The victor was checked
barbarian king now rose with all the energy of in his military career by the death of the emperor
despair, and, as often happens in such cases, ruined Romanus in 963, whose prime minister Brindas,
the man who was too sure of ruining him.
barbarian king now rose with all the energy of in his military career by the death of the emperor
despair, and, as often happens in such cases, ruined Romanus in 963, whose prime minister Brindas,
the man who was too sure of ruining him.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - b
Graec.
vol.
iv.
is probably the same writer with the Nicanor men- p. 484. )
(W. M. G. )
tioned in connection with the ancient origin of NICARETE (Nikapétn). 1. The mother of that
the Egyptians by the Scholiast on Apollonius Euxitheus, whose right of citizenship Demosthenes
Rhodius, iv. 262. (Steph. Byz. 8. c. "Ton; Athen. defended against Eubulides. (Dem. p. 1320, ed.
vii. p. 296, d; Apoll. Rhod. p. 160, ed. Wel Reiske. )
lauer. )
(W. M. G. ] 2. A courtezan, and proprietress of courtezans,
NICA'NOR, SAEVIUS, is celebrated by amongst others of Neaera, against whom we have
Suetonius as the first grammarian who acquired an oration of Demosthenes, Kata Néaipas. Athe
fame and honour among the Romans by teaching. naeus (xiii. p. 593, f) mentions her, but a com-
He was the author of commentaries, the greater parison of his statements with those of Demosthenes
portion of which was said to have been suppressed (especially p. 1351, ed. Reiske) will show that, if
(intercepta dicitur), and of a satire where he de- the text be correct, he has misrepresented the state-
clares himself to have been a freedman, and to ments of the orator.
have been distinguished by a double cognomen,
3. A woman of Megara. Athenaeus states her
aaf ܙ
܀ ]. ;
Patie
421
ܬܐ ܝܶܪܶ ܀
AN
Paraino
It's die
## p. 1178 (#1194) ##########################################
1178
NICEPHORUS.
NICEPHORL'S.
to have been of good family and education, and to an eunuch, conspired against that excellent princess
bave been a disciple of. Stilpo, a dialectic philoso with a view of putting his brother Leo on the
pher, who was alive B. C. 299. Diogenes Laërtius throne. His schemes were seen through by several
states that she was Stilpo's mistress, though he of the grand functionaries of state, and a counter
had a wife. _(Athen. xiii. p. 596, e ; Diog. Laërt. conspiracy took place, which is decidedly one of
ii. 114. ) Fabricius (Bibl. Graec. vol. iii. p. 628) | the most remarkable recorded in history. The
states, on the authority of Laërtius, that Nicarete principal leaders on both sides were eunuchs, of
was the mother-in-law of Simmias, a Syracusan. whom seven were against Aëtius, viz. , Nicetas, the
Laërtius, however, only (l. c. ) mentions Stilpo's commander of the guard, his two brothers, Sisinnius
daughter as the wife of Simmias, but gives no hint and Leo Clocas, the quaestor Theoctistus, Leo of
as to who was her mother, (W. M. G. ] Sinope, Gregorius, and Petrus, all of whom held
NICA'RETE (Nikapétn), Sto, a lady of good the patrician rank. Their object was to raise
family and fortune, born at Nicomedeia in Bithynia, Nicephorus to the throne, and they succeeded through
renowned for her piety and benevolence, and also one of those sudden strokes which are so charac-
for the numerous cures which her medical skill teristic of the revolutions of Constantinople. On
enabled her to perform gratuitonsly. She suffered the 31st of October, 802, Nicephorus was suddenly
great hardships during a sort of persecution that proclaimed emperor. He began his career by de
was carried on against the followers of St. Chry- ceiving Irene by false promises ; and no sooner had
Bostom after his expulsion from Constantinople, she entrusted her safety to him, than he sent her
A. D. 404. (Sozom. Hist. Eccles. viii. 23 ; Niceph. into exile in the island of Lesbos, where she died
Callist. Hist. Eccles. xiii. 25. ) She has been soon afterwards of misery and grief. The vices of
canonized by the Romish Church, and her memory the new master of the empire soon became so con-
is, celebrated on December 27 (Martyr. Rom. ). spicuous that he incurred the hatred of the very
Bzovius (Nomencl. Sanctor. Profess. Medic. ) and parties to whom he was indebted for his elevation;
after him C. B. Carpzovius (De Medicis ab Eccles. but as he was supported by the clergy, and a crowd
pro Sanctis habit. ) think it possible that Nicarete of reckless characters, he attacked his former friends
may be the lady mentioned by St. Chrysostom, openly, and put their leader Nicetas to death.
