Diodotus

• a Stoic, and teacher of Cicero, Cic. Brut. 90; id. Fam. 9, 4; id. Att. 2, 20; id. Ac. 2 (Luc.), 36; id. Tusc. 5, 39 et saep.; Tac. Or. 30.

(Διόδοτος), the son of Eucrates (possibly, but not probably, the flax-seller of that name who is said to have preceded Cleon in influence with the Athenians), is only known as the orator who in the two discussions on the punishment to be inflicted on Mytilene (B. C. 427), took the most prominent part against Cleon's sanguinary motion. (Thuc. 3.41.) The substance of his speech on the second day we may suppose ourselves to have in the language of Thucydides (3.42_48). The expressions of his opponent lead us to take him for one of the rising class of professional orators, the earliest produce of the labours of the Sophists. If so, he is a singularly favourable specimen. Of his eloquence we cannot judge; but if, in other points, Thucydides represents him fairly, he certainly on this occasion displayed the ingenuityof the Sophists, the tact of the practised debater, and soundness of view of the statesman, in the service of a cause that deserved and needed them all. He cautiously shifts the argument from the justice to the policy of the measure. Feelings of humanity were already excited; the people only wished a justification for indulging them. This he finds them in the certainty that revolt at any risk would be ventured; severities could not check, and would surely make it more obstinately persevered in ; and in the exceeding inexpediency of confounding, by indiscriminate slaughter, their friends, the democratic party, with those who would in any case be their enemies,--a suggestion probably, at that time, far from obvious. To his skill we must ascribe the revocation of the preceding day's vote in Cleon's favour, and the preservation of Mytilene from massacre, and Athens from a great crime. [A.H.C]

(Διόδοτος), King of Bactria, and founder of the Bactrian monarchy, which continued to subsist under a Greek dynasty for above one hundred and fifty years. This prince as well as his successor is called by Justin, Theodotus, but the form Diodotus, which occurs in Strabo (xi. p.515) seems to have been that used by Trogus Pompeius (Prol. Trogi Pompeii, lib. xli.), is confirmed by the evidence of an unique gold coin now in the museum at Paris. (See Wilson, Ariana, p. 219.)

Both the period and circumstances of the establishment of his power in Bactria are very uncertain. It seems clear, however, that he was at first satrap or governor of that province, under the Syrian monarchy, and that he took advantage of his sovereign's being engaged in wars in distant parts of his dominions to declare himself independent The remote and secluded position of his territories, and the revolt of the Parthians under Arsaces, almost immediately afterwards, appear to have prevented any attempt on the part of the Syrian monarch to reduce him again to subjection. At a later period, when Seleucus Callinicus undertook his expedition against Parthia, he appears to have entered into alliance with Diodotus, and may perhaps have confirmed him in the possession of his sovereignty, to secure his co-operation against Tiridates. Diodotus, however, died apparently just about this time. (Just. 41.4; Strab. xi. p.515; compare Wilson's Ariana, pp. 215-219; Droysen's Hellenismus, ii. pp. 325, 412, 760; Raoul Rochette Journ. des Sauans, Oct. 1835.)

With regard to the date of the revolt of Diodotus, it appears from Strabo and Justin to have preceded that of Arsaces in Parthia, and may therefore be referred with much probability to the latter part of the reign of Antiochus II. in Syria. B. C. 261-246. [See Arsaces, p. 354a.] The date usually received is 256 B. C., but any such precise determination rests only on mere conjecture.

Concerning the Bactrian kings in general see Bayer, Historia Regni Graecorum Bactriani, 4to. Petrop. 1738; Lassen, Zur Geschichte der Griechischen und Indo-Skytischen Könige in Baktrien, 8vo. Bonn, 1838; Wilson's Ariana Antiqua, 4to. Lond. 1841. [E.H.B]

the son and successor of the preceding, is called by Justin Theodotus, as well as his father. According to that author, he abandoned his father's policy, and concluded a treaty with the king of Parthia, Tiridates, by which he joined him against Seleucus Callinicus. (Just. 41.4.) The total defeat of the Syrian king probably secured the independence of Bactria, as well as that of Parthia; but we know nothing more of the history of Diodotus. The commencement of his reign may be dated somewhere about 240 B. C. (Wilson's Ariana, p. 217.) [E.H.B]

(Διόδοτος), literary.

1. Of Erythrae, was, according to Athenaeus (x. p. 434), the author of ἐφημερίδες Ἀλεξάνδρου, from which we may infer that he was a contemporary of Alexander the Great.

2. A Greek Grammarian, who, according to Diogenes Laertius (9.15), commented on the writings of Heracleitus.

3. A Peripatetic philosopher, of Sidon, is mentioned only by Strabo (xvi. p.757).

4. Surnamed Petronius, was the author of Anthologuinena and other works. He is often referred to by Pliny, and is the same as the physician mentioned below.

5. A Stoic philosopher, who lived for many years at Rome in the house of Cicero, who had known him from his childhood, and always entertained great love and respect for him. He instructed Cicero, and trained and exercised his intellectual powers, especially in dialectics. In his later years, Diodotus became blind, but he nevertheless continued to occupy himself with literary pursuits and with teaching geometry. He died in Cicero's house, in B. C. 59, and left to his friend a property of about 100,000 sesterces. (Cic. ad Fam. 9.4, 13.16, de Nat. Deor. i 3, Brut. 90, Acad. 2.36, Tusc. 5.39, ad Att. 2.20.) [L.S]

(Διόδοτος), artists.

1. A statuary, to whom Strabo (ix. p.396c.) ascribes the Rhamnusian Nemesis of Agoracritus. There is no other mention of him.

2. A sculptor of Nicomedeia, the son of Boethus, made, with his brother Menodotus, a statue of Hercules. (Winckelmann, Werke, vi. p. 38.) [P.S]

(Διόδοτος), a Greek physician, who is called by Pliny (Plin. Nat. 20.32) Petronius Diodotus, though it is not unlikely that (as Fabricius conjectures) we should read Petronius et Diodotus, as Petronius is distinguished from Diodotus by Dioscorides (De Mat. Med. praef. p. 2), and S. Epiphanius. (Adv. Haercs. 1.1. 3, p. 3, ed. Colon. 1682.) He must have lived some time in or before the first century after Christ, and wrote a work on botany. [W.A.G]

(Διόδοτος). A Stoic philosopher, and teacher of Cicero, in whose house he died B.C. 59 (Cic. Brut. 90; Ad Att. ii. 20; Tusc. v. 39).