Hence we may conclude, that this composition was his favorite, if it had not been already evident from his pains and from his style, that he must have labored upon it with particular interest. Death came upon him like a soft sleep, when he was present at a marriage feast.1 His body was buried in the Ceramicus, not far from the academy. The Athenians erected for him in the same place à monument with an inscription, which commemorated his services and the estimation in which he was held by his contemporaries. Pausanias found this monument still existing in the second century, A statue was erected for him by king Mithridates.3

1 Diog. III. 2.

2 [A public walk at Athens, and also a place where those were buried who were killed in defence of their country.-TR.]

3 Diog. III. 40. 25. Pausan. Lib. I. 76. Edit. Kuhn.

PLATO AND HIS BIOGRAPHERS.

47

1

1

SKETCH OF

THE BIOGRAPHERS OF PLATO

AND OF THE

COMMENTATORS UPON HIS WRITINGS.

THE object of this sketch is to combine some scattered notices illustrative of the preceding Article, which we had originally intended to insert in the form of notes. An exhibition of the literature of this subject, brought down to the present time, may not be without interest to our readers. We are enabled to do this the more satisfactorily from having in our possession, through the courtesy of a friend, brief MS. Notes of the Lectures on Plato which are delivered at Berlin by the eminent professor and classical scholar, Augustus Boeckh.

Diogenes Laertius, Apuleius, Olympiodorus and Suidas in his Lexicon have preserved many particulars of Plato's life. They had before them the biographies which were written by contemporaries of the philosopher. There is no reason, therefore, to doubt the authority of those biographies which we possess. They must contain substantial truth, though there are many conflicting statements in respect to particular incidents. Among the early writers is Speusippus, the nephew, the pupil and the successor of Plato. He wrote an encomium or eulogy on his master. Diogenes mentions another eulogy on Plato by Clearchus, who was probably the pupil of Aristotle. Hermodorus wrote a book with the title, 'Of Plato.' He was probably a contemporary and a scholar of Plato and the one who made known his dialogues in Sicily. Aristoxenus, the celebrated pupil of Aristotle, wrote the life of Plato and of other philosophers. Pha

His writings were purchased by Aristotle for three talents.