Ptolemaeus.

1. Of Megalopolis, the son of Agesarchus. Works History of King Ptolemy IV

He wrote a history of king Ptolemy IV. Philopator, which is quoted by Athenaeus (vi. p. 246c., x. p. 425e., xiii. p. 577f.), Clemens Alexandrinus (Protrep. p. 13), and Arnobius (6.4). Date

From these passages it is clear that the historian lived at the court of Ptolemy, who reigned from B. C. 222 to B. C. 204. (Vossius, de Hist. Graec. p. 157, ed. Westermann; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. v. p. 295). Schweighäuser supposes that the Ptolemy, who was governor of Cyprus during the regency of Ptolemy Philometor, is the same as Ptolemy of Megalopolis (Plb. 27.12) ; but the governor of Cyprus was a different person. [See above, No. 19.]

2. An Egyptian priest, of Mendes. Works History of Egypt

He wrote on the ancient history of Egypt (τὰ Αἰγυπτίων ἀνέκαθεν ἱστορῶν, Syncell., p. 64). He related the acts of the Egyptian kings in three books, as we learn from Clemens Alexandrinus (Strom. i. p. 138), who immediately before quotes from Ptolemy ἐν τοῖς χρόνοις, by which it appears doubtful whether we are to understand another distinct work, or a set of chronological tables connected with his great work on Egyptian history. Tatian also (ad v. Graec. 59) mentions him as a distinguished chronologer, and presently afterwards refers to his *xro/noi. A scholiast on Homer also quotes from Ptolemy, Ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ χρόνῳ (Schol. Buttm. in Od. 4.228). He is also referred to by Justin (Exhort. ad Graec. p. 10), Eusebius (Praep. Evang. 10.12), Tertullian (Apol. 19), and Cyril (c. Julian. i. p. 15). Date

He probably lived under the first Roman emperors ; for, since his work on Egypt was quoted by Apion (Clem. Alex. l.c.), it could not have been written later than the time of Tiberius; and, on the other hand, the absence of any allusion to it in Strabo, or any earlier writer, affords some presumption that it could not have been written earlier than the time of Augustus. This conclusion would become certain, if we were to adopt the opinion of Meursius and Vossius, that this Ptolemy was the author of a work upon King Herod, which is quoted by Ammonius (de Verb. Diff. s. v. Ἰδουμαῖοι; but it is at least as probable that the author there cited is Ptolemy of Ascalon, of whose authority Ammonius makes use in other articles. Further Information

Vossius, de Hist. Graec. pp. 225, 226, ed. Westermann; Fabric. Bibl. Graec.vol. v. p. 296.

3. 4. Of Alexandria, two disciples of Epicurus, of whom the only further information we possess is, that they were distinguished as ὁ μέλας and ὁ λευκός Further Information

D. L. 10.25.

5. Of Cyrene, a sceptic, was the disciple of Eubulus, the disciple of Euphranor, the disciple of Timon. Diogenes tells us, that Timon had no successor until his school was restored by Ptolemy (9.115, 116).

6. Of Naucratis, a sophist, surnamed Marathon, was a hearer of Herodes Atticus, but an imitator of Polemon; and an opponent of Heracleides Lycius. The particulars of his life, which are not of sufficient importance to be mentioned here, may be read in Philostratus. Further Information

Vit. Sophist. ii. pp. 591, &100.608).

7. A sophist and Peripatetic philosopher, of the beginning of the third century of our era, whom Longinus mentions that he had seen in his youth. We also learn from Longinus that Ptolemy left no writings except poems and declamations. Further Information

Praef. ad Lib. περὶ τέλους, ap Plothyr. p. 127; comp. Harless, ad Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. iii. p. 504, n. rr.

8. A Platonic philosopher, of whom nothing is known, except that he lived before Proclus, who quotes him in his work on the Timaeus of Plato (i. p. 7b).

9. Of Alexandria, surnamed Pindarion, was the son of Oroandrus, and the disciple of Aristarchus (Suid. s. v.). Works

Suidas mentions the following as his works :--Ὁμηρικῶν ὑποδειγμάτων βιβλια γ́, περὶ τοῦ Ὁμηρικοῦ χαρακτῆρος, πρὸς Νεοθαλίδην περὶ λέξεως, περὶ τοῦ παρ Ὁμήρῳ Οὔτιδος, περὶ Ἀστεροπαίου τοῦ παρʼ Ὁμήρῳ μνημονενομένου, and others. Further Information

Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. i. p. 520, vol. vi. p. 378.

