Nicephorus

• a Roman surname, Cic. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 2, § 4; Inscr. Murat. 83, 3.

(Νικηφόρος ὁ Γρηγορᾶς), one of the most important Byzantine historians, was probably born in 1295, in the town of Heralcleia Pontica, in Asia Minor. While he lived in his native town, his education was conducted by John, archbishop of Heracleia, but, having been sent to Constantinople, he was placed under the care of John Glycis, patriarch of Constantinople. [Glycis.] He learned mathematics and astronomy from Theodorus Metochita, the writer. At an early age Gregoras, who had taken orders, became acquainted with the emperor Andronicus I., the elder, who took a great fancy to him, and offered him the important place of Chartophylax, or keeper of the imperial archives, but the modest young priest declined the office, on the plea of youth. He afterwards, however, accepted several offices of importance, and in 1326 was sent as ambassador to the Kral, that is, the king of Servia. Gregoras was still very young, when he became celebrated for his learning. A dispute having arisen as to the day on which Easter was to be celebrated, Gregoras, in an excellent dissertation, proved that the system then adopted for computing that day was erroneous, and proposed another method. If it had not been for the fear which the clergy entertained of exciting the superstitious mob of Constantinople by a reform of the calendar, the computation of Gregoras would have been adopted by the Greek church. When pope Gregory XIII., 300 years afterwards, reformed the calendar, it ws found that the computation of Gregoras was qite right: the treatise which he wrote on the subject is still extant, and highly appreciated by astronomers. Being a staunch adherent of the elder Andronicus, Gregoras was involved in the fate of this unfortunate emperor, when he was deposed, in 1328, by his grandson, Andronicus III., the younger, who punished the learned favourite of his grandfather by confiscating his property. For a few years after that event Gregoras led a retired life, only appearing in public for the purpose of delivering lectures on various subjects, which were crowned wich extraordinary success. The violence of his language, however, caused him many enemies. In 1332 he pronounced funeral orations on the emperor Andronicus the elder, and the Magnus Logotheta, Theodorus Metochita, mentioned above. He opposed the union of the Greek and Latin churches proposed by pope John XXII., who had sent commissioners for that object to Constantinople. An excellent opportunity for exhibiting his learning and oratorical qualities presented itself to Gregoras, when the notorious Latin monk Barlaam came over from Calabria to Constantinople, for the purpose of exciting dissensions among the Greek clergy. Barlaam had reason to expect complete success, when his career was stopped short by Gregoras, who challenged the disturber to a public disputation, in which Barlaam was so completely defeated, that, in his shame and confusion, he retired to Thessaloneica, and never more appeared in the capital. The dissensions, however, occasioned by Barlaam had a most injurious influence upon the peace of the Greek church, and caused a revolution, which ended most unfortunately for Gregoras. Gregorius Palamas, afterwards archbishop of Thessalonica, espoused the dogmas of Barlaan he was opposed by Gregorius Acindynus, and hence arose the famous controversy between the Palamites and Acindynites. This quarrel, like most disputes on religious matters in the Byzantine empire, assumed a political character. Gregoras resolved to remain neutral: his prudence ruined him, because, as his violent temper was known, be became suspected by both parties. Palamas, having been condemned by the synod of 1345, the victorious Acindynites were going to sacrifice Gregoras to their suspicions, but he was protected by John Cantacuzenus, afterwards emperor, who during a long time had professed a sincere friendship for him. A short time afterwards the Acindvnites were condemned in their turn, and the Palamites became the ruling party; they were joined by John Cantacuzenus, and this time Gregoras did not escape the resentment of the victors, though his only crime was neutrality. Abandoned by Cantacuzenus, he was imprisoned in 1351. He was afterwards released; but his enemies, among whom his former friend Cantacuzenus was most active, rendered him odious to the people, and when he died, in, or probably after, 1359, his remains were insulted by the mob. Works

