Diodōrus
(
Διόδωρος).
1.
An historian, surnamed Sicŭlus, because born at
Agyrium in Sicily, and the contemporary of Iulius Caesar and Augustus. Our principal
data for the events of his life are derived from his own work. In early life he travelled
into Asia, Africa, and Europe, and on his return established himself at Rome, where he
published a general history, in forty books, under the title of
Βιβλιοθήκη Ἱστορική, or Historical Library. To this labour he devoted thirty
years of his life. The history comprehended a period of 1138 years, besides the time
preceding the Trojan War, and was carried down to the end of Caesar's Gallic war. His work
was written after the death of Caesar. The first six books were devoted to the fabulous
history anterior to the war of Troy, and of these the three former to the antiquities of
barbarian States, the three latter to the archæology of the Greeks. But the
historian, though treating of the fabulous history of the barbarians in the first three
books, enters into an account of their manners and usages, and carries down the history of
these nations to a point of time posterior to the Trojan War. Thus, in the first book he
gives a sketch of Egyptian history from the reign of Menes to Amasis. In the eleven following
books he details the different events which happened between the Trojan War and the death of
Alexander the Great; while the remaining twenty-three books contain the history of the world
down to the Gallic War and the conquest of Britain. We have only a small part remaining of
this vast compilation—namely, the first five books; then from the eleventh to the
twentieth, both inclusive; and, finally, fragments of the other books from the sixth to the
tenth inclusive, and also of the last twenty. These rescued portions we owe to Eusebius ; to
John Malalas, Georgius Syncellus, and other writers of the Lower Empire, who have cited them
in the course of their own works; but, above all, to the authors of the “Extracts
respecting Embassies” and of the “Extracts respecting Virtues and
Vices.” We are indebted also for a part of them to the patriarch Photius, who has
inserted in his
Myriobiblon extracts from several of the books, from the
thirtyfirst to the thirty-third, and from the thirty-sixth to the thirty-eighth and fortieth.
Important additions have also been made from MSS. in the Vatican Library.
A great advantage possessed by Diodorus over most of the ancient historians is his
indicating the order of time, though it must be acknowledged at the same time that his
chronology offers occasional difficulties and often needs educing. Diodorus, who wrote at
Rome, and at a period when the dominion of that city extended over the greater part of the
civilized world, arranges his narrative in accordance with the Roman calendar and consular
fasti; but he frequently adds the names of the Athenian archons who
were contemporaneous.
With regard to the historical value of the work itself and the merits of the author, the
most varying opinions have been entertained by modern writers. The principal fault of
Diodorus seems to have been the too great extent of his work. It was not possible for any man
living in the time of Augustus to write an unexceptionable universal history. It is not,
then, a matter of surprise that Diodorus, who does not appear to have been a man of superior
abilities, should have fallen into a number of particular errors and should have placed too
much reliance on authorities sometimes far from trustworthy. Wherever he speaks from his own
observation he may, perhaps, generally be relied upon; but when he is
compiling from the writings of others he has shown little judgment in the selection. The
literary style of Diodorus, though not very pure or elegant, is sufficiently perspicuous and
presents but few difficulties, except where the MSS. are defective, as is frequently the
case. The best editions of Diodorus are those of Wesseling
(1746), L. Dindorf
(1867-68), and Bekker
(1853-54).
2.
A native of Caria, and a disciple of the Megaric School. He was a great adept in that
species of verbal combat which prevailed among the philosophers of his sect. It is said that
a question was proposed to him in the presence of Ptolemy Soter by Stilpo, one of his
fraternity, which he required
time to answer, and on this account he was
ridiculed by Ptolemy and denominated “Chronus” (
Χρόνος). Mortified at this defeat, he wrote a book on the question, but
nevertheless died of vexation. He is the reputed author of the famous sophism against motion:
“If any body be moved, it is moved either in the place where it is or in a place
where it is not, for nothing can act or suffer where it is not, and therefore there is no
such thing as motion.” Diodorus was rewarded for this discovery; for, having
dislocated his shoulder, the surgeon who was sent for kept him for some time in torture,
while he proved from the philosopher's own mode of reasoning that the bone could not have
moved out of its place.
3.
A Peripatetic philosopher, with whom the uninterrupted succession of the Peripatetic School
terminated. He was a native of Tyre and a pupil of Critolaüs. Mention is often made
of him in the selections of Stobaeus and also in the works of Cicero. The sovereign good,
according to Diodorus, was to live in a becoming manner, free from toil and care,
τὸ ἀμοχθήτως καὶ καλῶς ζῆν, or,
vacare omni
molestia cum honestate, as Cicero expresses it (
Acad. ii. 42).
4.
An orator and epigrammatic poet, a native of Sardis. He was surnamed Zonas (
Ζωνᾶς). He fought in Asia and was contemporaneous with Mithridates
the Great, against whom he was charged with conspiring. He defended himself successfully.
Nine of his epigrams remain.
5.
Another native of Sardis, who wrote historical works, odes, and epigrams. Strabo speaks of
him as subsequent to the former and a contemporary and friend of his own. We have one of his
epigrams remaining.