious He accompanied Julian in his expedition against
projects. Orgetorix, however, by means of his Persia, and was with him at the time of his death,
numerous retainers, set justice at defiance; and June 26, A. D. 363. (Philostorg. 1. c.) The sucwhile the Helvetii were collecting forces to compel ceeding emperors, Valentinian and Valens, were
him to submit to their laws, he suddenly died, not so favourably disposed towards Oribasius, but
probably, as was suspected, by his own hands. confiscated his property, and banished him to some
Notwithstanding his death the Helvetii carried nation of " barbarians" (as they are called)-prointo execution the project which he had formed, bably the Goths: they had even thought of putting
and were thus the first people with whom Caesar him to death. The cause of this treatment is not
was brought into contact in Gaul. After their mentioned; his friend Eunapius (who is not a very
defeat a daughter of Orgetorix and one of his sons impartial witness) attributes it to envy on account
fell into the hands of Caesar. (Caes. B. G. i. of his reputation (lcd',v,JrspoX'1c T'ri 8o'(s),
2-4, 26; Dion Cass. xxxviii. 31.) but we may easily suppose the emperors to have
ORIBA'SIUS ('OpEldioCos or'Oplctaocos), an had some more creditable motive than this, and
eminent Greek medical writer, who was born pro- might perhaps be allowed to conjecture that he had
bably about A. D. 325. Suidas (s. v.'Opel~co-os) made himself obnoxious, either in the discharge of
and Philostorgius (Hist. Eccles. vii. 15) call him a his duties as quaestor, or by his enmity against the
native of Sardes in Lydia; but his friend and Christians. In his exile Oribasius exhibited
biographer Eunapius says (Vit. Philos. et Sophist. proofs both of his fortitude and his medical skill,
p. 170, ed. Antw.) he was born at Pergamus in whereby he gained such influence and esteem
lMysia, the birth-place of Galen. According to the among the barbarian kings, that he became one of
same author, he belonged to a respectable family, their principal men, while the common people
and, after receiving a good preliminary education, looked upon him as almost a god. As Eunllapius
he studied medicine under Zeno of Cyprus, and does not mention that the emperors who recalled
had for his fellow-pupils Ionicus and Magnus. He Oribasius were different from those who banlished
early acquired a great professional reputation. It him (1. c. p. 173), it is probable that his exile did
is not known exactly when or where he became not last long, and that it ended before the year
acquainted with the emperor Julian, but it was 369. After his return he married a lady of good
probably while that young prince was kept in con- family and fortune, and had by her four children,
finement in different places in Asia Minor. He one of whom was probably his son Eustathius, to
was soon honoured with his confidence and friend- whom he addressed his " Synopsis," mentioned
ship, and was almost the only person to whom below. I-le also had his property restored out
Julian imparted the secret of his apostacy from of the public treasury by command of the sucChristianity. (Eunap. 1. c. p. 90; Julian, ad ceeding emperors, but Eunapius does not specify
Athlen. p. 277, B. ed. 1696.) When Julian was which emperors he means. The date of his death
raised to the rank of Caesar, and sent into Gaul, is uniknvown:, but he was still living with hios