I. DEMETRIUS PHALEREUS, a Peripatetick Philosopher, and the Disciple of Theophrastus. His extraordinary qualities recommended him to the government of the Athenian Commonwealth for ten years, where three hundred and sixty Statues in brass were erected to his honour. But after this he fell into disgrace with the Athenians, who during his absence condemned him to death, and overthrew all his statues. He retired to Ptolemy the son of Lagus, King of Egypt, whom he would have persuaded to exclude his eldest son Ptolemy Philadelphus from his succession to the kingdom, and to substitute in his room the children of Eurydice. But Philadelphus coming to the crown, banished Demetrius out of his dominions, who About the year of the World 3723, or 3724. Philadelphus ascended the throne in 3721. Diogen. Laert. in Demetrio Phalereo. l. 5. segm. 78, 79. Cicero Orat. pro Rabirio. Vide Menag. notas in Diogen. l. 5.thereupon killed himself with the biting of an Asp. This is the account which we have from Diogenes Laertius in his life of this Philosopher.
We take notice of him in this Dictionary for no other reason, but because it is by some pretended, that King Ptolemy Philadelphus at his persuasion set people to work upon translating the Scriptures of the Hebrews into Greek. But the bare relation of his life, as we have given it, is intirely contrary to this opinion. Demetrius was never in any favour or credit in Egypt under Philadelphus. This we shall examine more at large in the Article of the Seventy Interpreters.