Pollux
Pollux, a son of Tyndarus and Leda, twin brother of Castor
Frieze-Dennison Vergil
- Voc. pol, edepol, v. infra), m., = Πολυδεύκης, a famous pugilist, son of Tyndarus and Leda, and brother of Castor, in connection with whom, as the constellation of the Twins (Gemini, v. 2. Castor), he serves as a guide to mariners, Cic. N. D. 3, 21, 53; id. Leg. 2, 8, 19; Hyg. Fab. 14; 173: ita me ... Castor, Polluces ... dique omnes ament, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 8, 53 (894); Aug. Civ. Dei, 4, 27.—Poet.: geminus Pollux, i.e. Castor and Pollux, Hor. C. 3, 29, 64: facere aliquem de Polluce Castora, i. e. to make a knight of a pugilist (pugil), Mart. 7, 57, 1.— As a deity: DEVS VINCIVS POLLVX, Inscr. Rein. cl. 1, n. 218.—In voc., contr. pol, and length. edepol (aedep-), interj. (cf.: ecastor, equirine, etc.), by Pollux! indeed! truly! pol mihi fortuna magis nunc defit quam genus, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 3, 19, 44 (Trag. v. 394 Vahl.); id. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1 (Ann. v. 100 ib.); Caecil. 190; Com. Fragm. p. 67 Rib.; Plaut. Aul. 2, 7, 2 (364): per pol quam paucos reperias meretricibus fideles, Ter. Hec. 58: pol, me miserum, patrone, vocares, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 92; 2, 2, 138.—In connection with other particles of affirmation: pol profecto, indeed, truly, Plaut. Men. 5, 9, 5 (1064): certe pol, Ter. Eun. 731: sane pol, id. And. 229: pol vero, id. Phorm. 1054.— In the form edepol: certe edepol scio, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 115 (267): credo edepol equidem dormire Solem, id. ib. 126 (278); 180 (332).—With other particles: ne edepol, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 27 (179): non edepol volo profecto, id. ib. 1, 1, 215 (367): certe edepol, id. ib. 1, 1, 243 (395): immo edepol vero, id. Most. 3, 2, 78 (767).
[Dioscuri]
Ἰούλιος Πολυδεύκης, (of Naucratis in Egypt, was a Greek sophist and grammarian. He received instruction in criticism from his father, and afterwards went to Athens, where he studied rhetoric under the sophist Adrian. He opened a private school at Athens, where he gave instruction in grammar and rhetoric, and was subsequently appointed by the emperor Commodus to the chair of rhetoric at Athens. He died during the reign of Commodus at the age of fifty-eight, leaving a young son behind him. We may therefore assign A. D. 183 as the year in which he flourished. (Suidas, s. v. Πολυδεύκης ; Philostr. Vit. Soph. 2.12.) Philostratus praises his critical skiil, but speaks unfavourably of his rhetorical powers, and implies that he gained his professor's chair from Commodus simply by his mellifluous voice. He seems to have been attacked by many of his contemporaries on account of the inferior character of his oratory, and especially by Lucian in his Ρ̓ητόρων διδάσκαλος, as was supposed by the ancients and has been maintained by many modern writers (see especially C. F. Ranke, Comment. de Polluce et Luciano, Quedlinburg, 1831). though Hemsterhuis, from the natural partiality of an editor for his author, stoutly denies this supposition, and believes that Lucian intended to satirize a certain Dioscorides. It has also been conjectutred that Lucian attacks Pollux in his Lexiphanes, and that he alludes to him with contempt in a passage of the De Saltatione (100.33, p. 287, ed. Reitz). Athenodorus, who taught at Athens at the same time as Pollux, was likewise one of his detractors. (Philostr. Vit. Soph. 2.14.) We know nothing more of the life of Pollux, except that he was the teacher of the sophist Antipater, who taught in the reign of Alexander Severus. (Philostr. Ibid. 2.24.) Works
Pollux was the author of sevaral werks of which Suidas has preserved the titles of the following. All these works have perished with the exception of the Onomasticon, which has come down to us. 1. Ὀνομαστικὸν ἐν βιβλίοις ί
Ὀνομαστικὸν ἐν βιβλίοις ί, an Onomasticon in ten books.
The Onomasticon is divided into ten books, each o which contains a short dedication to the Caesar Commodus, and the work was therefore published before A. D. 177, since Commodus became Augustus in that year. Each book forms a separate treatise by itself, containing the most important words relating to certain subjects, with short explanations of the meanings of the words, which are frequently illustrated by quotations from the ancient writers. The alphabetical arrangement is not adopted, but the words are given according to the subjects treated of in each book. The object of the work was to present youths with a kind of store-house, from which they could borrow all the words of which they had need, and could at the same time learn their usage in the best writers. The contents of each book will give the best idea of the nature of the work.
