Timotheus
（
Τιμόθεος).
1.
A celebrated musician and poet of the later Athenian dithyramb. He was a native of Miletus,
and the son of Thersander. He was born B.C. 446, and died in 357, in the ninetieth year of
his age. He was at first unfortunate in his professional efforts. Even the Athenians, fond as
they were of novelty, were offended at the bold innovations of Timotheus, and hissed his
performance. On this occasion it is said that Euripides encouraged Timotheus by the
prediction that he would soon have the theatres at his feet. This prediction appears to have
been accomplished in the vast popularity which Timotheus afterwards enjoyed. He delighted in
the most artificial and intricate forms of musical expression, and he used instrumental
music, without a vocal accompaniment, to a greater extent than any previous composer. Perhaps
the most important of his innovations, as the means of introducing all the others, was his
addition to the number of the strings of the
cithara, which he seems to
have increased to eleven.
2.
The son of Conon , the famous general. He was himself a distinguished Athenian soldier. He
was first appointed to a public command in B.C. 378; and from this time his name frequently
occurs as one of the Athenian generals down to 356. In this year he was associated with
Iphicrates, Menestheus, and Chares in the command of the Athenian fleet. In consequence of
his failure to relieve Samos he was arraigned in 354, and condemned to the crushing fine of
100 talents (more than $100,000). Being unable to pay the fine, he withdrew to Chalcis in
Euboea, where he died shortly after. The Athenians subsequently remitted
nine-tenths of the penalty, and allowed his son Conon to expend the remainder on the repair
of the walls, which the famous Conon had restored. (His life is written by Nepos; see
Diod.xv. 81Diod., xvi. 7Diod., 21; and the article
Iphicrates).
3.
Son of Clearchus, the tyrant of Heraclea on the Euxine, whom he succeeded in the
sovereignty, B.C. 353 (
Diod.xvi. 36). There is extant a letter
addressed to him by Isocrates.
4.
A sculptor, whose country is not mentioned, but who belonged to the later Attic school of
the time of Scopas and Praxiteles. He was one of the artists who executed the basreliefs
which adorned the frieze of the Mausoleum. He is also mentioned as the author of a statue of
Asclepius at Troezen and one of Artemis which was at Rome (Pausan. ii. 32, 3; Pliny ,
Pliny H. N. xxxvi. 32).
