PTOLEMY Soter, or Lagus, king of Egypt, a renowned warrior, and an excellent prince; he established an academy at Alexandria, and was himself a man of letters. Died 284 B.C. aged 92.

PTOLEMY Philadelphus, his second son, succeeded him to the exclusion of Ptolemy Ceraunus. He was renowned as a conqueror, but more revered for his great virtues and political abilities. He established and augmented the famous Alexandrian library, which had been begun by his father. He greatly increased the commerce of Egypt, and granted considerable privileges to the Jews, from whom he obtained a copy of the Old Testament, which he caused to be translated into Greek, and deposited in his library. This is supposed to have been the version called the Septuagint. He died 246 years B.C. aged 64.

PTOLEMY Ceraunus, the elder brother, fled to Seleucus king of Macedon, who received him hospitably; in return for which he assassinated him, and usurped his crown. He then invited Arsinoë, who was his widow and his own sister, to share the government with him; but as soon as he got her in his power, he murdered her and her children. He was at length defeated, killed, and torn limb from limb by the Gauls, 279 B.C.