(Λῦσις).

1. An eminent Pythagorean philosopher, who, driven out of Italy in the persecution of his sect, betook himself to Thebes, and became the teacher of Epaminondas, by whom he was held in the highest esteem. He died and was buried at Thebes. (Paus. 9.13.1; Ael. VH 3.17; Diod. Exc. de Virt. et Vit. p. 556; Plut. de Gen. Socr. 8, 13, 14, 16; Diog. Läert. 8.39; Nepos, Epam. 2; Iamblich. Vit. Pyth. 35.) There was attributed to him a work on Pythagoras and his doctrines, and a letter to Hipparchus, of which the latter is undoubtedly spurious; and Diogenes says that some of the works ascribed to Pythagoras were really written by Lysis.

There is a chronological difficulty respecting him, inasmuch as he is stated to have been the disciple of Pythagoras, and also the teacher of Epaminondas. Dodwell (de Cycl. Vet. p. 148) attempted to show the consistency of the two statements; but Bentley (Answer to Boyle) contends that the ancient writers confounded two philosophers of this name. (Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. i. p. 851.)