Gregoras wrote a prodigious number of works on history, divinity, philosophy, astronomy, several panegyrics, some poems, and a considerable number of essays on miscellaneous subjects: a list of them is given by Schopen in the Bonn edition of the History of Gregoras, and by Fabricius, who also gives a list of several hundred authors perused and quoted by Gregoras. Ρ̓ωμαικῆς Ἱστορίας Λόγοι (Historia Byzantina)

The principal work of our author is his Ρ̓ωμαικῆς Ἱστορίας Λόγοι, commonly called Historia Byzantina, in thirty-eight books, of which, as yet, only twenty-four are printed. It begins with the capture of Constantinople by the Latins in 1204, and goes down to 1359; the twenty-four printed books contain the period from 1204 to 1351. The earlier part of that period is treated with comparative brevity; but as the author approaches his own time, he enters more into detail, and is often diffuse. This history ought to be read together with that of John Cantacuzenus: they were at first friends, but afterwards enemies, and each of them charges the other with falsehood and calumnies. Each of them represents events according to his own views, and their exaggerated praises of their partizans deserve as little credit as their violent attacks of their enemies. Gregoras was more learned than John Cantacuzenus, but the latter was better able to pass a judgment upon great historical facts. One cannot help smiling at seeing Gregoras, who was ambitious of nothing more than the name of a great philosopher, forget all impartiality and moderation as soon as the presumed interest of his party is at stake: his philosophy was in his head, not in his heart. His style is, generally speaking, bombastic, diffuse, full of repetitions of facts as well as of favourite expressions: he is fond of narrating matters of little importance with a sort of artificial elegance, and he cannot inform the reader of great events without an additional display of pompous words spun out into endless periods. Like most of his contemporaries, he mixes politics with theology.

These are his defects. We are indebted to him, however, for the care he has taken in making posterity acquainted with an immense number of facts referring to that period of Byzantine history when the Greek empire was still to be saved from ruin by a cordial understanding, both in political and religious matters, with the inhabitants of Europe. Editions

It is said that Frederic Rostgaard published the History of Gregoras, with a Latin translation, in 1559, but this is a mistake; at least, nobody has seen this edition.

The editio princeps is the one published by Hieronymus Wolf, Basel, 1562, fol., with a Latin translation and an index, which, bowever, contains only the first eleven books. Wolf was persuaded to undertake the task by Dernschwam, a German scholar, who had travelled in the East, where he obtained a MS. of the work. Wolf obtained another MS. in Germany, and was enabled to publish the work by the liberality of the celebrated patron of learning and arts, Count Anthony Fugger. He published this work, together with the Paralipomena of Nicetas, and the Turkish history of Laonicus Chalcocondylas, with a Latin translation by Konrad Clauser. The same edition was reprinted in the Historiae Byzantinae Descriptores Tres, Geneva, 1615, fol.

The MSS. perused by Wolf had many considerable lacunae, or passages that could not be deciphered. The corresponding text was afterwards found in other MSS by Petavius, who published them, together with the Breviarium of Nicephorus the Patriarch, Paris, 1616, 8vo.

The Paris edition was edited by Boivin, two volumes, 1702, fol. The first vol. is a carefully revised reprint of Wolf's edition, containing the first eleven books; the second vol. contains the following thirteen books, with a Latin translation by the editor, except books 23 and 24, which were translated by Claudius Copperonerius; it contains also the excellent notes of Du Cange to the first seventeen books. Boivin deserves great credit for this edition. He intended to add a third volume, containing the remaining fourteen books, and a fourth volume with commentaries, &c., but neither of them was published. The Venice edition, 1729, fol., is a careless reprint of the Paris edition. The Bonn edition, by Schopen, 1829-30, 2 vols. 8vo., is a careful and revised reprint of the Paris edition. It is to be regretted that the learned editor of this edition has not thought it advisable to publish the remaining fourteen books also, the materials of which he would have found in very excellent condition in Paris. Other Printed Works Editions

