of Scylitzes' own work he has
τωσα
ες την αναγόρευσιν 'Αλεξίου του Κομνηνού,
the titles of Curopalata and Magnus Drungarius In Alexii Comneni Coronatione desinens.
the titles of Curopalata and Magnus Drungarius In Alexii Comneni Coronatione desinens.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - c
iv.
24 ;| εκτός των Ηρακλέους στηλών-τα κατά τον Ηρα-
Lucian, Macrob. 17. )
κλείδην τον Μυλασσών βασιλέα-γής περίοδον -
SCRIBO'NIUS APHRODI'SIUS. [APHRO- drtiypapnv #pos tolv Noduslov iotoplav.
DISIUS. ]
We have still extant a brief description of certain
SCRIBO'NIUS LARGUS. (LARGUS. ] countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa, which bears
SCRIBO'NIUS PROCULUS and RUFUS. the name of Scylax of Caryanda, and is entitled,
[PROCULUS. )
Περίπλους της θαλάσσης οικουμένης Ευρώπης και
SCROFA, literally a sow that has had pigs," | 'Aolas kal Albúms. This little work was supposed
was the name of a family of the Tremellia gens. by Lucas Holstenius, Fabricius, Sainte-Croix, and
1. L. TREMELLIUS SCROFA, quaestor of A. Li-others, to have been written by the Scylax mentioned
cinius Nerva, who governed Macedonia as pro- by Herodotus. Other writers, on the contrary, such
praetorin B. C. 142. During the absence of as G. I. Vossius, Is. Vossius, and Dodwell, regarded
Nerva, he defeated a Pseudo-Perseus or a Pseudo- the author as the contemporary of Panaetius and
Philippus, for there is some uncertainty about the Polybius ; but most modern scholars are disposed
66
## p. 759 (#775) ############################################
SCYLITZES.
759
SCYLITZES.
:
to follow the opinion of Niebuhr, who supposes the knotos to druvuuov). According to the account
writer to have lived in the first half of the reign of given by Fabricius and Cave, and which is now ge-
Philip of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the nerally received, he was a native of the Thracesian
Great (Philip began to reign B. c. 360). Niebuhr Thema (wbich nearly corresponded to the Roman
shows from internal evidence that the Periplus proconsular Asia), and attained successively at the
must have been composed long after the time of Byzantine court, the dignities of protovestiarius
Herodotus ; whilst, from its omitting to mention (high chamberlain), magnus drungarius vigiliarum
any of the cities founded by Alexander, such as (captain of the guards), and curopalates. He flou-
Alexandria in Egypt, as well as from other circum- rished as late as a. d. 1081, if not later. While he
stances, we may conclude that it was drawn up was protovestiarius he published the first edition of
before the reign of Alexander. It is probable, how his great historical work, which came down to A. D.
ever, that the author, whoever he was, may not have 1057 ; and in or after A. D. 1081, when he was
borne the name of Scylax himself, but prefixed to his curopalates, he published either a supplement, or a
work that of Scylax of Caryanda, on account of the second and enlarged edition, bringing the work
celebrity of the navigator in the time of Dareius | down to about A. D. 1080. Several parts of this
Hystaspis. Aristotle is the first writer who refers account are, however, very questionable, as we
to Scylax (Pol. iii. 14); but it is evident, from his shall take occasion to show. It has been already
reference, as well as from the quotations from observed (CEDRENUS, GEORGIUS) that the portion
Scylax in other ancient writers (Philostr. Apollon. of the history of Cedrenus which extends from
iii. 47 ; Harpocrat. p. 174, ed. Gronov. ; Tzetz. the death of the emperor Nicephorus I. (A. D.
Chil. vii. 144), which refer to matters not con- 811) to the close of the work (A. D. 1057), is
tained in the Periplus come down to us, that we found almost verbatim in the history of Joannes
possess only an abridgment of the original work. Scylitzes, which commences from the death of Ni-
The Periplus of Scylax was first published by cephorus I. (A. D. 81l), and extends, in the printed
Hoeschel, with other minor Greek geographers, copies, to the reign of Nicephorus Botaniotes
Augsburg, 1600, 8vo. ; next by Is. Vossius, Am- (A. D. 1078–1081). From this circumstance two
sterdam, 1639, 4to. ; subsequently by Hudson, in questions arise. Did Cedrenus borrow from Scy-
his “ Geographi Graeci Minores," and in the re- litzes, or Scylitzes from Cedrenus ? and, did Scy-
print of the same work by Gail, Paris, 1826 ; and litzes publish two editions of his history, or only
last of all by R. H. Klausen, attached to his frag- one? The former question is the more important.
ments of Hecataeus, Berlin, 1831.
As the history of Scylitzes, in its present form,
(Fabric. Bibl Graec. vol. iv. p. 606, &c. ; extends to a period more than twenty years after
Vossius, de Hist. Graecis, p. 166, ed. Westermann; that at which Cedrenus closes his work, the natural
Sainte-Croix, in Mém. de l'Acad. des Inscriptions, inference, if we judged from this circumstance
vol. xlii. p. 350 ; Niebuhr, Ueber das Alter des alone, would be that Scylitzes was the later writer.
