calls her) who was
assassinated
by Milon.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - b
Berol.
1843, which is purely cri- emperor de facto, and on this supposition the in-
tical. The editions of Van Staveren, 1773, of terval from August 473 to June 474 must have
Tr. schucke, 1804, of Bremi, 1820, contain every been occupied in preparing his armament or exe-
thing that the student requires, and perhaps no cuting his march against Glycerius.
single edition will be found more serviceable than From hints in the letters of Sidonius Apollinaris
that of Lemaire, 8vo. Paris, 1820. The disserta- (Ep. v. 16, viii. 7, ed. Sirmoud) it may be ga-
tion prefixed to the editions of Lambinus, Titze, thered that Nepos had, before his accession, acquired
Bardili, Daehne, Roth, and Benecke, will yield some reputation both for warlike ability and for
full information on the controversy. The trans- general goodness of character, and that during his
lations into different languages are countless; the brief reign his conduct was answerable to his pre-
first into English is, “ The Lives of illustrious vious character. But the condition of the empire
Men, written in Latin by Cornelius Nepos, done was past remedy. The Visigoths, settled in Aqui-
into English by several (twelve) gentlemen of the tania, were eagerly striving, under their king Euric,
University of Oxford, Lond. 1684,” and frequently to expel the Romans from the territories of the
reprinted. Sir Matthew Hale had previously Arverni, the modern Auvergne, the last part of the
translated “The Life of Atticus, with moral and province which remained to its ancient masters,
political Observations," 8vo. Lond. 1677. [W. R. ] and which was bravely defended by its inhabitants
NEPOS, HERENNIUS, an illustrious man, under the conduct of Ecdicius (Jornandes calls him
slain by the emperor Severus. (Spartian. Sever. Decius), brother-in-law of Sidonius Apollinaris.
13. )
The Goths besieged the town of Arverni or Cler-
NEPOS, JU’LIUS, the last emperor but one mont, in the summer of 474, but Epiphanius, bishop
of the Western Empire, A. D. 474–475. He was of Ticinum (Pavia), being sent by Nepos, con-
the son of Nepotianus, by a sister of that Marcel cluded a peace (Ennod. Vita Epiphan. ), which,
linus who established a temporary independent however, Euric soon broke, and Nepos was obliged,
principality in Illyricum, about the middle of the in a second treaty, in which the quaestor Lici-
fifth century. [MARCELLINUS. ] A law of the nianus was his negotiator, to cede the disputed
Codex of Justinian mentions a Nepotianus as gene- territory to its assailants. (Sirmond, Not. ad Sidon,
ral of the army in Dalmatia in a. D. 471, but it is Ep. iii. 1. ) Tillemont makes the embassy of Li-
doubtful whether this was the emperor's father or cinianus unavailing, and considers that of Epipha-
the emperor himself, as it is not clear whether the nius to have been consequent on its failure ; but
## p. 1159 (#1175) ##########################################
NEPOTIANUS.
1159
NERATIUS.
een TV
PI
2
Quod
we think Sirmond's view of the matter more con- | xv. ). Distinguished, if we can believe this com-
sistent with the account of Ennodius.
plimentary address, as a grammarian, a rhetorician,
These transactions with the Visigoths constitute a poet, and a philosopher, he died at the age of
almost the whole that is known of the reign of ninety, leaving behind him two children. (W. R. )
Nepos. He had recalled Ecdicius from Gaul, and NÉPOTIANUS, FLAVIUS POPILIUS,
had appointed Orestes to be magister militum of son of Eutropia, the half-sister of Constantine the
that diocese in his place. Orestes, assuming the Great (EUTROPIA ; THEODORA), headed a rash
command of the troops assembled at Rome, and enterprise whose object was to withstand the usur-
marching as if towards Gaul, came to Ravenna, pation of Magnentius. Having collected a band of
where Nepos appears to have been, raised there gladiators, runaway slaves, and similar desperadoes,
the standard of revolt, and proclaimed his son be assumed the purple on the 3d of June 350,
Augustulus emperor. (AUGUSTULUS, ROMULUS. ) marched upon Rome, defeated and slew Anicius
Nepos fled into Dalmatia. His expulsion is fixed (or Anicetus), the new praetorian prefect, and
by the anonymous Chronicon already cited for the made himself master of the city, which was deluged
date of his accession, on the 28th of August 475, with blood by the excesses of contending factions.
