his acquaintance with the fact that the vessels absorb most readily when in an empty state. This doctrine, which has been revived of late years by a celebrated French experimentalist as a new discovery, is alluded to not only by our author, but more fully by Celsus, Dioscorides, Paulus Ægineta, Avicenna, Avensoar, and Averrhoes. It was, no doubt, from his knowledge of this principle, that Nicander has nowhere recommended general bleeding, lest, by emptying the vessels, the absorption and its distribution over the system should be promoted. Hence subsequent writers on Toxicology, such, for example, as Paulus Ægineta and Avicenna, only approve of bleeding when the poison is diffused over the body; and a very late authority, Dr. Paris, is at great pains to enforce the impropriety of venesection in the early stages before absorption has taken place.-Nicander recommends cupping and the actual cautery as preservatives from absorption in cases of poisoned wounds, and both these modes of comiums. The application of leeches to the vicinity of the wound, though not generally had recourse to now, seems a remedial measure deserving of trial.—In a word, the great merit of his practice is, that his remedies appear to have been administered upon general principles, and that he did not put much trust in specifics. Of many of his medicines, indeed, no one nowadays can speak from personal experience, and it seems but reasonable to judge of them in the indulgent manner that Socrates did respecting the obscurer part of the philosophical system of Heraclitus: What I do understand of it,' said he, with becoming modesty, I find to be admirable, and therefore I take it for granted that what I do not understand is equally so.'” have been preserved; but of all these we possess at present only two in a perfect state, with a few fraginents of some of the others. Both are poems. One is entitled Onplakú (Theriaca), the other 'AλeğipúpuaKa (Alexipharmuca).-The Theriaca consists of nearly 1000 lines in hexameter verse, and treats of the wounds caused by different venomous animals, and the proper treatment of each. It is characterized by Haller (Biblioth. Botan.) as longa, incondita, et nullius fidei 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 impunity. He 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-practice have been revived of late years with great enered 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 ony, which always assumes the colour of the ground over which it moves. (Compare Pliny, 8, 35; Aristotle, Mirah. Auscult., c. 178; and Elian, N. A., 16, 40.) Nicander 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 φάλαινα. He is one of the earliest writers also who mentions the salamander. This poem contains, too, a great number of popular fables, which were credited, however, at the time that Nicander wrote; as, for example, that wasps are produced from horse-flesh in a putrid state, and With respect to Nicander's merits as a poet, the bees from that of an ox. He likewise states that the most opposite opinions are to be found in both ancient bite of the field-mouse is poisonous, and also that the and modern writers. In the Greek Anthology, Colophor animal dies if it should fall into a wheel rut, both is congratulated for being the birthplace of Homer and which circumstances are repeated by Pliny (8, 83) Nicander (vol. 3, p. 270, ep. 567, ed. Brunck.). Ciceand Elian (H. A., 2, 37).-The Alexipharmaca is ro, in alluding to his "Georgics," a poem not now exrather a shorter poem, written in the same metre, and tant, praises the poetical manner in which he treats a may be considered as a sort of continuation of the subject of which he was entirely ignorant (de Orat., Theriaca. Haller's judgment on this work is as se- 1, 16); while Plutarch, on the other hand, says that vere as that on the preceding. He says of it," De- the Theriaca only escapes being prose because it is scriptio vix ulla, symptomata fusè recensentur, et put into metre, and will not allow it to be called a magna farrago et incondita plantarum potissimum poein because there is nothing in it “ of fable or falsealexipharmacarum subjicitur." Among the poisons hood." (De Aud. Poët., c. 2.) This very point, of the animal kingdom he mentions the cantharis of however, Julius Cæsar Scaliger thinks worthy of esthe Greeks, which is not the Lytta Vesicatoria, but pecial commendation, and says, " Magna ci laus quod Meloë Chichorii. He speaks also of the buprestis ne quid ineptum aut ineptè dicat." (Poët., lib. 5, c. (Carabus Bucidon); of the blood of a bull; of coag- 15.) He goes on to praise the accuracy of his exulated milk in the stomach of mammiferous animals; pressions and versification, and declares that among all of the leech (hirudo venenata); and of a species of the Greek authors a more polished poet is hardly to be gecko (oalapávdpa). Among the vegetable poisons found. M. Merian, on the other hand, in an essay we find the aconite, coriander (which has sometimes" Comment les Sciences influent dans la Poësie" been fatal in Egypt); the hemlock, colchicum, henbane, and the different species of fungi, the growth of which Nicander attributes to fermentation. Of mineral poisons he mentions only white lead, a carbonate of lead and litharge, or protoxide of lead.