363 to
successes
which turned his mind, made him
366.
366.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - c
505–
first book of Euclid, and the Theological Elements, 512). One of the most celebrated of his letters
and the five Hymns, by Thomas Taylor.
(tepl Tiotews) was written in A. D. 435, when the
Besides the treatises already mentioned, the bishops of Armenia applied to him for his opinion
following have perished :-1. A commentary on on certain propositions which had been dissemi-
the Philebus of Plato (Procl. in Tim. p. 53, 222). nated in their dioceses, and were attributed to
2. A commentary on the Phaedrus of Plato (Procl. Theodorus of Mopsuestia. The discussion that
l. c. p. 329). 3. A defence of the Timaeus of ensued with respect to these propositions made a
Plato against the drtidShoeus of Aristotle (l. c. p. considerable stir in the East.
226. βιβλίον ιδία έκδεδωκώς οίδα των προς τον Proclus bestowed a great deal of pains upon
Τίμαιον Αριστοτέλους αντιρρήσεων επισκέψεις | his style, which is teree and sententious, but is
ποιουμένων). 4. Καθαρτικός των δογμάτων του | crowded with antitheses and rhetorical points, and
IIátwyos, against Domninus. (Suid. s. v. Aouri- betrays a laboured endeavour to reiterate the same
vos. ) 5. A commentary on the Theaetetus of sentiment in every possible variety of form. From
Plato. (Marinus, l. c. cap. ult. ) 6. Nóuol, a com- the quotations of subsequent authors, it appears
mentary apparently on the Laws of Plato. (Procl. that several of the writings of Proclus are lost.
in Tim. p. 178). 7. Notes on the 'Evveádes of The Platonic Theology of Proclus Diadochus has
Plotinus. 8. Mntpwakil Blenos, on the mother of sometimes been erroneously described as a theo
the gods. (Suid. s. o. Ilpok. . ) 9. Els triv 'Op- logical work of St. Proclus. The 24th of
Déws Seoroyſav. (Suid. l. c. ; Marinus, c. 27. ) | October is the day consecrated to the memory of
10. Tepl od Nória, in ten books. (Suid. Marin. c. St. Proclus by the Greek church. [C. P. M. ]
26. ) 11. A commentary on Homer. (Suid. ) 12. PROCLUS (Ipókhos), one of the eminent artists
Tepl râv rap' 'Oupa se@v. (Suid. ) 13. Eulo in mosaic who flourished in the Augustan age.
φωνία Ορφέως, Πυθαγόρου και Πλάτωνος. (Suid. | His name occurs on two inscriptions found at Ρe-
Marin. c. 22. ) 14. On the three éváões vontal, rinthus, from one of which we learn that he
namely, dañoela, kalor“, and ovujetpia. (Procl. adorned the temple of Fortune in that city, and that
in Polit. p. 433. ) 15. Els tòy lógov tñs Aloti- the Alexandrian merchants, who frequented the
μας περί της των κακών υποστάσεως. 16. Περί | city, erected a statue in honour of him. The second
dywyſis, on the theurgic discipline, in two books. inscription is the epitaph of a mosaic artist, who is
(Suid. ) 17. Various hymns and epigrams. (Fabric. said in it to have left a son, bis associate and equal
Bibl. Graec. vol. ix. pp. 363—445 ; Brucker, His in the art ; from which it would seem probable
toria Critica Philosophiae, vol. ii. pp. 319—336 ; that both father and son were named Proclus. The
Tennemann, Geschichte der Philosophie, vol. vi. ; second inscription, as restored, runs thus :-
Ritter, Geschichte der Philosophie, bk. xiii. c. 3.
Πάσαις έν πολίεσσι τέχνην ήσκησα προ πάντων
vol. iv. p. 699, &c. )
[C. P. M. ]
PROCLUS (SAINT), was at a very early age
ψηφοδέτας, δώροις Παλλάδος ευρέμενος,
υία λιπών βουλής σύνεδρον Πρόκλονισότεχνον μοι
appointed reader in the church at Constantinople. He
ογδωκοντούτης τούδε τάφοιο λαχών.
was also employed as secretary or amanuensis to St.
Chrysostom, and was employed in a similar capacity (Böckh, Corp. Inscr. vol. ii. p. 68, n. 2024, 2025 ;
a
## p. 538 (#554) ############################################
538
PROCOPIUS.
PROCOPIUS.
ance.
