Cicero mentions
it as a favourite residence of his friend Brutus.
it as a favourite residence of his friend Brutus.
Charles - 1867 - Classical Dictionary
, 5, 381.
) Homer gives a noble de-
scription of his passage from it on his way to Troy,
his chariot-wheels but touching the watery plain, and
the monsters of the deep gambolling around their king.
His most celebrated temples were at the Corinthian
Isthmus, at Onchestus, Helice, Trcezcne, and the
promontories of Tsnarum and Gersstus. -- Neptune
u represented, like Jupiter, of a serene and majestic
? ? upect; hia form is exceedingly strong and muscular;
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? NFR
ne:io.
t f>> > Schwenck, on the other hand, derives the name
Nereus from vdu, "to flow. " (Andeui. , p. 180. )
The best etymology, however, is undoubtedly that
which traces the form Unpev; to the old Greek term
vripov, "water" which last may itself be compared
with the Hebrew nahar. The modern Greek vepov,
"water," is therefore a word of great antiquity.
(Compare Lobeck, ad Phryn. , p. 42. )
Nbkitos, the highest and most remarkable mountain
n the island of Ithaca. (Horn. , Od. , 1, 21. -- //. , 2,
632. -- Virg. , Mn. , 3, 270. ) According to Dodwell,
the modem name is Anoi, which means "lofty:" he
observes, also, that the forests spoken of by Homer
have disappeared: it is at present bare and barren,
producing nothing but stunted evergreens and aro-
matic plants. (Cramer's Arte. Greece, vol. 2, p. 45. )
Nerituh, a town of Calabria, about five miles to
the north of Callipolis. (Plin. , 3, 11. -- Plot, p. 62. )
It is now Nardo. From an ancient inscription, cited
by Muratori, it appears to have been a municipium.
[Cramer's Anc. Italy, vol. 2, p. 317. )
Murium, a promontory of Spain, the same with Ar-
tabrum; now Cape Finistcrre.
Nkro, Claudius Caesar, the sixth of the Roman
emperors, was born at Antium, in Latium, A. D. 37,
nine months after the death of Tiberius. (Sueton. ,
Vit. Ner. , c. 6. ) He was the son of Domitius Ahe-
nobarbus and Agrippina the daughter of Germanicus,
and was originally named Lucius Domitius. After
the death of Ahenobarbus, and a second husband,
Oriopus Fassienus, Agrippina married her uncle, the
Emperor Claudius, who gave his daughter Octavia in
marriage to her son Lucius, and subsequently adopted
him with the formal sanction of a Lex Curiata. (Tacit. ,
Arm. , 12, 26. ) The education of Mero was carefully
attended to in his youth. He was placed under the
care of the philosopher Seneca, and he appears to
jave applied himself with considerable perseverance
to study. He is said to have made great progress
ill the Greek language, of which he exhibited a
? pecimen in his sixteeenth year, by pleading in that
tongue the rights or privileges of the Rhodians, and
ef tLe inhabitants of Ilium. (Svcton. , Vit. Ner. , c.
7-- Tacit. , Ann. , 12, 58. ) At the death of Clau-
dius (A. D. 54), while Agrippina, by soothings, flat-
teries, and affected lamentations, detained Brittauicus,
the son of Claudius and Messalina, within the cham-
bers of the palace, Nero, presenting himself before
the gates, was lifted by the guard in waiting into the
covered coach used for the purpose of carrying in
procession an elected emperor, and was followed by a
multitude of the people, under the illusion that it was
Britannicus. He entered the camp, promised a dona-
live to the cohorts, was saluted emperor, and pro-
nounced before the senate, in honour of Claudiua, an
oration of fulsome panegyric composed by his precep-
tor Seneca. Agrippina soon endeavoured to obtain
the chief management of public affairs; and her vin-
dictive and cruel temper would have hurried Nero, at
the commencement of his reign, into acta of violence
? nd bloodshed, if her influence had not been counter-
acted by Seneca and Burma, to whom Nero had in-
trusted the government of the state. Through their
counsels the first five years of Nero's reign were dis-
tinguished by justice and clemency; and an anecdote
is related of him, that, having on one occasion to sign
an order for the execution of a malefactor, he ex-
? ? claimed, " Would that I could not write /"' (Sueton. ,
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? NERC.
ft ER
ic aooj, but to gratify the cruelty of a single mm. "
\Tacit. , Ann. , 15, 44. )--In the following year, A. D.
55, a powerful conspiracy was formed for the purpose
of placing Piso upon the throne, but it was discovered
by Nero, and the principal conspirators were put to
death. Among others who suffered on this occasion
were I. ucan and Seneca; but the guilt of the latter
is doubtful. In the same year Poppaea died, in con-
ttquence of a Kick which she received from her hus-
band while she was in an advanced state of pregnan-
cy. --During the latter part of his reign, Nero was
principally engaged in theatrical performances, and in
contending for the prizes at the public games. He
bad previously appeared as an actor on the Roman
stage; and he now visited in succession the chief cit-
ies of Greece, and received no less than 1800 crowns
for his victories in the public Grecian games. On
his return to Italy he entered Naples and Rome as
a conqueror, and was received with triumphal hon-
ours. But while he was engaged in these extrava-
gances, Vindex, who commanded the legions in Gaul,
declared against his authority; and his example was
speedily followed by Galba, who commanded in Spain.