as having restored him to health by her medicines Upon this Bardanes, surnamed the Turk, the
(Epist. ad Olymp. 4. vol. ii. p. 571, ed. Bened. ), bravest man and best general of Greece, rose in
but this conjecture is founded on a faulty reading revolt, was proclaimed emperor by his adherents,
that is now amended. (See note to the passage and marched against Nicephorus, who was unable
referred to. )
(W. A. G. ] to vanquish him in the field, and took refuge in
NICA’TOR, SELEUCUS. [SeleucUS. ] intrigues. Forsaken by his principal supporters
NICE (Ninn). 1. The goddess of victory, or, Bardanes promised to submit on condition of en-
as the Romans called her, Victoria, is described as joying his life and property. Both were granted
a daughter of Pallas and Styx, and as a sister of him by the emperor. As soon, however, as
Zelus (zeal), Cratos (strength), and Bia (force). Bardanes was in the power of his faithless rival,
At the time when Zeus entered upon the fight he was forced to take the monastic habit, had his
against the Titans, and called upon the gods for property confiscated, was deprived of his eyes, and
assistance, Nice and her two sisters were the first continued till his death to be a victim of unre-
that came forward, and Zeus was so pleased with mitting cruelty and revenge. In 803 Nicephorus
their readiness, that he caused them ever after sent ambassadors to Charlemagne, and received in
to live with him in Olympus. (Hes. Theog. 382, his turn an embassy from the latter. A treaty was
&c. ; Apollod. i. 2. $ 2. ) Nice had a celebrated made between them, by which the frontiers of the
temple on the acropolis of Athens, which is still two empires were regulated : Charlemagne was
extant and in excellent preservation. (Paus. i. 22. confirmed in the possession of Istria, Dalmatia,
$ 4. jï. 15. 05. ) She is often seen represented in Liburnia, Slavonia, Croatia, and Bosnia ; but the
ancient works of art, especially together with other Dalmatian islands and sea-towns were left to Nice
divinities, such as Zeus and Athena, and with phorus. In these transactions Nicephorus showed
conquering heroes whose horses she guides. In no small deference to his great rival in the West,
her appearance she resembles Athena, but has while he behaved with impadence towards his
wings, and carries a palm or a wreath, and is en- equally great rival in the East, the khalif Harun-ar-
gaged in raising a trophy, or in inscribing the Rashid, who resented the insult by invading the
victory of the conqueror on a shield. (Paus, v. 10. empire. After a bloody war of several years,
§ 2. 11. $ 1, 2, vi. 18. § 1; comp. Hirt, Mythoh during which a great portion of Asia Minor was
Bilderb. p. 93, &c. )
laid waste, Nicephorus was compelled to accept the
2. A daughter of Thespius and, by Heracles, disgraceful conditions of a peace, by which he
mother of Nicodromus. (Apollod. ii. 7. $ 8. ) was bound to pay to the khalif an annual tribute of
3. Nice also occurs as a surname of Athena 30,000 pieces of gold, out of which three were consi-
under which the goddess had a sanctuary on the dered as being paid by the Greek emperor person-
acropolis of Megara (Paus. i. 42. § 4; Eurip. ally, and three others by his son Stauracius. In
Ion, 1529. )
[L. S. ] 807 Nicephorus set out for Bulgaria, being involved
NICEʻPHORUS (Ninnpópos), i. e. bringing in a war with king Crum, and in the same year
victory, occurs as a surname of several divinities, the Arabs ravaged Rhodes and Lycia. A danger-
such as Aphrodite. (Paus. ii. 19. § 6. ) [L. S. ] ous conspiracy obliged him to return to Constanti-
NICEPHORUS I. (Nurnoópos), emperor of nople, where a few months after his arrival another
Constantonople, A. D. 802—8! 1, was a native of one broke out of which he nearly became a victim.
Seleuceia in Pisidia, and by all sorts of court in- Through the death of Harun-ar-Rashid, in 809,
trigues rose to the important post of logotheta, or Nicephorus was relieved from his most formidable
niinister of finances, with which he was invested by enemy, but was nevertheless unable to secure peace
the empress Irene. The prime minister Aëtius, 1 to his subjects, king Crum of Bulgaria proving as
## p. 1179 (#1195) ##########################################
NICEPHORUS.
1178
NICEPHORUS.
dangerous as the khalif. In order to carry on the more recognised the Greek rule. All Greece was
war against the Bulgarians with effect, Nicephorus in joy, and the conquest was thought to be so im
established a strong and permanent cordon, or army portant, and, above all, was so unexpected, that the
of observation, along the Danube, and oppressed victor was allowed the honour of a public triumph
his people with taxes. The public indignation was in Constantinople. In 962 Nicephorus set out for
roused, and an attempt was made to assassinate another campaign in Syria, at the head of a splen-
him. However, he was destined to die a more did army of 200,000 men, according to the probably
honourable death. Having drained the people of exaggerated statements of the Arabs, and of 80,000
their gold and silver he was enabled to raise a very men according to Liutprand. The passes across
strong army, at the head of which he penetrated Mount Amanus were forced, Aleppo, Antioch, and
very far into Bulgaria (811), and so weakened the other principal towns of Syria surrendered, or
Crum that the latter sued for peace. Nicephorus, were taken by assault, and Nicephorus pushed on
proud of his success, rejected the request ; but the towards the Euphrates.
The victor was checked
barbarian king now rose with all the energy of in his military career by the death of the emperor
despair, and, as often happens in such cases, ruined Romanus in 963, whose prime minister Brindas,
the man who was too sure of ruining him. The jealous of the unparalleled success of Nicephorus,
Greeks being encamped on a plain surrounded on endeavoured to ruin him by intrigues. Brindas
all sides by steep rocks, intersected by a few nar- made tempting propositions to John Zimisces and
row ravines, Crum contrived to block up all these his brother Romanus Curcuas, through whose in-
defiles but one with enormous quantities of dry strumentality he hoped to accomplish his objects ;
wood and other combustible materials, which but those two generals, having apprised their com-
one night were set on fire, while the Bulgarians mander-in-chief of the treachery of Brindas, Nice-
from al sides shouted their war cries as if they phorus was enabled to triumph over his rival.
intended to descend into the plain and take the Theophano, the widow of Romanus, rewarded him
camp by assault. The terrified Greeks rushed to by appointing him supreme commander of all the
wards the only defile that was still open, but there Greek armies in Asia, with unlimited and almost
were received by Crum with his main forces, and a sovereign authority. In consequence of a widow,
conflict in the night ensued in which the Greek army the mother of two infant princes, being placed at
was nearly destroyed, and Nicephorus lost his life, the head of the empire, the numerous partisans of
slain either by the enemy or his own enraged sol Nicephorus persuaded him to seize the supreme
diers (25th of July 811). His son Stauracius, al- power, and after some hesitation be allowed him-
though badly wounded, escaped and hastened to self to be proclaimed emperor. Upon this he went
Constantinople, where he was proclaimed emperor. to Constantinople, and consolidated his power by
(Theophan. p. 402, &c. ; Cedren. p. 476, &c; marrying Theophano; he was crowned in the
Zonar, vol. ii
. p. 121, &c. ; Manass. p. 93 ; Glyc. month of December, 963 ; and along with him
D. 285, &c. )
(W. P. ] reigned, though only nominally, Basil II. and Con-
NICEPHORUS II. PHOCAS (Nukopópos ó stantine IX. , the two infant sons of Romanus and
wkās), eniperor of Constantinople A. D. 963—969, Theophano.
