His historyofCyprus, De Cypro, written during the reign of Ptolemy Philopator (222–206 BC), has been lost, but it was known to at least two Christian writers, Clement of Alexandria[2] and Arnobius.[3] It contained a narration of the story of the mythicalPygmalion, of Cyprus, who fashioned a cult image of the Greek goddessAphrodite that came to life. Ovid depended on the account by Philostephanus for his dramatised and expanded version in Metamorphoses, through which the Pygmalion myth[4] was transmitted to the medieval and modern world.[5]
The remarks on Cyprus seem to have come from a larger work, On Islands. Scattered brief quotes of Philostephanus on islands refer also to Sicily,[6]Calauria off the coast of Troezen[7] and Stryme, off the Thracian coast.[8]Pliny's Natural History adduces Philostephanus as a source for the assertion that Jason was the first that went out to sea in a long vessel.[9]
Other works of Philostephanus cited in surviving passages from other authors were works Of the Cities of Asia, OnCyllene, Epirotica ("On Epirus"), On Marvellous Rivers[10]On Inventions, and various commentaries.
The fragments of Philostephanus, surviving in quotes from other authors, were published in Karl Wilhelm Ludwig Müller et al, Fragmenta Historicorum Graecorum.
^He is referred to once, mistakenly, by Aulus Gellius, as Polystephanus. (FHG); Aulus Gellius found an old manuscript of "Polystephanus" at Brundisium (Leofranc Holford-Strevens, Aulus Gellius: An Antonine Scholar and His Achievement (Oxford University Press) 2003:70.
^The name Galatea was not applied to his statue until the 18th century: see Galatea.
^Constance Jordan, "Montaigne's Pygmalion: The Living Work of Art in 'De l'affection des pere aux enfans'", Sixteenth Century Journal. 9,4 (Winter 1978:5-12) p. 5 note 2.
^fr. 19; Mogens Herman Hansen and Thomas Heine Nielsen, eds. An Inventory of Archaic and Classical Poleis (Oxford University Press) 2004:880, no. 650
^N.H., vii.57: Longa nave Jasonem primum navigasse, Philostephanus Auctor est
^frs. 20-25. Deipnosophistae reports glancingly Philostephanus' remarks on fishes, which may belong here: "Clearchus says this also more plainly than Philostephanus the Cyrenaean, whom I have previously mentioned: 'There are some fish which, though they have no throats, can utter a sound.'" (On-line text).