The praetorian cohorts espoused the cause of Galba,
and the senate pronounced sentence of death against
Nero, who had fled from Rome as soon as he heard
of tho revolt of the praetorian guards. Nero, how-
ever, anticipated the execution of the sentence which
had been passed against him, by requesting one of
his attendants to put him to death, after making an
ineffectual attempt to do so with his own bands. He
died A. D. 68, in (he 32d year of his age, snd the 14th
of his reign. --It is difficult to form a correct estimate
of the character of this emperor. That he was a li-
centious voluptuary, and that he scrupled at commit-
ting no crimes in order to gratify his lust or strength-
en his power, is sufficiently proved; nut that he was
such a monster as Suetonius and Dio have described
him, may reasonably admit of a doubt. The posses-
sion. of absolute power at so early an age tended to
jail forth all the worst passions of human nature,
whilo tho example and counsels of his mother Agrip-
pina must have still farther tended to deprave his
mind. Though he put to death his adoptive brother,
his wife, and his mother, his character appears to have
been fat from sanguinary; his general administration
was wise and equitable, and he never equalled, in his
worst actions, either the capricious cruelty of Caligula,
or the sullen ferocity of Domitian. Nero was a lover
of the arts, and appears to have possessed more taste
than many of the emperors, who only resembled him
in their profuse expenditure. The Apollo Bclvidere
b supposed by Thiersch (Epochen, &c, p. 312) and
some other writers to have been made for this em-
peror. His government seems to have been far from
jnpopular. He was anxious to relieve the people
from oppressive taxes, and to protect the proviitcea
from the rapacity of the governors; and it may be
mentioned a* an instance of his popularity, that there
were persons who for many years decked his lomb
with spring and summer flowers, and that, in conse-
quence of a prevalent rumour that he had escaped
from death, several impostors at various times as-
sumed the name of Nero, and gave no small trouble
to the reigning emperors. {Tacit. , Hist. , 1, 2. --Id. ,
it. , 2, 8. --Sueton. , Vit. Ner. , 57. --Canaubon, ad Sue-
tan. , I. e. ) During tho reign of Nero the Roman cm-
? ? fire enjoyed, in general, a profound state of peace,
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? NES
SES
tpi/s. but incorrectly, since the place meant is probably
:he Areobriga of the Itinerary. As regards the termi-
nation of the name Nertobriga, consult remarks under
the article Mcsembria. (Ukert, I. e. )
Nirva, Marcus Cocceids, the thirteenth Roman
emperor, was born at Narnia, in Umbria, A. D. 27 ac-
cording to Eutiopius (8, 1), ur A. D. 32 according to
Dio Cassius (68, 4). His family originally came from
Crete; but several of his ancestors rose to the highest
honours in the Roman state. His grandfather Coc-
ceius Nerva, who was consul A. D. 22, and was a
g! 3at favourite of the Emperor Tiberius, was one of
the most celebrated jurists of his age. We learn from
Tacitus that this individual put an end to his own
fife. (Ann. , 6, 28 )--Nerva, the subject of the' pres-
ent sketch, is first mentioned in history as a favourite
flf Nero, who bestowed upon him triumphal honours,
A. D. 66, when he was pnetor elect. The poetry of
Nerva, which is mentioned with praise by Pliny and
Martial, appears to have recommended him to the fa-
vour of Nero. Nerva was employed in offices of trust
and honour during the reigns of Vespasian and Titus,
but he incurred the suspicion of Domitian, and was
banished by him to Tarcnluin. On the assassination
of Domitian, A. D. 96, Nerva succeeded to the sover-
eign power, through the influence of Pctronius Secun-
dus, commander of the Praetorian cohorts, and of Par-
thenius, the chamberlain of the palace. The mild and
equitable administration of Nerva is acknowledged and
praised by all ancient writers, and forms a stri! ,iig
contrast to the sanguinary rule of his predecessor.
He discouraged all informers, recalled the exiles from
banishment, relieved the people from some oppressive
taxes, and granted toleration to the Christians. Many
instances of his liberality and clemency are recorded
by his contemporary, the younger Pliny; he allowed
no senator to be put to death during his reign; and he
practised the greatest economy, in order to relieve the
wants of the poorer citizens. But his impartial ad-
ministration of justice met with little favour from the
Praetorian cohorts, who had been allowed by Domitian
to indulge in excesses of every kind. Enraged at the
loss of their benefactor and favourite, they compelled
Nerva to deliver into their hands Parthenius and their
own commander Petronius, both of whom they put to
deith. The excesses of his own guards convinced
Nerva that the government of the Roman empire re-
quired greater energy both of body and mind than he
possessed, and he accordingly adopted Trajan as his
successor, and associated him with himself in the sov-
ereignty. Nerva died A. D. 98, after a reign of sixteen
months and nine days. (Dio Cass. , 68, 1, seqq. --
Pliny. Paneg. , c. 11. --Id. ib. , c. 89-- Aurtl. Vict. ,
c. \1. --Encyd. Us. Knowl. , vol. 16, p. 149. )
NsrvIi, a warlike people of Belgic Gaul, whose
country lay on both sides of the Scaldis or Scheldt,
near the sources of that river; afterward Hainault and
Nord. Their original capital was Bagacum, now Ba-
via; but afterward Camaracum (Cambray) and Tur-
nacum (Tournay) became their chief cities towards
the end of the fourth century. (Cces. , B. G. , 5, 39. --
Plin. , 4, 17. )
Nbsis (is or idis), now Nisida, an island on the
coast of Campania, between Puteoli and Ncapolis, and
within a short distance of the shore.
