A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

Smith, William

A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. William Smith, LLD, ed. 1890

(Ἱπποκράτης).

1. The name of several physicians, including in the number perhaps

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the most celebrated medical writer of ancient or modern times, whose fame has probably been partly caused by the writings and actions of all the physicians of the same name having been attributed to one individual, instead of several. This hypothesis is incapable of being proved to be correct; may be safely asserted, that it is quite impossible that all the stories told of Hippocrates (even if they are to be believed at all) can relate to the same indivdual, and also that one man should have written all the works that now form part of the Hippocratic collection. More will be said on this subject in the article on HIPPOCRATES II., but first it will be advisable to notice briefly the other physicians of this name, and as several of them belonged to the family of the Asclepiadae, the following genealogical table will enable the reader to understand more clearly their relationship :--

the fifteenth in descent from Aesculapius, the eldest son of Gnosidicus, the brother of Podaleirius II. and Aeneius, and the father of Heracleides. He lived probably in the sixth and fifth centuries B. C.

2. HIPPOCRATES II. See below.

3. HIPPOCRATES III., the nineteenth of the family of the Asclepiadae, who lived probably in the fourth century B. C. He was the son of Thessalus, and the brother of Gorgias and Dracon II., and is said by Suidas to have written some medical works. (Jo. Tzetzes, Suidas, II. cc.; Galen, Comment. in Hippocr." De Hlumor." 1.1, vol. xvi. p. 5.)

4. HIPPOCRATES IV. was, according to Galen (Comment. in Hippocr. "De Humor." 1.1, vol. xvi. p. 5), the son of Dracon I., and the grandson of the celebrated Hippocrates: he lived in the fourth century B. C., and is said to have written some medical works. Suidas (s. v. *(Ippokra/ths, and Dra/kwn), who, however, seems to have fallen into some confusion [DRACON], makes him the son of Dracon II. (and therefore the great grandson of the celebrated Hippocrates), the father of Dracon III. He is said to have been one of the physicians to Roxana, the wife of Alexander the Great, and to have died in the reign of Cassander, the son of Antipater.

5, 6. HIPPOCRATES V. and VI. According to Suidas, Thymbraeus of Cos, of the family of the Asclepiadae, had two sons named Hippocrates, each of whom wrote some medical works. Their date is unknown. (Suid. s. v. Ἱπποκράτης.)

7. HIPPOCRATES VII., son of Praxianax of Cos, but it who belonged to the family of the Asclepiadae, and wrote some medical works. His date is unknown. (Suid. Ibid

8. HIPPOCRATES, a Greek writer on veterinary surgery, who is supposed to have lived about the middle of the fourth century after Christ.

[W.A.G]