The other printed works of Gregoras are--

Oratio in Obitum Theodori Metochitae (Gr. Lat.), in Theodori Metochitae (that is, Michael Glycas [Glycas]) Historia Romana, ed. Joh. Meursius, Leyden, 1618, 8vo.; Commentarii sive Scholia in Synesium De Insomniis, in the Paris edition of Synesius, 1553, fol.; Vita Sancti Codrati et Sociorum Martyrum, interprete Reinoldo Dehnio, in the second vol. of Acta Sanctorum; Paschalium Correctum, Τὸ διορθωθὲν πασχάλιον ὑπὸ Νικηφόρου φιλοσόφου τοῦ Γρηγορᾶ, περὶ οὗ καὶ ὁ Ἄργυρος ἐν τῇ ῥηθείσῃ μεθόδῳ διαλαμβάνει, in Petavius, Uranologium, and in the third volume of the same author's Doctrina Temporum, the celebrated work mentioned above; Epistola ad Theodulum Monachum, in Normann's edition of Theodulus, Upsala, 1693, 4to. Further Information

Dissert. de Nicephoro Gregora, in Oudin, Commentarii de Script. Eccles., vol. iii. p. 768, &c.; Boivin, Vita Nic. Greg., in the Paris and Bonn editions of Gregoras, Hist. Byz. ; Cave, Hist. Lit., Appendix, p. 45; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. vii. p. 633, &c.; Hankius, De Byz. Rer. Script. p. 579, &c. [W.P]

(Νικηφόρος), i. e. bringing victory, occurs as a surname of several divinities, such as Aphrodite. (Paus. 2.19.6.) [L.S]

(Νικηφόρος), emperor of Constantonople, A. D. 802-811, was a native of Seleuceia in Pisidia, and by all sorts of court intrigues rose to the important post of logotheta, or minister of finances,with which he was invested by the empress Irene. The prime minister Aetius, an eunuch, conspired against that excellent princess with a view of putting his brother Leo on the throne. His schemes were seen through by several of the grand functionaries of state, and a counterconspiracy took place, which is decidedly one of the most remarkable recorded in history. The principal leaders on both sides were eunuchs, of whom seven were against Aitius, viz., Nicetas, the commander of the guard, his two brothers, Sisinnius and Leo Clocas, the quaestor Theoctistus, Leo of Sinope, Gregorius, and Petrus, all of whom held the patrician rank. Their object was to raise Nicephorus to the throne, and they succeeded through one of those sudden strokes which are so characteristic of the revolutions of Constantinople. On the 31st of October, 802, Nicephorus was suddenly proclaimed emperor. He began his career by deceiving Irene by false promises; and no sooner had she entrusted her safety to him, than he sent her into exile in the island of Lesbos, where she died soon afterwards of misery and grief. The vices of the new master of the empire soon became so conspicuous that he incurred the hatred of the very parties to whom he was indebted for his elevation; but as he was supported by the clergy, and a crowd of reckless characters, he attacked his former friends openly, and put their leader Nicetas to death. Upon this Bardanes. surnamed the Turk, the bravest man and best general of Greece, rose in revolt, was proclaimed emperor by his adherents, and marched against Nicephorus, who was unable to vanquish him in the field, and took refuge in intrigues. Forsaken by his principal supporters Bardanes promised to submit on condition of enjoying his life and property. Both were granted him by the emperor. As soon, however, as Bardanes was in the power of his faithless rival, he was forced to take the monastic habit, had his property confiscated, was deprived of his eyes, and continued till his death to be a victim of unremitting cruelty and revenge. In 803 Nicephorus sent ambassadors to Charlemagne, and received in his turn an embassy from the latter. A treaty was made between them, by which the frontiers of the two empires were regulated: Charlemagne was confirmed in the possession of Istria, Dalmatia, Liburnia, Slavonia, Croatia, and Bosnia; but the Dalmatian islands and sea-towns were left to Nicephorus. In these transactions Nicephorus showed no small deference to his great rival in the West, while he behaved with impudence towards his equally great rival in the East, the khalif Harun-ar-Rashid, who resented the insult by invading the empire. After a bloody war of several years, during which a great portion of Asia Minor was laid waste, Nicephorus was compelled to accept the disgraceful conditions of a peace, by which he was bound to pay to the khalif an annual tribute of 30,000 pieces of gold, out of which three were considered as being paid by the Greek emperor personally, and three others by his son Stauracius. In 807 Nicephorus set out for Bulgaria, being involved in a war with king Crum, and in the same year the Arabs ravaged Rhodes and Lycia. A dangerous conspiracy obliged him to return to Constantinople, where a few months after his arrival another one broke out of which he nearly became a victim. Through the death of Harun-ar-Rashid, in 809, Nicephorus was relieved from his most formidable enemy, but was nevertheless unable to secure peace to his subjects, king Crum of Bulgaria proving as dangerous as the khalif. In order to carry on th e war against the Bulgarians with effect, Nicephorus established a strong and permanent cordon, or army of observation, along the Danube, and oppressed his people with taxes. The public indignation was roused, and an attempt was made to assassinate him. However, he was destined to die a more honourable death. Having drained the people of their gold and silver he was enabled to raise a very strong army, at the head of which he penetrated very far into Bulgaria (811), and so weakened Crum that the latter sued for peace. Nicephorus, proud of his success, rejected the request; but the barbarian king now rose with all the energy of despair, and, as often happens in such cases, ruined the man who was too sure of ruining him. The Greeks being encamped on a plain surrounded on all sides by steep rocks, intersected by a few narrow ravines, Crum contrived to block up all these defiles but one with enormous quantities of dry wood and other combustible materials, which one night were set on fire, while the Bulgarians from all sides shouted their war cries as if they intended to descend into the plain and take the camp by assault. The terrified Greeks rushed towards the only defile that was still open, but there were received by Crum with his main forces, and a conflict in the night ensued in which the Greek army was nearly destroyed, and Nicephorus lost his life, slain either by the enemy or his own enraged soldiers (25th of July 811). His son Stauracius, although badly wounded, escaped and hastened to Constantinople, where he was proclaimed emperor. (Theophan. p. 402, &c.; Cedren. p. 476, &c.; Zonar. vol. ii. p. 121, &c.; Manass. p. 93; Glyc. .. 285, &c.) [W.P]

