lic good, but to gratify the cruelty of a single man.' (Tacit., Ann., 15, 44.)-In the following year, A.D. 65, 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 Lucan and Seneca; but the guilt of the latter is doubtful. In the same year Poppaa died, in consequence of a kick which she received from her husband while she was in an advanced state of pregnancy. 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 had previously appeared as an actor on the Roman stage; and he now visited in succession the chief cit-yards, and for pasturage and woods, stocked with a 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 honours. But while he was engaged in these extravagances, Vindex, who commanded the legions in Gaul, declared against his authority; and his example was speedily followed by Galba, who commanded in Spain. The prætorian 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 the revolt of the prætorian guards. Nero, however, 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 hands. He died A.D. 68, in the 32d year of his age, and the 14th of his reign. It is difficult to form a correct estimate of the character of this emperor. That he was a licentious voluptuary, and that he scrupled at committing no crimes in order to gratify his lust or strengthen his power, is sufficiently proved; but that he was such a monster as Suetonius and Dio have described him, may reasonably admit of a doubt. The possession of absolute power at so early an age tended to call forth all the worst passions of human nature, while the example and counsels of his mother Agrippina 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 far 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 Belviderewere evidently two distinct things. (Tacit., Ann., 15, is supposed by Thiersch (Epochen, &c., p. 312) and some other writers to have been made for this emperor. His government seems to have been far from unpopular. He was anxious to relieve the people from oppressive taxes, and to protect the provinces from the rapacity of the governors; and it may be mentioned as an instance of his popularity, that there were persons who for many years decked his tomb with spring and summer flowers, and that, in consequence of a prevalent rumour that he had escaped from death, several impostors at various times as- NERTOBRIGA, I. a city of Hispania Bætica, some sumed the name of Nero, and gave no small trouble distance to the west of Corduba. It was also called to the reigning emperors. (Tacit., Hist., 1, 2.-Id., Concordia Julia, and is now Valera la Vieja. (Polyb., ib., 2, 8.-Sueton., Vit. Ner., 57.-Casaubon, ad Sue-35, 2-Ukert, Geogr., vol. 2, p. 381.) In Polybius ton., l. c.) During the reign of Nero the Roman empire enjoyed, in general, a profound state of peace. In the East the Parthians were defeated by Corbulo; and in the West, the Britons, who had risen in arms under Boadicea, were again reduced to subjection under Suetonius Paulinus. (Encycl. Us. Knowl., vol. 16, p. 147, seq.)-It may not be amiss, before concluding this article, to make some mention of Nero's celebrated "Golden House" (Aurea Domus). The only description on record of this costly struc ture is that of Suetonius: "In nothing," says this writer, "was Nero so ruinous as in building. He erected a mansion extending from the Palatine as far as the Esquiliæ. At first he called it his 'House of Passage,' but afterward, when it had been destroyed by fire and restored again, he gave it the name of his Golden House.' To form an idea of its extent and magnificence, it may suffice to state the following particulars. The vestibule admitted his colossal statue, which was 120 feet high: the building was on so large a scale, that it had a triple portico a mile long; also, an immense pool like a sea, enclosed by buildings presenting the appearance of towns. There were, moreover, grounds laid out for tillage and for vine vast number of every description of cattle and wild animals. In other respects, everything was overlaid with gold, embellished with gems and with mother-ofpearl. The ceilings of the banqueting-rooms were fretted into ivory coffers made to turn, that flowers might be showered down upon the guests, and also furnished with pipes for discharging perfumes. The principal banqueting-room was round, and by a perpetual motion, day and night, was made to revolve after the manner of the universe." (Sueton., Vit. Ner., c. 31.) When the structure was completed, Nero is said to have declared "that he at length had a house fit for a human being to live in" (se quasi hominem tandem habitare cœpisse.