80 that his actual reign was about fourteen months. But after having enjoyed a confused shadow of
After his expulsion from Italy, he appears to royalty for twenty-eight days only, the adventurer
have retained the Dalmatian territory, which he, or was overpowered and put to death, along with his
some of his family, had inherited from Marcellinus, mother, by Marcellinus, who had been despatched
and was still recognised at Constantinople and in the by Magnentius to quell the insurrection, and many
East as emperor of the West. Meanwhile, Orestes of the most noble and wealthy among the senators,
was defeated and killed, and Augustulus deposed, by whom his pretensions had been admitted,
by Odoacer the Herulian (AUGUSTULUS ; ORES shared a like fate. This Nepotianus is supposed
TES ; ODOACER), who bought the patronage of the to be the person who appears in the Fasti as
Eastern emperor Zeno ; but Zeno persisted in re the colleague of Facundus for the year 336, and it
;
cognising the title of Nepos. (Malchus, apud Col has been conjectured that his father was the Ne-
lectan. de Legation. ) In A. D. 480 Nepos was killed potianus who held the office of consul in 301.
near Salona, where he appears to have resided, by (MAGNENTIUS ; MARCELLINUS. ) (Julian. Orat.
Viator and Ovida or Odiva, two of his own officers i. ii. ; Aur. Vict. de Cues. 42, Epit. 42; Eutrop.
(Marcellin. Chronicon), probably at the instigation x. 6; Zosim. ii. 43; Chron. Alexandr. ; Chron.
of his deposed predecessor Glycerius (GLYCERIUS], Idat. )
[W. R. )
who held the bishopric of Salona (Malchus, apud
Phot. Bibl. Cod. 78. ) Odiva or Ovida was van-
quished and killed the next year, 481, by Odoacer
who had invaded Dalmatia. (Cassiodor. Chron. )
Tillemont thinks that the title of Nepos, till his
death, was recognised by some of the cities of
Gaul. The accounts of the life and reign of Nepos
are brief and fragmentary. To the authorities cited
in the course of the article may be added Marius
Aventic. Chronicon ; Chronici Prosperiani Aucta-
rium, No. iv. apud Roncallium ; Catalogus Impe-
COIN OF NEPOTIANUS.
ratorum, No. xi. apud eundem ; Jornandes, de
Rebus Geticis ; the Excerpta subjóined by Valesius
NEPOTIANUS, JANUA'RIUS. [MAXIMUS,
to Amm. Marc. ; Evagrius, H. E. ii. 16 ; Tillemont, Valerius, p. 1002. )
Hist. des Empereurs, vol. vi. pp. 424–434, 440-
NEPTU'NUS, the chief marine divinity of the
443 ; Gibbon, Decline and Fall
, ch. Xxxvi ; Eckhel, Romans. His name is probably connected with
vol viii. p. 202.
[J. C. M. ]
the verb valw or nato, and a contraction of navitu-
As the early Romans were not a maritime
people, and had not much to do with the sea, the
marine divinities are not often mentioned, and we
scarcely know with any certainty what day in the
year was set apart as the festival of Neptunus,
though it seems to have been the 23rd of July (X.
Kal. Sext. ). His temple stood in the Campus
Martius, not far from the septa ; but respecting
the ceremonies of his festival we know nothing, ex-
cept that the people formed tents (umbrae) of the
branches of trees, in which they probably rejoiced
NEPOS, LICI'NIUS, is frequently mentioned in feasting and drinking (Varro, de Ling. Lat. vi.
by the younger Pliny as an upright man and a 19; Horat. Carm. jii. 28 ; Paul. Diac. p. 377, ed.
severe praetor. (Plin. Ep. iv. 29, v. 4, 21, vi. 5. ) Müller ; Tertull. de Spect. 6 ; P. Vict. Reg. Urb.