Küstenbeschreibers Skylax von Karyanda, in his And this was the opinion of Fabrot, the Parisian
Kleine Schriften, vol. i. p. 105, &c. , translated in the editor of Cedrenus ; and of Henschenius. (Acta
Philological Museum, vol i. p. 245, &c. ; Ukert, Sanctorum Februar. a d. xi. Comment. de Impera-
Geographie der Griechen und Römer, vol. i. pt. ii. trice Theodora, $ 90, 97. ) As, however, the dates
p. 285, &c. ; the dissertations prefixed to Hudson's indicate that they were nearly contemporary, such
and Klausen's editions. )
an extensive incorporation as must have been prac-
SCYLAX (kúrat), an engraver of precious tised by one or the other could hardly have been
stones, whose time is unknown, but from whose practised without its being known ; and, if known,
hand we still possess some beautiful gems. (Stosch, there could be no reason why the borrower should
58, 59 ; Bracci, 101, 102, 103). [P. S. ) not avow the obligation. The question then turns
SCYLES (Exúans), son and successor of Aria- upon this point, has either of the two mentioned or
peithes, king of the Scythians in the time of He referred to the other? . Scylitzes, in his Prooemium,
rodotus. His mother was a Greek of Istria, who which is given in the original Greek by Montfaucon
taught him her own language, and imbued him (Biblioth. Coislin, p. 207, &c. ), from a MS. appa-
with an attachment to Greek customs and modes rently of the twelfth century, mentions Georgius
of life. The tastes thus acquired be used to gratify Syncellus (GEORGIUS, lit. and eccles. No. 46] and
at Olbia, a Milesian colony (as its inhabitants pro- Theophanes [THEOPHANES), as the only writers
fessed), at the mouth of the Borysthenes, where who, since the time of the ancients, had success-
he passed a great part of his time, having built a fully written history ; and says that, after them,
house there, and married a woman of the place. no one had devoted himself to the production of
Here he was detected by some of his countrymen similar works; that those who had attempted to
in the celebration of the Bacchic mysteries, where-write history had either given mere catalogues of
upon they withdrew their allegiance from him, and sovereigns, or had been influenced by the desire of
set up his brother, Octamasades, as king. Scyles, panegyrising or vituperating some prince or pa-
upon this, fled to Sitalces, king of Thrace ; but triarch or personal friend ; by which we suppose
the latter, on the invasion of his kingdom by a he means that they had written biography, and
Scythian army, surrendered him to Octamasades, that partially, instead of history. He enumerates
who caused him to be beheaded. (Herod. iv. 78 many writers of this class, as Theodorus Daph-
-80. )
[E. E. ] nopates [THEODORUS), Nicetas Paphlago [Nice-
SCYLITZES or SCYLITZA, JOANNES, a Tas, Byzantine writers, No. 9], Joseph Genesius
Byzantine historian, of the later period of the (Genesius), &c. But in neither class does he
empire, surnamed, from his office, CUROPALATES notice Cedrenus, whom, as the author of a recent
('Iwávvns Kouporahámns ó EKUAKT675); probably work of such extent, and to the merit of which,
also called (apud Cedren. Compend. sub init. ) had he transcribed it, he would thereby have borne
JOANNES THRACESIUS, and, from his office, Pro- a virtual testimony, he could hardly have over-
TOVESTIARIUS (ó TowTobeoriápos 'Iwdvons é Opa- looked. His silence, therefore, furnishes a strong,
;
3 C4
## p. 760 (#776) ############################################
760
SCYLITZES.
SCYLITZES.
if not a decisive argument against the priority and version is a manifest error, for the version itself
originality of Cedrenus. The title of the work comes down, as does the printed Greek tert, to the
from which this Prooemium is taken is thus given reign of Nicephorus Botaniotes. Gabius apparently
by Montfaucon, from the MS. , Súvoyıs iotopian translated the title of the MS. which he used ; and
συγγραφείσα παρά Ιωάννου κουροπαλάτου και | the name of Isaac Comnenus is probably an error
μεγάλου δρουγγαρίου της Βίγλας του Σκυλίτζη, (either of the transcriber of the MS. Or of the
Synopsis Iistoriarum Scripta a Joanne Scylitze Cu- translator) for Alexius Comnenus, Botaniotes' suc-
sopalata el Magno Drungurio Vigiliae. On the other cessor, to whose accession, as we shall presently see,
hand Cedrenus is a professed compiler : his work, the history extended in the author's purpose, if not in
which is also called úvollis io topiớv, Synopsis his performance. The earlier cessation of Cedrenus
Historiarum, is avowedly described in the title as narrative may be otherwise accounted for. It may
Outleyeira ék diapópw Bibalwv,“ ex diversis Libris be questioned whether he ever finished his work ;
collecta. " The Prooemium is so far identical with or whether, if he did, his work is extant in its
that of Scylitzes as to show that one has been entire forin (comp. Vossius, de Historicis Graec.
taken from the other, and adapted to the borrower's lib. ii. c. xxvi. ubi de Cedren. ): the actual conclu-
purpose. In a passage, however, peculiar to Ce-sion is abrupt ; and the point at which it terminates
drenus, he quotes as one of his chief authorities, a partakes not of the character of an historical epoch.
certain Joannes Protovestiarius, surnamed Thrace-To this it may be added that the extant work of
sius, whose manner of writing he describes in the Scylitzes, which is assumed to be the second edition,
very terins in which Scylitzes, in his Prooemium, does not make any reference to a former edition, or
had laid down his own principles of composition. bear any mark of a continuation having been ap-
The point at which Cedrenus describes the history pended at the place where the supposed first edition
of this Joannes Thracesius as commencing, is pre- concluded. Another consideration which weighs
cisely that at which the history of Scylitzes begins with us is this ; that the title of Protovestiarius
There can, therefore, we think, be no reasonable was, in the scale of Byzantine rank, above those of
doubt that Joannes Thracesius and Joannes Scy: Curopalata and Drungarius ; and was, therefore, it
litzes are the same person ; and their identity is is reasonable to suppose, the last attained (comp.
further established by a short piece in the Jus Codinus, de Official. Palat. CPolit. c. ii. ). We
Graeco-Romanum of Leunclavius, mentioned below, see no reason, then, to suppose that there was more
in the title of which Joannes Thracesius is called than one edition.