- Sueton., l. c.). Various explanations have been given of the way in which the contrivance was effected in the case of the principal banqueting-room. Donatus makes it a hollow globe, fixed inside a square room, and turning on its own axis; and he introduces the guests by a door near the axis, "where there is the least motion !" (Donat., de Urb. Vet., lib. 3.--ap. Græv. Thes., vol. 3, p. 680.) Dr. Adam (Rom. Ant., p. 491) thinks that the ceiling was made "to shift and exhibit new appearances as the different courses or dishes were removed;" but this does not explain "the perpetual motion, day and night, after the manner of the universe." Nero's architects, Severus and Celer, certainly deserve the mention of their names. (Tacit., Ann., 15, 42.) Tacitus remarks, that "the gems and the gold which this house contained were not so much a matter of wonder (being quite common at that period) as the fields and pools; the woods, too, in one direction, forming a kind of solitude; while here, again, were open spaces with commanding views." (Tacit., l. c.)-The house of Nero and the palace of the Cæsars must not, however, be confounded. They 39.-Burgess, Antiquities of Rome, vol. 2, p. 172, seq.)-II. A Roman consul. (Vid. Claudius III.)— III. Cæsar, son of Germanicus and Agrippina. He married Julia, daughter of Drusus, the son of Tiberius. By the wicked arts of Sejanus he was banished to the isle of Pontia, and there put to death. (Tacit., Ann., 4, 59, seq.-Sueton., Vit. Tib., 54.) NERONIA, a name given to Artaxata by Tiridates, who had been restored to his kingdom by Nero. (Vid. Artaxata.) it is written 'Epкóbpika by a mistake of the copyists, 6piya, but incorrectly, since the place meant is probably the Areobriga of the Itinerary. As regards the termination of the name Nertobriga, consult remarks under the article Mesembria. (Ukert, l. c.) their fate. (Vid. Neleus.) Nestor succeeded his father on the throne of Pylos, and subsequently, though at a very advanced age, led his forces to the Trojan war, in which he particularly distinguished himself NERVA, MARCUS COCCEIUS, the thirteenth Roman among the Grecian chiefs by his eloquence and wisemperor, was born at Narnia, in Umbria, A.D. 27 ac-dom. Indeed, by the picture drawn of him in the cording to Eutropius (8, 1), or A.D. 32 according to Iliad, as well as by the description contained in the Dio Cassius (68, 4). His family originally came from Odyssey, of his tranquil, virtuous, and useful life, it Crete; but several of his ancestors rose to the highest would appear that Homer meant to display in his charhonours in the Roman state. His grandfather Coc-acter the greatest perfection of which human nature is ceius Nerva, who was consul A.D. 22, and was a susceptible. The most conspicuous enterprises in great favourite of the Emperor Tiberius, was one of which Nestor bore a part prior to the Trojan war, the most celebrated jurists of his age. We learn from were, the war of the Pylians against the Elians, and Tacitus that this individual put an end to his own the affair of the Lapithe and Centaurs. Some have life. (Ann., 6, 28.)-Nerva, the subject of the pres- also placed him among the Argonauts. Nestor marent sketch, is first mentioned in history as a favourite ried Eurydice, the daughter of Clymenus (according to of Nero, who bestowed upon him triumphal honours, others, Anaxibia, the sister of Agamemnon), and had A.D. 66, when he was prætor elect. The poetry of seven sons and two daughters. He returned in safety Nerva, which is mentioned with praise by Pliny and from the Trojan war, and ended his days in his native Martial, appears to have recommended him to the fa- land.-Nestor is sometimes called the "Pylian sage," vour of Nero. Nerva was employed in offices of trust from his native city Pylos. He is also styled by Homer and honour during the reigns of Vespasian and Titus, "the Gerenian," an epithet commonly supposed to but he incurred the suspicion of Domitian, and was have been derived from the Messenian town of Gerebanished by him to Tarentum. On the assassination nia, in which he is said to have been educated (Heyne, of Domitian, A.D. 96, Nerva succeeded to the sover- ad Il., 2, 336), although others refer it to his advanced eign power, through the influence of Petronius Secun- age (ypas-Compare Schwenck, Andeut., p. 181). dus, commander of the Prætorian cohorts, and of Par- Homer makes Nestor, at the time of the Trojan war, to thenius, the chamberlain of the palace. The mild and have survived two generations of men, and to be then equitable administration of Nerva is acknowledged and living among a third. This would give his age at about praised by all ancient writers, and forms a striking seventy years and upward. (Heyne, ad II., 1, 250.) contrast