1
Welcker, in the Rhein. Mus. 1833, vol. i. p. 289 ; ( on his secret plans. During some time he wandered
R. Rochette, Lettre à M. Schorn, p. 393. ) (P. S. ] from place to place, and his return having been
PROCLUS (Tpókhos), a physician, probably a discovered by Valentinian and Valens, the succes
native of Rhegium“, among the Bruttii in Italy. sors of Jovian (364), he hid himself in the moun-
He belonged to the medical sect of the Methodici tains, till at last be found refuge at the house of
(Galen, De Meth. Med. i. 7, vol. x. p. 52, Introd. the senator Strategius, who lived near Chalcedon.
c. 4, vol. xiv. p. 684), and must have lived about Strategius became a confidant of the ambitious
the end of the first century after Christ, as he was schemes of Procopius, who found further adherents
junior to Thessalus, and senior to Galen. He is among the numerous adversaries of Valens in
no doubt the same physician who is called Pro- Constantinople, whither the fugitive general often
culus in our present editions of Caelius Aurelianus proceeded on secret visits. The eunuch Eugenius
(De Morb. Chron. iii. 8, p. 469), where he is said became one of the principal promoters of the plans
to have been one of the followers of Themison, and of Procopius, which were now manifestly those of
his opinion on the different kinds of dropsy is quoted. deposing Valens, and making himself master of the
lle may also be the same person whose remedy for East
. The plot broke out in 365, and owing to
the gout and sciatica is mentioned by Paulus Aegi- his numerous partisans and his own artifices, the
neta (iii
. 77, vii. 11, pp. 492, 661) and Joannes people of Constantinople proclaimed him emperor
Actuarius (De Meth. Med. v. 6, p. 265). (W. A. G. ] on the 28th of September of that year. The
PROCLUS, LARGI'NUS, a person in Ger- emperor Valens was at that period staying at
many, who predicted that Domitian would die on Caesareia in Cappadocia, but was soon informed
a certain day. He was in consequence sent to of the rebellion, and prepared for effective resist-
Rome, where he was condemned to death ; but fis
1
Meanwhile, Procopius set out for Asia
the punishment was deferred, in order that he Minor with a well-disciplined army, advanced as
might be executed after the fatal day had passed, far as the Sangarius, and, through a bold stratagem,
he escaped altogether, as Domitian died on the caused an imperial body, which defended the pas
very day he had named. (Dion Cass. Ixviii. 16; sage of that river, to desert their master, and join
comp. Suet. Dom. 16. )
his own army. However, Valens advanced in
PROCNE (IIpókvn), a daughter of king Pan- his turn, and laid siege to Chalcedon, but was
dion of Athens, was the wife of Tereus, and was defeated under its walls, and obliged to retreat
metamorphorsed into a swallow. (Apollod. iii. 14. into Phrygia ; Marcellus, a general of Procopius,
§ 8 ; Thucyd. ii. 29. )
[L. S. ) took the important town of Cyzicus, and Pro-
PROCO'PIUS (npokórios), Roman emperor copius became master of Bithynia ; a series of
in the East, through rebellion, from A. D.
363 to successes which turned his mind, made him
366. According to all probability, he was a re- haughty, and caused him more adversaries than
lation of the emperor Julian through Basilina, the adherents. The war was renewed with vigour in
mother of that emperor, and the second wife of the spring of the following year 366, but to the
Constantius Consul, who was the youngest son of great disadvantage of Procopius, whose army, com-
Constantius Chlorus. (See the genealogical table manded by the fugitive Persian prince, Hormisdas,
Vol. I. p. 832. ) Procopius was a native of Cilicia, was totally defeated by the celebrated general
where he was born about A. D. 365. Constantius Arbetion. Soon afterwards, on the 27th of May,
II. made him his secretary, and employed him in 366, another battle was fought at Nacolia, in
the field as tribune. The emperor Julian created Phrygia, the two rivals commanding their armies
him comes, and appointed him commander in Me in person, and it ended in the rout of the rebels.
sopotamia, when he set out against Persia in a. D. Procopius fled, accompanied by a few attendants,
363. It was then said that Julian had advised with whom he wandered some days in the moun-
bim to assume the purple, or manifested a wish that tains, when they treacherously seized him, and
he should be his successor in case he should lose his delivered him into the hands of Valens, by whose
life in the projected expedition, and this saying order he was immediately put to death. Socrates
afterwards found many believers, to the great says that Procopius suffered death by being tied to
advantage of Procopius. However, it was Jovian two trees forcibly bent together, which, on snap-
who succeeded Julian, in 363, and by him Proco- ping asunder, tore the body of the unfortunate
pius was charged with conducting the body of man to pieces. The cruel conduct of Valens against
the fallen hero to Tarsus. Aware that Jovian the partisans of Procopius belongs to the history of
entertained suspicions against him, or, perhaps, in the former. There are gold and silver coins of
order to carry out schemes which, at that period, Procopius extant, the former being extremely rare,
nobody expected, Procopius went to Caesareia in according to Eckhel (Amm. Marc. xxvi. 6; Zosim.
Cappadocia, instead of returning to the imperial lib. iv. ; Themist. Orat. 7 ; Socrat. iv. 3, &c. ;
quarters. This step was sufficient to rouse the Philostorg. ix. 5; Eckhel, vol. viii. pp. 156,
suspicions of Jovian, whatever might have been his 157. )
(W. P. )
previous disposition, and some troops were des-
patched to seize the fugitive, who, however, deceived
his pursuers, and escaped with his family to Tauris.
Afraid of being betrayed by the barbarians, he soon
left that country and returne
to Asia Minor ; a
dangerous step, which, however, throws some light
• That is, if in Galen, De Meth. Med. i. 7, vol.