1. The first treats of the gods and their worship, of kings, of speed and slowness, of dyeing, of commerce and manuftactures, of fertility and the contrary, of time and the divisions of the year, of houses, of ships, of war, of horses, of agriculture, of the parts of the plough and the waggon, and of bees.
2. The second treats of man, his eye, the parts of his body and the like.
3. Of relations, of political life, of friends, of the love of country, of love, of the relation between masters and slaves, of money, of travelling, and numerous other subjects.
4. Of the various branches of knowledge and science.
5. Of hunting, animals, &c.
6. Of meals, the names of crimes, &c.
7. Of the different trades, &c.
8. Of the courts, the administration of justice, &c.
9. Of towns, buildings, coins, games, &c.
10. Of various vessels, &c. Assessment
In consequence of the loss of the great number of lexicographical works from which Pollux compiled his Onomasticon, this book has become one of the greatest value for acquiring a knowledge of Greek antiquity, and explains many subjects which are known to us from no other source. It has also preserved many fragments of lost writers, and the great number of authors quoted in the work may be seen by a glance at the long list given in Fabricius. (Bibl. Graec. vol. vi. p. 145, &c.) Editions
The first three editions of the Onomasticon contain simply the Greek text, without a Latin translation and with numerous errors : they are by Aldus, Venice, 1502, fol., by B. Junta, Florence 1520, fol., by S. Grynaeus, Basel, 1536, 4 to.
The first Greek and Latin edition was by Wolfgang Seber, Frankfort, 1608, 4to., with the text corrected from manuscripts; the Latin translation given in this edition had been previously published by Walther at Basel, 1541, 8vo. The next edition is the very valuable one in Greek and Latin by J. H. Lederlin and Tib. Hemstershuis, Amsterdam, sterdam, 1706, fol.; it contains copious notes by Goth. Jungermann, Joach. Kühn, and the two editors. This was followed by the edition of W. Dindorf, Leipzig, 1824, 5 vols. 8vo., containing the works of the previous commentators. The last edition is by Imm. Bekker, Berlin, 1846, which gives only the Greek text. 2. Διαλέξεις ἤτοι λαλιαί
Διαλέξεις ἤτοι λαλιαί, Dissertations. 3. Μελέται
Μελέται, Declamations. 4. Εἰς Κόμοδον Καίσαρα ἐπιθαλάμιος
Εἰς Κόμοδον Καίσαρα ἐπιθαλάμιος, an oration on the marriage of the Caesar Commodus. 5. Ρωμαϊκὸς λόγος
Ρωμαϊκὸς λόγος, a panegyric on Rome. 6. Σαλπιγκτὴς ἢ ἀγὼν μουσικός
Σαλπιγκτὴς ἢ ἀγὼν μουσικός, a Trumpeter, peter, or a musical contest. 7. Κατὰ Σωκράτους
Κατὰ Σωκράτους, a speech against Socrates. 8. Κατὰ Σινωπέων
Κατὰ Σινωπέων, against the Sinopians. 9. Πανελλήνιος
Πανελλήνιος, a speech delivered before the assembled Greeks. 10. Ἀρκαδικός
Ἀρκαδικός, a speech addressed to the Arcadians or in praise of the Arcadians. Further Information
Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. vi. p. 141; Vossius, De Hist. Graecis, p. 278, ed. Westermann; Hemsterhuis, Praefatio ad Pollucem ; C. F. Ranke, Commentatio de Polluce et Luciano, Quedlinburg, 1831; Gräfenhan, Geschichte der Klassichen Philologie, vol. iii. p. 166, &c., Bonn, 1846; Clinton, Fasti Romani, sub ann. 176, 183.
a Byzantine writer. Works Ἱστορία φυσική
He is the author of a chronicon, which treats at some length of the creation of the world, and is therefore entitled Ἱστορία φυσική. Like most other Byzantine histories, it is an universal history, beginning with the creation of the world and coming down to the time of the writer. The two manuscripts from which this work is published end with the reign of Valens, but the Paris manuscript is said to come down as low as the death of Romanus, A. D. 963, and also to contain what is wanting at the conclusion of the anonymous continuation of Constantinus Porphyrogenitus. The whole work is made up of extracts from Simeon Logotheta, Theophanes, and the continuation of Constantinus, and relates chiefly ecclesiastical events. Editions
It was first published from a manuscript at Milan by J. B. Bianconi, under the title of Anonymi Scriptoris Historia Sacra, Bononiae, 1779, fo. Ign. Hardt found the work in a more perfect state, and with the name of the author prefixed to it in a manuscript at Munich, and, believing that it had not yet been printed, published it at Munich, 1792, 8vo., under the title of Julii Pollucis Historia Physica, nunc primum Gr. et Lat. ed. &c. Further Information
Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. vi. p. 144; Vossius De Hist. Graecis, p. 278, ed. Westermann; Schöll, Geschichte der Griechischen Litteratur, vol. iii. p. 257.
