Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 3.djvu/935

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
loc cit.
loc cit.

STRATOCLES. STRABO, C. PAETILIUS, C. L., the name of a freedraan, which appears, with the epithet Caelator, on an inscription, respecting the ge- nuineness of which there are strong doubts. There is no other mention of this artist. (Muratori, 77i<?s. vol. i. p. Ixx. n. 6 ; Maffei, Art. Cr. Lapid. p. 214; Orelli, Inscr. Lot. Sel n. 1614; R. Ro- chette. Lettre a M. Schorn, p. 409.) [P. S.] STRATEGOPU'LUS, GREGO'RIUS. [Mammas.] STRA'TIUS C^TpaTios.) 1. A son of Nestor and Anaxibia. (Hom. Od. iii. 413.) 2. A son of Clymenus. ( Paus. ix. 37. § I.) 3. Stratios, i. e. the warlike, occurs also as a surname of Zeus and Ares. (Strab. xiv. p. 659 ; Herod. V. 119.) [L. S.] STRA'TIUS (SrpoTioy). 1. An Achaean of Tritaea, was one of the deputies who met to deli- berate concerning the course to be pursued at the breaking out of the war between Perseus and the Romans (b. c. 169). Though his sentiments were hostile to Rome, he dissuaded his countrymen from tjiking any active part against the republic (Polyb. xxviii. 6). He was one of the Achaeans after- wards carried to Rome in b. c. 167, to await the judgment of the senate, and an embassy sent thither by his countrymen in B. c. 160, had for its chief object to obtain the liberation of him and Polybius (Id. xxxii. 7). He was not, however, set free till long after, when he returned to his native country, where we find him thenceforth taking a strong part in support of the Roman in- fluence, and opposing the destructive counsels of Critolaus and Diaeus. (Id. xxxviii. 5, xl. 4.) 2. A physician and friend of Eumenes II., king of Pergamus, who was sent by him to Rome in B. c. 167, to restrain as well as observe the am- bitious designs of his brother Attains. By his prudent admonitions he succeeded in recalling that prince to a sense of duty. (Polyb. xxx. 2 ; Liv. xlv. 19.) [E. H.B.] STRATOCLES (SrpaTo/cA^s). 1. An Athe- nian orator, the son of Euthyderaus. He was a contemporary of Demosthenes, and a friend of the orator Lycurgus. It was on his motion that a decree was passed investing Ly^rgus with the office of manager of the public revenue (Plut. Vit. X. Orat p. 852. a.). Stratocles was a virulent op- ponent of Demosthenes, whom he charged with having accepted bribes from Harpalus (Deinarch. 172 Demosth. pp. 175, a. 177, a. Compare De- mosthenes, vol. i. p. 986). He was himself a man of very disreputable character, though a per- suasive speaker (Demosth. adv. Pantaen. p. 944. c. ; Plut. Demetr. c. 11. p. 893, e.). Plutarch com- pares him to Cleon, whom he seems even to have surpassed in impudence. On the occasion of the defeat of Amorgus (b. c. 322) Stratocles, having himself received intelligence some time before the news became generally known, crowned himself with a chaplet, and went through the Cerameicus, proclaiming that the Athenians had been victori- ous, and bidding the people celebrate a festival of thanksgiving. When the real state of the case became known, and the people indignantly charged him with having deceived them, he asked, with consummate effrontery, Avhat harm he had done, for it was owing to him that they had had three days' enjoyment. Stratocles especially distin- guished himself by his extravagant flattery of De- metrius, in whose honour he brought forwm'd in STRATON. 923 the assembly the most preposterous decrees (Plut. Demetr. 11, 12). When on one occasion, he pro- posed a vote that whatever Demetrius ordered was pious towards the gods and just towards men, a satirical remark of Demochares in reply to some who said that Stratocles must be mad to propose such decrees, led to a quarrel between Demochares and the partizans of Stratocles, and ultimately to the banishment of the former (Plut. Demetr. c. 24, Compare Demochares, vol. i. p. 973). It was to accommodate the celebration of the Eleusinian mysteries to the convenienceor caprice of Demetrius, who demanded to be initiated, that Stratocles pro- posed the outrageously absurd decree, that the people should call the month Munychion Anthesterion, and celebrate the smaller mysteries, and then forthwith change the name again to Boedromion and celebrate the greater mysteries (Plut. Demetr. 26). This was in B. c. 302. A fragment of a speech of Stratocles is quoted by Photius {Cod. ccl. 4. p. 447, a. ed. Bek- ker.) from Agatharchides (Ruhnken. Hist. Crii. Orat. Graec. Opusc. p. 362, &c.). We find a Stratocles mentioned as one of the Athenian generals at the battle of Chaeroneia, in B. c. 338. (Polyaen. Strateg. iv. 2 ; comp. Aesch. adv. Ctes. c. 45. p. 74.) Droysen {Gesch. der Nachfolger Alexanders, p. 498) considers the gene- ral and the orator to be identical. Cicero {Brutus, 11) mentions a Stratocles in a connection which seems to point him out as a rhe- torician who was the author of some historical work. Ruhnken, however {I. c. p. 364) identifies him with the Athenian orator. 2. A celebrated actor at Rome, mentioned by Quintilian (Inst. Orat. xi. 3, § 178) and Juvenal (iii. 99). 3. Some others of the same name are met with, the notices of whom are not worth inserting here. fC. P. M.] STRA'TOLAS (SrpaTcfAos), a citizen of Elis, and one of the leaders of the oligarchical party there. In B. c. 364 we find him in command of what Xenophon calls the Three Hundred, — per- haps a body organized by the oligarchs out of their own class, in imitation of the Sacred Band of Thebes (see Thirlwall's Greece, vol. v. p. 136). Acting in this capacity, he fell in battle at Olym- pia against the Arcadians, who had invaded Elis, and were attempting to celebrate the Olympic games under the presidency of Pisa. (Xen. IlelL vii.4.§§15,31;comp.Diod.xv. 77,82.) [E. E.] STRATON (SrpaTwj/), historical. 1. A Tyrian, who was preserved by the gratitude of his slave, upon occasion of a general servile insurrection, and was subsequently elected by general consent to be king of Tyre, a dignity which he transmitted to his descendants. No clue is given us to the date of this story, which is recorded only by Justin (xviii. 3), and wears a very fabulous aspect. 2. Son of Gerostratus, the king or dynast of Aradus in Phoenicia at the time of its conquest by Alexander. Gerostratus himself was absent with the Persian fleet, but Straton hastened after the battle of Issus (b. c. 333) to meet the conqueror on his advance into Phoenicia with the oflfering of a crown of gold, and bearing the submission of Aradus and its dependent cities. (Arrian. Anab. ii. 13; Curt. iv. 1. § 6.) 3. King or dynast of Sidon, at the same period, was distinguished for his luxury and voluptuous- ness, in which he sought to vie with his contem-