a son of Antigonus and Stratonice, surnamed Poliorcetes, "Defrayer of towns." At the age of 22, he was sent by his father against Ptolemy, who invaded Syria. He was defeated near Gaza; but he soon repaired his los by a victory over one of the generals of the enemy. He afterwards failed with a fleet of 250 ships to Athens, and restored the Athenians to liberty, by freeing them from the power of Cassander and Ptolemy, and expelling the garrison, which was stationed there under Demetrius Phalereus. After this successful expedition, he besieged and took Munychia, and defeated Cassander at Thermopylae. His reception at Athens after these victories was attended with the greatest fervility, and the Athenians were not ashamed to raise altars to him as a god, and consult his oracles. This uncommon success raised the jealousy of the successors of Alexander; and Seleucus Cassander and Lysimachus united to destroy Antigonus and his son. Their hostile armies met at Ipsus, 299 years before the Augustan age. Antigonus was killed in the battle; and Demetrius, after a severe los, retired to Ephesus. His ill success raised him many enemies; and the Athenians, who had lately adored him as a god, refused to admit him into their city. He soon after ravaged the territory of Lysimachus, and reconciled himself to Seleucus, to whom he gave his daughter Stratonice in marriage. Athens now laboured under tyranny, and Demetrius relieved it and pardoned the inhabitants. The los of his possessions in Asia recalled him from Greece, and he established himself on the throne of Macedonia by the murder of Alexander the son of Cassander. Here he was continually at war with the neighbouring states, and the superior power of his adversaries obliged him to leave Macedonia, after he had sat on the throne for seven years. He passed into Asia, and attacked some of the provinces of Lysimachus, with various successes; but fa- Demetrius mine and pestilence destroyed the greatest part of his army, and he retired to the court of Seleucus for support and affiance. He met with a kind reception; but hostilities were soon begun; and after he had gained some advantages over his son-in-law, Demetrius was totally forsaken by his troops in the field of battle, and became an easy prey to the enemy. Though he was kept in confinement by his son-in-law, yet he maintained himself like a prince, and passed his time in hunting, and in every laborious exercise. His son Antigonus offered Seleucus all his possessions, and even his person, to procure his father's liberty; but all proved unavailing, and Demetrius died in the 47th year of his age, after a confinement of three years, 286 years before Christ. His remains were given to Antigonus, and honoured with a splendid funeral pomp at Corinth, and hence conveyed to Demetrias. His posterity remained in possession of the Macedonian throne till the age of Perseus, who was conquered by the Romans. Demetrius has rendered himself famous for his fondness of dissipation when among the dissolute, and for his love of virtue and military glory in the field of battle. He has been commended as a great warrior; and his ingenious inventions, his warlike engines, and stupendous machines in the war with the Rhodians, justify his claims to that character. He has been blamed for his voluptuous indulgences; and his biographer observes that no Grecian prince had more wives and concubines than Ptolemy. His obedience and reverence to his father has been justly admired; and it has been observed, that Antigonus ordered the ambassadors of a foreign prince particularly to remark the cordiality and friendship which subsisted between him and his son.

Demetrius, surnamed Donatus, succeeded his father Antigonus on the throne of Macedonia. He reigned 12 years, and was succeeded by his son Philip.

son of Philip king of Macedonia, delivered as a hostage to the Romans. His modesty delivered his father from a heavy accusation laid before the Roman senate. When he returned to Macedonia, he was falsly accused by his brother Perseus, who was jealous of his popularity, and his father too credulously consented to his death.

Demetrius I. surnamed Soter or Saviour, was son of Seleucus Philopator, the son of Antiochus the Great, king of Syria. His father gave him as a hostage to the Romans. After the death of Seleucus, Antiochus Epiphanes, the deceased monarch's brother, usurped the kingdom of Syria, and was succeeded by his son Antiochus Eupator. This usurpation displeased Demetrius, who was detained at Rome. He procured his liberty on pretence of going to hunt, and fled to Syria, where the troops received him as their lawful sovereign. He put to death Eupator and Lyrias, and established himself on his throne by cruelty and oppression. Alexander Bala, the son of Antiochus Epiphanes, laid claims upon the crown of Syria, and defeated Demetrius in a battle, 250 years before Christ.

Demetrius II. surnamed Nicator, or Conqueror, was son of Soter, to whom he succeeded by the assistance of Ptolemy Philometer. He married Cleopatra, the daughter of Ptolemy, who was before the wife of the expelled monarch Alexander Bala. Demetrius gave himself up to luxury and voluptuousness, and suffered Demetrius his kingdom to be governed by his favourites. At that time a pretended son of Bala, called Diodorus Tryphon, seized a part of Syria; and Demetrius, to oppose his antagonist, made an alliance with the Jews, and marched into the east, where he was taken by the Parthians. Phraates, king of Parthia, gave him his daughter Rodogyne in marriage; and Cleopatra was so incensed at this new connection, that she gave herself up to Antiochus Sidetes her brother-in-law, and married him. Sidetes was killed in a battle against the Parthians, and Demetrius regained the possession of his kingdom. His pride and oppression rendered him odious; and his subjects asked a king of the house of Seleucus from Ptolemy Physon king of Egypt; and Demetrius, unable to resist the power of his enemies, fled to Ptolemais, which was then in the hands of his wife Cleopatra. The gates were shut up against his approach by Cleopatra; and he was killed by order of the governor of Tyre, whither he had fled for protection, A. U. C. 627. He was succeeded by Alexander Zebina, whom Ptolemy had raised to the throne.

Demetrius Phalereus, a celebrated orator and Peripatetic philosopher, was the scholar of Theophrastus. He acquired to much authority at Athens, that he governed the city for ten years; and ruled with so much wisdom and virtue, that they set up 36 statues in honour of him. By the flanders of some malicious persons in his absence, he was, however, condemned to die; and his image was pulled down; which, when Demetrius heard, he said, they could not pull down that virtue for which those images were set up. He escaped into Egypt, and was protected by Ptolemy Lagus. This king, it is said, asked his advice concerning the succession of his children to the throne; viz. whether he ought to prefer those he had by Euridice to Ptolemy Philadelphus, whom he had by Berenice? and Demetrius advised him to leave his crown to the former. This displeased Philadelphus so much, that his father being dead, he banished Demetrius; who was afterwards killed by the bite of an ap. Demetrius composed more works in prose and verse than any other Peripatetic of his time; and his writings consisted of poetry, history, politics, rhetoric, harangues, and embassies. None of them are extant except his rhetoric, which is usually printed among the Rhetores Selecti.

Cynic philosopher, disciple of Apollonius Tyanaeus, in the age of Caligula. The emperor wished to gain the philosopher to his interest by a large present; but Demetrius refused it with indignation, and said, If Caligula wishes to bribe me, let him send me his crown. Vespaian was displeased with his insolence, and banished him to an island. The Cynic derided the punishment, and bitterly inveighed against the emperor. He died in a great old age; and Seneca observes that " nature had brought him forth to show mankind that an exalted genius can live securely, without being corrupted by the vices of the world."