NEPOS, MA'RIUS, expelled from the senate IX. ; Dict. of Ant. s. v. Neptunalia). When a
by Tiberius, A. D. 17, on account of his extra- Roman commander sailed out with a fleet, he first
vagance. (Tac. Ann. ii. 48. )
offered up a sacrifice to Neptunus, which was
NEPOS, METELLUS. (METELLUS. ) thrown into the sea (Cic. de Nat. Deor. üi. 20;
NEPOS, P. VALE'RIUS, was one of the ac- Liv. xxix. 27). In the Roman poets Neptunus is
cusers of Milo, whom Cicero defended. (Ascon. completely identified with the Greek Poseidon, and
in Mil. p. 35. )
accordingly all the attributes of the latter are trans-
NEPOTIA’NUS, one of the Bordeaux pro- ferred by them to the former. [POSEIDON. ) (L. S. !
fessors commemorated by Ausonius (Prof. Burdig.
NERA'TIUS MARCELLUS. (MARCELLUS.
ARIU
PAeras
P0000000
智
nus.
UNING
OSTAGE
obogan
COM
ties
COIN OF JULIUS NEPOS.
the Agri
4 E 4
Chastained
Supe
## p. 1160 (#1176) ##########################################
1160
NEREIS.
NERIUS.
.
1
NERA'TIUS PRISCUS, a Roman jurist, who | theatre of Syracuse, from which it appears that she
lived under Trajan and Hadrian. It is said that bore the title of queen. (Raoul-Rochette, Má
Trajan sometimes bad the design of making Nera- moires de Numismatique el d'Antiquité, p. 73, 4to.
tius his successor in place of Hadrian. (Spart. Paris, 1840. ) Justin erroneously supposes her 10
Hadr. 4. ) He enjoyed a high reputation under be a sister of the Deïdameia (or Laodameia, as he
Hadrian, and was one of his consiliarii. (Spart.
calls her) who was assassinated by Milon. That
Hadr, 18. ) Neratius was consul, but the year is she was a daughter of the elder Pyrrhus, see Drog-
uncertain. The works of Neratius were fifteen sen, vol. ii. p. 275, note.
[E. H. B. )
books of Regulae, three books of Responsa, and seven NEREIUS, a patronymic from Nereus, applied
books of Membranae, from which there are sixty- to his descendants, such as Phocus. (Ov. Met. vii.
four excerpts in the Digest. A fourth book of 685, xiii. 162; Virg. Aen. ix. 102). (L. S. )
Epistolae, and a treatise entitled Libri er Plautio, NEREUS (Nnpeus), a son of Pontus and Gaea,
are cited in the Digest (8. tit. 3. s. 5. § 1; 33. and husband of Doris, by whom he became the
tit. 7. 8. 12. § 35). He also wrote a book, De father of the 50 Nereides. He is described as the
Nuptiis (Gell
. iv. 4), if Neratius is the right read- wise and unerring old man of the sea, at the
ing there. It is a mistake to collect from a passage bottom of which he dwelt (Hom. I. xviii. 141,
in the Digest (39. tit. 6. 8. 43), that he wrote Od. xxiv. 58 ; Hes. Theog. 233, &c. ; Apollod. i.
notes Ad Fulcinium. Paulus wrote Ad Nera- 2. § 6). His empire is the Mediterranean or more
tium, in four books, from which there are excerpts particularly the Aegean sea, whence he is some
in the Digesto
times called the Aegean (Apollon. Rhod. iv. 772 ;
When Priscus is mentioned in the Digest, Javo- Stat. Theb. viii. 478). He was believed, like other
lenus Priscus is meant. Neratius wrote in a clear, marine divinities, to have the power of prophesying
condensed style, and is a good authority. He is the future and of appearing to mortals in different
often cited by subsequent jurists. (Grotius, Vitae shapes, and in the story of Heracles he acts a pro-
Juriconsult. ; Zimmern, Geschichte des Röm. Rechts, minent part, just as Proteus in the story of Odysseus,
vol. i. p. 324;. Puchta, Cursus, &c. vol. i. p. 444, and Glaucus in that of the Argonauts (A pollod. ii
.
