ANDRONICO DI RODI

ANDRONICUS of Rhodes. - Peripatetic philosopher of the 1st century B.C., tenth scholarch of the Lyceum. His name is linked to the edition of the works of the Aristotelian school, from which the collection we possess substantially derives. For this edition, ANDRONICUS was able to make use of the Master’s own library, which, inherited by Theophrastus, passed from him to Neleus of Scepsis (Troas), and was finally sold to Apellicon, an official of Mithridates. It fell into the hands of Sulla in 86 B.C., who transported it to Rome. Refuted by modern philology is the legend according to which, before ANDRONICUS’ edition, the works of the Stagirite’s school were unknown. Copies of those works were, as is evident from various testimonies, in the library of Alexandria, nor could the Lyceum have been without them. Since the manuscripts brought by Sulla to Rome were very probably those of Aristotle himself, even if not all from his own hand, ANDRONICUS’ work must have consisted in collation and critical revision. Besides the edition of Aristotle, he also prepared that of Theophrastus. Of both he compiled indices of the works, only part of which have come down to us. We possess no work by ANDRONICUS. A De affectibus and a paraphrase of the Nicomachean Ethics have been falsely attributed to him by tradition.