-To counterbalance, in some degree, Haller's unfavourable opinion of Nicander's extant works, it ought in justice to be stated, that his knowledge of natural history appears to be at least equal to that 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 quotes him; and Dioscorides, Aëtius, and Johannes Actuarius have borrowed from him largely."Nicander's general treatment of cases," observes Dr. Adams, "in as far as my knowledge and experience enable me to form a judgment, is founded upon very rational principles; and, in some instances, the correctness of his physiological views is such as cannot but command our admiration, considering the age in which he lived. Thus, he states that poison is most fatal to a person when fasting, which clearly implies (Mem. de l'Acad. Royal de Berlin, 1776, p. 423), mentions Nicander, to show the antipathy that exists between the language of poetry and the subjects of which he treated. He calls him "a grinder of antidotes, who sang of scorpions, toads, and spiders," and considers his poem as fit only for the apothecaries.Nicander's poetical genius, in all probability, was a good deal cramped by the prosaic nature of the subjects which he chose for his theme; and we may fairly say, that his writings contain quite as much poetry as could be expected from such unpromising materials. As for his style and language, probably every one who has ever read half a dozen lines of either of his poems will agree with Bentley, who says that he studiously affected obsolete and antiquated words, and must have been an obscure writer even to his contemporaries. (Museum Criticum, vol. 1, p. 371.)—The best edition of the Alexipharmaca is that of Schneider, Hala, 1792, 8vo. The Theriaca, by the same editor, and equally valuable, appeared in 1816, Lips., 8vo. The Theriaca was also published the same year in the Museum Criticum, with Bentley's emendations (vol. | 1, p. 370, seqq.). There is extant a Greek paraphrase, in prose, of both poems (printed in Schneider's editions), by Eutecnius the sophist, of whom nothing is known except that he has done the same to Oppian's Cynegetica and Halieutica. (Encyclop. Us. Knowl., vol. 16, p. 203, seq.) NICATOR (NIKάTwp, i. e., “ Victor”) a surname assumed by Seleucus I. (Vid. Seleucus.) defeated by them, and lost his life A.D. 811. His son Stauracius succeeded him, but reigned only six months, and was succeeded by Michael Rhangabe, master of the palace.-II. The second emperor of the name, surnamed Phocas (but who must not be confounded with the usurper Phocas, who reigned in the beginning of the seventh century), was descended of a noble Byzantine family, and distinguished himself as a commander in the field. After the death of RoNICEPHORIUM (Nikηpópiov), a strongly-fortified city manus II., A.D. 950, his widow Theophano, who was of Mesopotamia, south of Charræ, and at the confluence accused of having poisoned him, reigned as guardian of the Billichia and Euphrates. Alexander is said to to her infant son; but, finding herself insecure on the have selected the site, which was an extremely advan- throne, she invited Nicephorus to come to Constantageous one. (Plin., 6, 26.-Isidor., Charac., p. 3.) tinople, and promised him her hand. Nicephorus The name remained until the fourth century, when came, married Theophano, and assumed the title of it disappeared from history, and, in the account of Ju- Augustus, A.D. 963. He repeatedly attacked the lian's expedition, a city named Callinicum (Kahλtví- Saracens, and drove them out of Cilicia and part of KOV) is mentioned, which occupies the same place Syria. In 968, Otho I., emperor of Germany, sent an where Nicephorium had previously stood. This con- embassy to Nicephorus, who received it in an uncivil formity of position, and sudden change of name, lead manner. His avarice made him unpopular, and his directly to the supposition that Nicephorium and Cal- wife, the unprincipled Theophano, having formed an linicum were one and the same place, and that the intrigue with John Zimisces, an Armenian officer, earlier appellation ("Victory-bringing," víkn and pépw) conspired with him against her husband. Zimisces, had merely been exchanged for one of the same gen- with his confederates, was introduced at night into the