Curopolata and Magnus Drungarius Vigiliarum. It remains to be considered at what date the
It is clear also that he wrote before Cedrenus; and history of Scylitzes was written, and to how late a
that the latter borrowed from him; and this is now period it extended. The abruptness of the termi-
the general conclusion of competent judges, includ nation of the work, as printed, in the middle of the
ing Vossius, Hankius, Pontunus, Goar, Labbe, short reign of Nicephorus Botaniotes, shows that
Lambecius, and Fabricius. It may be observed, we have it in an incomplete form, whether so left
however, that no other discredit than that of being by the author or derived from an imperfect copy.
a mere compiler justly attaches to Cedrenus from A MS. in the Imperial Library at Vienna, fully
this circumstance: he did not profess to be more described by Kollar (Supplement ad Lambecü Com-
than a compiler, and has fairly owned his obliga- mentar. lib. i. p. 613, &c. ), contains a variety of
tions both to Scylitzes, assuming the latter to be chronological and other tables, probably compiled
identical with Joannes Thracesius, and to other by Scylitzes (and which we shall presently notice),
writers from whom he borrowed. Had Scylitzes, and a copy of his Synopsis Historiarum, written, as
who does not mention Cedrenus, borrowed as Kollar judges, early in the twelfth century. This
largely from the latter and concealed his obliga- MS. is mutilated at the end of Scylitzes' Synopsis,
tion, he would have justly incurred the reproach so as to prevent our ascertaining at what point the
of endeavouring to deck himself out with stolen history concluded. But a list of Byzantine sore-
plumage.
reigns of both sexes, bearing the inscription of ev
The question whether Scylitzes published two τήδε τη βίβλφ αναγεγραμμένοι βασιλείς είσιν
editions of his history, though less important, de- cŮT01, Imperatores quorum Res in hoc Libro sunt
serves notice. Vossius, Hankius, and other critics con- conscriptae, sunt hi, ends with 'Alégios o Kominyòs,
tend that he did. Their opinion appears to rest on | έτη λς' μήνας δ' ημέρας ιδ', η γυνή αυτου Ειρήνη,
these circumstances : that, in the Latin translation Alerius Comnenus, annis septem et triginta, men-
of Scylitzes by Gabius (of which presently), the his. sibus quatuor, diebus quatuordecim. Uror ejus
tory is said in the title-page to extend to the reign of Irene. From this passage Kollar inferred that the
Isaac Comnenus, “ad imperium · Isaaci Comneni:" history included the whole reign of Alexius, and
that Cedrenus, who, in the latter part of his work, that the author must have written after its close in
transcribes Scylitzes, brings down his work only to A. d. 1118. But this inference, so far as it respects
A. D. 1057, and that, in speaking of Joannes Thra- the close of the history, is contradicted by the title
cesius, he gives him the title of Protovestiarius, of the history itself, which describes it as telev-
while in the MSS.
of Scylitzes' own work he has τωσα ες την αναγόρευσιν 'Αλεξίου του Κομνηνού,
the titles of Curopalata and Magnus Drungarius In Alexii Comneni Coronatione desinens. The his-
Vigiliarum; and the work itself comes down to tory then included, or was intended to include, not
about 1080. From these premises it is inferred the whole reign of Alexius, but only its commence-
that Scylitzes first held the office of Protovestiarius, ment; though the extant, at least the published
and during that time published a first edition of copies do not reach even this point, thus evidencing
his work, coming down to A. D. 1057 ; and that their incompleteness. The writer, therefore, must
afterwards he attained the dignities of Curopalata have lived after the commencement ; and, if he
and Drungarius, and then published a second was the author of the table of sovereigns, after the
edition brought down to a later period. But this close of the reign of Alexius: but it may be doubted
reasoning is not satisfactory. The title of Gabius's whether that table was not added, or the length of
## p. 761 (#777) ############################################
SCYLITZES.
761
SCYLITZES.
1
66
1
each sovereign's reign inserted, by a subsequent appear, it may be hoped these tables will be pube
transcriber. All that can with certainty be concluded lished also. They are:- 1. Lúvouis TWv Xpows
is, that the printed editions and the known ΜSS. of | από της κτίσεως κόσμου, Synopsis annorum ο
the history do not complete the work, according to creatione mundi. It is little else than a list of
the description given in its title; and that the names, with their respective dates, beginning with
author filled the offices ascribed to him by Cedrenus Adam, and ending with the Roman emperors Dio-
and in the title of his own work. Whether he cletian and Maximian. 2. "Ooou ev Bučavtly dba-
lived after A. D. 1118 ; whether he held his several olevoar Xplotiavoi, Quot Byzantii imperium obti-
offices successively or simultaneously, and if suc- nuerunt Christiani, beginning with Constantine the
cessively, in what order, is quite uncertain. The Great, and ending with Nicephorus Botaniotes: the
theory of a double edition of his work, and the length of each emperor's reign is given. 3. Certain
succession of his offices deduced from that theory, historical epochs ; beginning Eiol oùv and 'Addu
rests, as we have shown, on no sufficient foundation. iws Toù KataKA VO MOŨ K. T. A. , Ab Adamo igitur
Even the assertion that he was a native of the usque ad Diluvium furerunt unni. 4. A list of
Thraccsian Thema is doubtful ; for Cedrenus, who the Kings of the Ten Tribes of Israel. 5. A list
calls him o Θρακήσιος, « Thracesius," does not of the High Priests of Ismel, beginning with
add to yévos, “ by birth," but od énovupov, “ by Aaron. 6. A list of the Patriarchs of Jerusalem.
surname," as if to guard against the otherwise 7. A list of the Bishops of Rome, ending with
obvious inference as to his birth-place. Possibly, Boniface II. , A. D. 530. 8. A list of the Bishops
like Georgius Trapezuntius (George of Trebizond), or Patriarchs of Byzantium, to Stephen, A. D. 886
he derived his surname from the original seat of his -893. 9. A list of the Patriarchs of Alexandria.
family. [GEORGIUS, literary and ecclesiastical, 10. A list of the Patriarchs of Antioch, ending
No. 48. ]
with the second patriarchate of Anastasius I. , A. D.
