Cadmus of Miletus
Cadmus of Miletus (Κάδμος) [1] was, according to some ancient authorities, the oldest of the logographi. Modern scholars who accept this view, assign him to about 550 BC; others regard him as purely mythical. A confused notice in the Suda mentions three persons of the name: the first, the inventor of the alphabet; the second, the son of Pandion, according to some the first prose writer, a little later than Orpheus, author of a history of the foundation of Miletus and of Ionia generally, in four books; the third, the son of Archelaus, of later date, author of a history of Attica in fourteen books, and of some poems of an erotic character. As Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Judicium de Thucydide, c. 23) distinctly states that the work current in his time under the name of Cadmus was a forgery, it is most probable that the two first are identical with the Phoenician Cadmus, who, as the reputed inventor of letters, was subsequently transformed into the Milesian and the author of an historical work. In this connection it should be observed that the old Milesian nobles traced their descent back to the Phoenician or one of his companions. The text of the notice of the third Cadmus of Miletus in the Suda is unsatisfactory; and it is uncertain whether he is to be explained in the same way, or whether he was an historical personage, of whom all further record is lost. [2]
He is the first Grecian historian into history any written record of the life of is known of. He was surnamed the ancient and lived at about 550 B.C., having wrote a history of the cities of the region of Ionia, contained within four books.[3]
Mentioned by the historical writer Herodotus as a writer obscurus, with in reference to the learning of Miletus by the same, more famed Herodotus, in his story within his eponymously titled Histories. [4]
The honor of the first writer of prose in the Greek language is reserved for Cadmus (Plin. 5, 29, 31, 112; 7, 56, 57, 205). [5][1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b >Archimedes Project edu-cat. Harvard University. http://archimedes.fas.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/dict?name=ls&lang=la&word=cadmus&filter=CUTF8. Retrieved 2012-02-10.
- ^ text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press
- ^ Wilkins Tannehill - Sketches of the history of literature: from the earliest period to the revival of letters in the fifteenth century - 344 pages J.S. Simpson 1827 (Digitized 22 Feb 2006) Retrieved 2012-02-10
- ^ The Histories of Herodotus - 624 pages ISBN 1417906677 Kessinger Publishing, 2005 translated by Henry Cary (introduction written by Basil L. Gildersleeve) Retrieved 2012-02-10
- ^ W. Smith 1870 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology - Boston, Little archive Retrieved 2012-02-10 and also 2012-02-08