eral import ("Fair-conquering," kaλos and viкn). bedchamber of the emperor, and murdered him, A.D. Hence we may reject the statement sometimes made, 969-We have remaining, at the present day, a porthat the city received its later name from Seleucus tion of a military work under the name of this emCallinicus as its founder (Chron. Alexandr., Olymp. peror. It is entitled Περὶ παραδρομῆς πολέμου, “ Of 134, 1), as well as what Valesius (ad Amm. Marcell., war with light troops," making known the mode of car23, 6) cites from Libanius (Ep. ad Aristanet.), that rying on war in mountainous countries, as practised in Nicephorium changed its name in honour of the soph- the tenth century. Hase has given the first 25 chapist Callinicus, who died there.-Marcellinus describes ters of this work, at the end of his edition of Leo DiaCallinicum as a strong place, and carrying on a great conus, these being the only ones contained in three trade (“munimentum robustum, et commercandi opimi- MSS. of the Royal Library at Paris. A MS. at Heitate gratissimum"). Justinian repaired and strength-delberg has 30 chapters more; but Hase believes that ened the fortifications. (Compare Theodoret, Hist. they do not belong to this work, or, rather, that they Relig., c. 26.) At a subsequent period, the name of form part of a second work on the same subject. It the city again underwent a change. The Emperor is thought, however, that the production first mentionLeo, who about 466 A.D. had contributed to adorn | ed appeared after the death of Phocas, and that the the place, ordered it to be called Leontopolis, and compiler, or perhaps author of it, lived in the time of under this title Hierocles enumerates it among the Basilius II. and Constantine VIII. (Schöll, Gesch. cities of Osroëne. (Synecdem., ed. Wesseling, p. Gr. Lit., vol. 3, p. 350.)-III. The third emperor of 715.) Stephanus of Byzantium asserts that Nicepho- the name, surnamed Botoniates, was an old officer of rium, at a later period, changed its name to Constan- some military reputation in the Byzantine army in tina; but this is impossible, as the city of Constantina Asia, and revolted against the Emperor Michael Ducas. belongs to quite a different part of the country. D'An- A.D. 1078. With a body of troops, chiefly composed ville fixes the site of Nicephorium near the modern of Turkish mercenaries, he marched to Chalcedon; Racca, in which he is followed by subsequent writers. upon which Michael resigned the purple, and Nicephorus (Mannert, vol. 5, pt. 2, p. 286, seqq.) was proclaimed emperor at Constantinople. Michael was sent to a monastery with the title of Archbishop of Ephesus. Another aspirant to the throne, Nicephorus Bryennius, was defeated, taken prisoner, and deprived of sight. A fresh insurrection, led by Basilacius, was likewise put down by the troops of Nicephorus, under the command of Alexius Comnenus. Alexius himself, who had an hereditary claim to the throne, was soon after proclaimed emperor by the soldiers. Having entered Constantinople by surprise, he seized Nicephorus, and banished him to a monastery, where he died a short time after, A.D. 1081. (Encyclop. Us. Knowl., vol. 16, p. 207.)-IV. Basilaces, a teacher of rhetoric at Constantinople during the latter half of the eleventh century. He has left some fables, tales, and epopees; for example, Joseph accused by Potiphar's wife; David in the cave with Saul; David pursued by Absalom, &c. These productions are contained in the collection of Leo Allatius.-V. Bryennius, a native of Orestias, in Macedonia, and son-in-law to the Emperor Alexius I. (Comnenus), who conferred upon him the title of Пavvreрoébaoroç, equivalent to that of Cæsar. In 1096 A.D., his father-in-law intrusted to him the defence of Constantinople against Godfrey of Bouillon. In 1108 he negotiated the peace with Boemond, prince of Antioch. At the death of Alexius in 1118, Irene, widow of the deceased, and Anna Comnena, wife of Bryennius, wished him to ascend NICEPHORIUS, a river of Armenia Major, the same with the Centritis. (Vid. Centritis.) NICEPHORUS, I. an emperor of the East, was originally Logotheta, or intendant of the finances, during the reign of the Empress Irene and her son Constantine VI., in the latter part of the eighth century. Irene, having deprived her son of sight, usurped the throne, and reigned alone for six years, when a conspiracy broke out against her, headed by Nicephorus, who was proclaimed emperor, and crowned in the church of St. Sophia, A.D. 802. He banished Irene to the island of Lesbos, where she lived and died in a state of great destitution. The troops in Asia revolted against Nicephorus, who showed himself avaricious and cruel, and they proclaimed the patrician Bardanes emperor; but Nicephorus defeated and seized