to the sanguinary rule of his predecessor. NESTORIUS, a Syrian by birth, who became patriarch He discouraged all informers, recalled the exiles from of Constantinople A.D. 428, under the reign of Thebanishment, relieved the people from some oppressive odosius II. He showed himself very zealous against taxes, and granted toleration to the Christians. Many the Arians and other sects; but, after some time, a instances of his liberality and clemency are recorded priest of Antioch named Anastasius, who had followed by his contemporary, the younger Pliny; he allowed Nestorius to Constantinople, began to preach that no senator to be put to death during his reign; and he there were two persons in Jesus Christ, and that the practised the greatest economy, in order to relieve the Word or divinity had not become man, but had dewants of the poorer citizens. But his impartial ad- scended on the man Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary; ministration of justice met with little favour from the and that the two natures became morally united, as it Prætorian cohorts, who had been allowed by Domitian were, but not hypostatically joined in one person; and to indulge in excesses of every kind. Enraged at the that, when Jesus died, it was the human person, and loss of their benefactor and favourite, they compelled not the divinity, that suffered. This doctrine being Nerva to deliver into their hands Parthenius and their not only not discountenanced, but actually supported own commander Petronius, both of whom they put to by Nestorius, was the origin of what is termed the death. The excesses of his own guards convinced Nestorian schism. Nestorius refused to allow to the Nerva that the government of the Roman empire re-Virgin Mary the title of Theotokos (coróKOS), Or quired greater energy both of body and mind than he Mother of God, but allowed her that of Christotokos possessed, and he accordingly adopted Trajan as his (XpOTOTÓKOs), or Mother of Christ. He met, of successor, and associated him with himself in the sov-course, with numerous opponents, and the controversy ereignty. Nerva died A.D. 98, after a reign of sixteen occasioned great disturbances in Constantinople. Cyrmonths and nine days. (Dio Cass., 68, 1, seqq.- ill, bishop of Alexandrea in Egypt, with his characterPliny, Paneg., c. 11.-Id. ib., c. 89.-Aurel. Vict.,istic violence, anathematized Nestorius, who, in his c. 12.-Encycl. Us. Knowl., vol. 16, p. 149.) turn, anathematized Cyrill, whom he accused of degrading the divine nature, and making it subject to the infirmities of the human nature. The Emperor Theodosius convoked a general council at Ephesus to decide upon the question, A.D. 431. This council, which was attended by 210 bishops, condemned the doctrine of Nestorius, who refused to appear before it, NERVII, 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 Bavia; but afterward Camaracum (Cambray) and Turnacum (Tournay) became their chief cities towards the end of the fourth century. (Cæs., B. G., 5, 39.—as many Eastern bishops, and John of Antioch among Plin., 4, 17.) NESIS (is or idis), now Nisida, an island on the coast of Campania, between Puteoli and Neapolis, and within a short distance of the shore. Cicero mentions it as a favourite residence of his friend Brutus. (Ep. ad Att., 16, 1.) NESSUS, I. a centaur, who attempted the honour of Deianira. (Vid. Deïanira.)-II. A river of Thrace, more correctly the Nestus. (Vid. Nestus.) NESTOR, son of Neleus and Chloris, nephew of Pelias and grandson of Neptune. He was the youngest of twelve brothers, all of whom, with the single exception of himself, were slain by Hercules, for having taken part against him with Augeas, king of Elis. The tender years of Nestor saved him from sharing the rest, had not yet arrived. Upon this the council deposed Nestorius. Soon after, John of Antioch and his friends came, and condemned Cyrill as being guilty of the Apollinarian heresy. The emperor, being appealed to by both parties, after some hesitation sent for Nestorius and Cyrill; but it appears that he was displeased with what he considered pride and obstinacy in Nestorius, and he confined him in a monastery. But, as his name was still a rallying word for faction, Theodosius banished him to the deserts of Thebaïs in Egypt, where he died. His partisans, however, spread over the East, and have continued to this day to form a separate church, which is rather numerous, especially in Mesopotamia, where their patriarch resides at Diar bekr. The Nestorians, at one time, spread into Per Bia, and thence to the coast of Coromandel, where the | in ecclesiastical history as the seat of the first and most important