Praxiphanes (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Πραξιφάνης) a Peripatetic philosopher, was a native of Mytilene, who lived a long time in Rhodes.[1] He lived in the time of Demetrius Poliorcetes and Ptolemy I Soter, and was a pupil of Theophrastus, about 322 BC.[2] He subsequently opened a school himself, in which Epicurus is said to have been one of his pupils.[3] Praxiphanes paid special attention to grammatical studies, and is hence named along with Aristotle as the founder and creator of the science of grammar.[4]
Of the writings of Praxiphanes, which appear to have been numerous, two are especially mentioned, a Dialogue ποιητῶν (Poiitón, 'Poetry')[5] in which Plato and Isocrates were the speakers, and an historical work cited by Marcellinus in his Life of Thucydides[6] under the title of Περὶ ἱστορίας (Perí istorías, 'About History').
Praxiphanes also wrote a works titled On Friendship,[7] On Rare Words,[8] On the Universe,[9] On Poems, and commentaries on Homer's Odyssey, Hesiod's Works and Days, Sophocles' Oedipus at Colonus, and Plato's Timaeus.[10]