Χ. p. 52, we read του Ρηγίνου instead of και Ρη-
givov, an alteration which is not unlikely to be a
sound one, as the name of Rheginus applied to a
physician is probably not to be found elsewhere.
COIN OF PROCOPIUS.
## p. 539 (#555) ############################################
PROCOPIUS.
639
PROCOPIUS.
PROCOPIUS (Iponórios), one of the most several French medical dictionaries. But this is
eminent Byzantine historians, was a native of Cae going too far. Procopius betrays, in all his works,
Bareia in Palestine, where he was born, at the be- a vast deal of miscellaneous knowledge, and while
ginning of the sixth century of the Christian era describing the plague, probably derived some ad-
He went to Constantinople when still a young man, ditional information from medical friends, which,
and there obtained so much distinction as an ad however, no more makes him a physician, than his
vocate and a professor of eloquence, that he attracted work on the Buildings of Justinian constitutes him
the attention of Belisarius, who appointed him, in a professional architect.
A. v. 527, his Unoypapeús, or secretary. In this As an historian Procopius deserves great praise.
quality Procopius accompanied the great hero on Many of his contemporaries, as well as writers who
his different wars in Asia, Africa, and Italy, being lived a short time after him, speak of him with un-
frequently employed in state business of importance, reserved esteem. His style is good, formed upon
or in conducting military expeditions. In the classic models, often elegant, and generally plastic
Gothic war we find him entrusted with the com- and full of vigour. The general impression of his
missariat department, and at the head of the By- writings is that of a man who has thought much
zantine navy, a post of vital importance for the and seen much, from a position at the highest
success of the campaign. Procopius returned with quarters of information. Procopius is the principal
Belisarius to Constantinople a little before 642. bistorian for the eventful reign of Justinian.
His eminent talents and corresponding merits were Among the works of Procopius the most im-
appreciated by the emperor Justinian, who con- portant is :- 1. 'loroplaı, in 8 books ; viz. , two On
ferred upon him the title of illustris, made him a the Persian War, containing the period from a. D.
senator, and in 562 created him prefect of Constan- 408—553, and treating more fully of the author's
tinople. Procopius died a little before, or a little own times ; two On the War with the Vandals,
after the death of Justinian, that is, about A. D. from a. D. 395-545 ; four On the Gothic War, or
565, at the age of sixty and upwards, probably nearer properly speaking, only three books, the fourth
to seventy. Of this great historian Gibbon says, (eighth) being a sort of supplement containing
with much truth, that according to the vicissitudes of various matters, and going down to the beginning
courage or servitude, of favour or disgrace, he suc- of A. D. 553. It was continued by Agathias till
cessively composed the history, the panegyric, and 559. The work is extremely interesting ; the de-
the satire of his own times. It is, however, still scriptions of the habits, &c. of the barbarians are
doubtful whether Procopius actually was the author faithful and masterly done. Photius gives an
of that collection of satire and scandal which is analysis of the first two books, and Agathias, the
attributed to him, under the title of " Historia Ar- continuator of Procopius, gives an analysis of all
cana” or “ Anecdotes. " We shall speak of it after the eight books, in the preface to his History.
first mentioning two other points of doubt regard- 2. Krlouata, Libri VI. de Aedificiis conditis vel
ing our author, the solution of which has occupied restoratis auspicio Justiniani. A work equally in-
the mind and the pen of eminent scholars. First, it teresting and valuable in its kind, though apparently
has been questioned whether he was a Christian too much seasoned with flattery of the emperor.
or a Pagan. Space, however, will not allow us to Gibbon thinks that Procopius was afraid of having
give even the shortest account of the different offended the pride of Justinian, through too faithful
opinions that have been, or are still, prevalent on a narrative of glorious events in which the emperor
that subject, and we consequently merely mention had no personal share, and that he subsequently
that, while Eichel and La Mothe de Vayer, both wrote on the splendid buildings of his master, in
quoted below, declared him to be a Pagan, Gerard order to regain his favour.
Vossius, Fabricius, Harles, and others thought 3. 'AvékooTQ, Historia Arcana, a collection of
that he was a Christian. Indeed, Procopius fre anecdotes, some of them witty and pleasant, but
quently speaks of faith, either Christian or Pagan, others most indecent, and sometimes absurd, reflect-
in a manner inconsistent with his own words, so ing upon Justinian, the empress Theodora, Belisarius,
as fully to justify doubts respecting his creed. and other eminent persons. It is a complete Chro
Assemanni and Cave take a middle course. The nique Scandaleuse of the court of Constantinople,
latter thinks that he was neither Christian nor from A. D. 549 till 562. The authorship of Procopius
Pagan entirely, but being somewhat of a sceptical has been much doubted, partly because his contempo-
turn of mind (or perhaps we ought to say, extremely raries do not mention it, and partly because such a
liberal and excessively tolerant in religious matters) production can hardly be reconciled with the charac-
he used to despise the superstitions of the Pagans in ter of a grave historian and statesman. However, the
his conversations with Christians, and would admit, first writer who attributed this work to Procopius,
when in company with Pagans, that there was also namely Suidas (s. o. II pokółos), does so in a very
truth without the sphere of Christianity. We may positive manner, and adds that it had until then
add that Justinian, who was a bigoted Christian, not been issued for circulation, which, indeed, it
whether in orthodoxy or heterodoxy, would pro- was not fit for. Montesquieu and Gibbon both
bably not have permitted a Pagan to discharge the give credit to the Anecdotes, and do not doubt the
functions of a senator, or a prefect of Constantinople. authorship of Procopius.