The work of Scylitzes, one of the most important 593. 11, 12. The Canonical Books of the Old and
of the Byzantine histories, has been singularly neg. New Testaments. 13. Controverted Books of the
lected. The unfounded opinion of Fabrot, the Pa- Old Testament, chiefly the Books of our Apocry-
risian editor of Cedrenus, that Scylitzes was merely pha. 14. Controverted Books of the New Testa-
the “ Cedreni simia,” led to the publication of only ment, including the Apocalypsis Joannis, and some
that part of Scylitzes which Cedrenus did not others not included in our canon, viz. , the Apoca-
transcribe, viz. , the part extending from 1057 to lypsis Petri, Barnabae Epistola, and the Evangelium
1080, and which those who suppose that there were secundum Hebraeos. 15. Spurious Books of the
two editions of the work regard as having been Old Testament. 16. Spurious Books of the New
added in the second edition. It constitutes about Testament, among which are classed the Writings of
a seventh part of the whole work. The Paris Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Polycarp, and Hernias.
edition of Cedrenus appeared in two vols. fol. 17. The Genealogy of the Roman Emperor Valen-
1647. The Excerpta ex Breviario Historico Joan- tinian I. Lambecius, and, after him, Fabricius,
nis Scylitzae Curopulatae, excipientia ubi Cedrenus doubted if all these tables were to be attributed to
desinit are in the second volume, and are illustrated Scylitzes : but Lambecius (according to Kollar)
with a Latin version (slightly altered from Gabius's) subsequently changed his opinion, and thought
and a few notes, by Goar. The Venice edition, they were his. (Kollar, Supplement, p. 618. )
fol. 1729, is a mere reprint of the foregoing ; though The Jus Graeco-Romanum of Leunclavius (vol. i.
in the interim Montfaucon had published (Biblioth. p. 132, &c. ) contains, 'ThrouvTous ToŮ Kouporand-
Coislin. p. 207) the Prooemium, which, in an του και μεγάλου δρουγγαρίου της βίγλης Ιωάννου
αbridged or mutilated forτη, Cedrenus had adopted του Θρακησίου μετά την περί μνηστείας νεαράν γε-
as his own, and prefixed to his own work. In the νομένη προς τον αυτόν βασιλέα κύριον Αλέξιον περι
Bonn edition of Byzantine historians, it might Tivos dupisovlasémi taútpávaquelons, Suggestio C'u-
have been expected that the entire work of Scy- ropulatae, Magnique Drungarii Vigiliurum, Domini
litzes would bave appeared, even if the transcript Joannis Thracesii post promulgatam de Sponsalibus
of it in Cedrenus had been suppressed : but Bekker, Novellam obluta eilem Principi, Domino Alexio, de
the editor of Cedrenus, has been content to repeat ambiguitute quadam super haec enata. According to
the Excerpta of Fabrot, with the mere addition in Possevino (Apparatus Sacer. Catalog. ad fin. tom.
the margin of such supplements, both to Cedrenus, iii. p. 42), there were extant in MS. in the library
in the part transcribed from Scylitzes, and to of a convent of the monks of St. Basil, in the isle
the Excerpta, as could be obtained from MSS. , of Patmos, some other works of Scylitzes : – Joan-
including the Coislin MS. examined by Montfaucon, nis Scylitzae Varii Sermones Philosophici et Theolo-
but apparently not including the Vienna MS. The gici, of which the first was, nepi koopov xal ons
greater part of the Greek text of one of the most kar' aútov qúoews, De Mundo et ejus Natura : also
valuable of the Byzantine writers is yet, therefore, Ejusdem quaedam Epistolae. The dissertations
unpublished in its original and proper form. would be curious, as Scylitzes appears to have had
A Latin version of the whole work (with the ex. little respect for the property, whatever he may
ception of some lacunae), by:Joannes Baptista Gabius bave had for the doctrines of the Church. He vin-
(Giovanni Battista Gabio), Greek professor at Rome, dicates in his history (p. 808, ed. Paris, p. 642, ed.
was published, fol. Venice, 1570. A part of this Bonn) the conduct of Isaac Comnenus, in seizing
version accompanies the Greek text of the Excerpta the superfluous wealth of the monasteries, and
in the above editions. Gabio writes his author's wishes that he had been able to treat the whole
name Scillizza or Scyllizzes.
Church in a similar way. (See, however, Mont-
The tables prefixed to the work of Scylitzes in faucon, Bibl. Coisl. p. 206. ) Possibly, however,
'the Vienna MS. were conjectured by Kollar to the Patmos MSS. may contain the works of a
have been collected or compiled by Scylitzes as in-younger Joannes Scylitzes, different from the
troductory to his work. This is not unlikely ; and historian, who is mentioned by Nic. Comnenus
whenever the whole of the text of Scylitzes shall | Papadopoli, but whose writings Fabricius bad
.
1
## p. 762 (#778) ############################################
762
SCYLLA.
'SCYTHES.
not seen.
(Vossius, De Historicis Graecis, lib. ii. SCYLLIS. (DIPOEN US. )
c. xxvi. ; Hankius, De Byzantin. rerum Scriptoribus, SCYMNUS (Xxúuvos), of Chios, wrote a Pe
pars.
i. c.
C. xxvii. ; Lambecius, Comment. de Biblioth. riegesis, or description of the earth, which is referred
Cucsaraea, vol. ii. p. 232, &c. ed. Kollar ; Kollar, to in a few passages of Stephanus and other later
Supplement. ad Lambec. l. c. ; Cave, Hist. Litt. writers (Steph. Byz. s. vo. Nápos, 'Epucvarra,
vol. ii. p. 155, ed. Oxford, 1740-1743 ; Mont-'Ayaon, "Apews voos ; Schol. ad Apollon. Rhod.
faucon, Bill. Coislin, p. 206, &c. ; Goar, Notae iv. 284 ; Apollon. Hist. Mirab. 15, where we
Posteriores 'in Cedrcnum, sub init. ; Oudin, De should read Ikúuvos instead of Exutivos). A
Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis, vol. ii. col. 745, &c. ; Fa- brief Periegesis, written in lambic metre, and con-
bric. Bill. Graec. vol. vii. pp. 464, &c. , 722, &c. , sisting of nearly one thousand lines, has come
vol. xi. pp. 644,651; Allatius, Diatriba de Gcorgiis, down to us. This poem, as appears from the
apud Fabric. vol. xii. p. 33; Labbe, Catalog. author's own statement, was written in imitation
Scriptor. llist. Byzant. Nos. ix. x. ; Appar. Hist. of a similar work in iambic verses, composed by the
Byzantin.
