Thrasyllus
or
Thrasylus (
Θράσυλλος,
Θράσυλος).
1.
An Athenian who actively assisted Thrasybulus in opposing the oligarchical revolution in
B.C. 411, and, like him, was appointed as one of the generals at Samos. (See
Thrasybulus.) He was one of the commanders at the
battle of Arginusae, and was among the six generals who returned to Athens and were put to
death, 406. (See
Arginusae.)
2.
An astrologer of Rhodes, with whom Tiberius became acquainted during his residence in that
island, and whom he ever after held in the highest honour. In the scenes between him and the
emperor, as described by Tacitus, Suetonius, and Dio , Thrasyllus is the prototype for Scott
(in
Quentin Durward) of Martius Galeotti, the astrologer of Louis XI. He
confirmed the faith of Tiberius in his skill by casting his own horoscope as well as that of
his master, and saying that he himself had reached a great crisis of danger, having
suspected, as was the truth, that Tiberius was on the point of having him thrown over a
precipice. This proof of prophetic power saved his life. He died in A.D. 36, the year before
Tiberius, and is said to have saved the lives of many persons whom Tiberius would otherwise
have put to death, by falsely predicting for this very purpose that the emperor would live a
certain period longer than his intended victims. The son of this Thrasyllus succeeded to his
father's skill, and he is said to have predicted the empire to Nero (
Tac. Ann. vi. 20-22;
Suet.
Aug. 98;
Suet. Tib. 14,
Suet. Tib. 62;
Suet.
Cal. 19; Dio Cass. lv. 11; lvii. 15; lviii. 27).