Bardanes, confined him in a monastery, and deprived him of sight. The Empress Irene had consented to pay an annual tribute to the Saracens, in order to stop their incursions into the territories of the empire. Nicephorus refused to continue this payment, and wrote a message of defiance to the Caliph Haroun al Raschid. The caliph collected a vast army, which devastated Asia Minor, and destroyed the city of Heraclea on the coast of the Euxine, and Nicephorus was obliged to sue for peace, and pay tribute as Irene had done. In an attack which he subsequently made on the Bulgarians, he was utterly : console them for the loss of a son and husband. His letters are also preserved. Disgusted with active life, Nicephorus became a monk, and took the name of Nathaniel. Creuzer (ad Plotin. de Pulcr., p. 400) makes him a native of Philippopolis; but in this there is a double error: first, in ascribing to the father a letter written by his son Johannes; and, secondly, in reading To TπOVяóλεws instead of rhinov óhews. "to the Bishop of Philippopolis." (Schöll, Hist. Lit. Gr., vol. 3, p. 147.)-IX. Gregoras, a native of Heraclea, who wrote on grammatical, historical, and astronomical subjects. Andronicus II. appointed him chartophylax of the church, and in 1325 sent him on an embassy to the King of Servia. Gregoras did not abandon his royal patron when dethroned by Andronicus III., and it was he who, four years after this event, assisted at the deathbed of the fallen monarch. He showed himself a zealous opponent of the Palamites, a sect of fanatics who were throwing the church into confusion, but was condemned for this by the synod of Constantinople, A.D. 1351, at the instance of the patriarch Callistus, and confined in a convent, where he ended his days.-His grammatical works are in part unedited.. He wrote also a Byzantine, or, as he calls it, Roman ('Pwpaiký) History, in thirtyeight books, of which the first twenty-four alone, extending from 1204 to 1331 A.D., have been published: the other books, which terminate at A.D. 1359, remain still unedited. Gregoras is vain, passionate, and partial: his style is affected, and overloaded with figures, especially hyperboles, and full of repetitions. The la the throne; but his own indifference on this point, and physical subjects. He wrote also two discourses, one the measures taken by John, the son of Alexius, de-addressed to Andronicus II., the other to Irene, to feated their plans. It was on this occasion that Anna Comnena passionately exclaimed, that nature had mistaken the two sexes, and bad endowed Bryennius with the soul of a woman. He died in 1137. At the order of the Empress Irene, Bryennius undertook, during the life of Alexius, a history of the house of Comnenus, which he entitled "Yan 'Ioropías, "Materials for History," and which he distributed into four books. He commenced with Isaac Comnenus, the first prince of this line, who reigned from 1057 to 1059 A.D., without being able to transmit the sceptre to his family, into whose hands it did not pass until 1081, when Alexius I. ascended the throne. Nicephorus stops at the period of his father-in-law's accession to the throne, after having given his history while a private individual. He had at his disposal excellent materials; but his impartiality as an historian is not very highly esteemed. In point of diction, his work holds a very favourable rank among the productions of the Lower Empire. It was continued by Anna Comnena. (Schöll, Hist. Lit. Gr., vol. 6, p. 388.)-VI. Blemmida, a monk of the 13th century. He has left three works: "a Geographical Abridgment" (Tɛwypaḍía ovvoпTIK), which is nothing but a prose metaphrase of the Periegesis of Dionysius the Geographer: a work entitled "A Second History (or Description) of the Earth" ('Erépa ioropia Tepi rns yns), in which he gives an account of the form and size of the earth, and of the different lengths of the day and a third," On the Heavens and Earth, the Sun, Moon, Stars, Time, and Days" (IIɛpì Οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς, Ἡλίου, Σελήνης, Αστέρων, Χρόνου, kai 'Huɛpov). In this last the author develops a sys-test edition of the history which had been published, tem, according to which the earth is a plane. The was, until very recently, that of Boivin, Paris, 1702, first two were published by Spohn, at Leipzig, 1818, in 2 vols. fol. It contained the first eleven books, with 4to, and by Manzi, from a MS. in the Barberini Library, the Latin version of Wolff, and the succeeding thirteen, Rom, 1819, 4to. Bernhardy has given the Metaphrase with a translation by the editor himself. It was to have in his edition of Dionysius, Lips., 1828; the third is been completed in two additional volumes, containing unedited. It is mentioned by Bredow in his Epistolæ the last