Lucian, Macrob. 17. )
κλείδην τον Μυλασσών βασιλέα-γής περίοδον -
SCRIBO'NIUS APHRODI'SIUS. [APHRO- drtiypapnv #pos tolv Noduslov iotoplav.
DISIUS. ]
We have still extant a brief description of certain
SCRIBO'NIUS LARGUS. (LARGUS. ] countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa, which bears
SCRIBO'NIUS PROCULUS and RUFUS. the name of Scylax of Caryanda, and is entitled,
[PROCULUS. )
Περίπλους της θαλάσσης οικουμένης Ευρώπης και
SCROFA, literally a sow that has had pigs," | 'Aolas kal Albúms. This little work was supposed
was the name of a family of the Tremellia gens. by Lucas Holstenius, Fabricius, Sainte-Croix, and
1. L. TREMELLIUS SCROFA, quaestor of A. Li-others, to have been written by the Scylax mentioned
cinius Nerva, who governed Macedonia as pro- by Herodotus. Other writers, on the contrary, such
praetorin B. C. 142. During the absence of as G. I. Vossius, Is. Vossius, and Dodwell, regarded
Nerva, he defeated a Pseudo-Perseus or a Pseudo- the author as the contemporary of Panaetius and
Philippus, for there is some uncertainty about the Polybius ; but most modern scholars are disposed
66
## p. 759 (#775) ############################################
SCYLITZES.
759
SCYLITZES.
:
to follow the opinion of Niebuhr, who supposes the knotos to druvuuov). According to the account
writer to have lived in the first half of the reign of given by Fabricius and Cave, and which is now ge-
Philip of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the nerally received, he was a native of the Thracesian
Great (Philip began to reign B. c. 360). Niebuhr Thema (wbich nearly corresponded to the Roman
shows from internal evidence that the Periplus proconsular Asia), and attained successively at the
must have been composed long after the time of Byzantine court, the dignities of protovestiarius
Herodotus ; whilst, from its omitting to mention (high chamberlain), magnus drungarius vigiliarum
any of the cities founded by Alexander, such as (captain of the guards), and curopalates. He flou-
Alexandria in Egypt, as well as from other circum- rished as late as a. d. 1081, if not later. While he
stances, we may conclude that it was drawn up was protovestiarius he published the first edition of
before the reign of Alexander. It is probable, how his great historical work, which came down to A. D.
ever, that the author, whoever he was, may not have 1057 ; and in or after A. D. 1081, when he was
borne the name of Scylax himself, but prefixed to his curopalates, he published either a supplement, or a
work that of Scylax of Caryanda, on account of the second and enlarged edition, bringing the work
celebrity of the navigator in the time of Dareius | down to about A. D. 1080. Several parts of this
Hystaspis. Aristotle is the first writer who refers account are, however, very questionable, as we
to Scylax (Pol. iii. 14); but it is evident, from his shall take occasion to show. It has been already
reference, as well as from the quotations from observed (CEDRENUS, GEORGIUS) that the portion
Scylax in other ancient writers (Philostr. Apollon. of the history of Cedrenus which extends from
iii. 47 ; Harpocrat. p. 174, ed. Gronov. ; Tzetz. the death of the emperor Nicephorus I. (A. D.
Chil. vii. 144), which refer to matters not con- 811) to the close of the work (A. D. 1057), is
tained in the Periplus come down to us, that we found almost verbatim in the history of Joannes
possess only an abridgment of the original work. Scylitzes, which commences from the death of Ni-
The Periplus of Scylax was first published by cephorus I. (A. D. 81l), and extends, in the printed
Hoeschel, with other minor Greek geographers, copies, to the reign of Nicephorus Botaniotes
Augsburg, 1600, 8vo. ; next by Is. Vossius, Am- (A. D. 1078–1081). From this circumstance two
sterdam, 1639, 4to. ; subsequently by Hudson, in questions arise. Did Cedrenus borrow from Scy-
his “ Geographi Graeci Minores," and in the re- litzes, or Scylitzes from Cedrenus ? and, did Scy-
print of the same work by Gail, Paris, 1826 ; and litzes publish two editions of his history, or only
last of all by R. H. Klausen, attached to his frag- one? The former question is the more important.
ments of Hecataeus, Berlin, 1831.
As the history of Scylitzes, in its present form,
(Fabric. Bibl Graec. vol. iv. p. 606, &c. ; extends to a period more than twenty years after
Vossius, de Hist. Graecis, p. 166, ed. Westermann; that at which Cedrenus closes his work, the natural
Sainte-Croix, in Mém. de l'Acad. des Inscriptions, inference, if we judged from this circumstance
vol. xlii. p. 350 ; Niebuhr, Ueber das Alter des alone, would be that Scylitzes was the later writer.