(Νικηφόρος ὁ Φωκᾶς), emperor of Constantinople A. D. 963-969, was the son of the celebrated Bardas Phocas, and was born in or about 912. He owed his elevation to those great military capacities which were hereditary in his family, and through which he obtained a fame that places him by the side of Narses, Belisarius, and the emperors Heraclius, Mauricius, and Tiberius. In 954 Constantine VII. Porphyrogenitus appointed him magnus domesticus, and his brothers Leo and Constantine, next to him the best generals, were also entrusted with great military commands. The Greeks were then at war with the khalif Modhi, against whom Nicephorus and his brothers marched in 956. The first campaign was rather disastrous to the Greeks, who were defeated in a pitched battle in which Constantine Phocas was taken prisoner by the Arabs, who afterwards put him to death. In 958 Nicephorus and Leo took a terrible revenge. Chabgan, the Arab emir of Aleppo, the terror of the Christians, had conquered Cilicia: Nicephorus defeated him several times, took Mopsuestia and. Tarsus, and forced him to fly into Syria, while Leo conquered the important fortress of Samosata. In an ensuing campaign in Svria the Greeks were likewise victorious, and, Romanus II. having succeeded his father Constantine in 959, Nicephorus proposed to the young emperor to drive the Arabs out of Crete, where they had established their power 136 years previously, to the great grief and annoyance of the Greeks. The expedition took place in 960, and the capital Candia, a fortress which was believed to be impregnable, having surrendered in 961, after a memorable siege of ten months, the island once more recognised the Greek rule. All Greece was in joy, and the conquest was thought to be so important, and, above all, was so unexpected, that the victor was allowed the honour of a public triumph in Constantinople. In 962 Nicephorus set out for another campaign in Syria, at the head of a splendid army of 200,000 men, according to the probably exaggerated statements of the Arabs, and of 80,000 men according to Liutprand. The passes across Mount Anianus were forced, Aleppo, Antioch, and the other principal towns of Syria surrendered, or were taken by assault, and Nicephorus pushed on towards the hEuphrates. The victor was checked in his military career by the death of the emperor Ronanus in 963, whose prime minister Brindas, jealous of the unparalleled success of Nicephorus, endeavoured to ruin him by intrigues. Brindas made tempting propositions to John Zimisces and his brother Romanus Curcuas, through whose instrumentality he hoped to accomplish his objects; but those two generals, having apprised their commander-in-chief of the treachery of Brindas, Nicephortus was enabled to triumph over his rival. Theophano, the widow of Romanus, rewarded him by appointing him supreme commander of all the Greek armies in Asia, with unlimited and almost sovereign authority. In consequence of a widow, the mother of two infant princes, being placed at the head of the empire, the numerous partisans of Nicephorus persuaded him to seize the supreme power, and after some hesitation he allowed himself to be proclaimed emperor. Upon this he went to Constantinople, and consolidated his power by marrying Theophano; he was crowned in the month of December, 963; and along with him reigned, though only nominally, Basil II. and Constantine IX., the two infant sons of Romanus and Theophano.