was the son of the celebrated Bardas Phocas, and During the absence of Nicephorus the Greeks
was born in or about 912. He owed his elevation were victorious in Cilicia, under the command of
to those great military capacities which were here John Zimisces, afterwards emperor, and Nicephorus
ditary in his family, and through which he ob-having joined him in 964, they, in three campaigns,
tained a fame that places him by the side of conquered Damascus, Tripoli, Nisibis, and many
Narses, Belisarius, and the emperors Heraclius, other cities in Syria, compelled the emir Chabgan
Mauricius, and Tiberius. In 954 Constantine VII. to pay a tribute, and overran the whole country as
Porphyrogenitus appointed him magnus domesticus, far as the Euphrates. In 968 the Greeks crossed
and his brothers Leo and Constantine, next to him the Euphrates, Baghdad trembled, and the khalif
the best generals, were also entrusted with great seemed lost, but the death of Nicephorus, and the
military commands. The Greeks were then at ensuing troubles in 969, saved the Mohammedan
war with the khalif Modhi, against whom Nice-empire from destruction. Inflated with success
phorus and his brothers marched in 956. The first Nicephorus had made himself odious to many of
campaign was rather disastrous to the Greeks, who his subjects, and, although he was still popular
were defeated in a pitched battle in which Constan- with the army, the people in general, especially in
tine Phocas was taken prisoner by the Arabs, who Constantinople, were tired of his severity. Un-
afterwards put him to death. In 958 Nicephorus fortunately for him he neglected his wife, and the
and Leo took a terrible revenge. Chabgan, the bravest man in Greece fell a victim to the spite of
Arab emir of Aleppo, the terror of the Christians, a woman and the ambition of a jealous friend :
had conquered Cilicia : Nicephorus defeated him John Zimisces and Theophano conspired against
several times, took Mopsuestia and Tarsus, and his life. Some of their helpmates were hidden in
forced him to fly into Syria, while Leo conquered the imperial palace, and one night, on a certain
the important fortress of Samosata. In an ensuing signal being given, Zimisces came in a boat from
campaign in Syria the Greeks were likewise vic- the Asiatic side of the Bosporus, where he was
torious, and, Romanus II. having succeeded nis watching an opportunity, to the water-gate of the
father Constantine in 959, Nicephorus proposed to palace, joined his confederates, and, guided by
the young emperor to drive the Arabs out of Crete, Theophano, entered the emperor's bedchamber.
where they had established their power 136 years They found him sleeping on a skin: he started up,
previously, to the great grief and annoyance of the but the sword of one Leo clove his skull and he
Greeks. The expedition took place in 960, and was soon despatched. His murderer Zimisces
the capital Candin, a fortress which was believed married his widow and succeeded him on the
to be impregnable, having surrendered in 961, after throne. Nicephorus Phocas was without doubt a
a memorable siege of ten months, the island once most energetic man and a first-rate general, but his
## p. 1180 (#1196) ##########################################
1180
NICEPHORUS.
NICEPHORUS.
P
0
t
1
1
i
bright qualities were darkened by a very treacherous writers. 1. BLEMMIDAS or BLEMMYDAS, lived
disposition, as we best see from his transactions in the thirteenth century. He was descended from
with the emperor Otho I. , which the latter entered a distinguished and wealthy family, but neverthe-
into with a view of obtaining the hand of the less, took holy orders, and led the life of an ascetic.
princess Theophano or Theophania, the daughter Having erected a beautiful church at his own ex-
of the late emperor Romanus, and stepdaughter of pence at Nicaea, he was appointed presbyter of it,
Nicephorus, for his son Otho, afterwards emperor. and, by his really Christian life, gave a good ex-
To this effect he sent, in 968, bishop Liutprand to ample to his people. One day Marchesina, the
Constantinople, who wrote a work on his embassy, concubine of the emperor John Ducas, entered his
which is one of the most interesting and important church to hear the mass, when, to her astonish-
sources for the reign of Nicephorus, and the public ment and indignation, the honest Blemmidas
and private lives of the Greeks of those times. The ordered her to leave the church directly, and, as
emperor Otho I. also endeavoured to obtain the she refused to do so, he caused her to be turned
cession of the Greek possessions in Italy, as a out ; in consequence of which he had to suffer
dowry of the princess Theophania, and it would much annoyance from the emperor. Theodore
perhaps have been advantageous to both parties if Lascaris, the successor of John Ducas, behaved
such a cession had taken place, Nicephorus being differently to him, and on the death of the patriarch
unable to defend Italy. The marriage of Otho II. Germanus, in 1255, offered him the vacant seat,
with Theophania subsequently took place, but space which, however, Nicephorus declined. In the
forbids us to enter into the details of these transac- religious disputes between the Greeks and the
tions. (Liutprándus, Legatio ad Nicephorum Pha Latins, Blemmidas showed himself well disposed
cam; Cedren. p. 637, &c. ; Zonar. vol ii. p. 194, towards the latter. The year of the death of
&c. ; Manass. p. 114 ; Joel, p. 180 ; Glyc. p. Blemmidas is not known. He wrote various
301, &c. )
[W. P. ] works, the principal of which are:-1. Opusculum
NICEPHORUS III. BOTANIATES (ó Bo de Processione Spiritus Sancti, fc. In this work
Taviárns), emperor of Constantinople A. D. 1078– he adopts entirely the views of the Roman catholics
1081. He belonged to an illustrious family which on the procession of the Holy Ghost and other
boasted of a descent from the Fabii of Rome. He matters; which is the more surprising, as he wrote
was looked upon as a brave general, but his military a second work on the same subject, where he de-
skill was the only quality that recommended him. fends the opinion of the Greek church. Leo Alla-
It is related in the life of the emperor Michael VII. tius (De Consensu, ii. 14) endeavours to justify
Parapinaces, how Michael lost his throne in conse him for his want of principle, showing that he
quence of the contemporaneous rebellion of Bryen- either wrote that work when very young, before
nius and Botaniates, the subject of this article, and he had formed a thorough conviction on the point,
that the latter succeeded Michael on the throne. or that some schismatics published their opinions
Botaniates was crowned on the 25th of March, under the name of Blemmidas. 2. De Processione
1078, and soon afterwards married Maria, the wife of Spiritus Sancti Libri II. This is the second work,
Michael, from whom she became divorced by the just mentioned, the first book of which is dedicated
deposed emperor taking holy orders. Before Nice to the emperor Theodore Lascaris, and the second
phorus could enjoy his crown he had to defend it to Jacob, archbishop of Bulgaria, ed. Graece et
against Bryennius, whom he routed and made a Latine, by Oderius Ragnaldus, in the appendix to
prisoner in the bloody battle of Salabrya. Bry- the first volume of his Annales Ecclesiast. ; by Leo
ennius met the fate of most of the unfortunate Allatius, in the first volume of Orthodorae Graeciae
rebels : he had his eyes put out, and was finally Script. 3. Epistola ad plurimos duta postquam
assassinated. Nicephorus made himself so detested Marchesinam templo ejecer at, Graece et Latine, in
by his brutal manners, his ingratitude, and his de- the second book of Leo Allatius, De Consensu.