10. Another disciple of Aristarchus, on account of his close adherence to whom he was called Ἐπίθετος or Ἐπιθέτης. He was also a hearer of the grammarian Hellanicus. Works

He wrote upon the Wounds mentioned by Homer (περὶ τῶν παρʼ Ὁμήρῳ πληγῶν), and a Commentary on the Odyssey. Further Information

Suid. s.v. Fabric. Bibl. Graec. II. cc..

11. The father of the grammarian Aristonicus, was himself also a grammarian. Both father and son were distinguished as teachers at Rome. Works

The following were his works :--τὰ ὁμοίως εἰρημένα τοῖς τραγικοῖς, εἰς Ὅμηρον βιβλία ν́, τὰ παρὰ τῷ ποιητῆ ξένως ἱστορμηένα, τὰ περὶ Μουσῶν καὶ Νηρηίδων Further Information

Suid. s. v.; Fabric. ll. cc.).

12. Of Ascalon, taught at Rome. Works

His works were, προσῳδία Ὁμηρική, περὶ Ἑλληνισμοῦ ἤτοι ὐρθοεπίας βιβλία ιέ, περὶ μέτρων, περὶ τῆς ἐν Ὀδυσσείᾳ Ἀριστάρχου διορθώσεως, περὶ διαφορᾶς λέξεων, and other grammatical works. περὶ διαφορᾶς λέξεων

The most important of these works was that περὶ διαφορᾶς λέξεων, which formed the foundation of the similar work of Ammonius. Editions

It is still extant, and it is printed in the Bibliotheca Graeca of Fabricius (vol. vi. pp. 156-163, comp. vol. i. p. 52).

13. Of Alexandria, surnamed Chennus, flourished under Trajan and Hadrian. Works

His works were, περὶ παραδόξου ἱστορίας; an historical drama, entitled Σφίγξ; an epic poem, in twenty-four rhapsodies, entitled Άνθόμηρος, and some others. (Suid. s. v.) We still possess in the Bibliotheca of Photius (Phot. Bibl. 190) an epitome of the work of Ptolemy, περὶ τῆς εἰς πολυμαθίαν καινῆς ἱστορίας, in seven books, which there can be little doubt is the same work as that which Suidas mentions by the title περὶ παραδόξου ἱστορίας. Photius commends the work as containing in a small space information which a whole life might be spent in collecting from other books; but he adds, that it contains many things which are marvellous and absurd, and badly put together. It is in fact a farrago of the most heterogeneous materials. It is addressed to a certain learned lady named Tertulla. ὁ Ἡφαιστίωνος

Suidas and Photius speak of Ptolemy as ὁ Ἡφαιστίωνος, which is naturally interpreted the son of Hephaestion; but there is some doubt whether it ought not rather to be understood as meaning the fawer or teacher of Hephaestion (see Ionsius, de Script. Hist. Philos. 1.2.5, and Villoison, Proleg. ad Apollon. Lex. Hom. p. iv.). Tzetzes calls him Ptolemy Hephaestion. Confusion with Ptolemy of Cythera

Suidas mentions a Ptolemy of Cythera. an epic poet, who wrote a poem about the virtues of the plant called psalacantha ; but this statement is perhaps the result of some confusion, since the work of Ptolemy Chennus contains various marvellous statements respecting that very plant. Editions

The work of Ptolemy has been edited, with commentaries, by And. Schottus and Dav. Hoeschelits in Gale's Historiae Poeticae Scriptores, p. 303, &c. Paris, 1675, 8vo., with a dissertation upon Ptolemy; by L. H. Teucher, with Conon and Parthenius, Lips. 1794, 8vo.; and by Westermann, in his Mythographi, p. 182, &c. Brunsv. 1843, 8vo. Further Information

Vossius, de Hist. Graec. p. 256, ed. Westermann ; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. v. pp. 295, 296, vol. vi. pp. 377, 378).

13. A heretic, of the sect of the Valentinians (Iren. ad v. Haeres. Praef.). Works Letter to Flora

His Letter to Flora is preserved by Epiphanius (30.7). Editions

It is printed in Grabe's Spicilegium Patrum. Further Information

Dodwell, Dissert. ad Iren. pp. 318, foll.; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. v. p. 296. [P.S]