Küstenbeschreibers Skylax von Karyanda, in his And this was the opinion of Fabrot, the Parisian
Kleine Schriften, vol. i. p. 105, &c. , translated in the editor of Cedrenus ; and of Henschenius. (Acta
Philological Museum, vol i. p. 245, &c. ; Ukert, Sanctorum Februar. a d. xi. Comment. de Impera-
Geographie der Griechen und Römer, vol. i. pt. ii. trice Theodora, $ 90, 97. ) As, however, the dates
p. 285, &c. ; the dissertations prefixed to Hudson's indicate that they were nearly contemporary, such
and Klausen's editions. )
an extensive incorporation as must have been prac-
SCYLAX (kúrat), an engraver of precious tised by one or the other could hardly have been
stones, whose time is unknown, but from whose practised without its being known ; and, if known,
hand we still possess some beautiful gems. (Stosch, there could be no reason why the borrower should
58, 59 ; Bracci, 101, 102, 103). [P. S. ) not avow the obligation. The question then turns
SCYLES (Exúans), son and successor of Aria- upon this point, has either of the two mentioned or
peithes, king of the Scythians in the time of He referred to the other? . Scylitzes, in his Prooemium,
rodotus. His mother was a Greek of Istria, who which is given in the original Greek by Montfaucon
taught him her own language, and imbued him (Biblioth. Coislin, p. 207, &c. ), from a MS. appa-
with an attachment to Greek customs and modes rently of the twelfth century, mentions Georgius
of life. The tastes thus acquired be used to gratify Syncellus (GEORGIUS, lit. and eccles. No. 46] and
at Olbia, a Milesian colony (as its inhabitants pro- Theophanes [THEOPHANES), as the only writers
fessed), at the mouth of the Borysthenes, where who, since the time of the ancients, had success-
he passed a great part of his time, having built a fully written history ; and says that, after them,
house there, and married a woman of the place. no one had devoted himself to the production of
Here he was detected by some of his countrymen similar works; that those who had attempted to
in the celebration of the Bacchic mysteries, where-write history had either given mere catalogues of
upon they withdrew their allegiance from him, and sovereigns, or had been influenced by the desire of
set up his brother, Octamasades, as king. Scyles, panegyrising or vituperating some prince or pa-
upon this, fled to Sitalces, king of Thrace ; but triarch or personal friend ; by which we suppose
the latter, on the invasion of his kingdom by a he means that they had written biography, and
Scythian army, surrendered him to Octamasades, that partially, instead of history. He enumerates
who caused him to be beheaded. (Herod. iv. 78 many writers of this class, as Theodorus Daph-
-80. )
[E. E. ] nopates [THEODORUS), Nicetas Paphlago [Nice-
SCYLITZES or SCYLITZA, JOANNES, a Tas, Byzantine writers, No. 9], Joseph Genesius
Byzantine historian, of the later period of the (Genesius), &c. But in neither class does he
empire, surnamed, from his office, CUROPALATES notice Cedrenus, whom, as the author of a recent
('Iwávvns Kouporahámns ó EKUAKT675); probably work of such extent, and to the merit of which,
also called (apud Cedren. Compend. sub init. ) had he transcribed it, he would thereby have borne
JOANNES THRACESIUS, and, from his office, Pro- a virtual testimony, he could hardly have over-
TOVESTIARIUS (ó TowTobeoriápos 'Iwdvons é Opa- looked. His silence, therefore, furnishes a strong,
;
3 C4
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760
SCYLITZES.
SCYLITZES.
if not a decisive argument against the priority and version is a manifest error, for the version itself
originality of Cedrenus. The title of the work comes down, as does the printed Greek tert, to the
from which this Prooemium is taken is thus given reign of Nicephorus Botaniotes. Gabius apparently
by Montfaucon, from the MS. , Súvoyıs iotopian translated the title of the MS. which he used ; and
συγγραφείσα παρά Ιωάννου κουροπαλάτου και | the name of Isaac Comnenus is probably an error
μεγάλου δρουγγαρίου της Βίγλας του Σκυλίτζη, (either of the transcriber of the MS. Or of the
Synopsis Iistoriarum Scripta a Joanne Scylitze Cu- translator) for Alexius Comnenus, Botaniotes' suc-
sopalata el Magno Drungurio Vigiliae. On the other cessor, to whose accession, as we shall presently see,
hand Cedrenus is a professed compiler : his work, the history extended in the author's purpose, if not in
which is also called úvollis io topiớv, Synopsis his performance. The earlier cessation of Cedrenus
Historiarum, is avowedly described in the title as narrative may be otherwise accounted for. It may
Outleyeira ék diapópw Bibalwv,“ ex diversis Libris be questioned whether he ever finished his work ;
collecta. " The Prooemium is so far identical with or whether, if he did, his work is extant in its
that of Scylitzes as to show that one has been entire forin (comp. Vossius, de Historicis Graec.
taken from the other, and adapted to the borrower's lib. ii. c. xxvi. ubi de Cedren. ): the actual conclu-
purpose. In a passage, however, peculiar to Ce-sion is abrupt ; and the point at which it terminates
drenus, he quotes as one of his chief authorities, a partakes not of the character of an historical epoch.
certain Joannes Protovestiarius, surnamed Thrace-To this it may be added that the extant work of
sius, whose manner of writing he describes in the Scylitzes, which is assumed to be the second edition,
very terins in which Scylitzes, in his Prooemium, does not make any reference to a former edition, or
had laid down his own principles of composition. bear any mark of a continuation having been ap-
The point at which Cedrenus describes the history pended at the place where the supposed first edition
of this Joannes Thracesius as commencing, is pre- concluded. Another consideration which weighs
cisely that at which the history of Scylitzes begins with us is this ; that the title of Protovestiarius
There can, therefore, we think, be no reasonable was, in the scale of Byzantine rank, above those of
doubt that Joannes Thracesius and Joannes Scy: Curopalata and Drungarius ; and was, therefore, it
litzes are the same person ; and their identity is is reasonable to suppose, the last attained (comp.
further established by a short piece in the Jus Codinus, de Official. Palat. CPolit. c. ii. ). We
Graeco-Romanum of Leunclavius, mentioned below, see no reason, then, to suppose that there was more
in the title of which Joannes Thracesius is called than one edition.
