HEPHAESTION

hephaestion, a grammarian of alexandria, who flourished in the age of the antonines. he was the author of a manual (abridged from a larger work in 48 books) of greek metres ([greek: hegcheiridion peri metron]), which is most valuable as the only complete treatise on the subject that has been preserved. the concluding chapter ([greek: peri poiematos]) discusses the various kinds of poetical composition. it is written in a clear and simple style, and was much used as a school-book. editions by t. gaisford (1855, with the valuable scholia); r. westphal (1886, in _scriptores metrici graeci_) and m. consbruch (1906); translation by t. f. barham (1843); see also w. christ, _gesch. der griech. litt._ (1898); m. consbruch, _de veterum_ [greek: peri poiematos] _doctrina_ (1890); j. e. sandys, _hist. class. schol._ i. (1906).