Philagrius

(Φιλάγριος).

1. A Rhodian orator, who chose Hyperides as his model. (Dionys. de Dinarct. 8.)

PHILA'GRIUS (Φιλάγριος)

1. A Greek medical writer, born in Epeirus, lived after Galen and before Oribasius, and therefore probably in the third century after Christ. According to Suidas (s. r.) he was a pupil of a physician named Naumachius, and practised his profession chiefly at Thessalonica. Works

Theophilus gives him the title of περιοδευτής (Comment. in Hippocr. "Aphor.", in Dietz, Schol. in Hippocr. et Gal. vol. ii. p. 457), which probably means a physician who travelled from place to place in the exercise of his profession. He seems to have been well known to the Arabic medical writers, by whom he is frequently quoted * The name appears in a very corrupted form in the old Latin translations of these writers, e. g. Filoycrius, Filogoriseus, Faneligoris ; and even in a modern version it is metamorphosed into Phylagoraus and Phylagryus. See Sontheimer's Zusammengesetzte Heilmittel der Araber, &c. 1845, pp. 74, 198., and who have preserved the titles of the following of his works :-- 1. De Impetigine. 2. De iis quae Gingivae Dentibusque accident. 3. De iis qui Medico destituuntur. 4. De Morborum Indiciis. 5. De Arthritidis Morbo. 6. De Renum vel Vesicae Calculo. 7. De Hepalis Morbo. 8. De Morbo Colico. 9. De Morbo Icterico. 10. De Cancri Morbo. 11. De Morsu Canis. (See Wenrich, De Auctor. Graecor. Version. et Comment. Arab. Syriac. &c. p. 296.) Suidas says he wrote as many as seventy volumes, but of these works only a few fragments remain, which are preserved by Oribasius, Aetius, and others. In Cyril's Lexicon (Cramer's Anecd. Graeca Paris. vol. iv. p. 196) he is enumerated among the most eminent physicians.

2. A physician, whose father, Philostorgius, lived in the time of Valentinian and Valens, in the latter half 'of the fourth century after Christ : the brother of the physician Posidonius (Philostorg. Hist. Eccles. 8.10). Fabricius conjectures that he may be the same person to whom are addressed eight of the letters of St. Gregory Nazianzen (Bibl. Graec. vol. xiii. p. 364, ed. vet.). This is quite possible, but at the same time it may be stated that the writer is not aware of there being any reason for supposing St. Gregory's correspondent to have been a physician. [W.A.G]