baucheries, that his short reign of three years was 4. Epitome Logica et Physica, Graece, Augsburg,
little more than an uninterrupted struggle against 1605, 8vo. There are also many other writings
rebels, amongst whom Basilacius, who was defeated by Blemmidas extant in manuscript, in the
on the Vardar by Alexis Comnenus, Constantine libraries of Munich, Rome, Paris, and other places,
Ducas, and Nicephorus Melissenus, aspired to the (Cave, Hist. Liter. ad an. 1255; Fabric. Bibl.
throne. The last was still in arms when the two Graec. vol. xi. p. 394. )
Comneni, Alexis and Isaac, were compelled to 2. BRYENNIUS. (BRYENNIUS. ]
leave the court if they would maintain their dig- 3. CALLISTUS XANTHOPULUS, the celebrated
nity and independence, in consequence of which author of the Ecclesiastical History, was born in
Alexis was proclaimed emperor and took up arms the latter part of the thirteenth century, and died
against his sovereign. Unable to resist the tor about 1450. According to his own saying (H. E.
rent, Nicephorus made propositions to Melissenus ii. p. 64), he had not yet completed his thirty-sixth
to abdicate in his favour, but Alexis Comnenus year when he began to write that work, which
soon compelled him to do so in his own, and occu- he dedicated to the emperor Andronicus Palaeo
pied the throne in his stead (1st of April, 1081). logus the elder, who died in 1327, whence we
Nicephorus was obliged to become a monk and may infer the time of his birth. His works are:-
conform to the austere rules of St. Basil: he died | 1. Historia Ecclesiastica, in twenty-three books, of
some time after his deposition. His complaint which there are eighteen extant, compiled from
that he regretted the loss of his throne and liberty Eusebius, Sozomenus, Socrates, Theodoretus, Eva-
less than the necessity he was under to refrain grius, Philostorgius, and other ecclesiastical writers,
from eating meat, shows sufficiently what sort of The eighteen extant books contain the period from
man he was. (Zonar. vol. ii. p. 289, &c. ; Bryenn. Christ down to the death of the tyrant Phocas, ia
jil 15, &c ; Scylit. p. 857, &c. ; Joel, p. 185; 610; of the remaining five books, there are Argu-
Glyc. p. 332 ; Manass.
(W. P. ) menta extant, from which we leam that the work
NICEʻPHORUS (Nexnpópos), Byzantine was carried down to the death of the emperor Leo
p 135. )
1
## p. 1181 (#1197) ##########################################
NICEPHORUS.
1181
NICEPHORUS.
Philosophus, in 911; but it is questionable whether | vii. p. 437 ; Hamberger, Nachrichten von gelehrton
they are the production of Callistus, or of some Männern. )
other writer. Although Callistus compiled from 4. CHARTOPHYLAX, a Byzantine monk of very
the works of his predecessors, he entirely re uncertain age, wrote: Solutionum Epistolae II. ad
modelled his materials, and his elegant style caused Theodosium monachum, Graece et Latine, in Leun.
him to be called Thucydides ecclesiasticus ; while clavius, Jus Graeco-Romanum, in the twelfth vol.
his want of judgment, his credulity, and his love of Biblioth. Patr. Marim. , and in Orthodorographi.
of the marvellous, in consequence of which his work He is said to have lived in the beginning of the
abounds with fables, induced some critics to style ninth century. Fabricius thinks he is the same as
him the Plinius theologorum. He had apparently Nicephoris Diaconus et Chartophylax, who was
studied the classical models, for his style is vastly present at the second council of Nicaea, and was
superior to that of his contemporaries. Of this afterwards raised to the patriarchate: if so, how-
work there exists only one MS. , which was origi- ever, he would be identical with Nicephorus, the
nally in the library of Matthias Corvinus, king of famous author of the Breviarium, who was made
Hungary and Bohemia (1458—1490), at Ofen or patriarch in 806. (Cave, Hist. Lit. ad an. 801 ;
Buda. When this city was taken by the Turks Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. vii. pp. 608, 674. )
in 1526, the king's library was carried to Con- 5. CHUMNUS. (CHUMNUS. )
stantinople, where, soon afterwards, the MS. was 6. HIEROMONACHUS. (No. 10. )
purchased by a German scholar, who sold it in his 7. GREGORAS. (GREGORAS. )
turn to the imperial library in Vienna, where it is 8. MONACHUS, a doubtful person, lived about
still kept. Editions: A Latin version by John 1100, according to P. Possinus. One Nicephorus,
Lang, of Erfurt, Basel, 1553, fol. ; the same with a monk, is the author of Tepi Qurakas kapolas,
scholia, 1560(61); Antwerp, 1560; Paris, 1562, De Custodia Cordis, a very interesting and valuable
1573; Frankfort, 1588, fol. ; Paris, 1566, 12 vols. essay, which Possinus published, in Greek and
8vo. The principal edition is by Fronto Ducaeus, Latin, in his Thesaurus Asceticus, Paris, 1648,
Paris, 1630, 2 vols. fol.