The other doubtful point alluded to above is of a 4. Orationes, probably extracts from the “ His-
very strange description. For, since Procopius has tory,” which is rather overstocked with harangues
given a most graphic description of the plague and speeches.
which devastated Constantinople in 543, render- Editions :- 1. Historia. Latin Versions. The
ing his narrative still more lucid and scientifically first of these was published under the title De Bello
descriptive, by entering into medical details con- Italico adversus Gothos gesto, lib. iv. Foligno, 1470,
cerning the symptoms of the disease, &c. , it has fol. , Vcnet. 1471, fol. , by Leonardo Aretino, or
been thought by some that he was a professional | Leonardo Bruni of Arezzo, who, thinking that he
medical man.
He thus figures as a physician in had the only existing MS. of the work, was dis
## p. 540 (#556) ############################################
640
PROCULEIUS.
PROCULUS.
honest enough to style himself the author of it. | Antony was just expiring when Proculeius arrived,
Other versions are :- - De Bello Pers. et Vandal. ex having previously told Cleopatra to trust Procu-
Versione Ruphuelis Volaterran. , Rome, 1509, fol. ; leius more than any other of the friends of Octa-
hy Christopherus Persona, Rome, 1506, fol. ; cum vian. The account of his interview with Cleopatra
Praefatione Beati Rhenani, Basel, 1531, fol. ; cum is related at length by Plutarch, who calls him
Zosimo, ibid. 1576, fol. ; cum Jornande et Agathia, Procleius (Plut. Ant. 77–79; Dion Cass. li. 11. )
Lyon, 1594, 8vo. ; sub titulo De Gothorum Origine, It is of this Proculeius that Horace speaks (Carm.
Frankfort, 1606, fol. ; by Hugo Grotius, in his ii. 2): –
Historia Gothor. Longobard, et Vandal. , Amster- « Vivet extento Proculeius aevo,
dam, 1655, 8vo. ; and others. — Greek and Greek
Notus in fratres animi paterni:"-
and Latin : A portion of the Bellum Gothicum,
Graece et Latine, by Petrus Pithoeus, in his Codex and Porphyrio relates, in his coinmentary on this
Legum Wisigothorum, Paris, 1579, fol. ; the 8 passage, that Proculeius divided his property with
books by David Hoeschel, Graece, together with his brothers Caepio (not Scipio as in some edi-
De Aedificiis, Augsburg, 1676, fol. ; Descriptio tions) and Murena, who had lost their property in
Ponti Eugini, ex Libr. I. de Bello Gothico, Graece the civil wars. It is also stated by Dion Cassius
et Latine, by Bonaventura Vulcanius, in his Scrip (liv. 3), that Proculeius was a brother of the Mu-
tores Rer. Gothicar. , Leyden, 1597, 1617, 8vo. H. rena, who was condemned, in B. c. 22, on account
Holcroft published an English translation, London, of his conspiring against Augustus. The nature
1653, fol. There are also French, German, and of this relationship is, however, not clear. The
Italian translations.
full name of this Murena was A. Terentius Varro
2. De Aedificiis. The editio princeps, by Joan. Murena, and Drumann conjectures that he was
Hervagius, Graece, Basel, 1531, fol. ; the same, Paris, the son of L. Licinius Murena, who was consul
1543, and ibid. 1537, 4to. , with a Latin translation B. C. 62, and that he was adopted by A. Terentius
by Fr. Cranenveld, and notes of Th. Adamaeus ; Varro. The same writer farther conjectures that
a Latin version by Arnoldus Vesaliensis, together Proculeius was the son of C. Licinius Murena, the
with the eight books of the History and Zosimus, brother of the consul of B. c. 62, and that he was
Basel, 1576, fol. ; by David Hoeschel, Graece, ad adopted by some one of the name of Proculeius.
calcem “Historiarum," Augsburg, 1607, fol. In that case Proculeius would have been the cousin
3. Historia Arcana. Graece et Latine, cum
of Murena. We know that it was common among
Notis N. Alemanni, Lyon, 1623, fol. ; idem, Co- the Romans to call cousins by the name of brothers
logne, 1669, fol. ; a Joan. Eichelio, Helmstädt, (frater patruelis and frater). (Drumann, Geschichte
1654, 4to. ; Excerpta, by Hugo Grotius, in his Roms, vol. iv. pp. 193, 194. )
work quoted above. The famous Christian Tho- The great intimacy of Proculeius with Augustus
masius intended to make a new edition, but it did is attested by many writers. (Dion Cass.
first book of Euclid, and the Theological Elements, 512). One of the most celebrated of his letters
and the five Hymns, by Thomas Taylor.
