Appendix
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 October 2010
Summary
The mythological summary given by Cicero diverges in many particulars from the ordinary tradition, but is in remarkable agreement with what we find in four later writings, the Protreptioon of Clemens Alexandrinus (fl. 200 A. D.), the Liber Memorialis of Ampelius (fl. 250 A. D.?), the Dispufationes adversus Gentes of Arnobius (fl. 300 A. D.), the De Mensibus of Laurentius Lydus (b. 490 A. D.). Are we to suppose that these writers borrowed from Cicero or from Cicero's authority Clitomachus, or was there some earlier common source? There is no sign that Clemens was acquainted with the works of Cicero or even that lie had any knowledge of Latin literature; moreover he cites as his authorities, under the head of. Apollo, Aristotle and Didymus, and adds particulars which we do not find in Cicero, e.g. that the 4th Apollo was son of Silenus, that some writers made a 5th and 6th Apollo, that the 4th Minerva was called Coryphasia and that the mother of the 5th was Titanis. On the other hand it is probable that the remaining three had some knowledge of Cicero. Lydus quotes from his Verrine orations and had a fair acquaintance with Latin literature, especially with the writings of Varro; but he too cites other authorities, e. g. Terpander for the 1st Dionysus, ‘the poets’ for the others, Melias, Crates, Eratosthenes, Eumelus, under Zeus.
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- Cicero, De Natura Deorum Libri TresWith Introduction and Commentary, pp. 199 - 209Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010First published in: 1885