is probably the same writer with the Nicanor men- p. 484. )
(W. M. G. )
tioned in connection with the ancient origin of NICARETE (Nikapétn). 1. The mother of that
the Egyptians by the Scholiast on Apollonius Euxitheus, whose right of citizenship Demosthenes
Rhodius, iv. 262. (Steph. Byz. 8. c. "Ton; Athen. defended against Eubulides. (Dem. p. 1320, ed.
vii. p. 296, d; Apoll. Rhod. p. 160, ed. Wel Reiske. )
lauer. )
(W. M. G. ] 2. A courtezan, and proprietress of courtezans,
NICA'NOR, SAEVIUS, is celebrated by amongst others of Neaera, against whom we have
Suetonius as the first grammarian who acquired an oration of Demosthenes, Kata Néaipas. Athe
fame and honour among the Romans by teaching. naeus (xiii. p. 593, f) mentions her, but a com-
He was the author of commentaries, the greater parison of his statements with those of Demosthenes
portion of which was said to have been suppressed (especially p. 1351, ed. Reiske) will show that, if
(intercepta dicitur), and of a satire where he de- the text be correct, he has misrepresented the state-
clares himself to have been a freedman, and to ments of the orator.
have been distinguished by a double cognomen,
3. A woman of Megara. Athenaeus states her
aaf ܙ
܀ ]. ;
Patie
421
ܬܐ ܝܶܪܶ ܀
AN
Paraino
It's die
## p. 1178 (#1194) ##########################################
1178
NICEPHORUS.
NICEPHORL'S.
to have been of good family and education, and to an eunuch, conspired against that excellent princess
bave been a disciple of. Stilpo, a dialectic philoso with a view of putting his brother Leo on the
pher, who was alive B. C. 299. Diogenes Laërtius throne. His schemes were seen through by several
states that she was Stilpo's mistress, though he of the grand functionaries of state, and a counter
had a wife. _(Athen. xiii. p. 596, e ; Diog. Laërt. conspiracy took place, which is decidedly one of
ii. 114. ) Fabricius (Bibl. Graec. vol. iii. p. 628) | the most remarkable recorded in history. The
states, on the authority of Laërtius, that Nicarete principal leaders on both sides were eunuchs, of
was the mother-in-law of Simmias, a Syracusan. whom seven were against Aëtius, viz. , Nicetas, the
Laërtius, however, only (l. c. ) mentions Stilpo's commander of the guard, his two brothers, Sisinnius
daughter as the wife of Simmias, but gives no hint and Leo Clocas, the quaestor Theoctistus, Leo of
as to who was her mother, (W. M. G. ] Sinope, Gregorius, and Petrus, all of whom held
NICA'RETE (Nikapétn), Sto, a lady of good the patrician rank. Their object was to raise
family and fortune, born at Nicomedeia in Bithynia, Nicephorus to the throne, and they succeeded through
renowned for her piety and benevolence, and also one of those sudden strokes which are so charac-
for the numerous cures which her medical skill teristic of the revolutions of Constantinople. On
enabled her to perform gratuitonsly. She suffered the 31st of October, 802, Nicephorus was suddenly
great hardships during a sort of persecution that proclaimed emperor. He began his career by de
was carried on against the followers of St. Chry- ceiving Irene by false promises ; and no sooner had
Bostom after his expulsion from Constantinople, she entrusted her safety to him, than he sent her
A. D. 404. (Sozom. Hist. Eccles. viii. 23 ; Niceph. into exile in the island of Lesbos, where she died
Callist. Hist. Eccles. xiii. 25. ) She has been soon afterwards of misery and grief. The vices of
canonized by the Romish Church, and her memory the new master of the empire soon became so con-
is, celebrated on December 27 (Martyr. Rom. ). spicuous that he incurred the hatred of the very
Bzovius (Nomencl. Sanctor. Profess. Medic. ) and parties to whom he was indebted for his elevation;
after him C. B. Carpzovius (De Medicis ab Eccles. but as he was supported by the clergy, and a crowd
pro Sanctis habit. ) think it possible that Nicarete of reckless characters, he attacked his former friends
may be the lady mentioned by St. Chrysostom, openly, and put their leader Nicetas to death.