Cicero mentions
it as a favourite residence of his friend Brutus. (Ep.
td Alt. , 16, 1. )
? ? Nkssus, I. a centaur, who attempted the honour of
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? NIC
NIC
ira, and thence to tne coast of Coromandel, where the
Portuguese found a community of them at St. Thomi,
whom they persecuted and compelled to turn Roman
Catholics. \Doucm, Histoire du Nestorianisme, 1. 198.
--Assemmi, BMioth. Orient. , vol. 4. --Encycl. Us.
Krtrnel , vol. 16, p. 155. )
Narr- a (less correctl; Ncssus), a river of Thrace,
forming lie boundary between that country and Mace-
donia in the time of Philip and Alexander. This ar-
rangement subsequently remained unchanged by the
Romans on their conquest of the latter empire. (Stra-
ta, 331. --Liv. , 45, 29. ) Thucydides Mates that the
river descended from Mount Iconius, whence the He-
Drus also derived its source (2, 96), and Herodotus
informs os that it fell into the /Egean Sea near Ab-
dera (7, 109. --Compare Thcophrasl. , Hist. PI. , 3, 8).
The same writer elsewhere remarks, that lions were
to be found in Europe only between the Nestns and
the Acheloiis of Acarnahia (7, 126. --Pliny, 4, 11. --
Mela, 2, 3). In the middle agea, the name of this
river was corrupted into Meatus; and it is still called
Mcsto, or Cara-xou (Black River), by the Turks.
[Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 1, p. 308. )
N. -. r i;i, a Scythian race, who appear to have been
originally established towards the head waters of
the rivers Tyras and Hypanis (Dneisler and Bog).
They appear also to have touched on the Dastarman
Alps, which would separate them from the Agathyrsi.
(Herod, 4, 105. --Mtla,1, 1. --Pttn. ,4, Ut. --Rennell,
(itogr. of Herodotus, vol. 1, p. 118. )
Xic. t. 1, I. a city of India, founded by Alexander in
commemoration of his victory over Porus. It was
situate on the left bank of the Hydaspes, on the road
from the modern Attack to Lahore, and just below the
southern point of the island of Jamad. (Arrian, 5,
I, 6. --Justin, 12, 8. --Curtius, 9, 4-- Vincent's Peri-
anu, p. 110. )--II. The capital of Bithynia, situate at
the extremity of the lake Ascanius. Stcphanus of
Byzantium informs us, that it was first colonized by
the Bottisci, and was called Anchore ('kyx^pn).
Btrabo, however, mentions neither of these circum-
stances, but states that it was founded by Antigonus,
? on of Philip, who called it Antigonea. It subse-
quently received the name of Nir&a from Lysimachus,
in honour of his wife, >>he daughter of Antipatcr.
[Strait. , 665. ) Nicsa was built in the form of a
square, and the streets were drawn at right angles to
esch other, so that from a monument which stood near
the gymnasium, it was possible to see the four gates
of the city. (Slrab. , I. c. ) At a subsequent period,
it became the royal residence of the kings of Bithynia,
having superseded Nicom^dea as the capital of the
country. Pliny the younger makes frequent mention,
in hia Letters, of the city of Nicea and its public
buildings, which bo hsd undertaken to restore, being
at that time governor of Bithynia. (/? />, 10, 40. --
lb. , 10, 48, seqq) In the time of the Emperor Va-
lens, however, the latter city was declared the metrop-
olis. (Dio Ckrysost. , Oral. , 38. ) Still Nicsea re-
mained, as a place of trade, of the greatest impor-
tance; and from this city, too, all the great roads di-
verged into the eastern and southern parts of Asia Mi-
nor. {Manner! , Geogr. , vol. C, pt. 3, p. 669, seqq. )
Nicea was the birthplace of Hipparchua the astrono-
mer (Suidas, s. v. 'ln-apxoc). and also of Dio Cas-
? ius. -- The present town of Isnik, as it is called by
the Turks, has taken the place of the Bithynian city;
? ? but, according to Leake, the ancient walls, lowers,
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? VICANDER.
NICANDEK.
uiv" bctr. preserved; but of all these we possess at
pretest only two in a perfect state, with a few frag-
ments of some of the others, iiutli are poems. One
is entitled Qnptaiui (Theriaca), the other 'A~U? c^upua-
<<a (Alextpharmaca). --The Theriaca consists of near-
ly 1000 lines in hexameter verse, and treats of the
wounds caused by different venomous animals, and
/lis preper treatment of each. It is characterized by
Ha! lux (BMioth. Botan. ) as "longe, tnconctita, et
nullius fide: farrago" but still we occasionally find
some curious passages relating to natural history.