1st ed. )
[G. L. ] 5. § 11 ; Horat. Carm. i. 15). Virgil (Aen. ii.
NEREIS (Nmpets), or Nerine (Virg. Eclog. vii. 418) mentions the trident as his attribute, and the
37), is a patronymic from Nereus, and applied to epithets given him by the poets refer to his old age,
his daughters (Nereides, Nnpeides, and in Homer his kindliness, and his trustworthy knowledge of
Nmpnibes) by Doris, who were regarded by the the future. In works of art, Nereus, like other
ancients as marine nymphs of the Mediterranean, sea-gods, is represented with pointed sea-weeds
in contra-distinction from the Naiades, or the taking the place of hair in the eyebrows, the chin,
nymphs of fresh water, and the Oceanides, or the and the breast. (Hirt, Mythol. Bilderb. p. 150,
nymphs of the great ocean (Eustath. ad Hom. p. &c. )
622). The number of the Nereides was fifty, but There is another mythical personage of the name
their names are not the same in all writers (Hom. of Nereus. (Apollod. i. 7. & 4). (L. S. )
Th xviii. 31, &c. ; Hes. Theog. 24C, &c. ; Pind. NERIO, NERIENE, or NERIENIS, wife of
Isthm. vi. 8 ; Apollod. i. 2. $7; Ov. Met. ii. 10, the Roman god Mars. Very little is known about
&c. ; Virg. Aen. V. 825 ; Hygin. Fub. praef. ) They her, and the ancients themselves were doubtful as
are described as lovely divinities, and dwelling with to the correct form of her name, though Gellius
their father at the bottom of the sea, and they (xiii
. 22) prefers Nerio, which is analogous with
were believed to be propitious to all sailors, and es- Anio. The name is said to be of Sabine origin,
pecially to the Argonauts (Hom. Il. xviii. 36, &c. and to be synonymous with virtus or fortitulo.
140 ; Apollod. i. 9. S 25 ; Apollon. Rhod. iv. 859, (Plaut. Truc. ii. 6. 24; Marrian. Cap. 3 ; L. Lydus,
930). They were worshipped in several parts of de Mens. iv. 42. )
(L. S. )
Greece, but more especially in sea-port towns, such NE'RITUS (Núpitos), a son of Pterelaus in
as Cardamyle (Paus. iii. 26. $ 5), and on the Isth- Ithaca, from whom mount Neriton, in the west of
mus of Corinth (ii. 1. $ 7). The epithets given them Ithaca, was beliered to have derived its name.
by the poets refer partly' to their beauty and partly (Hom. Od. ix. 22, xvii. 207 ; Eustath. ad Hom.
to their place of abode. They were frequently repre p. 1815. )
[L. S. )
sented in antiquity, in paintings, on gems, in re- NE'RIUS, CN. , of the Papinian tribe, accused
lievoes and statues, and commonly as youthful, beau. P. Sestius of bribery in B. C. 56 (Cic. ad Q. Fr. ii.
tiful, and naked maidens, and often grouped together 3. & 5). This Cn. Nerius may be the same as the
with Tritons and other marine monsters, in which Nerius who wils quaestor in B. C. 49, as we learn
they resemble the Bacchic routs. Sometimes, also, from some interesting coins, of which a specimen is
they appear on gems as half maidens and half fish, annexed. The obrerse represents the head of Sa-
like mermaids, the belief in whom is quite analogous turn, with NERI Q. VRB. (i. e. quaestor urbunus ), and
to the belief of the ancients in the existence of the reverse some military standards, with L. LEN(T).