as having restored him to health by her medicines Upon this Bardanes, surnamed the Turk, the
(Epist. ad Olymp. 4. vol. ii. p. 571, ed. Bened. ), bravest man and best general of Greece, rose in
but this conjecture is founded on a faulty reading revolt, was proclaimed emperor by his adherents,
that is now amended. (See note to the passage and marched against Nicephorus, who was unable
referred to. )
(W. A. G. ] to vanquish him in the field, and took refuge in
NICA’TOR, SELEUCUS. [SeleucUS. ] intrigues. Forsaken by his principal supporters
NICE (Ninn). 1. The goddess of victory, or, Bardanes promised to submit on condition of en-
as the Romans called her, Victoria, is described as joying his life and property. Both were granted
a daughter of Pallas and Styx, and as a sister of him by the emperor. As soon, however, as
Zelus (zeal), Cratos (strength), and Bia (force). Bardanes was in the power of his faithless rival,
At the time when Zeus entered upon the fight he was forced to take the monastic habit, had his
against the Titans, and called upon the gods for property confiscated, was deprived of his eyes, and
assistance, Nice and her two sisters were the first continued till his death to be a victim of unre-
that came forward, and Zeus was so pleased with mitting cruelty and revenge. In 803 Nicephorus
their readiness, that he caused them ever after sent ambassadors to Charlemagne, and received in
to live with him in Olympus. (Hes. Theog. 382, his turn an embassy from the latter. A treaty was
&c. ; Apollod. i. 2. $ 2. ) Nice had a celebrated made between them, by which the frontiers of the
temple on the acropolis of Athens, which is still two empires were regulated : Charlemagne was
extant and in excellent preservation. (Paus. i. 22. confirmed in the possession of Istria, Dalmatia,
$ 4. jï. 15. 05. ) She is often seen represented in Liburnia, Slavonia, Croatia, and Bosnia ; but the
ancient works of art, especially together with other Dalmatian islands and sea-towns were left to Nice
divinities, such as Zeus and Athena, and with phorus. In these transactions Nicephorus showed
conquering heroes whose horses she guides. In no small deference to his great rival in the West,
her appearance she resembles Athena, but has while he behaved with impadence towards his
wings, and carries a palm or a wreath, and is en- equally great rival in the East, the khalif Harun-ar-
gaged in raising a trophy, or in inscribing the Rashid, who resented the insult by invading the
victory of the conqueror on a shield. (Paus, v. 10. empire. After a bloody war of several years,
§ 2. 11. $ 1, 2, vi. 18. § 1; comp. Hirt, Mythoh during which a great portion of Asia Minor was
Bilderb. p. 93, &c. )
laid waste, Nicephorus was compelled to accept the
2. A daughter of Thespius and, by Heracles, disgraceful conditions of a peace, by which he
mother of Nicodromus. (Apollod. ii. 7. $ 8. ) was bound to pay to the khalif an annual tribute of
3. Nice also occurs as a surname of Athena 30,000 pieces of gold, out of which three were consi-
under which the goddess had a sanctuary on the dered as being paid by the Greek emperor person-
acropolis of Megara (Paus. i. 42. § 4; Eurip. ally, and three others by his son Stauracius. In
Ion, 1529. )
[L. S. ] 807 Nicephorus set out for Bulgaria, being involved
NICEʻPHORUS (Ninnpópos), i. e. bringing in a war with king Crum, and in the same year
victory, occurs as a surname of several divinities, the Arabs ravaged Rhodes and Lycia. A danger-
such as Aphrodite. (Paus. ii. 19. § 6. ) [L. S. ] ous conspiracy obliged him to return to Constanti-
NICEPHORUS I. (Nurnoópos), emperor of nople, where a few months after his arrival another
Constantonople, A. D. 802—8! 1, was a native of one broke out of which he nearly became a victim.
Seleuceia in Pisidia, and by all sorts of court in- Through the death of Harun-ar-Rashid, in 809,
trigues rose to the important post of logotheta, or Nicephorus was relieved from his most formidable
niinister of finances, with which he was invested by enemy, but was nevertheless unable to secure peace
the empress Irene. The prime minister Aëtius, 1 to his subjects, king Crum of Bulgaria proving as
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NICEPHORUS.
1178
NICEPHORUS.
dangerous as the khalif. In order to carry on the more recognised the Greek rule. All Greece was
war against the Bulgarians with effect, Nicephorus in joy, and the conquest was thought to be so im
established a strong and permanent cordon, or army portant, and, above all, was so unexpected, that the
of observation, along the Danube, and oppressed victor was allowed the honour of a public triumph
his people with taxes. The public indignation was in Constantinople. In 962 Nicephorus set out for
roused, and an attempt was made to assassinate another campaign in Syria, at the head of a splen-
him. However, he was destined to die a more did army of 200,000 men, according to the probably
honourable death. Having drained the people of exaggerated statements of the Arabs, and of 80,000
their gold and silver he was enabled to raise a very men according to Liutprand. The passes across
strong army, at the head of which he penetrated Mount Amanus were forced, Aleppo, Antioch, and
very far into Bulgaria (811), and so weakened the other principal towns of Syria surrendered, or
Crum that the latter sued for peace. Nicephorus, were taken by assault, and Nicephorus pushed on
proud of his success, rejected the request ; but the towards the Euphrates.
The victor was checked
barbarian king now rose with all the energy of in his military career by the death of the emperor
despair, and, as often happens in such cases, ruined Romanus in 963, whose prime minister Brindas,
the man who was too sure of ruining him. The jealous of the unparalleled success of Nicephorus,
Greeks being encamped on a plain surrounded on endeavoured to ruin him by intrigues. Brindas
all sides by steep rocks, intersected by a few nar- made tempting propositions to John Zimisces and
row ravines, Crum contrived to block up all these his brother Romanus Curcuas, through whose in-
defiles but one with enormous quantities of dry strumentality he hoped to accomplish his objects ;
wood and other combustible materials, which but those two generals, having apprised their com-
one night were set on fire, while the Bulgarians mander-in-chief of the treachery of Brindas, Nice-
from al sides shouted their war cries as if they phorus was enabled to triumph over his rival.
intended to descend into the plain and take the Theophano, the widow of Romanus, rewarded him
camp by assault. The terrified Greeks rushed to by appointing him supreme commander of all the
wards the only defile that was still open, but there Greek armies in Asia, with unlimited and almost
were received by Crum with his main forces, and a sovereign authority. In consequence of a widow,
conflict in the night ensued in which the Greek army the mother of two infant princes, being placed at
was nearly destroyed, and Nicephorus lost his life, the head of the empire, the numerous partisans of
slain either by the enemy or his own enraged sol Nicephorus persuaded him to seize the supreme
diers (25th of July 811). His son Stauracius, al- power, and after some hesitation be allowed him-
though badly wounded, escaped and hastened to self to be proclaimed emperor. Upon this he went
Constantinople, where he was proclaimed emperor. to Constantinople, and consolidated his power by
(Theophan. p. 402, &c. ; Cedren. p. 476, &c; marrying Theophano; he was crowned in the
Zonar, vol. ii
. p. 121, &c. ; Manass. p. 93 ; Glyc. month of December, 963 ; and along with him
D. 285, &c. )
(W. P. ] reigned, though only nominally, Basil II. and Con-
NICEPHORUS II. PHOCAS (Nukopópos ó stantine IX. , the two infant sons of Romanus and
wkās), eniperor of Constantinople A. D. 963—969, Theophano.