We have in it, for example, an exact, but rather long
description of the combat between the ichneumon and
serpents, whose flesh this quadruped eats with impu-
nity. Ho speaks of scorpions, which he divides into
nine species, an arrangement adopted by some modern
naturalists. Then come some curious observations on
the effect of the venom of various kinds of serpents,
each differing in the appearances and symptoms to
which it gives rise. Nicander thought he had discov-
ered that the poison of serpents is concealed in a
membrane surrounding the teeth; which is, after all,
not very far removed from the true state of the case.
He describes a species of serpents, named OTpp, which
always assumes the colour of the ground over which
it moves. (Compare Pliny, 8, 35; Aristotle, Mirab.
Auscult. , c. 178; and Milan, N. A, 16, 40. ) Ni-
cander is the first who distinguishes between the moth
or night-butterfly, and that which flies by day, and he
gives to the former the name of tyd'/. aiva. He is one
)f the earliest writers also who mentions the sala-
mander. This poem contains, too, a great number of
popular fables, which were credited, however, at the
lime that Nicander wrote; as, for example, that wasps
are produced from horse-flesh in a putrid state, and
bees from that of an ox. He likewise states that the
bite of the field-mouse is poisonous, and also t! at the
animal dies if it should fall into a wheel rut, both
which circumstances are repeated by Pliny (8, 83)
and jElian (H. A, 2, 37). --The Alexipharmaca is
rt'. ber a shorter poem, written in the same metre, and
nay be considered as a sort of continuation of the
Theriaca. Haller's judgment on this work is as se-
vere as that on the preceding. He says of it, "De-
icriptio viz ulla, symplomata fuse recensentur, ct
magna farrago et tncondita plantarum potissimum
ilexipharmacarum subjicitur. " Among the poisons
. ' the animal kingdom he mentions the cantharis of
t\,i Greeks, which is not the Lyita Vesieatoria, but
ytelo'e Chichorii. He speaks also of the buprestis
'Carabus Bucidon); of the blood of a bull; of coag-
ulated milk in the stomach of mammiferous animals;
uf the leech (hirudo venenata); and of a species of
gecko (aaXauuvdpa). Among the vegetable poisons
we find the aconite, coriander (which has sometimes
been fatal in Egypt), the hemlock, colchicum, henbane,
and the different species of fungi, the growth of which
Nicander attributes to fermentation. Of mineral poi-
sons he mentions only white lead, a carbonate of lead
and litharge, or protoxide of lead. --To counterbal-
ance, in some degree, Haller's unfavourable opinion of
Nicander's extant works, it ought in justice to be sta-
ted, that his krxjwledge of natural history appcara to
be at least equal to . "ait of other writers of his own or
even a later age, while on the subject of poisons he
was long considered a great authority. Galen several
times quote* him; and Dioscorides, Aelius, and Jo-
? ? hannes Actuarius have borrowed from him largely.
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? N IC
NICEPHORUS
Mus. -. rr, Critieurt, viiih Dcntley's emendations (vol.
1, p. 370, scqq ). There is extant a Greek paraphrase,
in prose, of both poems (printed in Schneider's edi-
tions), by Eutecnius the sophist, of whom nothing is
known except that he has done the same to Oppian's
Cynegctica and Halicutica. (Encyclnp. Us. Knmci,
vol. 16, p. 203, seq. )
Nic. '. tor (Xuiurup, i. e , " Victor") a surname as-
? omed by Seleucus I. {Vid. Seleucus. )
Nicephokidm (NiKijQoptov). a strongly-fortified city
? ' Mesopotamia, south of CharnB, and at the confluence
of the Billichia and Euphrates. Alexander is said to
have selected the site, which was an extremely advan-
tageous one. (Pirn. , 6, 26. --Isidor. , Charac, p. 3. )
The name remained until the fourth century, when
it disappeared from history, and, in the account of Ju-
lian's expedition, a city named Callinicum (Ka/. ? . ni-
kov) is mentioned, which occupies the same place
where Nicephorium had previously stood. This con-
formity of position, and sudden change of name, lead
directly to the supposition that Nicephorium and Cal-
linicum wero one and the same place, and that the
earlier appellation (" Victory-bringing" vUn and $ipu)
had merely been exchanged for one of the same gen-
eral import (" Fair-conquering" KaUc and vi'kij).
Hence we may reject the statement sometimes made,
that the city received its later name from Seleucus
Callinicus as its founder (Ckron Alcxandr. , Olymp.
134, 1), as well as what Valcsius {ad Amm. Marcell. ,
23, 6) cites from Libanius (Ep. ad Aristanei. ), that
Nicephorium changed its name in honour of the soph-
ist Callinicus, who died there. --Marccllinus describes
Callinicum as a strong place, and carrying on a great
trade (" munimtntum robust am, et commercandi of imi-
tate gratissimum"). Justinian repaired and strength-
ened the fortifications. (Compare Thtodorct, Hist.