the Nereides. (Hirt, Mythol. Bilderb. p. 150, tabb. C.
tical. The editions of Van Staveren, 1773, of terval from August 473 to June 474 must have
Tr. schucke, 1804, of Bremi, 1820, contain every been occupied in preparing his armament or exe-
thing that the student requires, and perhaps no cuting his march against Glycerius.
single edition will be found more serviceable than From hints in the letters of Sidonius Apollinaris
that of Lemaire, 8vo. Paris, 1820. The disserta- (Ep. v. 16, viii. 7, ed. Sirmoud) it may be ga-
tion prefixed to the editions of Lambinus, Titze, thered that Nepos had, before his accession, acquired
Bardili, Daehne, Roth, and Benecke, will yield some reputation both for warlike ability and for
full information on the controversy. The trans- general goodness of character, and that during his
lations into different languages are countless; the brief reign his conduct was answerable to his pre-
first into English is, “ The Lives of illustrious vious character. But the condition of the empire
Men, written in Latin by Cornelius Nepos, done was past remedy. The Visigoths, settled in Aqui-
into English by several (twelve) gentlemen of the tania, were eagerly striving, under their king Euric,
University of Oxford, Lond. 1684,” and frequently to expel the Romans from the territories of the
reprinted. Sir Matthew Hale had previously Arverni, the modern Auvergne, the last part of the
translated “The Life of Atticus, with moral and province which remained to its ancient masters,
political Observations," 8vo. Lond. 1677. [W. R. ] and which was bravely defended by its inhabitants
NEPOS, HERENNIUS, an illustrious man, under the conduct of Ecdicius (Jornandes calls him
slain by the emperor Severus. (Spartian. Sever. Decius), brother-in-law of Sidonius Apollinaris.
13. )
The Goths besieged the town of Arverni or Cler-
NEPOS, JU’LIUS, the last emperor but one mont, in the summer of 474, but Epiphanius, bishop
of the Western Empire, A. D. 474–475. He was of Ticinum (Pavia), being sent by Nepos, con-
the son of Nepotianus, by a sister of that Marcel cluded a peace (Ennod. Vita Epiphan. ), which,
linus who established a temporary independent however, Euric soon broke, and Nepos was obliged,
principality in Illyricum, about the middle of the in a second treaty, in which the quaestor Lici-
fifth century. [MARCELLINUS. ] A law of the nianus was his negotiator, to cede the disputed
Codex of Justinian mentions a Nepotianus as gene- territory to its assailants. (Sirmond, Not. ad Sidon,
ral of the army in Dalmatia in a. D. 471, but it is Ep. iii. 1. ) Tillemont makes the embassy of Li-
doubtful whether this was the emperor's father or cinianus unavailing, and considers that of Epipha-
the emperor himself, as it is not clear whether the nius to have been consequent on its failure ; but
## p. 1159 (#1175) ##########################################
NEPOTIANUS.
1159
NERATIUS.
een TV
PI
2
Quod
we think Sirmond's view of the matter more con- | xv. ). Distinguished, if we can believe this com-
sistent with the account of Ennodius.
plimentary address, as a grammarian, a rhetorician,
These transactions with the Visigoths constitute a poet, and a philosopher, he died at the age of
almost the whole that is known of the reign of ninety, leaving behind him two children. (W. R. )
Nepos. He had recalled Ecdicius from Gaul, and NÉPOTIANUS, FLAVIUS POPILIUS,
had appointed Orestes to be magister militum of son of Eutropia, the half-sister of Constantine the
that diocese in his place. Orestes, assuming the Great (EUTROPIA ; THEODORA), headed a rash
command of the troops assembled at Rome, and enterprise whose object was to withstand the usur-
marching as if towards Gaul, came to Ravenna, pation of Magnentius. Having collected a band of
where Nepos appears to have been, raised there gladiators, runaway slaves, and similar desperadoes,
the standard of revolt, and proclaimed his son be assumed the purple on the 3d of June 350,
Augustulus emperor. (AUGUSTULUS, ROMULUS. ) marched upon Rome, defeated and slew Anicius
Nepos fled into Dalmatia. His expulsion is fixed (or Anicetus), the new praetorian prefect, and
by the anonymous Chronicon already cited for the made himself master of the city, which was deluged
date of his accession, on the 28th of August 475, with blood by the excesses of contending factions.