During the absence of Nicephorus the Greeks were victorious in Cilicia, under the command of John Zimisces, afterwards emperor, and Nicephorus having joined him in 964, they, in three campaigns, conquered Damascus, Tripoli, Nisibis, and mnlly other cities in Syria, compelled the emir Chabgan to pay a tribute, and overran the whole country as far as the Euphrates. In 968 the Greeks crossed the Euphrates, Baghdad trembled, and the khalif seemed lost, but the death of Nicephorus, and the ensuing troubles in 969, saved the Mohammedan empire from destruction. Inflated with success Nicephorus had made himself odious to many of his subjects, and, although he was still popular with the army, the people in general, especially in Constantinople, were tired of his severity. Unfortunately for him he neglected his wife, and the bravest man in Greece fell a victim to the spite of a woman and the ambition of a jealous friend: John Zimisces and Theophano conspired against his life. Some of their helpmates were hidden in the imperial palace, and one night, on a certain signal being given, Zimisces came in a boat from the Asiatic side of the Bosporus, where he was watching an opportunity, to the water-gate of the palace, joined his confederates, and, guided by Theophano, entered the emperor's bedchamber. They found him sleeping on a skin: he started up, but the sword of one Leo clove his skull and he was soon despatched. His murderer Zimisces married his widow and succeeded him on the throne. Nicephorus Phocas was without doubt a most energetic man and a first-rate general, but his bright qualities were darkened by a very treacherous disposition, as we best see from his transactions with the emperor Otho I., which the latter entered into with a view of obtaining the hand of the princess Theophano or Theophania, the daughter of the late emperor Rotianuos. and stepdaughter of Nicephorus, for his son Otho, afterwards emperor. To this effect he sent, in 968, bishop Liutprand to Constantinople, who wrote a work on his embassy, which is one of the most interesting and important sources for the reign of Nicephorus, and the public and private lives of the Greeks of those times. The emperor Otho I. also endeavoured to obtain the cession of the Greek possessions in Italy, as a dowry of the princess Theophania, and it would perhaps have been advantageous to both parties if such a cession had taken place, Nicephorus being unable to defend Italy. The marriage of Otho II. with Theophania subsequently took place, but space forbids us to enter into the details of these transactions. (Liutprandus, Legatio ad Nicephporusm Phoearn; Cedren. p. 637, &c.; Zonar. vol. ii. p. 194, &c.; Manass. p. 114; Joel, p. 180; Glyc. p. 301, &c.) [W.P]

