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

STILBE. STILICHO. 911
Sthenis a brother of Lysistratus; whereas Lysis- Creusa, became'by Apollo the mother of Lapithus
tratus was the brother, not of Sthenis, but of Ly- and Centaurus. (Diod. iv. 69; Schol. ad. Apollon.
sippus: the true reading is given in Sillig's edi- Rhod. i. 40.) [L. S.]
tion.) His works, as enumerated by the same STI'LICHO (rThsXXwv or ETA[iXWv), the miliwriter, were the following: the statues of Ceres, tary ruler of the western empire under Honorius,
Jupiter, and Minrerva, which stood in the Temple was the son of a Vandal captain of the barbarian
of Concord at Rome, and also flentes matronas, et auxiliaries of the emperor Valens. Stilicho rose
adorantes, sacriflcantesque. (Ibid. ~ 33.) Other through prowess and great military skill, combined
writers mention, as one of the best of his works, with many other eminent qualities, which made
the statue of Autolycus, which was carried to Rome him dear to the army and invaluable to the emby Lucullus, after the taking of Sinope. (Strab. peror Theodosius. In. A. D. 384, when magister
xii. p. 546, a.; Plut. Lucull. 23, Pomlp. 10; Ap- equitum, he was sent as ambassador to Persia, and
pian. Mithr. 83.) He also made two statues of through his various accomplishments and agreeable
Olympic victors, Pyttalus and Choerilus. (Paus. manner of transacting business, so pleased the
vi. 16. ~ 7, 17. ~ 3.) Persian king, that peace was concluded on terms
In addition to these notices of the artist, im- very advantageous for Rome. On his return, he
portant information may be derived from two ex- was made comes domesticus and commander-intant inscriptions. From one of these we learn chief of the army; but his greatest reward was the
that he made a statue of the philosopher Bion, hand of Serena, the niece of Theodosius, whom he
the base of which still exists, bearing the words, married about the same time, from which we may,~ENNIE EIOIEI. (Spon, Miscell. p. 126.) The infer the great esteem he enjoyed with his master,
other, which is of far more consequence, is oh one and the influence he exercised in the empire.
of the fragments of a base discovered at Athens, in Jealousy soon arose between him and Rufinus, the
1840, on the plateau in front of the western portico nefarious minister of Theodosius, which increased
of the Parthenon. This base appears to have after the murder of his friend, the gallant Promotus,
been a massive structure of masonry, faced with who in reward for his victories over the East Goths,
marble plates, and supporting a group of at least was first exiled, and then put out of the way by
five statues. Several of the marble plates were Rufinus. Jealousy soon waxed to implacable hatred,
found, bearing the names of the persons whose sta- and a struggle took place between the two rivals,
tues, dedicated by themselves, the base originally which eventually ended in the destruction of
supported, and of the artists who made them, or Rufinus.
at least some of them. One of these inscriptions is During the period from Stilicho's return from
lOENNI: EF1OHUEN, and another AEnfXAPH$ Persia to the year 394, he distinguished himself
EFIOHUEN. Hence we learn, not only the true by several victories over the barbarians, especially
form of the artist's name, but also the important the Bastarnae, and took a prominent part in the
facts, that he exercised his art at Athens, in con- government; but the events are not important
nection with the most distinguished artists of the enough to be mentioned in detail. His influence
later Attic school, and that he was contemporary increased not a little when Theodosius confided to
with Leochares, who flourished about 01. 102- Serena the education of his infant son Honorius,
11, B. c. 370-335. This furnishes another after the death of the empress Flaccilla, and it rose
striking example of the looseness with which Pliny to its acme in 394. In that year Theodosius progroups artists together under certain fixed dates. claimed Honorius Augustus and emperor of the
A curious phenomenon is presented by inscriptions West, Stilicho and Serena being appointed his
on the other sides of this base, bearing the names guardians; and after a touching private speech,
of Augustus, Drusus, Germanicus, and Trajan, and with which Theodosius concluded the ceremony,
showing how ancient statues were appropriated. they set out for Rome, where Stilicho took the
(Ross, Kunstblatt, 1840, No. 32; R. Rochette, reins of government. He, as well as Serena,
Lettre a' M. Schorn, pp. 407, 408; Nagler, were active in abolishing paganism, which had still
Kiinstler-Lexicon, s. v.) [P. S.] a strong root in Rome; but it seems that their zeal
STHE'NIUS (Ouleros), i. e. "the powerful," was not over pure, since several temples were
or " the strengthening," a surname of Zeus, under stripped, by their command, of their silver and
which he had an altar in a rock near Hermione, gold ornaments, which found their way into the
where Aegeus concealed his sword and his shoes, governor's treasury, if at least the report is true,
which were found there by Theseus after he had for generally speaking Stilicho was a man of relifted up the rock. (Paus. ii. 32. ~ 7, 34. ~ 6.) markable integrity. The Roman emperor had now
One of the horses of Poseidon also bore the name five heads - one emperor-in-chief, Theodosius, two
Sthenius. (Schol. ad Hom. II. xiii. 23.) [L. S.] sub-emperors, Honorius and Arcadius, and two
STHE'NIUS. [STENIUS.] powerful ministers, Stilicho and Rufinus, both aniSTHE'NIUS, of Thermae (Himerenses) in Si- mated by boundless ambition and divided by
cily, was a friend of C. Marius, and was therefore mortal hatred; so that evils of every description
accused before Cn. Pompey, when the latter was would have sprung up, had not Theodosius been
sent to Sicily by Sulla (Cic. Ver'r. ii. 46; comp. the man fit to govern such heterogeneous elements,
Plut. Ponip. 10). The unjust proceedings of and make them all conform to his own will. No
Verres against this Sthenius are related at length sooner, however, did his death take place (394),
by Cicero. ( Verr. ii. 34-46, comp. iii. 7, v. 42, than the struggle for the mastery broke out be49.) tween Stilicho and Rufinus. The fill of the latter
STHENNIS. [STHEN1S]. could be foretold. Rufinus, although possessed of
STI'CHIUS ('-rTXios), a commander of the eminent qualities, was a downright scoundrel; while
Athenians in the Trojan war, was slain by Hector. with still higher natural gifts, great military expe(Horn. II. xiii. 195, xv. 329.) [L. S.] rience, and an eminently better character, Stilicho
STILBE (>:TiAVn), a daughter of Peneius and combined a twofold imperial alliance through his