80 that his actual reign was about fourteen months. But after having enjoyed a confused shadow of
After his expulsion from Italy, he appears to royalty for twenty-eight days only, the adventurer
have retained the Dalmatian territory, which he, or was overpowered and put to death, along with his
some of his family, had inherited from Marcellinus, mother, by Marcellinus, who had been despatched
and was still recognised at Constantinople and in the by Magnentius to quell the insurrection, and many
East as emperor of the West. Meanwhile, Orestes of the most noble and wealthy among the senators,
was defeated and killed, and Augustulus deposed, by whom his pretensions had been admitted,
by Odoacer the Herulian (AUGUSTULUS ; ORES shared a like fate. This Nepotianus is supposed
TES ; ODOACER), who bought the patronage of the to be the person who appears in the Fasti as
Eastern emperor Zeno ; but Zeno persisted in re the colleague of Facundus for the year 336, and it
;
cognising the title of Nepos. (Malchus, apud Col has been conjectured that his father was the Ne-
lectan. de Legation. ) In A. D. 480 Nepos was killed potianus who held the office of consul in 301.
near Salona, where he appears to have resided, by (MAGNENTIUS ; MARCELLINUS. ) (Julian. Orat.
Viator and Ovida or Odiva, two of his own officers i. ii. ; Aur. Vict. de Cues. 42, Epit. 42; Eutrop.
(Marcellin. Chronicon), probably at the instigation x. 6; Zosim. ii. 43; Chron. Alexandr. ; Chron.
of his deposed predecessor Glycerius (GLYCERIUS], Idat. )
[W. R. )
who held the bishopric of Salona (Malchus, apud
Phot. Bibl. Cod. 78. ) Odiva or Ovida was van-
quished and killed the next year, 481, by Odoacer
who had invaded Dalmatia. (Cassiodor. Chron. )
Tillemont thinks that the title of Nepos, till his
death, was recognised by some of the cities of
Gaul. The accounts of the life and reign of Nepos
are brief and fragmentary. To the authorities cited
in the course of the article may be added Marius
Aventic. Chronicon ; Chronici Prosperiani Aucta-
rium, No. iv. apud Roncallium ; Catalogus Impe-
COIN OF NEPOTIANUS.
ratorum, No. xi. apud eundem ; Jornandes, de
Rebus Geticis ; the Excerpta subjóined by Valesius
NEPOTIANUS, JANUA'RIUS. [MAXIMUS,
to Amm. Marc. ; Evagrius, H. E. ii. 16 ; Tillemont, Valerius, p. 1002. )
Hist. des Empereurs, vol. vi. pp. 424–434, 440-
NEPTU'NUS, the chief marine divinity of the
443 ; Gibbon, Decline and Fall
, ch. Xxxvi ; Eckhel, Romans. His name is probably connected with
vol viii. p. 202.
[J. C. M. ]
the verb valw or nato, and a contraction of navitu-
As the early Romans were not a maritime
people, and had not much to do with the sea, the
marine divinities are not often mentioned, and we
scarcely know with any certainty what day in the
year was set apart as the festival of Neptunus,
though it seems to have been the 23rd of July (X.
Kal. Sext. ). His temple stood in the Campus
Martius, not far from the septa ; but respecting
the ceremonies of his festival we know nothing, ex-
cept that the people formed tents (umbrae) of the
branches of trees, in which they probably rejoiced
NEPOS, LICI'NIUS, is frequently mentioned in feasting and drinking (Varro, de Ling. Lat. vi.
by the younger Pliny as an upright man and a 19; Horat. Carm. jii. 28 ; Paul. Diac. p. 377, ed.
severe praetor. (Plin. Ep. iv. 29, v. 4, 21, vi. 5. ) Müller ; Tertull. de Spect. 6 ; P. Vict. Reg. Urb.
