a celebrated dithyrambic poet, a native of the island of Cythera, flourished B.C. 398, being contemporary with Timotheus and Telestes, and died at the age of sixty, B.C. 380. He was a son of Euletidas, and when Cythera was taken by the Lacedemonians, he was carried off as a slave. He was sold to Hegesylus, and on his death was bought by the poet Melanippides, by whose instruction he seems to have profited. He was devoted to the pleasures of the table, and became a great favourite of the elder Dionysius. Amongst various anecdotes told of him, it is said that Dionysius once repeated some of his own poetry to him, and asked his opinion of it, when the poet boldly told him that it was mere trash. The tyrant ordered him to prison, but at the solicitation of his friends released him the following day, and invited him to supper. He again repeated some poetry; but when Philoxenus was asked his opinion, he simply said, "Order me again to prison;" and arose, in expectation of being led away; but the tyrant was amused at the idea, and forgave him. Philoxenus, however, took an early opportunity of leaving Syracuse, and retired to Tarentum, which no solicitation of the tyrant could induce him to leave. According to another statement, he was so long confined in prison, that he had time to write a poem entitled Cyclops, which is said to have been one of the finest of his productions. Alexander the Great was a great admirer of the dithyrambics of Philoxenus and Telestes.