The Encyclopedia of Ancient Natural Scientists: The Greek tradition and its many heirs

(Ron) #1

De ̄me ̄trios (Astrol.) (unknown date)


Astrologer to whom “Palkhos” (pseudonym for Eleutherios, 1388 CE [Pingree 1978: 437])
ascribes an Astrologoumena, one fragment of which (Peri drapeteuonto ̄n) details signs for fugitives.
The zenith of various constellations and planets indicates escape, and the nadir presages
capture; a fugitive’s sign also indicates the timeframe for capture (e.g., the Bull means
capture will occur within a year). Another fragment gives a nautical melothesia, on ana-
logy with human anatomy (e.g., the Bull represents the keel, the Crab the rudder, Gemini,
connected to the human ribs, governs the pleura or “ribs” of ships, while Pisces, associated
with feet, protects the submerged parts of the ship). The same fragment lists lunar portents
for sailors: the Moon in Aries or Cancer impedes travel, and in Aquarius endangers the ship
(contra H 3.17 where those “swimming” signs favor sea travel). Emphasized also
is the dire nature of retrograde motion, especially of the malefic Mars, as in V,
P, and Hephaistio ̄n.


Ed.: CCAG 1 (1898) 104–106; CCAG 8.3 (1912) 98–99.
Pingree (1978) 426; J. Komorowska, “Seamanship, sea-travel, and nautical astrology: Demetrius,
‘Rhetorius’ and Naval Prognostication,” Eos 88 (2001) 245–256 at 246–252.
GLIM


De ̄me ̄trios (Geog.) (ca 100 BCE – 60 CE?)


Wrote a geographical or paradoxographical work On Egypt, cited by P 36.79, for the
pyramids, and Athe ̄naios, Deipn. 15 (680a–b) for acacia-trees.


RE 4.2 (1901) 2850 (#120), Fr. Hultsch.
PTK


De ̄me ̄trios Khlo ̄ros (90 – 50 BCE)


Grammarian; probably a Pergamene scholar, N’ earliest commentator. He is
mentioned in our Scholia in The ̄riaka nine times (once as Menekle ̄s’ son, thrice nicknamed
khlo ̄ros, “pale”), and once more by S  B (s.v. Korope ̄) who quotes The ̄r.
613 – 614 with remarks drawn from Scholia richer than ours. He is our sole authority for
Alkibios’ story (545–549). His comments, centered on realia, are sometimes based on falsae
lectiones or unfounded speculations with erroneous or even absurd glosses (Schol. The ̄r.
377 – 378a, 622c). A  A sometimes contradicts him (585a, cf. 748);
in 781b, the Scholiast (after P?) dismisses both of them.


GGLA 2 (1891) 220; Jacques (2002) 2.– (and n. 296).
Jean-Marie Jacques


De ̄me ̄trios “physicus” (1st c. BCE)


Among the authorities consulted by P (1.ind.8) who in particular records a remarkable
story about a panther showing gratitude to a man who saved her cubs (8.59–60).


RE 4.2 (1901) 2849 (#114), M. Wellmann.
Jan Bollansée, Karen Haegemans, and Guido Schepens


DE ̄ME ̄TRIOS “PHYSICUS”
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