Euphantus (Greek: Εὔφαντος; fl. c. 320 BCE[1]) of Olynthus was a philosopher of the Megarian school as well as a historian and tragic poet. He was the disciple of Eubulides of Miletus, and the instructor of Antigonus II Gonatas king of Macedonia. He wrote many tragedies, which were well received at the games. He also wrote a very highly esteemed work, On Kingship (Greek: Περὶ Βασιλείας), addressed to Antigonus, and a history of his own times. He lived to a great age.[2][3]

Athenaeus[4] refers to Euphantus relating a detail about Ptolemy III Euergetes of Egypt, who reigned much later. The discrepancy has been explained variously, by supposing the existence of an Egyptian Euphantus,[5] or by amending "III" to "I".[6]

Notes

  1. ^ Dorandi 1999, p. 52.
  2. ^ Laërtius 1925, § 110.
  3. ^ Laërtius 1925b, § 141.
  4. ^ Athenaeus, vi. 59, 251d
  5. ^ whose translation of an Egyptian prayer is quoted by Porphyry, Abst. iv. 10
  6. ^ Reading "proton" instead of "triton" i.e. first instead of third, see Tarn, W. (1933), Two Notes on Ptolemaic History, The Journal of Hellenic Studies, vol. 53, p.57-68, [Jstor]

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