Sile'nus
（
Σειληνός or
Σιληνός), literary.
1. A native of Calatia (
Σειληνὸς ὁ Καλατιανός), an historical writer. Athenaeus (xii. p. 542a), quotes from the third book of a work by him, entitled
Σικελικά.
The same work is probably referred to by Diogenes Laertius (2.3, 11).
He also wrote upon Roman history, and is mentioned by Dionysius of Halicarnassus (
Ant. Rom. 1.6), who charges him with a want of care and accuracy, and by Livy (
26.49) when speaking of the operations of Scipio Africanus the elder, in Spain. This Silenus is, doubtless, identical with
Σιλανὸς ὁ συγγραφεύς, mentioned by Strabo (
iii. p.172), who remarks that he, as well as Artemidorus, was ignorant of the reason why the fountain in the temple of Hercules at Gades rose when the tide fell, and fell when the tide rose.
It is probably this writer also who is quoted by Stephanus (
s. v. Παλική), and by Pliny (
Plin. Nat. 4.22). Photius also (
s. v. Σαρδόνιος γέλως), mentions what Silenus says
ἐν β́ τῶν περὶ Συρακόσσας. Cicero (
de Div. 1.24) quotes from Silenus (of whom he remarks :
is autem diligentissime res Hannibalis persecutus est) an account of a dream that Hannibal had after the capture of Saguntum. (Comp. Corn. Nep.
Hannib. extr.)