(tepl Tiotews) was written in A. D. 435, when the
Besides the treatises already mentioned, the bishops of Armenia applied to him for his opinion
following have perished :-1. A commentary on on certain propositions which had been dissemi-
the Philebus of Plato (Procl. in Tim. p. 53, 222). nated in their dioceses, and were attributed to
2. A commentary on the Phaedrus of Plato (Procl. Theodorus of Mopsuestia. The discussion that
l. c. p. 329). 3. A defence of the Timaeus of ensued with respect to these propositions made a
Plato against the drtidShoeus of Aristotle (l. c. p. considerable stir in the East.
226. βιβλίον ιδία έκδεδωκώς οίδα των προς τον Proclus bestowed a great deal of pains upon
Τίμαιον Αριστοτέλους αντιρρήσεων επισκέψεις | his style, which is teree and sententious, but is
ποιουμένων). 4. Καθαρτικός των δογμάτων του | crowded with antitheses and rhetorical points, and
IIátwyos, against Domninus. (Suid. s. v. Aouri- betrays a laboured endeavour to reiterate the same
vos. ) 5. A commentary on the Theaetetus of sentiment in every possible variety of form. From
Plato. (Marinus, l. c. cap. ult. ) 6. Nóuol, a com- the quotations of subsequent authors, it appears
mentary apparently on the Laws of Plato. (Procl. that several of the writings of Proclus are lost.
in Tim. p. 178). 7. Notes on the 'Evveádes of The Platonic Theology of Proclus Diadochus has
Plotinus. 8. Mntpwakil Blenos, on the mother of sometimes been erroneously described as a theo
the gods. (Suid. s. o. Ilpok. . ) 9. Els triv 'Op- logical work of St. Proclus. The 24th of
Déws Seoroyſav. (Suid. l. c. ; Marinus, c. 27. ) | October is the day consecrated to the memory of
10. Tepl od Nória, in ten books. (Suid. Marin. c. St. Proclus by the Greek church. [C. P. M. ]
26. ) 11. A commentary on Homer. (Suid. ) 12. PROCLUS (Ipókhos), one of the eminent artists
Tepl râv rap' 'Oupa se@v. (Suid. ) 13. Eulo in mosaic who flourished in the Augustan age.
φωνία Ορφέως, Πυθαγόρου και Πλάτωνος. (Suid. | His name occurs on two inscriptions found at Ρe-
Marin. c. 22. ) 14. On the three éváões vontal, rinthus, from one of which we learn that he
namely, dañoela, kalor“, and ovujetpia. (Procl. adorned the temple of Fortune in that city, and that
in Polit. p. 433. ) 15. Els tòy lógov tñs Aloti- the Alexandrian merchants, who frequented the
μας περί της των κακών υποστάσεως. 16. Περί | city, erected a statue in honour of him. The second
dywyſis, on the theurgic discipline, in two books. inscription is the epitaph of a mosaic artist, who is
(Suid. ) 17. Various hymns and epigrams. (Fabric. said in it to have left a son, bis associate and equal
Bibl. Graec. vol. ix. pp. 363—445 ; Brucker, His in the art ; from which it would seem probable
toria Critica Philosophiae, vol. ii. pp. 319—336 ; that both father and son were named Proclus. The
Tennemann, Geschichte der Philosophie, vol. vi. ; second inscription, as restored, runs thus :-
Ritter, Geschichte der Philosophie, bk. xiii. c. 3.
Πάσαις έν πολίεσσι τέχνην ήσκησα προ πάντων
vol. iv. p. 699, &c. )
[C. P. M. ]
PROCLUS (SAINT), was at a very early age
ψηφοδέτας, δώροις Παλλάδος ευρέμενος,
υία λιπών βουλής σύνεδρον Πρόκλονισότεχνον μοι
appointed reader in the church at Constantinople. He
ογδωκοντούτης τούδε τάφοιο λαχών.
was also employed as secretary or amanuensis to St.
Chrysostom, and was employed in a similar capacity (Böckh, Corp. Inscr. vol. ii. p. 68, n. 2024, 2025 ;
a
## p. 538 (#554) ############################################
538
PROCOPIUS.
PROCOPIUS.
ance.