(ὁ Βοτανιάτης,) emperor of Constantinople A. D. 1078-1081. He belonged to an illustrious family which boasted of a descent from the Fabii of Rome. He was looked upon as a brave general, but his military skill was the only quality that recommended him. It is related in the life of the emperor Michael VII. Parapinaces, how Michael lost his throne in consequence of the contemporaneous rebellion of Bryennius and Botaniates, the subject of this article, and that the latter succeeded Michael on the throne. Botaniates was crowned on the 25th of AMarch, 1078, and soon afterwards married Maria, the wife of Michael, from whom she became divorced by the deposed emperor taking holy orders. Before Nicephorus could enjoy his crown he had to defend it against Bryennius, whom he routed and made a prisoner in the bloody battle of Salabrya. Bryennius met the fate of most of the unfortunate rebels: he had his eves put out, and was finally assassinated. Nicephorus made himself so detested by his brutal manners, his ingratitude, and his debaucheries, that his short reignr of three years was little more than an uninterrupted struggle against rebels, amongst whom Basilacius, who was defeated on the Vardar by Alexis Comnenus, Constantine Ducas, and Niceiphorus Melissenus, aspired to the throne. The 1;s.t was still in arms when the two Cotineni, Alexis and Isaac, were compelled to leave the court if they would maintain their dignity and independence, in consequence of which Alexis was proclaimed emperor and took up arms against his sovereign. Unable to resist the torrent, Nicephorus made propositions to Melissenus to abdicate in his favour, but Alexis Comnenus soon compelled him to do so in his own, and occupied the throne in his stead (1st of April, 1081). Nicephorus was obliged to become a monk and conform to the austere rules of St. Basil: lie died some time after his deposition. His complaint that he regretted the loss of his throne and liberty less than the necessity he was under to refrain from eating meat, shows sufficiently what sort of man he was. (Zonar. vol. ii. p. 289, &c.; Brvenn. 3.15, &c.; Seylit. p. 857, &c.; Joel. p. 185; Glyc. p. 332; Manass. p 135.) [W.P]

(Νικηφόρος), Byzantine writers.

1. Blemmidas or Blemmydas, lived in the thirteenth century. He was descended from a distinguished and wealthy family, but, nevertheless, took holy orders, and led the life of an ascetic. Having erected a beautiful church at his own expence at Nicaea, he was appointed presbyter of it, and, by his really Christian life, gave a good example to his people. One day Marchesina, the concubine of the emperor John Ducas, entered his church to hear the mass, when, to her astonishment and indignation, the honest Blemmidas ordered her to leave the church directly, and, as she refused to do so, he caused her to be turned out; in consequence of which he had to suffer much annoyance from the emperor. Theodore Lascaris, the successor of John Ducas, behaved differently to him, and on the death of the patriarch Germanus, in 1255, offered him the vacant seat, which, however, Nicephorus declined. In the religious disputes between the Greeks and the Latins, Blemmidas showed himself well disposed towards the latter. The year of the death of Blemmidas is not known. Works

He wrote various works, the principal of which are:-- 1. Opusculum de Processione Spiritus Sancti, &c.

In this work he adopts entirely the views of the Roman catholics on the procession of the Holy Ghost and other matters; which is the more surprising, as he wrote a second work on the same subject, where he defends the opinion of the Greek church. Leo Allatius De Consensu, 2.14) endeavours to justify him for his want of principle, showing that he either wrote that work when very young, before he had formed a thorough conviction on the point, or that some schismatics published their opinions under the name of Blemmidas. 2. De Processione Spiritus Sancti Libri I.

De Processione Spirtius Sancti Libri I. This is the second work, just mentioned, the first book of which is dedicated to the emperor Theodore Lascaris, and the second to Jacol), archbishop of Bulgaria. Editions

Graece et Latine, by Oderius Ragnaldus, in the appendix to the first volume of his Annales Ecclesiast.; by Leo Allatius, in the first volume of Orthodoxae Graeciae Script. 3. Epistola ad plurimos data postquam Marchesinam temple ejeceiat,

Epistola ad plurimos data postquam Marchesinam temple ejeceiat, Graece et Latine, in the second book of Leo Allatius, De Consensu. 4. Epitome Logica et Physica, Edition

Graece, Augsburg, 1605, 8vo. Unpublished works still in MS.

There are also many other writings by Blemmidas extant in manuscript, in the libraries of Munich, Rome, Paris, and other places. Further Information

Cave, Hist. Liter. ad an. 1255; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. xi. p. 394.

