E'THICUS, or .4i'THICUS, is conjectured to have lived about the 4th century of our era, and is the reputed author of a 'Cosmography; or short description of the world, being an enumeration of the seat, I islands, mountains, provinces, cities, and towns of the then known world, with a short account of the resumes and course of the principal rivers. In speaking of the Tiber's course through Rome, ha meotione the gate of St. Peter, that of St. Paul, and the Vla Portuensis, or of the martyr St. Felix.' lie also speaks of Rome as the mistress of the world, of the games held by tho Romans, of the prmfectus urbis, &c. These circumstances may serve to fix the time of the compilation of the work towards the end of the 4th century, when Rome had become completely Christian, but yet before Alaric's invasion. /Ethicue and his Cosmography ' are mentioned by several writers of the following ages, and among others by Isidorus of Seville, who lived in the early part of the 7th century. Rabauue Maurus (` de Inventione Linguarum '), a writer of the 9th century, calls .1Ethicus "a Scythian ;" and Elodoardue, a writer of the following century, calls him " Ister" from " Istria." 'de Hietoricis Latin's,' b. EL) At the beginning of his 'Cosmography; JEthicus states that Julius Cmsar, during his consulship with M. Antony, by virtue of a eenatus consultum, ordered a survey of the Roman world to be taken, and that the work was entrusted to three geometers—Zenodoxus for the eastern part, Polycleitue for the south, and Theodotue for the north—who completed their work under Augustus. This survey was probably the source from which the Antonine Itinerary was derived, which Itinerary in its present shape has also been attributed by some to .Ethicus. The 'Cosmography ' in most publications is followed by another and somewhat fuller description of the various parts and provinces of the world, apparently of the same period, entitled 'Alia toting Orbis Descriptio,' and generally attributed to Xthicue also, though there are doubts concerning his authorship. The second work
is also found almost literally in °rosins, forming the second chapter of his 1 istory. It has been suggested that Orosius may have copied it from .1Ethicus, and the text of Orosius has certainly the appearance of a copy, as he has shortened the beginning or introductory part, and also left out the concluding sentence, in which the author of the description, as we have it separately, promises to give a continuation of his work, or an ampler description of the towns, &c., beginning from Rome, which he styles "Caput Mundt et Domina Senates." (Simier's edition of JEthicus, Basil, 1575.) This last sentence pro mising a fuller account the author did not fulfil, or the account has been lost. But it is also worthy of remark, that in two manuscripts of Orosius in the national library at Paris. Nos. 4878 and 4882, the second chapter ends with these words, which are not found in the other manuscripts and printed editions of Orosius—" I'erceneui breviter ut potui provincial et iusulas Orbis Universi, quay Solinus ita descrysit." This would seem to attribute the work to Solinus.
To tho two Cosmographies attributed to lEthieue is added, in some editions, another extract, which is styled "Julii Ilonorii Oratoris Escerpta spas ad Cosmographiam pertinent." It is in its plan similar to the first Cosmography of lEthicits, only perhaps still drier and more incorrect. The three have been published, together with Meta,' Gronovius, Leyden, 1635.