was the son of the celebrated Bardas Phocas, and During the absence of Nicephorus the Greeks
was born in or about 912. He owed his elevation were victorious in Cilicia, under the command of
to those great military capacities which were here John Zimisces, afterwards emperor, and Nicephorus
ditary in his family, and through which he ob-having joined him in 964, they, in three campaigns,
tained a fame that places him by the side of conquered Damascus, Tripoli, Nisibis, and many
Narses, Belisarius, and the emperors Heraclius, other cities in Syria, compelled the emir Chabgan
Mauricius, and Tiberius. In 954 Constantine VII. to pay a tribute, and overran the whole country as
Porphyrogenitus appointed him magnus domesticus, far as the Euphrates. In 968 the Greeks crossed
and his brothers Leo and Constantine, next to him the Euphrates, Baghdad trembled, and the khalif
the best generals, were also entrusted with great seemed lost, but the death of Nicephorus, and the
military commands. The Greeks were then at ensuing troubles in 969, saved the Mohammedan
war with the khalif Modhi, against whom Nice-empire from destruction. Inflated with success
phorus and his brothers marched in 956. The first Nicephorus had made himself odious to many of
campaign was rather disastrous to the Greeks, who his subjects, and, although he was still popular
were defeated in a pitched battle in which Constan- with the army, the people in general, especially in
tine Phocas was taken prisoner by the Arabs, who Constantinople, were tired of his severity. Un-
afterwards put him to death. In 958 Nicephorus fortunately for him he neglected his wife, and the
and Leo took a terrible revenge. Chabgan, the bravest man in Greece fell a victim to the spite of
Arab emir of Aleppo, the terror of the Christians, a woman and the ambition of a jealous friend :
had conquered Cilicia : Nicephorus defeated him John Zimisces and Theophano conspired against
several times, took Mopsuestia and Tarsus, and his life. Some of their helpmates were hidden in
forced him to fly into Syria, while Leo conquered the imperial palace, and one night, on a certain
the important fortress of Samosata. In an ensuing signal being given, Zimisces came in a boat from
campaign in Syria the Greeks were likewise vic- the Asiatic side of the Bosporus, where he was
torious, and, Romanus II. having succeeded nis watching an opportunity, to the water-gate of the
father Constantine in 959, Nicephorus proposed to palace, joined his confederates, and, guided by
the young emperor to drive the Arabs out of Crete, Theophano, entered the emperor's bedchamber.
where they had established their power 136 years They found him sleeping on a skin: he started up,
previously, to the great grief and annoyance of the but the sword of one Leo clove his skull and he
Greeks. The expedition took place in 960, and was soon despatched. His murderer Zimisces
the capital Candin, a fortress which was believed married his widow and succeeded him on the
to be impregnable, having surrendered in 961, after throne. Nicephorus Phocas was without doubt a
a memorable siege of ten months, the island once most energetic man and a first-rate general, but his
## p. 1180 (#1196) ##########################################
1180
NICEPHORUS.
NICEPHORUS.
P
0
t
1
1
i
bright qualities were darkened by a very treacherous writers. 1. BLEMMIDAS or BLEMMYDAS, lived
disposition, as we best see from his transactions in the thirteenth century. He was descended from
with the emperor Otho I. , which the latter entered a distinguished and wealthy family, but neverthe-
into with a view of obtaining the hand of the less, took holy orders, and led the life of an ascetic.
princess Theophano or Theophania, the daughter Having erected a beautiful church at his own ex-
of the late emperor Romanus, and stepdaughter of pence at Nicaea, he was appointed presbyter of it,
Nicephorus, for his son Otho, afterwards emperor. and, by his really Christian life, gave a good ex-
To this effect he sent, in 968, bishop Liutprand to ample to his people. One day Marchesina, the
Constantinople, who wrote a work on his embassy, concubine of the emperor John Ducas, entered his
which is one of the most interesting and important church to hear the mass, when, to her astonish-
sources for the reign of Nicephorus, and the public ment and indignation, the honest Blemmidas
and private lives of the Greeks of those times. The ordered her to leave the church directly, and, as
emperor Otho I. also endeavoured to obtain the she refused to do so, he caused her to be turned
cession of the Greek possessions in Italy, as a out ; in consequence of which he had to suffer
dowry of the princess Theophania, and it would much annoyance from the emperor. Theodore
perhaps have been advantageous to both parties if Lascaris, the successor of John Ducas, behaved
such a cession had taken place, Nicephorus being differently to him, and on the death of the patriarch
unable to defend Italy. The marriage of Otho II. Germanus, in 1255, offered him the vacant seat,
with Theophania subsequently took place, but space which, however, Nicephorus declined. In the
forbids us to enter into the details of these transac- religious disputes between the Greeks and the
tions. (Liutprándus, Legatio ad Nicephorum Pha Latins, Blemmidas showed himself well disposed
cam; Cedren. p. 637, &c. ; Zonar. vol ii. p. 194, towards the latter. The year of the death of
&c. ; Manass. p. 114 ; Joel, p. 180 ; Glyc. p. Blemmidas is not known. He wrote various
301, &c. )
[W. P. ] works, the principal of which are:-1. Opusculum
NICEPHORUS III. BOTANIATES (ó Bo de Processione Spiritus Sancti, fc. In this work
Taviárns), emperor of Constantinople A. D. 1078– he adopts entirely the views of the Roman catholics
1081. He belonged to an illustrious family which on the procession of the Holy Ghost and other
boasted of a descent from the Fabii of Rome. He matters; which is the more surprising, as he wrote
was looked upon as a brave general, but his military a second work on the same subject, where he de-
skill was the only quality that recommended him. fends the opinion of the Greek church. Leo Alla-
It is related in the life of the emperor Michael VII. tius (De Consensu, ii. 14) endeavours to justify
Parapinaces, how Michael lost his throne in conse him for his want of principle, showing that he
quence of the contemporaneous rebellion of Bryen- either wrote that work when very young, before
nius and Botaniates, the subject of this article, and he had formed a thorough conviction on the point,
that the latter succeeded Michael on the throne. or that some schismatics published their opinions
Botaniates was crowned on the 25th of March, under the name of Blemmidas. 2. De Processione
1078, and soon afterwards married Maria, the wife of Spiritus Sancti Libri II. This is the second work,
Michael, from whom she became divorced by the just mentioned, the first book of which is dedicated
deposed emperor taking holy orders. Before Nice to the emperor Theodore Lascaris, and the second
phorus could enjoy his crown he had to defend it to Jacob, archbishop of Bulgaria, ed. Graece et
against Bryennius, whom he routed and made a Latine, by Oderius Ragnaldus, in the appendix to
prisoner in the bloody battle of Salabrya. Bry- the first volume of his Annales Ecclesiast. ; by Leo
ennius met the fate of most of the unfortunate Allatius, in the first volume of Orthodorae Graeciae
rebels : he had his eyes put out, and was finally Script. 3. Epistola ad plurimos duta postquam
assassinated. Nicephorus made himself so detested Marchesinam templo ejecer at, Graece et Latine, in
by his brutal manners, his ingratitude, and his de- the second book of Leo Allatius, De Consensu.