2. Bryennius. [Brysennius.]

3. Callistus Xanthopulus, the celebrated author of the Ecclesiastical History, was born in the latter part of the thirteenth century, and died about 1450. According to his own saying H. E. ii. p. 64), he had not yet completed his thirty-sixth year when he began to write that work, which he dedicated to the emperor Andronicus Palaeologus the elder, who died in 1327, whence we may infer the time of his birth. Works

Nicephorus' works are:-- 1. Historia Ecclesiastica

Historia Ecclesiastica, in twenty-three books, of which there are eighteen extant, compiled from Eusebius, Sozomenus, Socrates, Theoderetus, Evagrius, Philostorgius, and other ecclesiastical writers. The eighteen extant books contain the period from Christ down to the death of the tyrant Phocas, in 610; of the remaining five books, there are Argumenta extant, from which we learn that the work was carried down to the death of the emperor Leo Philosophus. in 911; but it is questionable whether they are the production of Callistus, or of some other writer. Although Callistus compiled from the works of his predecessors, he entirely remodelled his materials, and his elegant style caused him to be called Thucydides ecclesiast:cus; while his want of judgment, his credulity, and his love of the marvellous, in consequence of which his work abounds with fiables, induced some critics to style him the Plinius theologorumi. He had apparently studied the classical models, for his style is vastly superior to that of his contemporaries. Of this work there exists only one MS., which was originally in the library of Matthias Corvinus, king of Hungary and Bohemia (1458-1490), at Ofeni or Buda. When this city was taken by the Turks in 1526, the king's library was carried to Constantinople, where, soon afterwards, the MS. was purchased by a German scholar, who sold it in his turn to the imperial library in Vienna, where it is still kept. Editions

A Latin version by John Lang, of Erfurt, Basel, 1553, fol.; the same with scholia, 1560(61); Antwerp, 1560; Paris, 1562, 1573; Frankfort, 1588, fol.; Paris, 1566, 12 vols. 8vo. The principal edition is by Fronto Ducaeus, Paris, 1630, 2 vols. fol., containing the Greek text, with Lang's translation, both carefully revised by the editor. 2. Σύνταγμα

de Templo et Miraculis S. Mariae ad Fonteri, extant in MS. in the libraries of the Vatican and of Vienna, the latter very much damaged. 3. Catalogus imperatorum Constantinopolitanorumn, Versibus iambicis,

finishing with Andronicus Palaeologus the elder, who died in 1327; a later hand has added the emperors down to the capture of Constantinople. Editions

Editio princeps, the Greek text, by John Lang, Basel, 1536, 8vo.; by Labbe in Histor. Protrept. Byzant., Paris, 1648; and often, the text or translationm as an appendix to other works. 4. Catalogus Patriarchorume Constantinop.,

contains 141 persons, the last of whom is Callistus, who was made patriarch by the eniperor John Cantacuzenus; later writers have added to the number. Editions

Ed. ad calcem Epigranatum Theodori Prodromi, Basel, 1536, 8vo.; and by Labbe quoted above, who gives a similar catalogue in prose containing 149 patriarchs. 5. Catalogus Libror. Geneseos, Exodi, Levitici, Nuserorusm et Deuteronomici,

in iambic verses, extant in MS. 6. Catalogus SS. Patrum Ecclesiae,

in eighteen iambic verses, first published by Fabricius in Bibl. Graec., quoted below. 7. Catalogus brevis Hymnographorum Ecclesiae Graecae,

nine iambic verses. Editions

Published by Fabricius, ibid. vol. xi. p. 81. 8. ZZZMlenoloyiuts Sanctorum,

in iambic verses, published by the same, together with Gaulmini Vita Mosis, Hamburg, 1714, 8vo. 9. Excidium Hsolyinitanum,

in 150 iambic verses. Editions

Published with a metrical Latin version, by F. Morellus, in Expositio Themsatum Dominicorum, &c., Paris, 1620, 8vo. Hymns, Sermons, Homilies, Epistles

Further, a great number of hymns, sermons, homilies, epistles, &c.; Vita S. Andreae Apostoli, and other minor productions. Hody, the continuator of Cave, was of opinion that Anglicani ZZZSchdisinatis Redargutio, a work which he published at Oxford, 1691, 4to., ought to be ascribed to Nicephorus Callistus, but he afterwards changed his opinion. See his Letter to a Friend concerning a Collection of Canons, Oxford, 1692, 4to. That work was written about 1267. Further Information

Oudin, Comment. de Script. Ecclesitst. vol. iii. p. 709, &c.; Cave, Hist. Lit. ad an. 1333; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. vii. p. 437; Hamberger, Nachrichten von geehrten Männern.

