A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

4. A native of Athens, and a commentator on Hippocrates and Galen, who is said in the titles of some MSS. at Vienna to have been a pupil of Theophilus Protospatharius (Lambec. Biblioth. Vindob. vol. vi. p. 198, vol. vii. p. 352). Nothing more is known of his personal history, and his date is somewhat uncertain. Somepersons confound him with the chemist of Alexandria, and say that he lived in the seventh century after Christ; but this is probably an error, as Dietz appears to be correct in stating that some of the Greek words to be found in his writings ( e. g. Ψυχία ἀφράτα, Comment. in Hippocr. " Prognost." p. 87, τζιμβλοί, ibid. p. 89. λαγωδάτον κοιμᾶσθαι, p. 94, μάγκυπες, p. 146, ἀκατιδες, p. 154, κλοκιον, p. 159, &c.) indicate a later date. If it is true that Theophilus was his tutor, this does not help to determine the century in which he lived, as the date of the master is as uncertain as that of the pupil. If, however, we suppose Theophilus to have lived in the ninth century [THEOPHILUS PROTOSPATHARIUS], Stephanus may be safely placed in the same. However this may be, he is certainly, in the opinion of Dietz (Schol. in Hippocr. et Gal. vol. i. p. xvi.) and M. Littré (Oeuvres d' Hippocr. tome i. p. 128), the most important of all the ancient commentators on Hippocrates after Galen, as his notes form a useful supplement to those of that writer, and contain quotations and explanations not to be found elsewhere.