Praxiphanes (Greek: Πραξιφάνης) a Peripatetic philosopher, was a native of Mytilene, who lived a long time in Rhodes.
[1] He lived in the time of Demetrius Poliorcetes and Ptolemy I Soter, and was a pupil of Theophrastus, about 322 BC.
[3] Praxiphanes paid special attention to grammatical studies, and is hence named along with Aristotle as the founder and creator of the science of grammar.
[4][5] Of the writings of Praxiphanes, which appear to have been numerous, two are especially mentioned, a Dialogue ποιητῶν (Poiitón, 'Poetry')[6] in which Plato and Isocrates were the speakers, and an historical work cited by Marcellinus in his Life of Thucydides[7] under the title of Περὶ ἱστορίας (Perí istorías, 'About History').
[5] Praxiphanes also wrote a works titled On Friendship,[8] On Rare Words,[9] On the Universe,[10] On Poems, and commentaries on Homer's Odyssey, Hesiod's Works and Days, Sophocles' Oedipus at Colonus, and Plato's Timaeus.