œcumenical council held in the Christian church. It was convened by the Emperor Constantine for the purpose of settling the Arian controversy, after he had in vain attempted to reconcile Arius and Alexander, the leaders of the two opposing NESTUS (less correctly Nessus), a river of Thrace, parties in that dispute. The council met in the year forming the boundary between that country and Mace- 325 A.D., and sat probably about two months. It donia in the time of Philip and Alexander. This ar- was attended by bishops from nearly every part of the rangement subsequently remained unchanged by the East; few, however, came from Europe, and scarcely Romans on their conquest of the latter empire. (Stra- any from Africa, exclusive of Egypt. According to bo, 331.-Liv., 45, 29.) Thucydides states that the Eusebius, there were more than 250 bishops present, river descended from Mount Iconius, whence the He- besides presbyters, deacons, and others. Some writers brus also derived its source (2, 96), and Herodotus give a larger number. The account generally followinforms us that it fell into the Egean Sea near Ab-ed is that of Socrates, Theodoret, and Epiphanius, dera (7, 109.-Compare Theophrast., Hist. Pl., 3, 2). who state that 318 bishops attended the council. It The same writer elsewhere remarks, that lions were is uncertain who presided, but it is generally supposed to be found in Europe only between the Nestus and that the president was Hosius, bishop of Corduba the Achelous of Acarnania (7, 126.—Pliny, 4, 11.-(Cordova) in Spain. Constantine himself was present Mela, 2, 3). In the middle ages, the name of this at its meetings. The chief question debated in the river was corrupted into Mestus; and it is still called council of Nice was the Arian heresy. Eusebius of Mesto, or Cara-sou (Black River), by the Turks. Cæsarea proposed a creed which the Arian party (Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 1, p. 308.) would have been willing to sign, but it was rejected by the council, and another creed was adopted as imbodying the orthodox faith. The most important feature in this creed is the application of the word consubstantial (óμoovaior) to the Son, to indicate the nature of his union with the Father; this word had been purposely omitted in the creed proposed by Eusebius. The creed agreed upon by the council was signed by all the bishops present except two, Secundus, bishop of Ptolemais, and Theonas, bishop of Marmarica. Three others hesitated for some time, but signed at last, namely, Eusebius of Nicomedea, Theognis of Nicæa, and Maris of Chalcedon. The council excommunicated Arius, who was immediately afterward banished by the emperor. The decision of this council had not the effect of restoring tranquillity to the Eastern church, for the Arian controversy was still warmly carried on; but it has supplied that mode of stating the doctrine of the Trinity (as far as relates to the Father and the Son) in which it has ever since been NEURI, a Scythian race, who appear to have been originally established towards the head waters of the rivers Tyras and Hypanis (Dneister and Bog). They appear also to have touched on the Bastarnian Alps, which would separate them from the Agathyrsi. (Herod., 4, 105.—Mela, 2, 1.—Plin., 4, 12.-Rennell, Geogr. of Herodotus, vol. 1, p. 112.) NICEA, 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 Attock to, Lahore, and just below the southern point of the island of Jamad. (Arrian, 5, 9, 6. Justin, 12, 8.-Curtius, 9, 4.-Vincent's Periplus, p. 110.)-II. The capital of Bithynia, situate at the extremity of the lake Ascanius. Stephanus of Byzantium informs us, that it was first colonized by the Bottiæi, and was called Anchore ('Ayxúpn). Strabo, however, mentions neither of these circumstances, but states that it was founded by Antigonus, son of Philip, who called it Antigonea. It subse-received by the orthodox. The time for the celebraquently received the name of Nicea from Lysimachus, tion of Easter was also fixed by this council in fain honour of his wife, the daughter of Antipater. vour of the practice of the Western church. It also (Strab., 565.) Nicea was built in the form of a decided against the schism of Meletius. The only square, and the streets were drawn at right angles to documents which have been handed down to us from each other, so that from a monument which stood near this council are, its creed, its synodical epistle, and its the gymnasium, it was possible to see the four gates twenty canons.-The second council of Nice, held in of the city. (Strab., l. c.) At a subsequent period, the year 786, declared the worship of images to be it became the royal residence of the kings of Bithynia, lawful. (Lardner's Credibility, pt. 2, c. 71.