Relig. , c. 26. ) At a subsequent period, the name of
the city again underwent a change. The Emperor
Leo, who about 466 AD.
scription of his passage from it on his way to Troy,
his chariot-wheels but touching the watery plain, and
the monsters of the deep gambolling around their king.
His most celebrated temples were at the Corinthian
Isthmus, at Onchestus, Helice, Trcezcne, and the
promontories of Tsnarum and Gersstus. -- Neptune
u represented, like Jupiter, of a serene and majestic
? ? upect; hia form is exceedingly strong and muscular;
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? NFR
ne:io.
t f>> > Schwenck, on the other hand, derives the name
Nereus from vdu, "to flow. " (Andeui. , p. 180. )
The best etymology, however, is undoubtedly that
which traces the form Unpev; to the old Greek term
vripov, "water" which last may itself be compared
with the Hebrew nahar. The modern Greek vepov,
"water," is therefore a word of great antiquity.
(Compare Lobeck, ad Phryn. , p. 42. )
Nbkitos, the highest and most remarkable mountain
n the island of Ithaca. (Horn. , Od. , 1, 21. -- //. , 2,
632. -- Virg. , Mn. , 3, 270. ) According to Dodwell,
the modem name is Anoi, which means "lofty:" he
observes, also, that the forests spoken of by Homer
have disappeared: it is at present bare and barren,
producing nothing but stunted evergreens and aro-
matic plants. (Cramer's Arte. Greece, vol. 2, p. 45. )
Nerituh, a town of Calabria, about five miles to
the north of Callipolis. (Plin. , 3, 11. -- Plot, p. 62. )
It is now Nardo. From an ancient inscription, cited
by Muratori, it appears to have been a municipium.
[Cramer's Anc. Italy, vol. 2, p. 317. )
Murium, a promontory of Spain, the same with Ar-
tabrum; now Cape Finistcrre.
Nkro, Claudius Caesar, the sixth of the Roman
emperors, was born at Antium, in Latium, A. D. 37,
nine months after the death of Tiberius. (Sueton. ,
Vit. Ner. , c. 6. ) He was the son of Domitius Ahe-
nobarbus and Agrippina the daughter of Germanicus,
and was originally named Lucius Domitius. After
the death of Ahenobarbus, and a second husband,
Oriopus Fassienus, Agrippina married her uncle, the
Emperor Claudius, who gave his daughter Octavia in
marriage to her son Lucius, and subsequently adopted
him with the formal sanction of a Lex Curiata. (Tacit. ,
Arm. , 12, 26. ) The education of Mero was carefully
attended to in his youth. He was placed under the
care of the philosopher Seneca, and he appears to
jave applied himself with considerable perseverance
to study. He is said to have made great progress
ill the Greek language, of which he exhibited a
? pecimen in his sixteeenth year, by pleading in that
tongue the rights or privileges of the Rhodians, and
ef tLe inhabitants of Ilium. (Svcton. , Vit. Ner. , c.
7-- Tacit. , Ann. , 12, 58. ) At the death of Clau-
dius (A. D. 54), while Agrippina, by soothings, flat-
teries, and affected lamentations, detained Brittauicus,
the son of Claudius and Messalina, within the cham-
bers of the palace, Nero, presenting himself before
the gates, was lifted by the guard in waiting into the
covered coach used for the purpose of carrying in
procession an elected emperor, and was followed by a
multitude of the people, under the illusion that it was
Britannicus. He entered the camp, promised a dona-
live to the cohorts, was saluted emperor, and pro-
nounced before the senate, in honour of Claudiua, an
oration of fulsome panegyric composed by his precep-
tor Seneca. Agrippina soon endeavoured to obtain
the chief management of public affairs; and her vin-
dictive and cruel temper would have hurried Nero, at
the commencement of his reign, into acta of violence
? nd bloodshed, if her influence had not been counter-
acted by Seneca and Burma, to whom Nero had in-
trusted the government of the state. Through their
counsels the first five years of Nero's reign were dis-
tinguished by justice and clemency; and an anecdote
is related of him, that, having on one occasion to sign
an order for the execution of a malefactor, he ex-
? ? claimed, " Would that I could not write /"' (Sueton. ,
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? NERC.
ft ER
ic aooj, but to gratify the cruelty of a single mm. "
\Tacit. , Ann. , 15, 44. )--In the following year, A. D.
55, a powerful conspiracy was formed for the purpose
of placing Piso upon the throne, but it was discovered
by Nero, and the principal conspirators were put to
death. Among others who suffered on this occasion
were I. ucan and Seneca; but the guilt of the latter
is doubtful. In the same year Poppaea died, in con-
ttquence of a Kick which she received from her hus-
band while she was in an advanced state of pregnan-
cy. --During the latter part of his reign, Nero was
principally engaged in theatrical performances, and in
contending for the prizes at the public games. He
bad previously appeared as an actor on the Roman
stage; and he now visited in succession the chief cit-
ies of Greece, and received no less than 1800 crowns
for his victories in the public Grecian games. On
his return to Italy he entered Naples and Rome as
a conqueror, and was received with triumphal hon-
ours. But while he was engaged in these extrava-
gances, Vindex, who commanded the legions in Gaul,
declared against his authority; and his example was
speedily followed by Galba, who commanded in Spain.