fourteen books, but these have never appeared. Parisienses. VII. Surnamed Xanthopulus, lived A new edition, however, of Gregoras, forms part of about the middle of the 14th century. He wrote an the Byzantine Historians at present in a course of pubEcclesiastical History in 18 books, which, along with lication at Bonn. (Schöll, Hist. Lit. Gr., vol. 6. p, many useful extracts from writers whose productions 362, seqq.) There are also several works of Gregoras are now lost, contains a great number of fables. This treating of Astronomy, but they are all unedited, except history extends from the birth of our Saviour to A.D. a treatise on the astrolabe, which appeared in a Latin 610. The arguments of five other books, which would translation at Paris in 1557, 12mo, edited by Valla. carry it down to A.D. 911, are by a different writer. (Schöll, vol. 7, p. 65.) — X. A native of ConstantiIn preparing his work, Nicephorus availed himself of nople, commonly surnamed the Patriarch, for distincthe library attached to the church of St. Sophia, and tion' sake. He was at first a notary, and afterward here he passed the greater part of his life. He has imperial secretary, which latter station he quitted for left also Catalogues, in Iambic verse, of the Greek a convent, but was subsequently elevated to the see emperors, the patriarchs of Constantinople, and the of Byzantium, A.D. 806. As one of the defenders of fathers of the church, besides other minor works. To the worship of images, he was, in 815, compelled to this same writer is likewise ascribed a work contain- take refuge in a monastery, where he ended his days, ing an account of the church of the Virgin, situate at A.D. 828. He has left behind him two works: 1. A certain mineral waters in Constantinople, and of the Chronicle or Chronographical Abridgment (Xpovomiraculous cures wrought by these.-The Ecclesias-ypapía), commencing with Adam and carried down to tical History was edited by Ducæus (Fronton du Duc), the period of the author's own death, or, rather, someParis, 1630, 2 vols. fol. The metrical Catalogues what farther, since it was continued by an anonymous are to be found in the edition of the Epigrams of The-writer: 2. An Historical Compend, 'Ioropía σúvтoμos, odorus Prodromus, published at Bâle, 1536, 8vo. The account of the mineral waters, &c., appeared for the first time at Vienna in 1802, 8vo, edited by Pampereus. VIII. Surnamed Chumnus, was Præfectus Cansclei ('O Enì TOυ Kavikkɛίov) under Andronicus II., surnamed Palæologus. The canicleus (kavíkλeloç) was a small vessel filled with the red liquid with which the emperors used to sign their names to documents. His daughter Irene was married in 1304 to John Palæologus, the eldest son of Andronicus, who, together with his younger brother Michael, had been associated with him in the empire by their father, A.D. 1295, and who died A.D. 1308, without issue. Nicephorus composed a number of works, which still remain unedited. They treat of rhetorical, philosophical, and embracing the events that occurred from A.D. 602 to 770. The latest edition of the Greek text of the Chronicle is that of Credner, Giessa, 1832, 4to. It was also given in Dindorf's edition of Syncellus, Bonn., 1829. The latest edition of the Compend is that of Petavius (Petau), Paris, 1648. (Schöll, Hist. Lit Gr., vol. 6, p. 370, seqq ) NICER or NICAR, now the Necker, a river of Germany, falling into the Rhine at the modern town of Manheim. (Amm. Marcell., 28, 2.- Cluv., Germ., 3, 225.-Pertz, Mon. Germ. Hist., 1, 361.) NICERATUS, a physician mentioned by Dioscorides (Præf., lib. 1, p. 2, ed. Spreng.) as one of the followers of Asclepiades, and who attended particularly to materia medica. None of his writings remain, but his pre. scriptions are several times mentioned by Galen (Op., | dread of responsibility. Nicias, however, signalized himself on several occasions. He took the island of Cythera from the Lacedæmonians, subjugated many cities of Thrace which had revolted from the Athenian sway, shut up the Megarians within their city-walls, cutting off all communication from without, and taking their harbour Nisaæa. When the unfortunate expedition NICETAS, I. Eugenianus, author of one of the poor- against Syracuse was undertaken by Athens, Nicias est of the Greek romances that have come down to us. was one of the three commanders who were sent at its He appears to have lived not long after Theodore Pro- head, the other two being Alcibiades and Lamachus. dromus, whom, according to the title of his work as He had previously, however, used every effort to pregiven in a Paris manuscript, he selected for his model. vent his countrymen from engaging in this affair, on the He wrote of the Loves of Drosilla and Chariclea. ground that they were only wasting their resources in Boissonade gave to the world an edition of this ro- distant warfare, and multiplying their enemies. After mance in 1819, Paris, 2 vols. 12mo, respecting the the recall of Alcibiades, the natural indecision of Nimerits of which, consult Hoffmann, Lex. Bibliogr., vol. cias, increased by ill-health and dislike of his command, 3, p. 137.