NEPOS, MA'RIUS, expelled from the senate IX. ; Dict. of Ant. s. v. Neptunalia). When a
by Tiberius, A. D. 17, on account of his extra- Roman commander sailed out with a fleet, he first
vagance. (Tac. Ann. ii. 48. )
offered up a sacrifice to Neptunus, which was
NEPOS, METELLUS. (METELLUS. ) thrown into the sea (Cic. de Nat. Deor. üi. 20;
NEPOS, P. VALE'RIUS, was one of the ac- Liv. xxix. 27). In the Roman poets Neptunus is
cusers of Milo, whom Cicero defended. (Ascon. completely identified with the Greek Poseidon, and
in Mil. p. 35. )
accordingly all the attributes of the latter are trans-
NEPOTIA’NUS, one of the Bordeaux pro- ferred by them to the former. [POSEIDON. ) (L. S. !
fessors commemorated by Ausonius (Prof. Burdig.
NERA'TIUS MARCELLUS. (MARCELLUS.
ARIU
PAeras
P0000000
智
nus.
UNING
OSTAGE
obogan
COM
ties
COIN OF JULIUS NEPOS.
the Agri
4 E 4
Chastained
Supe
## p. 1160 (#1176) ##########################################
1160
NEREIS.
NERIUS.
.
1
NERA'TIUS PRISCUS, a Roman jurist, who | theatre of Syracuse, from which it appears that she
lived under Trajan and Hadrian. It is said that bore the title of queen. (Raoul-Rochette, Má
Trajan sometimes bad the design of making Nera- moires de Numismatique el d'Antiquité, p. 73, 4to.
tius his successor in place of Hadrian. (Spart. Paris, 1840. ) Justin erroneously supposes her 10
Hadr. 4. ) He enjoyed a high reputation under be a sister of the Deïdameia (or Laodameia, as he
Hadrian, and was one of his consiliarii. (Spart.
calls her) who was assassinated by Milon. That
Hadr, 18. ) Neratius was consul, but the year is she was a daughter of the elder Pyrrhus, see Drog-
uncertain. The works of Neratius were fifteen sen, vol. ii. p. 275, note.
[E. H. B. )
books of Regulae, three books of Responsa, and seven NEREIUS, a patronymic from Nereus, applied
books of Membranae, from which there are sixty- to his descendants, such as Phocus. (Ov. Met. vii.
four excerpts in the Digest. A fourth book of 685, xiii. 162; Virg. Aen. ix. 102). (L. S. )
Epistolae, and a treatise entitled Libri er Plautio, NEREUS (Nnpeus), a son of Pontus and Gaea,
are cited in the Digest (8. tit. 3. s. 5. § 1; 33. and husband of Doris, by whom he became the
tit. 7. 8. 12. § 35). He also wrote a book, De father of the 50 Nereides. He is described as the
Nuptiis (Gell
. iv. 4), if Neratius is the right read- wise and unerring old man of the sea, at the
ing there. It is a mistake to collect from a passage bottom of which he dwelt (Hom. I. xviii. 141,
in the Digest (39. tit. 6. 8. 43), that he wrote Od. xxiv. 58 ; Hes. Theog. 233, &c. ; Apollod. i.
notes Ad Fulcinium. Paulus wrote Ad Nera- 2. § 6). His empire is the Mediterranean or more
tium, in four books, from which there are excerpts particularly the Aegean sea, whence he is some
in the Digesto
times called the Aegean (Apollon. Rhod. iv. 772 ;
When Priscus is mentioned in the Digest, Javo- Stat. Theb. viii. 478). He was believed, like other
lenus Priscus is meant. Neratius wrote in a clear, marine divinities, to have the power of prophesying
condensed style, and is a good authority. He is the future and of appearing to mortals in different
often cited by subsequent jurists. (Grotius, Vitae shapes, and in the story of Heracles he acts a pro-
Juriconsult. ; Zimmern, Geschichte des Röm. Rechts, minent part, just as Proteus in the story of Odysseus,
vol. i. p. 324;. Puchta, Cursus, &c. vol. i. p. 444, and Glaucus in that of the Argonauts (A pollod. ii
.
