Talk:Philo of Byzantium

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Untitled[edit]

This section on De septem mundi miraculis is very intriguing, but it definitely needs a citation

A treatise conventionally titled De septem mundi miraculis, on the Seven Wonders of the World, is ascribed to Philo of Byzantium, but belongs to a much later date, probably the 6th century A.D.[citation needed]

Cobham1 (talk) 18:56, 24 June 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Philo or should it be Philon?[edit]

Almost every other Internet source identifies the mathematician as "Philon of Byzantium", so which spelling is correct? Should the page title be changed? Perhaps someone with sufficient knowledge of the Classical Greek world could confirm the right title to use (and if "Philo", explain why/how the use of "Philon" also came about). Pete Hobbs (talk) 17:10, 2 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Note that even Wikipedia's "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World" quotes him as being Philon of Byzantium! Pete Hobbs (talk) 17:13, 2 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

I suspect the problem is casued by some one who did not know enough about Greek grammar. He probably found the genitive Philonis (or some other case) and wrongly assumed the nominative would be Philon. I have checked W. Smith, A smaller Callical Dictionary and find the article's current title to be correct, Philo. Peterkingiron (talk) 21:08, 2 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Not quite... "Philon" would be the direct transliteration of his Greek name, while "Philo" is the latinized form. It's the same as with the Greek god Apollon, whom everyone knows as Apollo. Constantine ✍ 22:54, 2 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks, guys! I asked because I came across two references to said person on the 7WotAW page, the first as Philo (hyperlinked) in the Intro and the second as Philon (unlinked) in the Background section - and wasn't sure which way to correct (figuring that the second needing hyperlinking too as much farther down the page and at a point of particular interest). The Apollo comparison was useful too - I see the wikipage has a double translation (Ἀπόλλων, Apollōn). Perhaps it would help the Philo page to have a similar double translation, rather than just the single Φίλων ὁ Βυζάντιος? But I'll leave that for an expert on Greek grammar to insert! Pete Hobbs (talk) 06:22, 3 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Or Plato, whose Greek name was actually Platon. — LlywelynII 01:35, 5 July 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Philo Math. Vet.[edit]

So (a) What is this actually abbreviating? De Mathematicis Veteribus ("On the Ancient Mathematicians")? or something else? Thevenot's 1693 Veterum Mathematicorum Opera in the wrong order?

(b) Does that citation mean that Philo wrote something sometimes known in Latin translation as "On the Ancient Mathematicians"? or does it mean some early modern scholar compiled a book on Greek and Roman mathematicians and the cite is pointing at Philo's section in that collection?

Any ideas? — LlywelynII 01:38, 5 July 2023 (UTC)[reply]