baucheries, that his short reign of three years was 4. Epitome Logica et Physica, Graece, Augsburg,
little more than an uninterrupted struggle against 1605, 8vo. There are also many other writings
rebels, amongst whom Basilacius, who was defeated by Blemmidas extant in manuscript, in the
on the Vardar by Alexis Comnenus, Constantine libraries of Munich, Rome, Paris, and other places,
Ducas, and Nicephorus Melissenus, aspired to the (Cave, Hist. Liter. ad an. 1255; Fabric. Bibl.
throne. The last was still in arms when the two Graec. vol. xi. p. 394. )
Comneni, Alexis and Isaac, were compelled to 2. BRYENNIUS. (BRYENNIUS. ]
leave the court if they would maintain their dig- 3. CALLISTUS XANTHOPULUS, the celebrated
nity and independence, in consequence of which author of the Ecclesiastical History, was born in
Alexis was proclaimed emperor and took up arms the latter part of the thirteenth century, and died
against his sovereign. Unable to resist the tor about 1450. According to his own saying (H. E.
rent, Nicephorus made propositions to Melissenus ii. p. 64), he had not yet completed his thirty-sixth
to abdicate in his favour, but Alexis Comnenus year when he began to write that work, which
soon compelled him to do so in his own, and occu- he dedicated to the emperor Andronicus Palaeo
pied the throne in his stead (1st of April, 1081). logus the elder, who died in 1327, whence we
Nicephorus was obliged to become a monk and may infer the time of his birth. His works are:-
conform to the austere rules of St. Basil: he died | 1. Historia Ecclesiastica, in twenty-three books, of
some time after his deposition. His complaint which there are eighteen extant, compiled from
that he regretted the loss of his throne and liberty Eusebius, Sozomenus, Socrates, Theodoretus, Eva-
less than the necessity he was under to refrain grius, Philostorgius, and other ecclesiastical writers,
from eating meat, shows sufficiently what sort of The eighteen extant books contain the period from
man he was. (Zonar. vol. ii. p. 289, &c. ; Bryenn. Christ down to the death of the tyrant Phocas, ia
jil 15, &c ; Scylit. p. 857, &c. ; Joel, p. 185; 610; of the remaining five books, there are Argu-
Glyc. p. 332 ; Manass.
(W. P. ) menta extant, from which we leam that the work
NICEʻPHORUS (Nexnpópos), Byzantine was carried down to the death of the emperor Leo
p 135. )
1
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NICEPHORUS.
1181
NICEPHORUS.
Philosophus, in 911; but it is questionable whether | vii. p. 437 ; Hamberger, Nachrichten von gelehrton
they are the production of Callistus, or of some Männern. )
other writer. Although Callistus compiled from 4. CHARTOPHYLAX, a Byzantine monk of very
the works of his predecessors, he entirely re uncertain age, wrote: Solutionum Epistolae II. ad
modelled his materials, and his elegant style caused Theodosium monachum, Graece et Latine, in Leun.
him to be called Thucydides ecclesiasticus ; while clavius, Jus Graeco-Romanum, in the twelfth vol.
his want of judgment, his credulity, and his love of Biblioth. Patr. Marim. , and in Orthodorographi.
of the marvellous, in consequence of which his work He is said to have lived in the beginning of the
abounds with fables, induced some critics to style ninth century. Fabricius thinks he is the same as
him the Plinius theologorum. He had apparently Nicephoris Diaconus et Chartophylax, who was
studied the classical models, for his style is vastly present at the second council of Nicaea, and was
superior to that of his contemporaries. Of this afterwards raised to the patriarchate: if so, how-
work there exists only one MS. , which was origi- ever, he would be identical with Nicephorus, the
nally in the library of Matthias Corvinus, king of famous author of the Breviarium, who was made
Hungary and Bohemia (1458—1490), at Ofen or patriarch in 806. (Cave, Hist. Lit. ad an. 801 ;
Buda. When this city was taken by the Turks Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. vii. pp. 608, 674. )
in 1526, the king's library was carried to Con- 5. CHUMNUS. (CHUMNUS. )
stantinople, where, soon afterwards, the MS. was 6. HIEROMONACHUS. (No. 10. )
purchased by a German scholar, who sold it in his 7. GREGORAS. (GREGORAS. )
turn to the imperial library in Vienna, where it is 8. MONACHUS, a doubtful person, lived about
still kept. Editions: A Latin version by John 1100, according to P. Possinus. One Nicephorus,
Lang, of Erfurt, Basel, 1553, fol. ; the same with a monk, is the author of Tepi Qurakas kapolas,
scholia, 1560(61); Antwerp, 1560; Paris, 1562, De Custodia Cordis, a very interesting and valuable
1573; Frankfort, 1588, fol. ; Paris, 1566, 12 vols. essay, which Possinus published, in Greek and
8vo. The principal edition is by Fronto Ducaeus, Latin, in his Thesaurus Asceticus, Paris, 1648,
Paris, 1630, 2 vols. fol.