1st ed. )
[G. L. ] 5. § 11 ; Horat. Carm. i. 15). Virgil (Aen. ii.
NEREIS (Nmpets), or Nerine (Virg. Eclog. vii. 418) mentions the trident as his attribute, and the
37), is a patronymic from Nereus, and applied to epithets given him by the poets refer to his old age,
his daughters (Nereides, Nnpeides, and in Homer his kindliness, and his trustworthy knowledge of
Nmpnibes) by Doris, who were regarded by the the future. In works of art, Nereus, like other
ancients as marine nymphs of the Mediterranean, sea-gods, is represented with pointed sea-weeds
in contra-distinction from the Naiades, or the taking the place of hair in the eyebrows, the chin,
nymphs of fresh water, and the Oceanides, or the and the breast. (Hirt, Mythol. Bilderb. p. 150,
nymphs of the great ocean (Eustath. ad Hom. p. &c. )
622). The number of the Nereides was fifty, but There is another mythical personage of the name
their names are not the same in all writers (Hom. of Nereus. (Apollod. i. 7. & 4). (L. S. )
Th xviii. 31, &c. ; Hes. Theog. 24C, &c. ; Pind. NERIO, NERIENE, or NERIENIS, wife of
Isthm. vi. 8 ; Apollod. i. 2. $7; Ov. Met. ii. 10, the Roman god Mars. Very little is known about
&c. ; Virg. Aen. V. 825 ; Hygin. Fub. praef. ) They her, and the ancients themselves were doubtful as
are described as lovely divinities, and dwelling with to the correct form of her name, though Gellius
their father at the bottom of the sea, and they (xiii
. 22) prefers Nerio, which is analogous with
were believed to be propitious to all sailors, and es- Anio. The name is said to be of Sabine origin,
pecially to the Argonauts (Hom. Il. xviii. 36, &c. and to be synonymous with virtus or fortitulo.
140 ; Apollod. i. 9. S 25 ; Apollon. Rhod. iv. 859, (Plaut. Truc. ii. 6. 24; Marrian. Cap. 3 ; L. Lydus,
930). They were worshipped in several parts of de Mens. iv. 42. )
(L. S. )
Greece, but more especially in sea-port towns, such NE'RITUS (Núpitos), a son of Pterelaus in
as Cardamyle (Paus. iii. 26. $ 5), and on the Isth- Ithaca, from whom mount Neriton, in the west of
mus of Corinth (ii. 1. $ 7). The epithets given them Ithaca, was beliered to have derived its name.
by the poets refer partly' to their beauty and partly (Hom. Od. ix. 22, xvii. 207 ; Eustath. ad Hom.
to their place of abode. They were frequently repre p. 1815. )
[L. S. )
sented in antiquity, in paintings, on gems, in re- NE'RIUS, CN. , of the Papinian tribe, accused
lievoes and statues, and commonly as youthful, beau. P. Sestius of bribery in B. C. 56 (Cic. ad Q. Fr. ii.
tiful, and naked maidens, and often grouped together 3. & 5). This Cn. Nerius may be the same as the
with Tritons and other marine monsters, in which Nerius who wils quaestor in B. C. 49, as we learn
they resemble the Bacchic routs. Sometimes, also, from some interesting coins, of which a specimen is
they appear on gems as half maidens and half fish, annexed. The obrerse represents the head of Sa-
like mermaids, the belief in whom is quite analogous turn, with NERI Q. VRB. (i. e. quaestor urbunus ), and
to the belief of the ancients in the existence of the reverse some military standards, with L. LEN(T).
the Nereides. (Hirt, Mythol. Bilderb. p. 150, tabb. C.
