antipathic to the household weasel, and whose bite is cured by the Psulloi (herpetologists
first in Nikandros, apud A, NA 16.28). G 20.6 mentions De ̄mokritos’
book on the dietary properties of fish.
Diels (1905–1907) 2.26–27, 3.26 records MSS containing medical De ̄mokritean works:
Vatican 299 (15th c.), ff.309– 314 V, 329, 366V, 391, Vatican 1174 (14th/15th c.), ff.1, 32V, 33V,
Vatican 2304 (15th/16th c.), f.6, and Florence Laurent. App.2 (15th c.), ff.340V, 356, 359.
RE S.4 (1924) 219–223, I. Hammer-Jensen (some citations misprinted); DK 68 B300.1–20;
Smith (1990).
PTK
De ̄mophilos (500 – 400 BCE?)
Greek architect, painter or sculptor, mentioned by V (7.pr.14) as a second-tier
author (i.e. less famous than those previously listed) of a treatise with precepts on symmetry.
He may be identifiable with the homonymous painter and sculptor in clay working in Rome
in the 5th c. BCE (P 35.154), or the painter from Himera (ca 450 – 400 BCE, Pliny
35.61).
KLA 1.167, R. Vollkommer.
Margaret M. Miles
De ̄mosthene ̄s Philale ̄the ̄s (ca 50 BCE – 25 CE)
“The Truth Lover,” one of the last members of the “He ̄rophilean School” founded by
Z. Traditions attached to that school suggest much internecine quarreling, a late
Hellenistic version of “medical politics” that doomed its influence, but did not diminish the
striking accomplishments of some of its members. In fact, De ̄mosthene ̄s left his mark on
ophthalmology from his day through excerpts by A A, as well as scattered
references in sometimes fragmentary Latin texts dating to as late as the 13th c. (von Staden
572 – 573). Aëtios likely preserved the organizational principles of De ̄mosthene ̄s’ Oph-
thalmikos, even while adding details of his own experiences with eye diseases: Bk. 7 of the
Tetrabiblos has numerous references to De ̄mosthene ̄s’ lost Ophthalmikos, and it is obvious that
great advances came in the last century BCE in treating common ailments that occasionally
threatened one’s sight, including cataracts, attested by C 6.6.12 (CML 1, p. 266).
Illustrative is De ̄mosthene ̄s’ “On Cancerous Ulcers of the Eye” (Aëtios 7.33, CMG 8.2,
pp. 283–284), which indicates keen clinical observation, a good employment of case histor-
ies, and sensible advice on regimen, diet, and appropriate drugs. “When ulcers that do not
heal are at the back of the eye, and are small and painful, they have small blood vessels, and
are termed “cancerous” when they turn hard. Sometimes they will appear as if they
are healing, but they fall apart again without any obvious cause... the victims lose their
appetites... their great pain becomes worse if any physician were to apply caustic salves
... the disease is common in old men after a long history of inflammation of the eye, and in
women whose menstruals have ceased.. ..” After careful enumeration of treatments includ-
ing rubbing the body with sweetened olive oil, or good quality rose oil, or mild juice made
from the skins of grapes, the patient is to attach a small green patch over the eye, go for a
walk where there are shady trees, few people chattering, and later to take some moderately
boiled thinned milk (“this deadens the pain of the caustic flowing from the eye”); hunger is
to be satisfied by drinking two eggs, then taking a long snooze, preferably for 24 hours. At
DE ̄MOSTHENE ̄S PHILALE ̄THE ̄S