IS.EUS, one of the ten Athenian orators, was a native of Chalcis, or, according to other accounts, of Athens. Diouyaiva could not ascertain the time of his birth or death. So much as this appears certain : the vigour of his talent belonged to the period after the Peloponnesian war, and he lived to ace the time of King Philip. Hermippus, who wrote the lives of the pupils of Isocrates, has recorded nothing more of luau than that ho was a pupil of 1aocrnta•, instructed Demosthenes, and enjoyed the society of the chief philo sophers of his time.
The author of the ' Life of Dwell,' attributed to Plutarch, mentions sixty-four orations of Inoue, fifty of which were allowed to be genuine. At present there are only eleven extant, all of which are of the forensic, class (A6-yot aleaseca), and all treat of matters relating to wills and the succession to the property of testators, or persona intestate, or to disputes originating iu such matters. These orations are valusble for the insight which they give us into the laws of Athens as to the disposition of property by will, and in cases of intestacy, and also as to many of the forms of procedure. Dionysius, in his laboured comparison between Lysiaa and Janus, sums up as follows : —" In reading Lysias one would not suppose that anything is said either in an artificial manner or without perfect sincerity, but every thing appears natural and true ; thus forgetting that it is the height of art to imitate nature. Itt reading lawns one has just the contrary feeling; nothing appears to be spoken naturally and without an effort, not even what really is ao spoken ; but everything seems of set purpose, framed to deceive, or for some other sinister end.
One would believe Lyaiam, though he were stating what was false; one cannot, without some feeling of distruet, assent to laws, even when he speaks the truth." Again :—" Lysias seems to aim at truth, but lanes to follow art : the one strives to please, the other to produce effect." Dionysius adds that, iu his opinion, with Isnus originated that vigour and energy of style which his pupil Demosthenes carried to perfection. So far as the extant specimens of leteus enable us to form an opinion, this judgment appears to be just. The perspicuity and the artless simplicity of the style of Lysias are admirable; but on reading Janus wo feel that we have to do with a subtle disputant and a close reasoner, whose arguments are strong and pointed, but have too much the appearance of studied effect, and for that reason often fail to convince.
The best editions of the text of Janus are those by Bekker and Schoman. The oration on the 'Inheritance of Meuecles ' was first published by Tyrwhitt, London, 1785; and that ou the 'Inheritance of Cleonymus ' first appeared in its complete form at Milan, 1815, by Ang. Mai. The translation of lamus by Sir William Jones (1779, 4to) will give an English reader a sufficient notion of this orator; but the translation is somewhat deficient in critical accuracy, and also wanting in force.