XENOPHON, an illustrious philosopher, commander, and historian, was the son of Gryllus, an Athenian, and is supposed to have been born in the fourth year of the eighty-third Olympiad, 445 b. c. When he was a youth, Socrates, struck with his personal appearance, determined to admit him into the number of his pupils. Meeting him by accident in a narrow passage, the philosopher put his staff across the path, and stopping him, asked where those things were to be purchased which are necessary to human life? Xenophon appearing at a loss for a reply to this unexpected salutation, Socrates proceeded to ask him where honest and good men were to be found? Xenophon still hesitating, Socrates said to him, “Follow me, and learn.” From that time Xenophon became a disciple of Socrates, and made a rapid progress in that moral wisdom for which his master was so eminent. Xenophon accompanied Socrates in the Peloponnesian war, and fought courageously in defence of his country. He afterwards entered into the army of Cyrus as a volunteer in his expedition against his brother. This enterprise proving unfortunate, Xenophon, after the death of Cyrus, advised his fellow-soldiers to attempt a retreat into Greece. They listened to his advice; and having had many proofs of his wisdom as well as courage, they gave him the command of the army, after the death of their generals. In this command he acquired great glory by the prudence and firmness with which he conducted them back, through the midst of innumerable dangers, into their own country. The particulars of this memorable service are related by Xenophon himself in his Anabasis, frequently called the Retreat of the ten Thousand. After his return into Greece, he joined Agesilaus, king of Sparta, and fought with him against the Thebans in the celebrated battle of Chaeronea. The Athenians, displeased at this alliance, brought a public accusation against him for his former conduct in engaging in the service of Cyrus, and condemned him to exile. The Spartans upon this took Xenophon, as an injured man, under their protection, and provided him a comfortable retreat at Scillus. Here, with his wife and two children, he remained several years, and passed his time in the society of his friends, and in writing those historical works which have rendered his name immortal. A war at length arose between the Spartans and Eleans; and Xenophon was obliged to retire to Lepreum, where his sons had taken refuge. He afterwards removed, with his whole family, to Corinth, where he is supposed to have died, about the age of ninety; but the chronology of his life is involved in obscurities from which it cannot easily be extricated.

Of the works of Xenophon there are many editions. The editio princeps was printed by Junta, Florent. 1516, fol. An edition more correct, and containing some works omitted in the first, issued from the press of Aldus, Venet. 1525, fol. After several intervening impressions appeared that of H. Stephanus, 156), fol. Another important edition, several times reprinted, was that of Leunclavius, Basil. 1569, fol. After a long interval, this was followed by the edition of Wells, Oxon. 1703, 5 tom. 8vo. The editor, who is not commended for his fidelity, has added Dodwell’s Chronologia Xenophontea. This edition of Dr Wells was republished with considerable improvements by Thieme, Lipsiae, 1763-4, 4 tom. 8vo. A valuable edition with a commentary was afterwards published by Weiske, Lips. 1798-1804, 6 tom. 8vo. We shall only mention another edition, that of J. G. Schneider, Lips. 1815, 6 tom. 8vo. A very useful accompaniment of any edition must not be overlooked, namely Sturz’s Lexico Xenophonteum. Lips. 1801-4, 4 tom. 8vo. The materials had partly been collected by Thieme. Of several works of Xenophon there are many separate editions, some of them very elaborate. Several of them have likewise been translated into many different languages. Gail published “Oeuvres complètes de Xénophon, traduites en Français, accompagnées du texte, de la version Latine, et de notes critiques.” Paris, 1797- 1804, 6 tom. 4to. A supplementary volume, in three parts, containing various appendages, was subsequently published. The French version is not entirely new. The translations of the Cyropaedia, Anabasis, and Memorabilia, by Dacier, Larcher, and Leveque, have been adopted with some slight modifications. Some of his works have been repeatedly translated into English; but we shall only specify the version of the Cyropaedia by the Hon. Maurice Ashley Cooper, of the Anabasis by Edward Spelman, of the Memorabilia by Sarah Fielding, of the Symposium by Dr Wellwood, and of the History by Dr Smith, dean of Chester.

Χενορηον, a native of Ephesus, is supposed to have written towards the close of the second century. His romance, “De Anthia et Habrocome Ephesiacorum libri v.” was first edited by Cocchi, Lond. 1726, 4to. An Italian translation had previously been published by Salvini, Lond. 1723, 8vo. The original work appears in the collection of Mitscherlich, Scriptores Erotici Gravi. Biponti, 1792-4, 3 tom. 8vo. It was about the same time edited by Polyzoes, Viennae Aust. 1793, 8vo. A much better edition was soon afterwards published by Baron Locella, Vien. Aust. 1796, 4to. Another edition, regarded as the best, was published by Peerlkamp, Harlemi, 1818, 4to. This romance of Xenophon the Ephesian has repeatedly been translated into French and German, as well as Italian; and an English version was published by Rooke, Lond. 1727, 8vo.