Theŏcrĭtus

, a Greek poet who flourished at Syracuse, in Sicily, 282 B.C. His father’s name was Praxagoras or Simichus, and his mother’s Phil in a. He lived in the age of Ptolemy Philadelphus, whose praises he sung, and whose favours he enjoyed. Theocritus distinguished himself by his poetical compositions, of which 30 idyllia and some epigrams are extant, written in the Doric dialect, and admired for their beauty, elegance, and simplicity. Virgil, in his eclogues, has imitated and often copied him. Theocritus has been blamed for the many indelicate and obscene expre ions which he uses; and while he introduces shepherds and peasants with all the rusticity and ignorance of nature, he often disguises their character by making them speak on high and exalted subjects. It is said he wrote some invectives against Hiero king of Syracuse, who ordered him to be strangled. He also wrote a ludicrous poem called Syrinx , and placed his verses in such order that they represented the pipe of the god Pan. The best editions of Theocritus, are Warton’s, 2  vols. , 4to, Oxford, 1770; that of Heinsius, 8vo, Oxford, 1699; that of Valkenaer, 8vo, Leiden, 1781; and that of Reiske, 2  vols. , 4to, Lipscomb, 1790. Quintilian , bk. 10 , ch. 1 .— Diogenes Laërtius , bk. 5 .――A Greek historian of Chios, who wrote an account of Libya. Plutarch. ♦ Theodămas , or Thiodamas , a king of Mysia, in Asia Minor. He was killed by Hercules, because he refused to treat him and his son with hospitality. Ovid , Ibis , li. 438 .— Apollo dor us , bk. 2 , ch. 7 .— Hyginus , fable 271. ♦ ‘Thodămas’ replaced with ‘Theodămas’