DIA'GORAS OF MELDS, known also by the name of the Atheist, flourished, according to Suidasia, the 78th Olympiad, B.O. 468-65. Mr. Clluton has adopted this date; but Sealiger (in Eusob. cChron. p. 101) placed him ounabbrably later, fixing his flight from Athens in the year ac. 415; and be has been generally followed. The date which Mr. Clinton has taken is the more probable. Diaeoraa is chiefly known for his asserted open denial of the existence of gods ; but it may be doubted whether this was morn than a popular prejndioe : what is known of his writings gives no support to the charge of atheism, but the common opinion of the ancients fixes the charge upon Diagoras is said to have broached atheism on seeing a man who had stolen ono of his writings and published it is his own go unpunished for the crime. (Seat. Einpir. 'adv. Math: p. 31&) On account of this atheism it is generally said that the Athenians put a price upon his bead, offering a talent to any who should kill him, and two to any one who should bring him alive ; though Suidas, Athenageras, and Tatian attribute the indignation of tho Athenians, and the sub sequent flight of Disgeras, to his having divulged the nature of same of their mysteries. It is not impossible however that this was one of
the overt acts by which his character for atheism was established ; in which case the two accounts, which seem to differ, would really coincide. He is said to have been bought as a slave by Democritus, and also to have met his death by shipwreck. (Athen. xiii. p. Gil, B.) Aristophanes in his play of the 'Clouds,' one object of which was to raise a religious outcry against Socrates, has maliciously fastened on him the odious name of the Mellen. (' Clouds,' 830.) Allan (' Var. Hist.' Ii. 23) says that Diagoras assisted Nicoderus in drawing up the laws of the Mantineans. Diaguras was also a lyric poet, though some, apparently without sufficient grounds, have attempted to separate the lyric poet from the atheist.
(Bayle, Dictionary; Fabricius, Bibliotheca firma, ed. Mules, vol. pp. 119 and 655; Meier in Griiber's Allgon. Enc. xxiv. pp. 439-48.)