The praetorian cohorts espoused the cause of Galba,
and the senate pronounced sentence of death against
Nero, who had fled from Rome as soon as he heard
of tho revolt of the praetorian guards. Nero, how-
ever, anticipated the execution of the sentence which
had been passed against him, by requesting one of
his attendants to put him to death, after making an
ineffectual attempt to do so with his own bands. He
died A. D. 68, in (he 32d year of his age, snd the 14th
of his reign. --It is difficult to form a correct estimate
of the character of this emperor. That he was a li-
centious voluptuary, and that he scrupled at commit-
ting no crimes in order to gratify his lust or strength-
en his power, is sufficiently proved; nut that he was
such a monster as Suetonius and Dio have described
him, may reasonably admit of a doubt. The posses-
sion. of absolute power at so early an age tended to
jail forth all the worst passions of human nature,
whilo tho example and counsels of his mother Agrip-
pina must have still farther tended to deprave his
mind. Though he put to death his adoptive brother,
his wife, and his mother, his character appears to have
been fat from sanguinary; his general administration
was wise and equitable, and he never equalled, in his
worst actions, either the capricious cruelty of Caligula,
or the sullen ferocity of Domitian. Nero was a lover
of the arts, and appears to have possessed more taste
than many of the emperors, who only resembled him
in their profuse expenditure. The Apollo Bclvidere
b supposed by Thiersch (Epochen, &c, p. 312) and
some other writers to have been made for this em-
peror. His government seems to have been far from
jnpopular. He was anxious to relieve the people
from oppressive taxes, and to protect the proviitcea
from the rapacity of the governors; and it may be
mentioned a* an instance of his popularity, that there
were persons who for many years decked his lomb
with spring and summer flowers, and that, in conse-
quence of a prevalent rumour that he had escaped
from death, several impostors at various times as-
sumed the name of Nero, and gave no small trouble
to the reigning emperors. {Tacit. , Hist. , 1, 2. --Id. ,
it. , 2, 8. --Sueton. , Vit. Ner. , 57. --Canaubon, ad Sue-
tan. , I. e. ) During tho reign of Nero the Roman cm-
? ? fire enjoyed, in general, a profound state of peace,
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? NES
SES
tpi/s. but incorrectly, since the place meant is probably
:he Areobriga of the Itinerary. As regards the termi-
nation of the name Nertobriga, consult remarks under
the article Mcsembria. (Ukert, I. e. )
Nirva, Marcus Cocceids, the thirteenth Roman
emperor, was born at Narnia, in Umbria, A. D. 27 ac-
cording to Eutiopius (8, 1), ur A. D. 32 according to
Dio Cassius (68, 4). His family originally came from
Crete; but several of his ancestors rose to the highest
honours in the Roman state. His grandfather Coc-
ceius Nerva, who was consul A. D. 22, and was a
g! 3at favourite of the Emperor Tiberius, was one of
the most celebrated jurists of his age. We learn from
Tacitus that this individual put an end to his own
fife. (Ann. , 6, 28 )--Nerva, the subject of the' pres-
ent sketch, is first mentioned in history as a favourite
flf Nero, who bestowed upon him triumphal honours,
A. D. 66, when he was pnetor elect. The poetry of
Nerva, which is mentioned with praise by Pliny and
Martial, appears to have recommended him to the fa-
vour of Nero. Nerva was employed in offices of trust
and honour during the reigns of Vespasian and Titus,
but he incurred the suspicion of Domitian, and was
banished by him to Tarcnluin. On the assassination
of Domitian, A. D. 96, Nerva succeeded to the sover-
eign power, through the influence of Pctronius Secun-
dus, commander of the Praetorian cohorts, and of Par-
thenius, the chamberlain of the palace. The mild and
equitable administration of Nerva is acknowledged and
praised by all ancient writers, and forms a stri! ,iig
contrast to the sanguinary rule of his predecessor.
He discouraged all informers, recalled the exiles from
banishment, relieved the people from some oppressive
taxes, and granted toleration to the Christians. Many
instances of his liberality and clemency are recorded
by his contemporary, the younger Pliny; he allowed
no senator to be put to death during his reign; and he
practised the greatest economy, in order to relieve the
wants of the poorer citizens. But his impartial ad-
ministration of justice met with little favour from the
Praetorian cohorts, who had been allowed by Domitian
to indulge in excesses of every kind. Enraged at the
loss of their benefactor and favourite, they compelled
Nerva to deliver into their hands Parthenius and their
own commander Petronius, both of whom they put to
deith. The excesses of his own guards convinced
Nerva that the government of the Roman empire re-
quired greater energy both of body and mind than he
possessed, and he accordingly adopted Trajan as his
successor, and associated him with himself in the sov-
ereignty. Nerva died A. D. 98, after a reign of sixteen
months and nine days. (Dio Cass. , 68, 1, seqq. --
Pliny. Paneg. , c. 11. --Id. ib. , c. 89-- Aurtl. Vict. ,
c. \1. --Encyd. Us. Knowl. , vol. 16, p. 149. )
NsrvIi, a warlike people of Belgic Gaul, whose
country lay on both sides of the Scaldis or Scheldt,
near the sources of that river; afterward Hainault and
Nord. Their original capital was Bagacum, now Ba-
via; but afterward Camaracum (Cambray) and Tur-
nacum (Tournay) became their chief cities towards
the end of the fourth century. (Cces. , B. G. , 5, 39. --
Plin. , 4, 17. )
Nbsis (is or idis), now Nisida, an island on the
coast of Campania, between Puteoli and Ncapolis, and
within a short distance of the shore.
