Klearkhos of Soloi (ca 330 – 290/280 BCE)
Born ca 370/360 BCE; A’s pupil, Peripatetic philosopher, possibly from Soloi of
Cyprus based on the first-person plural testimonies (par’ he ̄min) he gives for Cypriot customs
in his Gergithios as quoted by Athe ̄naios (6 [256c]). His dedication of a collection of Delphic
dicta in the Aï Khanoum sanctuary of Kineas provides further evidence for his life. That he
was Aristotle’s pupil (Ath. 6 [235a]), plus Aristotelian influence on his writings, suggests
the date-range. Aristotle was the main figure in the lost dialogue On Sleep (Peri Hupnou),
where Klearkhos described the adventures of the soul in the manner of H
H P.
None of Klearkhos’ works survived the Second Sophistic. Only fragments remain,
mainly preserved by Athe ̄naios, from about 20 named works, the most important being
those On Lives (Peri Bio ̄n), On Proverbs (Peri Paroimio ̄n), and On Riddles (Peri Gripho ̄n), unique in
classical literature. Even in these works, the selection of Athe ̄naios, insisting on anecdotes,
does not permit a clear idea of his philosophy. Other titles show Peripatetic interests:
On Love (Ero ̄tika), On Friendship (Peri Philias), On Education (Peri Paideias), etc.
No more than 12 “scientific” fragments survive; five titles of works on physics and anat-
omy are given: On Water-animals (Peri to ̄n Enudro ̄n), On Creatures that dwell in Water, On Anatomy
(Peri skeleto ̄n) in at least two books, On Sand-Banks (Peri Thino ̄n) and On the Electric Ray (Peri Narke ̄s).
The fragmentary evidence shows his emphasis on descriptions, but not theory. That
Klearkhos was interested in peculiarities and detailed descriptions is evident from his work
in general. Klearkhos described in detail some phenonema – “the sleeper-out” fish or the
“sacred octopus” – but only short notices have survived, especially in fragments not ascribed
to named works, such as a certain river-fish making a sound, the colors of various fluids,
stones that give birth. (This last and some other items seem to come from a Mirabilia.)
Athe ̄naios (7 [314c]) omits Klearkhos’ explanation of the electric ray (torpedo). In other
fragments we read his opinion that the Moon is bright and made of aithe ̄r, and the
markings on its disk reflect the Ocean; he insisted that there are 26 bones in the hand, and
that men, bats, and elephants have breasts.
Ed.: Wehrli 3 (1969), with commentary.
J.B. Verraert, Diatribe academica inauguralis de Clearcho Solensi, Philosopho Peripatetico (1828); M. Weber, De
Clearchi Solensis vita et operibus (Diss. Frankurt Oder, 1880); O. Stein, “Klearchos von Soloi,” Philologus
40 (1931) 258–259; P. Moraux, “Cléarque de Soles, disciple d’Aristote,” LEC 8 (1950) 22–26;
P. Pédech, “Cléarque le Philosophe,” Au miroir de la culture antique: Mélanges R. Marache (1992) 385–391;
DPA 2 (1994) 415–420 (#141), R. Schneider.
Ioannis Taifacos
Kleëmporos (350 BCE – 77 CE)
Physician, wrote on medicinal uses of plants. He asserted that the white sonkhos was suitable
for pharmaceutical preparations (e.g., for earaches) but the black, disease-causing, sonkhos
should be avoided (P 22.90). Pliny dismissed the claim that a book on botanicals
circulating under P’ name was ascribable to Kleëmporos, since our author
published known volumes under his own name (24.159); cf. also P A-
. An uncommon name, three citations attest Kleëmporoi at Athens in the 4th c. BCE
(LGPN 2.263), others elsewhere from the 3rd to 1st cc. BCE: LGPN 3A.244.
RE 11.1 (1921) 591, H. Gossen.
GLIM
KLEE ̈MPOROS