What is "polybus"

Polybus (; fl. c. 400 BC) was one of the pupils of Hippocrates, and also his son-in-law. He lived on the island of Cos in the 4th century BC. With his brothers-in-law, Thessalus and Draco, he was one of the founders of the Dogmatic school of medicine. He was sent by Hippocrates, with his fellow-pupils, during the time of the plague, to assist different cities with his medical skill. Afterwards, he remained in his native country. According to Galen, he followed implicitly the opinions and practices of Hippocrates, but the strict accuracy of this assertion has been doubted.

He has been supposed, by both ancient and modern scholars, to be the author of several works in the Hippocratic collection. Possible works include De Natura Hominis, De Genitura, De Natura Pueri, De Salubri Victus Ratione, De Affectionibus, and De Internis Affectionibus. Clement of Alexandria attributes to him the treatise De Octimestri Partu, and Pseudo-Plutarch quotes him as the author of De Septimestri Partu. De Natura Hominis (On the Nature of Man) is the earliest known text to advance a four-humor system of blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Galen, though, considers De Natura Hominis to be the work of Hippocrates himself.

Polybus is mentioned many times by Galen, chiefly in connection with different works in the Hippocratic collection. He is also mentioned by Celsus, Caelius Aurelianus, and Pliny.

Polybus is an ancient Greek male name. It is the name of:

Historical figures:

• Polybus (physician) (fl. c. 400 BCE), author of On the Nature of Man

Mythical figures:

• Polybus of Corinth, best known for having reared Oedipus
• Polybus of Sicyon, a son of Hermes and king of Sicyon
• Polybus of Thebes, king of the Egyptian Thebes
• Polybus (Odyssey), father of Eurymachus
• Polybus (Trojan War), a son of Antenor

In Ancient Greek epic tradition recounted in Homer's Odyssey, Polybus was the father of a suitor, Eurymachus, who was killed by Odysseus once he returned from his 10-year journey during the Trojan War. Polybus himself was one of the suitors of Penelope, the wife of Odysseus. Polybus was actually described as wise, contradictory to his foolish son. In Book XXII of the Odyssey, after Odysseus and Telemachus had slain most of the suitors, only six remained: Agelaus, Eurynomus, Amphimedon, Demoptolemus, Peisander and Polybus. The aforementioned Agelaus tried rousing the men to throw their spears collectively at the avengers, but Athena guided them elsewhere. Polybus was killed by the spear of the swineherd Eumeaus.

Category:Greek mythology

Polybus or Polybius was the son of Antenor and Theano. He was ultimately killed in the Trojan War by Neoptolemus.