Mnesitheus

Mnesitheus (Greek: Μνησίθεος; 4th century BC) of Athens, was a Greek physician, who probably lived in the 4th century BC, as he is quoted by the comic poet Alexis.^[1] He belonged to the Dogmatic school of medicine.^[2] He enjoyed a great reputation, and was particularly celebrated for his classification of diseases.^[3] He wrote a work "On Diet," Περὶ Ἐδεστῶν, or, according to Galen,^[4] Περὶ Ἐδεσμάτων, which is several times quoted by Athenaeus.^[5] He wrote another work, "On Tippling",^[6] in which he recommended this practice. He is frequently mentioned by Galen, and generally in favourable terms; as also by Rufus of Ephesus, Aulus Gellius,^[7] Soranus of Ephesus,^[8] Pliny,^[9] Plutarch,^[10] and Oribasius.^[11] His tomb was still existing in Attica in the time of Pausanias.^[12]

A physician of this name from Cyzicus in Mysia is quoted by Oribasius.^[13]

Notes

1. ^ ap. Athenaeus, x. p. 419
2. ^ Galen, Introd. c. 4, vol. xiv. p. 683, De Venae Sect. adv. Erasistr. c. 5. vol. xi. p. 163
3. ^ Galen, ad Glauc. de Meth. Med. i. 1, vol. xi. p. 3
4. ^ Galen De Alim. Facult. ii. 61, vol. vi. p. 645
5. ^ Athenaeus, ii. 54, 57, iii. 80, 92, 96, 106, 121, viii. 357, etc.
6. ^ Athenaeus, xi. 483
7. ^ Aulus Gellius, xiii. 30
8. ^ Soranus, De Arte Obstetr. pp. 184, 201
9. ^ Pliny, H. N. xxi. 9
10. ^ Plutarch, Quaest. Nat. c. 26, vol. v. p. 334
11. ^ Oribasius, Coll. Medic. viii. 9, 38, pp. 342, 357
12. ^ Pausanias, Att. c. 37. §3
13. ^ Oribasius, Coll. Medic. iv. 4, p. 251

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology by William Smith (1870).