1864-1866); _The Handbook of
Autographs_, by F. G. Netherclift (1862); _The Autograph Album_, by L. B.
Phillips (1866); _Facsimiles of Autographs_ (British Museum publication),
five series (1896-1900). Facsimiles of autographs also appear in the
official publications, _Facsimiles of National MSS., from William the
Conqueror to Queen Anne_ (Master of the Rolls), 1865-1868; _Facsimiles of
National MSS. of Scotland_ (Lord Clerk Register), 1867-1871; and
_Facsimiles of National MSS. of Ireland_ (Public Record Office, Ireland),
1874-1884.

(E. M. T.)

AUTOLYCUS, in Greek mythology, the son of Hermes and father of Anticleia,
mother of Odysseus. He lived at the foot of Mount Parnassus, and was famous
as a thief and swindler. On one occasion he met his match. Sisyphus, who
had lost some cattle, suspected Autolycus of being the thief, but was
unable to bring it home to him, since he possessed the power of changing
everything that was touched by his hands. Sisyphus accordingly burnt his
name into the hoofs of his cattle, and, during a visit to Autolycus,
recognized his property. It is said that on this occasion Sisyphus seduced
Autolycus's daughter Anticleia, and that Odysseus was really the son of
Sisyphus, not of Laertes, whom Anticleia afterwards married. The object of
the story is to establish the close connexion between Hermes, the god of
theft and cunning, and the three persons--Sisyphus, Odysseus,
Autolycus--who are the incarnate representations of these practices.
Autolycus is also said to have instructed Heracles in the art of wrestling,
and to have taken part in the Argonautic expedition.

_Iliad_, x. 267; _Odyssey_, xix. 395; Ovid, _Metam._ xi. 313; Apollodorus
i. 9; Hyginus, _Fab._ 201.

AUTOLYCUS OF PITANE, Greek mathematician and astronomer, probably
flourished in the second half of the 4th century B.C., since he is said to
have instructed Arcesilaus. His extant works consist of two treatises; the
one, [Greek: Peri kinoumenes sphairas], contains some simple propositions
on the motion of the sphere, the other, [Greek: Peri epitolon kai duseon],
in two books, discusses the rising and setting of the fixed stars. The
former treatise is historically interesting for the light it throws on the
development which the geometry of the sphere had already reached even
before Autolycus and Euclid (see THEODOSIUS OF TRIPOLIS).

There are several Latin versions of Autolycus, a French translation by
Forcadel (1572), and an admi