1
Welcker, in the Rhein. Mus. 1833, vol. i. p. 289 ; ( on his secret plans. During some time he wandered
R. Rochette, Lettre à M. Schorn, p. 393. ) (P. S. ] from place to place, and his return having been
PROCLUS (Tpókhos), a physician, probably a discovered by Valentinian and Valens, the succes
native of Rhegium“, among the Bruttii in Italy. sors of Jovian (364), he hid himself in the moun-
He belonged to the medical sect of the Methodici tains, till at last be found refuge at the house of
(Galen, De Meth. Med. i. 7, vol. x. p. 52, Introd. the senator Strategius, who lived near Chalcedon.
c. 4, vol. xiv. p. 684), and must have lived about Strategius became a confidant of the ambitious
the end of the first century after Christ, as he was schemes of Procopius, who found further adherents
junior to Thessalus, and senior to Galen. He is among the numerous adversaries of Valens in
no doubt the same physician who is called Pro- Constantinople, whither the fugitive general often
culus in our present editions of Caelius Aurelianus proceeded on secret visits. The eunuch Eugenius
(De Morb. Chron. iii. 8, p. 469), where he is said became one of the principal promoters of the plans
to have been one of the followers of Themison, and of Procopius, which were now manifestly those of
his opinion on the different kinds of dropsy is quoted. deposing Valens, and making himself master of the
lle may also be the same person whose remedy for East
. The plot broke out in 365, and owing to
the gout and sciatica is mentioned by Paulus Aegi- his numerous partisans and his own artifices, the
neta (iii
. 77, vii. 11, pp. 492, 661) and Joannes people of Constantinople proclaimed him emperor
Actuarius (De Meth. Med. v. 6, p. 265). (W. A. G. ] on the 28th of September of that year. The
PROCLUS, LARGI'NUS, a person in Ger- emperor Valens was at that period staying at
many, who predicted that Domitian would die on Caesareia in Cappadocia, but was soon informed
a certain day. He was in consequence sent to of the rebellion, and prepared for effective resist-
Rome, where he was condemned to death ; but fis
1
Meanwhile, Procopius set out for Asia
the punishment was deferred, in order that he Minor with a well-disciplined army, advanced as
might be executed after the fatal day had passed, far as the Sangarius, and, through a bold stratagem,
he escaped altogether, as Domitian died on the caused an imperial body, which defended the pas
very day he had named. (Dion Cass. Ixviii. 16; sage of that river, to desert their master, and join
comp. Suet. Dom. 16. )
his own army. However, Valens advanced in
PROCNE (IIpókvn), a daughter of king Pan- his turn, and laid siege to Chalcedon, but was
dion of Athens, was the wife of Tereus, and was defeated under its walls, and obliged to retreat
metamorphorsed into a swallow. (Apollod. iii. 14. into Phrygia ; Marcellus, a general of Procopius,
§ 8 ; Thucyd. ii. 29. )
[L. S. ) took the important town of Cyzicus, and Pro-
PROCO'PIUS (npokórios), Roman emperor copius became master of Bithynia ; a series of
in the East, through rebellion, from A. D.
363 to successes which turned his mind, made him
366. According to all probability, he was a re- haughty, and caused him more adversaries than
lation of the emperor Julian through Basilina, the adherents. The war was renewed with vigour in
mother of that emperor, and the second wife of the spring of the following year 366, but to the
Constantius Consul, who was the youngest son of great disadvantage of Procopius, whose army, com-
Constantius Chlorus. (See the genealogical table manded by the fugitive Persian prince, Hormisdas,
Vol. I. p. 832. ) Procopius was a native of Cilicia, was totally defeated by the celebrated general
where he was born about A. D. 365. Constantius Arbetion. Soon afterwards, on the 27th of May,
II. made him his secretary, and employed him in 366, another battle was fought at Nacolia, in
the field as tribune. The emperor Julian created Phrygia, the two rivals commanding their armies
him comes, and appointed him commander in Me in person, and it ended in the rout of the rebels.
sopotamia, when he set out against Persia in a. D. Procopius fled, accompanied by a few attendants,
363. It was then said that Julian had advised with whom he wandered some days in the moun-
bim to assume the purple, or manifested a wish that tains, when they treacherously seized him, and
he should be his successor in case he should lose his delivered him into the hands of Valens, by whose
life in the projected expedition, and this saying order he was immediately put to death. Socrates
afterwards found many believers, to the great says that Procopius suffered death by being tied to
advantage of Procopius. However, it was Jovian two trees forcibly bent together, which, on snap-
who succeeded Julian, in 363, and by him Proco- ping asunder, tore the body of the unfortunate
pius was charged with conducting the body of man to pieces. The cruel conduct of Valens against
the fallen hero to Tarsus. Aware that Jovian the partisans of Procopius belongs to the history of
entertained suspicions against him, or, perhaps, in the former. There are gold and silver coins of
order to carry out schemes which, at that period, Procopius extant, the former being extremely rare,
nobody expected, Procopius went to Caesareia in according to Eckhel (Amm. Marc. xxvi. 6; Zosim.
Cappadocia, instead of returning to the imperial lib. iv. ; Themist. Orat. 7 ; Socrat. iv. 3, &c. ;
quarters. This step was sufficient to rouse the Philostorg. ix. 5; Eckhel, vol. viii. pp. 156,
suspicions of Jovian, whatever might have been his 157. )
(W. P. )
previous disposition, and some troops were des-
patched to seize the fugitive, who, however, deceived
his pursuers, and escaped with his family to Tauris.
Afraid of being betrayed by the barbarians, he soon
left that country and returne
to Asia Minor ; a
dangerous step, which, however, throws some light
• That is, if in Galen, De Meth. Med. i. 7, vol.
