Praxiphanes ( Greek: Πραξιφάνης) a Peripatetic philosopher, was a native of Mytilene, who lived a long time in Rhodes. [1] He lived in the time of Demetrius Poliorcetes and Ptolemy I Soter, and was a pupil of Theophrastus, about 322 BC. [2] He subsequently opened a school himself, in which Epicurus is said to have been one of his pupils. [3] Praxiphanes paid special attention to grammatical studies, and is hence named along with Aristotle as the founder and creator of the science of grammar. [4] [5]
Of the writings of Praxiphanes, which appear to have been numerous, two are especially mentioned, a Dialogue ποιητῶν (Poiitón, 'Poetry') [6] in which Plato and Isocrates were the speakers, and an historical work cited by Marcellinus in his Life of Thucydides [7] under the title of Περὶ ἱστορίας (Perí istorías, 'About History'). [5]
Praxiphanes also wrote a works titled On Friendship, [8] On Rare Words, [9] On the Universe, [10] On Poems, and commentaries on Homer's Odyssey, Hesiod's Works and Days, Sophocles' Oedipus at Colonus, and Plato's Timaeus. [11] [12]