Cicero mentions
it as a favourite residence of his friend Brutus. (Ep.
td Alt. , 16, 1. )
? ? Nkssus, I. a centaur, who attempted the honour of
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? NIC
NIC
ira, and thence to tne coast of Coromandel, where the
Portuguese found a community of them at St. Thomi,
whom they persecuted and compelled to turn Roman
Catholics. \Doucm, Histoire du Nestorianisme, 1. 198.
--Assemmi, BMioth. Orient. , vol. 4. --Encycl. Us.
Krtrnel , vol. 16, p. 155. )
Narr- a (less correctl; Ncssus), a river of Thrace,
forming lie boundary between that country and Mace-
donia in the time of Philip and Alexander. This ar-
rangement subsequently remained unchanged by the
Romans on their conquest of the latter empire. (Stra-
ta, 331. --Liv. , 45, 29. ) Thucydides Mates that the
river descended from Mount Iconius, whence the He-
Drus also derived its source (2, 96), and Herodotus
informs os that it fell into the /Egean Sea near Ab-
dera (7, 109. --Compare Thcophrasl. , Hist. PI. , 3, 8).
The same writer elsewhere remarks, that lions were
to be found in Europe only between the Nestns and
the Acheloiis of Acarnahia (7, 126. --Pliny, 4, 11. --
Mela, 2, 3). In the middle agea, the name of this
river was corrupted into Meatus; and it is still called
Mcsto, or Cara-xou (Black River), by the Turks.
[Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 1, p. 308. )
N. -. r i;i, a Scythian race, who appear to have been
originally established towards the head waters of
the rivers Tyras and Hypanis (Dneisler and Bog).
They appear also to have touched on the Dastarman
Alps, which would separate them from the Agathyrsi.
(Herod, 4, 105. --Mtla,1, 1. --Pttn. ,4, Ut. --Rennell,
(itogr. of Herodotus, vol. 1, p. 118. )
Xic. t. 1, I. a city of India, founded by Alexander in
commemoration of his victory over Porus. It was
situate on the left bank of the Hydaspes, on the road
from the modern Attack to Lahore, and just below the
southern point of the island of Jamad. (Arrian, 5,
I, 6. --Justin, 12, 8. --Curtius, 9, 4-- Vincent's Peri-
anu, p. 110. )--II. The capital of Bithynia, situate at
the extremity of the lake Ascanius. Stcphanus of
Byzantium informs us, that it was first colonized by
the Bottisci, and was called Anchore ('kyx^pn).
Btrabo, however, mentions neither of these circum-
stances, but states that it was founded by Antigonus,
? on of Philip, who called it Antigonea. It subse-
quently received the name of Nir&a from Lysimachus,
in honour of his wife, >>he daughter of Antipatcr.
[Strait. , 665. ) Nicsa was built in the form of a
square, and the streets were drawn at right angles to
esch other, so that from a monument which stood near
the gymnasium, it was possible to see the four gates
of the city. (Slrab. , I. c. ) At a subsequent period,
it became the royal residence of the kings of Bithynia,
having superseded Nicom^dea as the capital of the
country. Pliny the younger makes frequent mention,
in hia Letters, of the city of Nicea and its public
buildings, which bo hsd undertaken to restore, being
at that time governor of Bithynia. (/? />, 10, 40. --
lb. , 10, 48, seqq) In the time of the Emperor Va-
lens, however, the latter city was declared the metrop-
olis. (Dio Ckrysost. , Oral. , 38. ) Still Nicsea re-
mained, as a place of trade, of the greatest impor-
tance; and from this city, too, all the great roads di-
verged into the eastern and southern parts of Asia Mi-
nor. {Manner! , Geogr. , vol. C, pt. 3, p. 669, seqq. )
Nicea was the birthplace of Hipparchua the astrono-
mer (Suidas, s. v. 'ln-apxoc). and also of Dio Cas-
? ius. -- The present town of Isnik, as it is called by
the Turks, has taken the place of the Bithynian city;
? ? but, according to Leake, the ancient walls, lowers,
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? VICANDER.
NICANDEK.
uiv" bctr. preserved; but of all these we possess at
pretest only two in a perfect state, with a few frag-
ments of some of the others, iiutli are poems. One
is entitled Qnptaiui (Theriaca), the other 'A~U? c^upua-
<<a (Alextpharmaca). --The Theriaca consists of near-
ly 1000 lines in hexameter verse, and treats of the
wounds caused by different venomous animals, and
/lis preper treatment of each. It is characterized by
Ha! lux (BMioth. Botan. ) as "longe, tnconctita, et
nullius fide: farrago" but still we occasionally find
some curious passages relating to natural history.