- , Πολυδεύκης, a son of Tyndarus and Leda, twin brother of Castor, C., V., H.: geminus Pollux, i. e. Castor and Pollux, H.
-
…lucis Hecate praefecit Avernis ; si potuit Manes arcessere coniugis Orpheus, Threïcia fretus cithara fidibusque canoris, si fratrem Pollux alterna morte redemit, itque reditque viam totiens. Quid Thesea, magnum quid memorem Alciden Et mi genus ab…
Vergil, Aeneid
-
…litora nativis praefulgent picta lapillis, et volucres nulla dulcius arte canunt. non sic Leucippis succendit Castora Phoebe, Pollucem cultu non Hilaira soror ; non, Idae et cupido quondam discordia Phoebo, Eveni patriis filia litoribus ; nec…
Propertius, Elegies
-
…, quicquid in capite est, id coronae simile videri potest. nam quod eodem tempore stellas aureas Castoris et Pollucis Delphis positas decidisse, neque eas usquam repertas esse dixisti, furum id magis factum quam deorum videtur. simiae…
M. Tullius Cicero, De Divinatione
-
…, ex rege Iove antiquissimo et Proserpina nati Tritopatreus Eubuleus Dionysus, secundi Iove tertio nati et Leda Castor et Pollux ; tertii dicuntur a non nullis Alco et Melampus euiolus, Atrei filii, qui Pelope natus fuit. Iam…
M. Tullius Cicero, de Natura Deorum
-
…bello Latinorum, cum A. Postumius dictator cum Octavio Mamillio Tusculano proelio dimicaret, in nostra acie Castor et Pollux ex equis pugnare visi sunt, et recentiore memoria idem Tyndaridae Persem victum nuntiaverunt. P. enim Vatinius avus…
M. Tullius Cicero, de Natura Deorum
-
…erant a Lacedaemoniis positae post navalem illam victoriam Lysandri, qua Athenienses conciderunt, qua in pugna quia Castor et Pollux cum Lacedaemoniorum classe visi esse dicebantur. eorum insignia deorum, stellae aureae, quas dixi, Delphis positae paulo…
M. Tullius Cicero, De Divinatione
-
…cecinissetque id carmen, quod in eum scripsisset, in quo multa ornandi causa poetarum more in Castorem scripta et Pollucem fuissent, nimis illum sordide Simonidi dixisse se dimidium eius ei, quod pactus esset, pro illo carmine daturum…
Cicero, de Oratore
-
…vita hominum consuetudoque communis ut beneficiis excellentis viros in caelum fama ac voluntate tollerent. hinc Hercules hinc Castor et Pollux hinc Aesculapius hinc Liber etiam hunc dico Liberum Semela natum, non eum quem nostri maiores auguste sancteque Liberum cum…
M. Tullius Cicero, de Natura Deorum
-
…rerum forensium, consiliorum maximorum, legum iudiciorumque arbitri et testes celeberrimo in loco populi Romani locati, Castor et Pollux, quorum e templo quaestum iste sibi et praedam improbissimam comparavit ; omnesque di qui vehiculis tensarum sollemnis coetus ludorum…
Cicero, in Verrem
-
…quid cum in Capitolio ictus Centaurus e caelo est, in Aventino portae et homines, Tusculi aedes Castoris et Pollucis, Romaeque Pietatis nonne et haruspices ea responderunt, quae evenerunt, et in Sibyllae libris eaedem repertae praedictiones sunt…
M. Tullius Cicero, De Divinatione
(Πολυδεύκης). (1) See Dioscuri.
(2) Iulius (Ἰούλιος Πολυδεύκης). A Greek rhetorician, a native of Naucratis in Egypt, in the latter half of the second century A.D., tutor of the emperor Commodus, from whom he received an appointment as a public teacher in Athens. His contemporaries, such as Lucian, ridiculed him for his small capacity. Lucian is supposed to have attacked him in his Rhetorum Praeceptor (Ῥητόρων Διδάσκαλος), his Lexiphanes, and his De Saltatione, chap. xxxiii. We possess from his hand a dictionary (Ὀνομαστικόν) in ten books, dedicated to his pupil. This is arranged, not in the order of the alphabet, but according to subjects. It spite of all its confusion and its want of critical acumen, it throws much light on the language, literature, and antiquities of Greece. It has been edited by I. Bekker (Berlin, 1846). See Lexicon.