Χ. p. 52, we read του Ρηγίνου instead of και Ρη-
givov, an alteration which is not unlikely to be a
sound one, as the name of Rheginus applied to a
physician is probably not to be found elsewhere.
COIN OF PROCOPIUS.
## p. 539 (#555) ############################################
PROCOPIUS.
639
PROCOPIUS.
PROCOPIUS (Iponórios), one of the most several French medical dictionaries. But this is
eminent Byzantine historians, was a native of Cae going too far. Procopius betrays, in all his works,
Bareia in Palestine, where he was born, at the be- a vast deal of miscellaneous knowledge, and while
ginning of the sixth century of the Christian era describing the plague, probably derived some ad-
He went to Constantinople when still a young man, ditional information from medical friends, which,
and there obtained so much distinction as an ad however, no more makes him a physician, than his
vocate and a professor of eloquence, that he attracted work on the Buildings of Justinian constitutes him
the attention of Belisarius, who appointed him, in a professional architect.
A. v. 527, his Unoypapeús, or secretary. In this As an historian Procopius deserves great praise.
quality Procopius accompanied the great hero on Many of his contemporaries, as well as writers who
his different wars in Asia, Africa, and Italy, being lived a short time after him, speak of him with un-
frequently employed in state business of importance, reserved esteem. His style is good, formed upon
or in conducting military expeditions. In the classic models, often elegant, and generally plastic
Gothic war we find him entrusted with the com- and full of vigour. The general impression of his
missariat department, and at the head of the By- writings is that of a man who has thought much
zantine navy, a post of vital importance for the and seen much, from a position at the highest
success of the campaign. Procopius returned with quarters of information. Procopius is the principal
Belisarius to Constantinople a little before 642. bistorian for the eventful reign of Justinian.
His eminent talents and corresponding merits were Among the works of Procopius the most im-
appreciated by the emperor Justinian, who con- portant is :- 1. 'loroplaı, in 8 books ; viz. , two On
ferred upon him the title of illustris, made him a the Persian War, containing the period from a. D.
senator, and in 562 created him prefect of Constan- 408—553, and treating more fully of the author's
tinople. Procopius died a little before, or a little own times ; two On the War with the Vandals,
after the death of Justinian, that is, about A. D. from a. D. 395-545 ; four On the Gothic War, or
565, at the age of sixty and upwards, probably nearer properly speaking, only three books, the fourth
to seventy. Of this great historian Gibbon says, (eighth) being a sort of supplement containing
with much truth, that according to the vicissitudes of various matters, and going down to the beginning
courage or servitude, of favour or disgrace, he suc- of A. D. 553. It was continued by Agathias till
cessively composed the history, the panegyric, and 559. The work is extremely interesting ; the de-
the satire of his own times. It is, however, still scriptions of the habits, &c. of the barbarians are
doubtful whether Procopius actually was the author faithful and masterly done. Photius gives an
of that collection of satire and scandal which is analysis of the first two books, and Agathias, the
attributed to him, under the title of " Historia Ar- continuator of Procopius, gives an analysis of all
cana” or “ Anecdotes. " We shall speak of it after the eight books, in the preface to his History.
first mentioning two other points of doubt regard- 2. Krlouata, Libri VI. de Aedificiis conditis vel
ing our author, the solution of which has occupied restoratis auspicio Justiniani. A work equally in-
the mind and the pen of eminent scholars. First, it teresting and valuable in its kind, though apparently
has been questioned whether he was a Christian too much seasoned with flattery of the emperor.
or a Pagan. Space, however, will not allow us to Gibbon thinks that Procopius was afraid of having
give even the shortest account of the different offended the pride of Justinian, through too faithful
opinions that have been, or are still, prevalent on a narrative of glorious events in which the emperor
that subject, and we consequently merely mention had no personal share, and that he subsequently
that, while Eichel and La Mothe de Vayer, both wrote on the splendid buildings of his master, in
quoted below, declared him to be a Pagan, Gerard order to regain his favour.
Vossius, Fabricius, Harles, and others thought 3. 'AvékooTQ, Historia Arcana, a collection of
that he was a Christian. Indeed, Procopius fre anecdotes, some of them witty and pleasant, but
quently speaks of faith, either Christian or Pagan, others most indecent, and sometimes absurd, reflect-
in a manner inconsistent with his own words, so ing upon Justinian, the empress Theodora, Belisarius,
as fully to justify doubts respecting his creed. and other eminent persons. It is a complete Chro
Assemanni and Cave take a middle course. The nique Scandaleuse of the court of Constantinople,
latter thinks that he was neither Christian nor from A. D. 549 till 562. The authorship of Procopius
Pagan entirely, but being somewhat of a sceptical has been much doubted, partly because his contempo-
turn of mind (or perhaps we ought to say, extremely raries do not mention it, and partly because such a
liberal and excessively tolerant in religious matters) production can hardly be reconciled with the charac-
he used to despise the superstitions of the Pagans in ter of a grave historian and statesman. However, the
his conversations with Christians, and would admit, first writer who attributed this work to Procopius,
when in company with Pagans, that there was also namely Suidas (s. o. II pokółos), does so in a very
truth without the sphere of Christianity. We may positive manner, and adds that it had until then
add that Justinian, who was a bigoted Christian, not been issued for circulation, which, indeed, it
whether in orthodoxy or heterodoxy, would pro- was not fit for. Montesquieu and Gibbon both
bably not have permitted a Pagan to discharge the give credit to the Anecdotes, and do not doubt the
functions of a senator, or a prefect of Constantinople. authorship of Procopius.