Curopolata and Magnus Drungarius Vigiliarum. It remains to be considered at what date the
It is clear also that he wrote before Cedrenus; and history of Scylitzes was written, and to how late a
that the latter borrowed from him; and this is now period it extended. The abruptness of the termi-
the general conclusion of competent judges, includ nation of the work, as printed, in the middle of the
ing Vossius, Hankius, Pontunus, Goar, Labbe, short reign of Nicephorus Botaniotes, shows that
Lambecius, and Fabricius. It may be observed, we have it in an incomplete form, whether so left
however, that no other discredit than that of being by the author or derived from an imperfect copy.
a mere compiler justly attaches to Cedrenus from A MS. in the Imperial Library at Vienna, fully
this circumstance: he did not profess to be more described by Kollar (Supplement ad Lambecü Com-
than a compiler, and has fairly owned his obliga- mentar. lib. i. p. 613, &c. ), contains a variety of
tions both to Scylitzes, assuming the latter to be chronological and other tables, probably compiled
identical with Joannes Thracesius, and to other by Scylitzes (and which we shall presently notice),
writers from whom he borrowed. Had Scylitzes, and a copy of his Synopsis Historiarum, written, as
who does not mention Cedrenus, borrowed as Kollar judges, early in the twelfth century. This
largely from the latter and concealed his obliga- MS. is mutilated at the end of Scylitzes' Synopsis,
tion, he would have justly incurred the reproach so as to prevent our ascertaining at what point the
of endeavouring to deck himself out with stolen history concluded. But a list of Byzantine sore-
plumage.
reigns of both sexes, bearing the inscription of ev
The question whether Scylitzes published two τήδε τη βίβλφ αναγεγραμμένοι βασιλείς είσιν
editions of his history, though less important, de- cŮT01, Imperatores quorum Res in hoc Libro sunt
serves notice. Vossius, Hankius, and other critics con- conscriptae, sunt hi, ends with 'Alégios o Kominyòs,
tend that he did. Their opinion appears to rest on | έτη λς' μήνας δ' ημέρας ιδ', η γυνή αυτου Ειρήνη,
these circumstances : that, in the Latin translation Alerius Comnenus, annis septem et triginta, men-
of Scylitzes by Gabius (of which presently), the his. sibus quatuor, diebus quatuordecim. Uror ejus
tory is said in the title-page to extend to the reign of Irene. From this passage Kollar inferred that the
Isaac Comnenus, “ad imperium · Isaaci Comneni:" history included the whole reign of Alexius, and
that Cedrenus, who, in the latter part of his work, that the author must have written after its close in
transcribes Scylitzes, brings down his work only to A. d. 1118. But this inference, so far as it respects
A. D. 1057, and that, in speaking of Joannes Thra- the close of the history, is contradicted by the title
cesius, he gives him the title of Protovestiarius, of the history itself, which describes it as telev-
while in the MSS.
of Scylitzes' own work he has τωσα ες την αναγόρευσιν 'Αλεξίου του Κομνηνού,
the titles of Curopalata and Magnus Drungarius In Alexii Comneni Coronatione desinens. The his-
Vigiliarum; and the work itself comes down to tory then included, or was intended to include, not
about 1080. From these premises it is inferred the whole reign of Alexius, but only its commence-
that Scylitzes first held the office of Protovestiarius, ment; though the extant, at least the published
and during that time published a first edition of copies do not reach even this point, thus evidencing
his work, coming down to A. D. 1057 ; and that their incompleteness. The writer, therefore, must
afterwards he attained the dignities of Curopalata have lived after the commencement ; and, if he
and Drungarius, and then published a second was the author of the table of sovereigns, after the
edition brought down to a later period. But this close of the reign of Alexius: but it may be doubted
reasoning is not satisfactory. The title of Gabius's whether that table was not added, or the length of
## p. 761 (#777) ############################################
SCYLITZES.
761
SCYLITZES.
1
66
1
each sovereign's reign inserted, by a subsequent appear, it may be hoped these tables will be pube
transcriber. All that can with certainty be concluded lished also. They are:- 1. Lúvouis TWv Xpows
is, that the printed editions and the known ΜSS. of | από της κτίσεως κόσμου, Synopsis annorum ο
the history do not complete the work, according to creatione mundi. It is little else than a list of
the description given in its title; and that the names, with their respective dates, beginning with
author filled the offices ascribed to him by Cedrenus Adam, and ending with the Roman emperors Dio-
and in the title of his own work. Whether he cletian and Maximian. 2. "Ooou ev Bučavtly dba-
lived after A. D. 1118 ; whether he held his several olevoar Xplotiavoi, Quot Byzantii imperium obti-
offices successively or simultaneously, and if suc- nuerunt Christiani, beginning with Constantine the
cessively, in what order, is quite uncertain. The Great, and ending with Nicephorus Botaniotes: the
theory of a double edition of his work, and the length of each emperor's reign is given. 3. Certain
succession of his offices deduced from that theory, historical epochs ; beginning Eiol oùv and 'Addu
rests, as we have shown, on no sufficient foundation. iws Toù KataKA VO MOŨ K. T. A. , Ab Adamo igitur
Even the assertion that he was a native of the usque ad Diluvium furerunt unni. 4. A list of
Thraccsian Thema is doubtful ; for Cedrenus, who the Kings of the Ten Tribes of Israel. 5. A list
calls him o Θρακήσιος, « Thracesius," does not of the High Priests of Ismel, beginning with
add to yévos, “ by birth," but od énovupov, “ by Aaron. 6. A list of the Patriarchs of Jerusalem.
surname," as if to guard against the otherwise 7. A list of the Bishops of Rome, ending with
obvious inference as to his birth-place. Possibly, Boniface II. , A. D. 530. 8. A list of the Bishops
like Georgius Trapezuntius (George of Trebizond), or Patriarchs of Byzantium, to Stephen, A. D. 886
he derived his surname from the original seat of his -893. 9. A list of the Patriarchs of Alexandria.
family. [GEORGIUS, literary and ecclesiastical, 10. A list of the Patriarchs of Antioch, ending
No. 48. ]
with the second patriarchate of Anastasius I. , A. D.