4. Chartophylax, a Byzantine monk of very uncertain age, wrote: Solutionum Epistolae II. ad Thwodosium monachum, Graece et Latine, in Leunclavius, Jus Graeco-Romanum, in the twelfth vol. of Biblioth. Pair. iMatini., and in Orthodoxograplii. He is said to have lived in the beginning of the ninth century. Fabricius thinks he is the same as Nicephorus Diaconlus et Chartophylax, who was present at the second council of Nicaea, and was afterwards raised to the patriarchate: if so, however, he would be identical with Nicephorus, the famous author of the Breviarium, w;ho was made patriarch in 806. (Cave, Hist. Lit. ad an. 801; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. vii. pp. 608, 674.)

5. Chumnus. [Chumnus.]

6. Hieromonachus. [No. 10.]

7. Gregoras. [Gregoras.]

8. Monachus, a doubtful person, lived about 1100, according to P. Possinus. Works Περὶ φυλακῆς καρδιάς, De Custodia Cordis

One Nicephorus, a monk, is the author of Περὶ φυλακῆς καρδιάς, De Custodia Cordis, a very interesting and valuable essay. Editions

Possinus published this, in Greek and Latin, in his Thesaurus Asceticus, Paris, 1648, 4to. Further Information

Cave, Hist. Lit. ad an. 1101; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. vii. p. 679.

10. Philosophus, lived about 900, at Constantinople, where he enjoyed great esteem for his learning and genius. Works Oratio Panegyrica, s. Vita Antonii Caulei (Cauleae) Patriarch. CP.

He wrote Oratio Panegyrica, s. Vita Antonii Caulei (Cauleae) Patriarch. CP., who died in 891 (895). Editions

This is printed in Bollandii Acta Sanct., ad diem 12 Februarii. Ὀκτατευχὸς

He is perhaps also the author of Ὀκτατευχὸς, s. Catena in Octateuchum et Libros Regum, which is ascribed to one Nicephorus Hieromonachus. Editions

The Octateuchus was published at Venice, 1772-1773, 2 vols. fol., with a Latin version and a commentary: in the title there stands Leipzig, without a date. Further Information

Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. vii. p. 610; Cave, Hist. Lit. ad an. 895.

11. Presbyter Magnae Ecclesiae S. Sophiae CP., of uncertain age, wrote "Vita S. Andreae," surnamed ὁ σαλός (Simplex), ed. Greek and Latin, in Acta Sanctor. ad 28 diem Maii. (Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. vii. p. 675.)

12. Uranus, s. Oranus, of uncertain age, wrote Vita S. Symeonis Stylitae janioris, who died in 597 (in Acta Sanctor. ad 24 diem Maii). [W.P]

(Νικηφόρος). (1) Callistus Xanthopūlus, the author of an ecclesiastical history, was born in the latter part of the thirteenth century, and died about 1450. His ecclesiastical history was originally in twenty-three books, of which there are eighteen extant, extending from the birth of Christ down to the death of the tyrant Phocas, in 610. Although Nicephorus compiled from the works of his predecessors, he entirely remodelled his materials, and his style is vastly superior to that of his contemporaries.

(2) Gregŏras, q. v.

(3) Patriarcha, originally the notary or chief secretary of state to the emperor Constantine V. Copronymus, subsequently retired into a convent, and was raised to the patriarchate of Constantinople in 806. He was deposed in 815, and died in 828. Several of his works have come down to us, of which the most important is entitled Breviarium Historicum, a Byzantine history, extending from 602 to 770, and one of the best works of the Byzantine period. It is edited by Gedner (1832).