Zopyrus
historical figure · 5 works · 5 mentions · 13 anchored passages
Zopyrus of Heraclea · Zopyrus son of Megabyzus · Zopyrus the physiognomist
spoken of as
1 expressionin the texts
On Fate
A physiognomist who professed to read character and nature from physical features and pronounced Socrates dull and lustful.
Do we not read how Zopyrus the physiognomist branded him—the man who professed to discern the characters and natures of men from the body, the eyes, the face, the brow?
Tusculan Disputations
Physiognomist who read vices in Socrates's form, later vindicated by Socrates's own reply
when Zopyrus, who professed to discern each man's nature from his form, had collected many vices against him in an assembly, he was laughed at by the rest, who did not recognize those vices in Socrates, but was relieved by Socrates himself, who said that those vices were indeed born in him, but had been cast off by reason.
Stromata
Zopyrus of Heraclea, identified as the real author of the work known as the Krater of Orpheus.
the Krater of Orpheus is Zopyrus' of Heraclea, and the Descent into Hades is Prodicus' of Samos.
Orations
Persian noble who helped capture Babylon.
For Cyrus will master the Medes, and Zopyrus the Babylonians, and the Mardian the people of Sardis, and the horse Troy.
The Histories
Son of Megabyzus who mutilates himself and feigns betrayal to infiltrate and deliver Babylon to Darius, becoming the passage's model of loyal service.
So when Darius assaulted the whole circuit of the walls, according to the agreed plan, then Zopyrus ' treason was fully revealed.
But in the twentieth month of the siege a marvellous thing befell Zopyrus, son of that Megabyzus who was one of the seven destroyers of the Magus:
There never was in Darius ' judgment any Persian before or after who did better service than Zopyrus, except Cyrus, with whom no Persian could compare himself.