We have in it, for example, an exact, but rather long
description of the combat between the ichneumon and
serpents, whose flesh this quadruped eats with impu-
nity. Ho speaks of scorpions, which he divides into
nine species, an arrangement adopted by some modern
naturalists. Then come some curious observations on
the effect of the venom of various kinds of serpents,
each differing in the appearances and symptoms to
which it gives rise. Nicander thought he had discov-
ered that the poison of serpents is concealed in a
membrane surrounding the teeth; which is, after all,
not very far removed from the true state of the case.
He describes a species of serpents, named OTpp, which
always assumes the colour of the ground over which
it moves. (Compare Pliny, 8, 35; Aristotle, Mirab.
Auscult. , c. 178; and Milan, N. A, 16, 40. ) Ni-
cander is the first who distinguishes between the moth
or night-butterfly, and that which flies by day, and he
gives to the former the name of tyd'/. aiva. He is one
)f the earliest writers also who mentions the sala-
mander. This poem contains, too, a great number of
popular fables, which were credited, however, at the
lime that Nicander wrote; as, for example, that wasps
are produced from horse-flesh in a putrid state, and
bees from that of an ox. He likewise states that the
bite of the field-mouse is poisonous, and also t! at the
animal dies if it should fall into a wheel rut, both
which circumstances are repeated by Pliny (8, 83)
and jElian (H. A, 2, 37). --The Alexipharmaca is
rt'. ber a shorter poem, written in the same metre, and
nay be considered as a sort of continuation of the
Theriaca. Haller's judgment on this work is as se-
vere as that on the preceding. He says of it, "De-
icriptio viz ulla, symplomata fuse recensentur, ct
magna farrago et tncondita plantarum potissimum
ilexipharmacarum subjicitur. " Among the poisons
. ' the animal kingdom he mentions the cantharis of
t\,i Greeks, which is not the Lyita Vesieatoria, but
ytelo'e Chichorii. He speaks also of the buprestis
'Carabus Bucidon); of the blood of a bull; of coag-
ulated milk in the stomach of mammiferous animals;
uf the leech (hirudo venenata); and of a species of
gecko (aaXauuvdpa). Among the vegetable poisons
we find the aconite, coriander (which has sometimes
been fatal in Egypt), the hemlock, colchicum, henbane,
and the different species of fungi, the growth of which
Nicander attributes to fermentation. Of mineral poi-
sons he mentions only white lead, a carbonate of lead
and litharge, or protoxide of lead. --To counterbal-
ance, in some degree, Haller's unfavourable opinion of
Nicander's extant works, it ought in justice to be sta-
ted, that his krxjwledge of natural history appcara to
be at least equal to . "ait of other writers of his own or
even a later age, while on the subject of poisons he
was long considered a great authority. Galen several
times quote* him; and Dioscorides, Aelius, and Jo-
? ? hannes Actuarius have borrowed from him largely.
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? N IC
NICEPHORUS
Mus. -. rr, Critieurt, viiih Dcntley's emendations (vol.
1, p. 370, scqq ). There is extant a Greek paraphrase,
in prose, of both poems (printed in Schneider's edi-
tions), by Eutecnius the sophist, of whom nothing is
known except that he has done the same to Oppian's
Cynegctica and Halicutica. (Encyclnp. Us. Knmci,
vol. 16, p. 203, seq. )
Nic. '. tor (Xuiurup, i. e , " Victor") a surname as-
? omed by Seleucus I. {Vid. Seleucus. )
Nicephokidm (NiKijQoptov). a strongly-fortified city
? ' Mesopotamia, south of CharnB, and at the confluence
of the Billichia and Euphrates. Alexander is said to
have selected the site, which was an extremely advan-
tageous one. (Pirn. , 6, 26. --Isidor. , Charac, p. 3. )
The name remained until the fourth century, when
it disappeared from history, and, in the account of Ju-
lian's expedition, a city named Callinicum (Ka/. ? . ni-
kov) is mentioned, which occupies the same place
where Nicephorium had previously stood. This con-
formity of position, and sudden change of name, lead
directly to the supposition that Nicephorium and Cal-
linicum wero one and the same place, and that the
earlier appellation (" Victory-bringing" vUn and $ipu)
had merely been exchanged for one of the same gen-
eral import (" Fair-conquering" KaUc and vi'kij).
Hence we may reject the statement sometimes made,
that the city received its later name from Seleucus
Callinicus as its founder (Ckron Alcxandr. , Olymp.
134, 1), as well as what Valcsius {ad Amm. Marcell. ,
23, 6) cites from Libanius (Ep. ad Aristanei. ), that
Nicephorium changed its name in honour of the soph-
ist Callinicus, who died there. --Marccllinus describes
Callinicum as a strong place, and carrying on a great
trade (" munimtntum robust am, et commercandi of imi-
tate gratissimum"). Justinian repaired and strength-
ened the fortifications. (Compare Thtodorct, Hist.
Relig. , c. 26. ) At a subsequent period, the name of
the city again underwent a change. The Emperor
Leo, who about 466 AD.