The other doubtful point alluded to above is of a 4. Orationes, probably extracts from the “ His-
very strange description. For, since Procopius has tory,” which is rather overstocked with harangues
given a most graphic description of the plague and speeches.
which devastated Constantinople in 543, render- Editions :- 1. Historia. Latin Versions. The
ing his narrative still more lucid and scientifically first of these was published under the title De Bello
descriptive, by entering into medical details con- Italico adversus Gothos gesto, lib. iv. Foligno, 1470,
cerning the symptoms of the disease, &c. , it has fol. , Vcnet. 1471, fol. , by Leonardo Aretino, or
been thought by some that he was a professional | Leonardo Bruni of Arezzo, who, thinking that he
medical man.
He thus figures as a physician in had the only existing MS. of the work, was dis
## p. 540 (#556) ############################################
640
PROCULEIUS.
PROCULUS.
honest enough to style himself the author of it. | Antony was just expiring when Proculeius arrived,
Other versions are :- - De Bello Pers. et Vandal. ex having previously told Cleopatra to trust Procu-
Versione Ruphuelis Volaterran. , Rome, 1509, fol. ; leius more than any other of the friends of Octa-
hy Christopherus Persona, Rome, 1506, fol. ; cum vian. The account of his interview with Cleopatra
Praefatione Beati Rhenani, Basel, 1531, fol. ; cum is related at length by Plutarch, who calls him
Zosimo, ibid. 1576, fol. ; cum Jornande et Agathia, Procleius (Plut. Ant. 77–79; Dion Cass. li. 11. )
Lyon, 1594, 8vo. ; sub titulo De Gothorum Origine, It is of this Proculeius that Horace speaks (Carm.
Frankfort, 1606, fol. ; by Hugo Grotius, in his ii. 2): –
Historia Gothor. Longobard, et Vandal. , Amster- « Vivet extento Proculeius aevo,
dam, 1655, 8vo. ; and others. — Greek and Greek
Notus in fratres animi paterni:"-
and Latin : A portion of the Bellum Gothicum,
Graece et Latine, by Petrus Pithoeus, in his Codex and Porphyrio relates, in his coinmentary on this
Legum Wisigothorum, Paris, 1579, fol. ; the 8 passage, that Proculeius divided his property with
books by David Hoeschel, Graece, together with his brothers Caepio (not Scipio as in some edi-
De Aedificiis, Augsburg, 1676, fol. ; Descriptio tions) and Murena, who had lost their property in
Ponti Eugini, ex Libr. I. de Bello Gothico, Graece the civil wars. It is also stated by Dion Cassius
et Latine, by Bonaventura Vulcanius, in his Scrip (liv. 3), that Proculeius was a brother of the Mu-
tores Rer. Gothicar. , Leyden, 1597, 1617, 8vo. H. rena, who was condemned, in B. c. 22, on account
Holcroft published an English translation, London, of his conspiring against Augustus. The nature
1653, fol. There are also French, German, and of this relationship is, however, not clear. The
Italian translations.
full name of this Murena was A. Terentius Varro
2. De Aedificiis. The editio princeps, by Joan. Murena, and Drumann conjectures that he was
Hervagius, Graece, Basel, 1531, fol. ; the same, Paris, the son of L. Licinius Murena, who was consul
1543, and ibid. 1537, 4to. , with a Latin translation B. C. 62, and that he was adopted by A. Terentius
by Fr. Cranenveld, and notes of Th. Adamaeus ; Varro. The same writer farther conjectures that
a Latin version by Arnoldus Vesaliensis, together Proculeius was the son of C. Licinius Murena, the
with the eight books of the History and Zosimus, brother of the consul of B. c. 62, and that he was
Basel, 1576, fol. ; by David Hoeschel, Graece, ad adopted by some one of the name of Proculeius.
calcem “Historiarum," Augsburg, 1607, fol. In that case Proculeius would have been the cousin
3. Historia Arcana. Graece et Latine, cum
of Murena. We know that it was common among
Notis N. Alemanni, Lyon, 1623, fol. ; idem, Co- the Romans to call cousins by the name of brothers
logne, 1669, fol. ; a Joan. Eichelio, Helmstädt, (frater patruelis and frater). (Drumann, Geschichte
1654, 4to. ; Excerpta, by Hugo Grotius, in his Roms, vol. iv. pp. 193, 194. )
work quoted above. The famous Christian Tho- The great intimacy of Proculeius with Augustus
masius intended to make a new edition, but it did is attested by many writers. (Dion Cass.