-II. Acominatus, surnamed Choniates, from proved a principal cause of the failure of the enterprise. his having been born at Chonæ, or Colossæ, in Phry- In endeavouring to retreat by land from before Syragia. He filled many posts of distinction at Constanti-cuse, the Athenian commanders, Nicias and Demosnople, under the Emperor Isaac II. (Angelus). About thenes (the latter had come with re-enforcements), were A.D. 1189, he was appointed by the same monarch pursued, defeated, and compelled to surrender. The governor of Philippopolis, an office of which Alexius V. generals were put to death; their soldiers were condeprived him. He died A.D. 1216, at Nicæa, in Bi- fined at first in the quarry of Epipolæ, and afterward thynia, to which city he had fled after the taking of sold as slaves. We have a life of Nicias by Plutarch. Constantinople by the Latins. He wrote a History of (Thucyd., lib. 3, 4, 5, seqq. Plut., Vit. Nic.)-II. the Byzantine Emperors, in twenty-one books, con- An Athenian artist, who flourished with Praxiteles, Ol. mencing A.D. 1118 and ending A.D. 1206. It forms, 104, and assisted him in the decoration of some of his in fact, ten different works of various sizes, all imbodied productions. (Plin., 35, 11.-Consult Sillig, Dict. under one general head. -Nicetas possessed talent, Art., s. v.)-III. The younger, an Athenian painter, judgment, and an enlightened taste for the arts, and son of Nicomedes, and pupil of Euphranor. He bewould be read with pleasure if he did not occasionally gan to practice his art Ol. 112. (Sillig, Dict. Art., indulge too much in a satirical vein, and if his style were S. v.) Nicias is said to have been the first artist who not so declamatory and poetical. The sufferings of used burned ochre in his paintings. (Plin., 35, 6, 20.) Constantinople, which passed under his own eyes, appear to have imbittered his spirit, and he is accused of being one of the writers who contributed most to kindle a feeling of hatred between the Greeks and the nations of the West.-We have a life of Nicetas by his broth-prus. He owed his throne to the kindness of Ptoleer Michael Acominatus, metropolitan of Athens. It my I., king of Egypt, who continued thereafter to beis entitled Monodia, and has never yet been published stow upon him many marks of favour. Having learnin the original Greek; a Latin translation of it is given ed, however, at last, that Nicocles, forgetful of past in the Biblioth. Patrum Maxim. Lugd., vol. 22.-The benefits, had formed an alliance with Antigonus, Ptollatest edition of Nicetas was that of Paris, 1647, fol. emy sent two of his confidential emissaries to CyA new edition, however, has lately appeared from prus, with orders to despatch Nicocles in case his the scholars of Germany, as forming part of the Byzan- traitorous conduct should be clearly ascertained by tine collection, now in a course of publication at Bonn. them. These two individuals, having taken with -III. An ecclesiastical writer, who flourished during them a party of soldiers, surrounded the palace of the the latter half of the eleventh century. He was at first King of Paphos, and making known to him the orders bishop of Serræ in Macedonia (whence he is sometimes of Ptolemy, compelled him to destroy himself, although surnamed Serrariensis), and afterward metropolitan of he protested his innocence. His wife Axiothea, when Heraclea in Thrace. He is known by his commentary she heard of her husband's death, killed her maiden on sixteen discourses of St. Gregory Nazianzen, and by daughters with her own hand, and then slew herself. other works connected with theology and sacred criti- The other female relatives followed her example. The cism. He was the author, likewise, of some gram- brothers of Nicocles, also, having shut themselves up matical productions, of which, however, only a small in the palace, set fire to it, and then fell by their own remnant has come down to us, in the shape of a trea- hands. (Diod. Sic., 20, 21.-Wesseling, ad loc.tise "on the Names of the Gods" (Eis тà ovóμara Tv Polyan., 8, 48.)-II. King of Cyprus, succeeded his Ev), an edition of which was given by Creuzer, in father Evagoras B.C. 374. He celebrated the funer1187, from the Leipzig press.