Archytas

Archytas of TARENTUM, who flourished about 400 B.C., was seven times elected general, and was victorious in every campaign. His civil administration was equally fortunate; and he was less distinguished as a mathematician and philosopher. His virtues were as conspicuous as his talents; he was unselfish, moderate, and humane; and although one of the greatest geometricians, he did not disdain to make toys for his children. He solved the problem of the doubling of the cubes, and secured almost the reputation of a magician by his numerous mechanical contrivances, the most wonderful of which was the flying pigeon. A Pythagorean in philosophy, he is supposed to have exerted an influence on Plato, and some affirm that Aristotle was indebted to him for the idea of his categories. Only unimportant fragments of his writings remain. They relate to metaphysics, ethics, logic, and physics. Horace says he was drowned in the Adriatic.