The work of Scylitzes, one of the most important 593. 11, 12. The Canonical Books of the Old and
of the Byzantine histories, has been singularly neg. New Testaments. 13. Controverted Books of the
lected. The unfounded opinion of Fabrot, the Pa- Old Testament, chiefly the Books of our Apocry-
risian editor of Cedrenus, that Scylitzes was merely pha. 14. Controverted Books of the New Testa-
the “ Cedreni simia,” led to the publication of only ment, including the Apocalypsis Joannis, and some
that part of Scylitzes which Cedrenus did not others not included in our canon, viz. , the Apoca-
transcribe, viz. , the part extending from 1057 to lypsis Petri, Barnabae Epistola, and the Evangelium
1080, and which those who suppose that there were secundum Hebraeos. 15. Spurious Books of the
two editions of the work regard as having been Old Testament. 16. Spurious Books of the New
added in the second edition. It constitutes about Testament, among which are classed the Writings of
a seventh part of the whole work. The Paris Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Polycarp, and Hernias.
edition of Cedrenus appeared in two vols. fol. 17. The Genealogy of the Roman Emperor Valen-
1647. The Excerpta ex Breviario Historico Joan- tinian I. Lambecius, and, after him, Fabricius,
nis Scylitzae Curopulatae, excipientia ubi Cedrenus doubted if all these tables were to be attributed to
desinit are in the second volume, and are illustrated Scylitzes : but Lambecius (according to Kollar)
with a Latin version (slightly altered from Gabius's) subsequently changed his opinion, and thought
and a few notes, by Goar. The Venice edition, they were his. (Kollar, Supplement, p. 618. )
fol. 1729, is a mere reprint of the foregoing ; though The Jus Graeco-Romanum of Leunclavius (vol. i.
in the interim Montfaucon had published (Biblioth. p. 132, &c. ) contains, 'ThrouvTous ToŮ Kouporand-
Coislin. p. 207) the Prooemium, which, in an του και μεγάλου δρουγγαρίου της βίγλης Ιωάννου
αbridged or mutilated forτη, Cedrenus had adopted του Θρακησίου μετά την περί μνηστείας νεαράν γε-
as his own, and prefixed to his own work. In the νομένη προς τον αυτόν βασιλέα κύριον Αλέξιον περι
Bonn edition of Byzantine historians, it might Tivos dupisovlasémi taútpávaquelons, Suggestio C'u-
have been expected that the entire work of Scy- ropulatae, Magnique Drungarii Vigiliurum, Domini
litzes would bave appeared, even if the transcript Joannis Thracesii post promulgatam de Sponsalibus
of it in Cedrenus had been suppressed : but Bekker, Novellam obluta eilem Principi, Domino Alexio, de
the editor of Cedrenus, has been content to repeat ambiguitute quadam super haec enata. According to
the Excerpta of Fabrot, with the mere addition in Possevino (Apparatus Sacer. Catalog. ad fin. tom.
the margin of such supplements, both to Cedrenus, iii. p. 42), there were extant in MS. in the library
in the part transcribed from Scylitzes, and to of a convent of the monks of St. Basil, in the isle
the Excerpta, as could be obtained from MSS. , of Patmos, some other works of Scylitzes : – Joan-
including the Coislin MS. examined by Montfaucon, nis Scylitzae Varii Sermones Philosophici et Theolo-
but apparently not including the Vienna MS. The gici, of which the first was, nepi koopov xal ons
greater part of the Greek text of one of the most kar' aútov qúoews, De Mundo et ejus Natura : also
valuable of the Byzantine writers is yet, therefore, Ejusdem quaedam Epistolae. The dissertations
unpublished in its original and proper form. would be curious, as Scylitzes appears to have had
A Latin version of the whole work (with the ex. little respect for the property, whatever he may
ception of some lacunae), by:Joannes Baptista Gabius bave had for the doctrines of the Church. He vin-
(Giovanni Battista Gabio), Greek professor at Rome, dicates in his history (p. 808, ed. Paris, p. 642, ed.
was published, fol. Venice, 1570. A part of this Bonn) the conduct of Isaac Comnenus, in seizing
version accompanies the Greek text of the Excerpta the superfluous wealth of the monasteries, and
in the above editions. Gabio writes his author's wishes that he had been able to treat the whole
name Scillizza or Scyllizzes.
Church in a similar way. (See, however, Mont-
The tables prefixed to the work of Scylitzes in faucon, Bibl. Coisl. p. 206. ) Possibly, however,
'the Vienna MS. were conjectured by Kollar to the Patmos MSS. may contain the works of a
have been collected or compiled by Scylitzes as in-younger Joannes Scylitzes, different from the
troductory to his work. This is not unlikely ; and historian, who is mentioned by Nic. Comnenus
whenever the whole of the text of Scylitzes shall | Papadopoli, but whose writings Fabricius bad
.
1
## p. 762 (#778) ############################################
762
SCYLLA.
'SCYTHES.
not seen.
(Vossius, De Historicis Graecis, lib. ii. SCYLLIS. (DIPOEN US. )
c. xxvi. ; Hankius, De Byzantin. rerum Scriptoribus, SCYMNUS (Xxúuvos), of Chios, wrote a Pe
pars.
i. c.
C. xxvii. ; Lambecius, Comment. de Biblioth. riegesis, or description of the earth, which is referred
Cucsaraea, vol. ii. p. 232, &c. ed. Kollar ; Kollar, to in a few passages of Stephanus and other later
Supplement. ad Lambec. l. c. ; Cave, Hist. Litt. writers (Steph. Byz. s. vo. Nápos, 'Epucvarra,
vol. ii. p. 155, ed. Oxford, 1740-1743 ; Mont-'Ayaon, "Apews voos ; Schol. ad Apollon. Rhod.
faucon, Bill. Coislin, p. 206, &c. ; Goar, Notae iv. 284 ; Apollon. Hist. Mirab. 15, where we
Posteriores 'in Cedrcnum, sub init. ; Oudin, De should read Ikúuvos instead of Exutivos). A
Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis, vol. ii. col. 745, &c. ; Fa- brief Periegesis, written in lambic metre, and con-
bric. Bill. Graec. vol. vii. pp. 464, &c. , 722, &c. , sisting of nearly one thousand lines, has come
vol. xi. pp. 644,651; Allatius, Diatriba de Gcorgiis, down to us. This poem, as appears from the
apud Fabric. vol. xii. p. 33; Labbe, Catalog. author's own statement, was written in imitation
Scriptor. llist. Byzant. Nos. ix. x. ; Appar. Hist. of a similar work in iambic verses, composed by the
Byzantin.
