P.9.
Which Roscommon translates: Painters and poets have been still allow'd Their pencil and their fancies unconfined.
[7] Epicharmus was a native of Cos, but lived at Megara, in Sicily, and when Megara was destroyed, removed to Syracuse, and lived at the court of Hiero, where he became the first writer of comedies, so that Horace ascribes the invention of comedy to him, and so does Theocritus.

He lived to a great age.
[8] Pherecydes was a native of Scyros, one of the Cyclades; and is said to have obtained his knowledge from the secret books of the Phoenicians.

He is said also to have been a pupil of Pittacus, the rival of Thales, and the master of Pythagoras.

His doctrine was that there were three principles ([Greek: Zeus], or AEther; [Greek: Chthon], or Chaos; and [Greek: Chronos], or Time) and four elements (Fire, Earth, Air, and Water), from which everything that exists was formed .-- _Vide_ Smith's Dict.Gr.and Rom.

Biog.
[9] Archytas was a native of Tarentum, and is said to have saved the life of Plato by his influence with the tyrant Dionysius.