-IV. David, a philoso- al obsequies of his parent with great splendour, and enpher, historian, and rhetorician, sometimes confound-gaged Isocrates to write his eulogium. Nicocles had ed with the preceding, but who flourished two centu- been a pupil of the Athenian rhetorician, and recomries earlier. He was bishop of Dadybra in Paphlago-pensed his services with the greatest liberality. (Vid. nia, and wrote, among other things, an explanatory Isocrates.) work on the poems of St. Gregory Nazianzen, and a paraphrase of the epigrams of St. Basil. An edition of these works appeared at Venice in 1563, 4to. NICIA, a small river of Cisalpine Gaul, rising in the territory of the Ligures Apuani, and falling into the Po at Brixellum. The Emilian Way crossed it a little before Tanetum. It is now the Leuza. Mannert, however, gives the modern name as Crostolo; and Reichard, Ongino. NICIAS, I. son of Niceratus. He was a man of birth and fortune; but in whom a generous temper, popular manners, and considerable political and military talent, were marred by unreasonable diffidence and excessive Nico, an architect and geometrician, father of Galen, who lived in the beginning of the second century of our era. (Suid., s. v. Tahmvós.) NICOCLES, I. king of Paphos, in the island of Cy NICOCREON, a tyrant of Cyprus in the age of Alex ander the Great. A fabulous story is related of his having caused the philosopher Anaxarchus to be pounded alive in a mortar. (Vid. Anaxarchus.) NICOLAUS, I. a comic poet whose era is unknown. He belonged to the New Comedy according to some. Stobaus has a fragment of his in 44 verses, which he ascribes, however, to Nicolaus Damascenus.—II. Surnamed Damascenus (Νικόλαος ὁ Δαμασκηνός), a native of Damascus of good family. He was the friend of Herod the Great, king of the Jews, and in the year 6 B.C. was sent by that monarch on an embassy to Augustus, who had taken offence at Herod because NICOLAUS. NICOMACHUS, the father of the philosopher Aristotle. (Vid. Aristoteles.) he had led an army into Arabia to enforce certain | p. 210.)-IV. (or Laonicus) Chalcondylas, a native claims which he had upon Syllæus, the prime-minister of Athens, and one of the Byzantine historians. He of the King of Arabia, and the real governor of the wrote a history of the Turks, and of the fall of the It was continued by an anonymous writer to country. (Joseph., Ant. Jud., 16, 9.) Nicolaus, hav- Eastern empire, from A.D. 1297 down to 1462, in ten ing obtained an audience of the emperor, accused Syl- books. læus, and defended Herod in a skilful speech, which is A.D. 1565. The narrative of Chalcondylas is rich in Syllæus was facts, but the author sometimes displays great creduthat of Fabrot, given by Josephus (Ant. Jud., 16, 10). sentenced to be put to death as soon as he should lity. The first edition of the text have given satisfaction to Herod for the claims which Paris, 1650, fol., which was reprinted in 1750 at the latter had upon him. This is the account of Jose- Venice, fol.-V. Bishop of Methone, about A.D. 1190, phus, taken probably from the history of Nicolaus him- author of a commentary on the Eroixeiwois GeoλoyikŃ self, who appears to have exaggerated the success of of Proclus. It remains unedited. VI. Cabasila, was his embassy; for Syllæus neither gave any satisfac- bishop of Thessalonica about 1350 A.D. He was a tion to Herod, nor was the sentence of death executed learned man, and famed for his eloquence. We have upon him. (Joseph., Ant. Jud., 17, 3, 2.) We find a commentary by him on the third book of the AlmaNicolaus afterward acting as the accuser of Herod's gest, printed at the end of the Basle edition of Ptoleson Antipater, when he was tried before Varus for mæi Syntaxis, 1538, fol. plotting against his father's life, B.C. 4 (Joseph., Ant. Jud., 16, 5, 4, seqq.-Id., Bell. Jud., 1, 32, 4); and NICOMEDES, I. king of Bithynia, succeeded his faagain as the advocate of Archelaus before Augustus, in the dispute for the succession to Herod's kingdom. ther Ziphotes, B.C. 278. His succession was dis(Joseph, Ant. Jud., 17, 9, 6.- Id. ib., 11, 3.—Id., puted by his brother, and he called in the Gauls to Bell. Jud., 2, 2, 6.)-As a writer, Nicolaus is known support his claims, B.C. 277. With their assistance in several departments of literature. He composed he was successful: but his allies became his masters, tragedies, and, among others, one entitled Ewoavvis and the whole of Asia Minor was for a long time over("Susanna"). Of these nothing remains. He also run by these barbarians. He probably died about B C. wrote comedies, and Stobæus has preserved for us 250, and was succeeded by his eldest son Zielas.