Publius Nigidy Figuli (Nigidius Figulus, Publius)

Nigidy Figuli, Publius; Nigidius Figulus, Publius, to 98-45 years. BC. e., a Roman scholar, researcher pifagoreicheskogo direction (cm. Pythagoras). He was on friendly terms with Cicero, who helped crush the conspiracy of Catiline. In 58 g. BC. e. was praetor, during the Civil War, sided with Pompey, after his defeat, went into exile. N.F. studied grammar, theology and natural sciences. By grammatical writings belong to grammatical notes (Commentarii grammatici), which numbered about 29 books. It was not a systematic presentation of grammar, but only the collection of works relating to various linguistic issues. Gellius drew attention to the fact that the style works N.F. sloppy. Synonymy N.F. expounded in the book. IV and X, on flexion told in the book. IX and XXIV, in which he pays attention to accents and spelling, word-formation (eg, adjectives and adverbs-osus on-im) were devoted to the book. XI, XX and XXV, syntax - the book. XXIII, and the etymology - the book. XXIX.

Several pieces address issues of phonetics, in which N.F. drew his arguments to prove the idea of Chrysippus that words are not only common signs of speech, but their sound is directly related to the entity designated items. N.F. interested in the problems of spelling, tried to withdraw from use in the Latin spelling letters k, q, x. On the rhetorical monograph N.F. On gesture and facial expression (De gestu) mentions Kvintillian. Large place in scientific pursuits N.F. is a theological perspective. In the work of the gods (De dis), from which the ancient quoted Prince. XIX N.F. first tried to reconcile the Roman pantheon and religious beliefs of the Romans and the Etruscans with astrological beliefs and Irano-Babylonian wisdom, especially with regard to cosmology. Etruscan guessing were devoted to works on divination by entrails (De extis) and includes 2 books a treatise on divination by bird's eye (De augurio privato).

Among the natural scientific writings N.F. ancient writers called on the wind (De vento) 4 kN. and O animals (De animalibus) in 4 books, . On human nature (De hominum natura), . also in 4 books, . astrological treatise of human geography on zones of the Earth (De terris) and astronomic-astrological work scope (Sphaera), . which described the main zodiacal constellations, . Greek and barbarian, . ie the Egyptian and Babylonian,
. Some even recognize the existence of a separate labor of lightning. Learning N.F. aroused the admiration of the ancients, but his research, often naive and uncritical, were pushed aside the achievements of Mark Terentius Varro, who, like N.F. was under the influence of Pythagoreanism. Representations N.F. of Pythagoras rather vague. Information about the Eastern knowledge, especially astronomy, astrology, he was obliged to works Epigena Byzantine and Asclepiades Mirleyskogo. Influence works N.F. small, it is felt only in theology.