Dionysius, Halicarnassensis

, junior, flourished, according to Suidas, under the emperor Adrian, and wrote twenty-six books of the “History of Musicians,” in which he celebrated not only the great performers on the flute and cithara, but those who had risen to eminence by every species of poetry. He was, likewise, author of five books, written in defence of music, and chiefly in refutation of what is alleged against it in Plato’s Republic. Aristides Quintilianus has also endeavoured to soften the severity of some animadversions against music in the writings of Cicero; but though time has spared the defence of this author, yet it does not indemnify us for the loss of that which Dionysius junior left behind him; as testimonies are still remaining or his having been a much more able writer than Aristides Quintilianus.

The loss of the entire works of this writer is severely felt by all musical historians, but particularly by those who seek information concerning the music and musicians of the ancient Greeks. ²