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

(Λεωφάνης), a Greek physician or physiologist, who must have lived in or before the fourth century, B. C., as he is quoted by Aristotle (De Gener. Anim. 4.1.22) and Theophrastus (De Caus. Plant. 2.4.12). The passage of Aristotle, which relates to the supposed method of generating male and female children, is alluded to by Plutarch (De Placit. Philos. 5.7) and Pseudo-Galen (Histor. Philos. 100.32, vol. xix. p. 324) in both of which places he is called Cleophanes. The same opinion (or rather, if the passage in Aristotle be correct, exactly the contrary) is to be found in the treatise "De Superfoetatione," which forms part of the Hippocratic collection (vol. i. p. 476), and this has made M. Littré attribute the work in question to Leophanes, though perhaps without sufficient reason. (Oeuvres d'Hippocr. vol. i. p. 879, &c.)

[W.A.G]