—II. what he considers to be a fragment of one of these, but The second of the name, surnamed Epiphanes, sucwhat belongs, in fact, to a different writer. (Vid. Ni-ceeded his father Prusias II., B.C. 149. He accomcolaus I.) He was the author, also, of a work on the panied his parent to Rome, B.C. 167, where he apRemarkable Customs of various nations (Zvvaywyn pears to have been brought up under the care of the Tapadóğwv howν); of another on Distinguished Ac-senate. (Liv., 45, 44.) Prusias, becoming jealous of tions (IIɛpì Tv εv Toïç πpaktikoïç kaλŵv); and also the popularity of his son, and anxious to secure the of several historical works. Among the last-mention- succession of his younger children, formed a plan for ed class of productions was a Universal History (Io- his assassination; but Nicomedes, having gained inTopía Kaloλiký), in 144 books (hence called by Athe- telligence of his purpose, deprived his father of the næus Toλúbibλos, 6, p. 249, a.), a compilation for throne, and subsequently put him to death. Nicomewhich he borrowed passages from various historians, des remained during the whole of his long reign a faithAs ful ally, or, rather, obedient subject, of the Romans. which he united together by oratorical flourishes. he has drawn his materials in part from sources which He assisted them in their war with Aristonicus, brothno longer exist for us, the fragments of his history er of Attalus, king of Pergamus, B.C. 131; and he which remain make us acquainted with several facts was applied to by Marius for assistance during the of which we should otherwise have had no knowledge. Cimbrian war, about B.C. 103. During the latter part This history included the reign of Herod; and Jose- of his reign he was involved in a war with Mithradaphus gives the following character of the 123d and tes, of which an account is given in the life of that 124th books: "For, living in his kingdom and with monarch. (Vid. Mithradates VI.)-III. The third of him (Herod), he composed his history in such a way the name, surnamed Philopator, succeeded his father as to gratify and serve him, touching upon those things Nicomedes II., B.C. 91. During the first year of his only which made for his glory, and glossing over many reign, he was expelled from his kingdom by Mithradaof his actions which were plainly unjust, and conceal- tes, who placed upon the throne Socrates, the younger And wishing to make a spe- brother of Nicomedes. He was restored, however, to ing them with all zeal. At the cious excuse for the murder of Mariamne and her chil- his kingdom in the following year by the Romans, who dren, so cruelly perpetrated by the king, he tells false- sent an army under Aquilius to support him. hoods respecting her incontinence, and the plots of breaking out of the Mithradatic war, B. C. 88, NicomAnd throughout his whole histo- edes took part with the Romans; but his army was the young men. ry he eulogizes extravagantly all the king's just ac- completely defeated by the generals of Mithradates, tions, while he zealously apologizes for his crimes." near the river Amnias, in Paphlagonia (Strabo, 562), (Ant. Jud., 16, 7, 1.) Nicolaus wrote also a life of and he himself was again expelled from his kingdom, Augustus, of which a fragment, marked too strongly and obliged to take refuge in Italy. At the conclusion with flattery, still remains. He was the author, too, of of the Mithradatic war, B.C. 84, Bithynia was restored some metaphysical productions on the writings of Aris- to Nicomedes. He died B.C. 74, without children, totle. As regards his own Biography, which has like- and left his kingdom to the Romans. (Memnon., ap. wise come down to us, we may be allowed to doubt Phot.-Appian, Bell. Mithrad.-Clinton, Fast. Hell., whether he ever wrote it.-The latest and most com- vol. 3, Append., 7.-Encycl. Us. Knowl., vol. 16, p. plete edition of the remains of Nicolaus Damascenus 213.)-IV. A celebrated geometrician. He is famous is that of Orellius, Lips., 1804, with a supplement pub- for being the inventor of the curve called the conchoid, lished in 1811, and containing the result of the labours which has been made to serve equally for the solution of Bremi, Ochsner, and others, in collecting the scat- of the two problems relating to the duplication of the tered fragments of this writer. (Schöll, Hist. Lit. Gr., cube, and the trisection of an angle. It was much vol. 4, p. 101.)-III. surnamed the Sophist, a disciple used by the ancients in the construction of solid probof Proclus and a New-Platonist, lived during the latter lems. It is not certain at what period Nicomedes half of the fifth century. Suidas makes him to have flourished, but it was probably at no great distance been the author of Progymnasmata and Declamations. from the time of Eratosthenes. One MS. assigns to Nicolaus the Sophist a portion of the Progymnasmata, which have been published under the name of Libanius. (Schöll, Hist. Lit. Gr., vol. 6, NICOMEDEA (NIKоμndɛia), a city of Bithynia, situate at the northeastern extremity of the Sinus Astacenus. It was founded by Nicomedes I. (B.C. 264), who |