-Enhaving superseded Nicomedea as the capital of the cycl. Us. Knowl., vol. 16, p. 207.)-III. A city of country. Pliny the younger makes frequent mention, Liguria, on the coast, one geographical mile to the east in his Letters, of the city of Nicea and its public of the mouth of the Varus. It was situate on the buildings, which he had undertaken to restore, being river Paulon, now Paglione. Nicea was of Milesian at that time governor of Bithynia. (Ep., 10, 40. origin, and was established in this quarter as a tradingIb., 10, 48, seqq.) In the time of the Emperor Va-place with the Ligurians. The Romans had no such lens, however, the latter city was declared the metrop-inducement to establish themselves in these parts, and olis. (Dio Chrysost., Orat., 38.) Still Nicæa re- therefore, under the Roman sway, the city of Nicea is mained, as a place of trade, of the greatest impor- seldom spoken of. The modern name is Nizza, or, tance; and from this city, too, all the great roads di- as we term it, Nice. (Plin., 3, 5.—Mela, 2, 5.) verged into the eastern and southern parts of Asia Mi- NICANDER, a physician, poet, and grammarian, of nor. (Mannert, Geogr., vol. 6, pt. 3, p. 569, seqq.) whose life very few particulars are found in ancient Nicea was the birthplace of Hipparchus the astrono-authors, and even those few are doubtful and contramer (Suidas, s. v. "Îññарɣoç), and also of Dio Cas-dictory. Upon the whole, it seems most probable that sius. The present town of Isnik, as it is called by he lived about 135 B.C. in the reign of Attalus III., the Turks, has taken the place of the Bithynian city; the last king of Pergamus, to whom he dedicated one but, according to Leake, the ancient walls, towers, of his poems which is no longer extant. (Suidas.and gates are in tolerably good preservation. In most places they are formed of alternate courses of Roman tiles and large square stones, joined by a cement of great thickness. The Turkish town, however, was never so large as the Grecian Nicæa, and it seems to have been almost entirely constructed of the remains of that city. (Leake's Journal, p. 10, seq.-Cramer's Asia Minor, vol. 1, p. 181.)-Nicea is famous Eudoc., ap. Villois., vol. 1, p. 308.—Anon. Script., Vit. Nicand.) His native place, as he himself informs us, was Claros, a town of Ionia, near Colophon, whence he is commonly called Colophonius (Cic., de Orat., 1, 16), and he succeeded his father as hereditary priest of Apollo Clarius. (Eudoc., l. c.—Anon. Vit.)-He appears to have been rather a voluminous writer, as the titles of more than twenty of his works have been preserved; but of all these we possess at present only two in a perfect state, with a few fragments of some of the others. Both are poems. One is entitled Onplakά (Theriaca), the other 'Aλeğipapuaka (Alexipharmaca).—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 discovered 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 on, 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 paλaiva. 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 bees from that of an ox. He likewise states that the bite of the field-mouse is poisonous, and also that the animal dies if it should fall into a wheel rut, both which circumstances are repeated by Pliny (8, 83) and Elian (H. A., 2, 37).-The Alexipharmaca is rather a shorter poem, written in the same metre, and may be considered as a sort of continuation of the Theriaca. Haller's judgment on this work is as severe as that on the preceding. He says of it, "Descriptio vix ulla, symptomata fusè recensentur, et magna farrago et incondita plantarum potissimum alexipharmacarum subjicitur." Among the poisons of the animal kingdom he mentions the cantharis of the Greeks, which is not the Lytta Vesicatoria, but Meloë Chichorii. He speaks also of the buprestis (Carabus Bucidon); of the blood of a bull; of coagulated milk in the stomach of mammiferous animals; of the leech (hirudo venenata); and of a species of gecko (oaλauúvdpa). 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 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 unplies 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 practice have been revived of late years with great encomiums. 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."" -With respect to Nicander's merits as a poet, the most opposite opinions are to be found in both ancient and modern writers. In the Greek Anthology, Colophon is congratulated for being the birthplace of Homer and Nicander (vol. 3, p. 270, ep. 567, ed. Brunck.). Cicero, in alluding to his "Georgics," a poem not now extant, praises the poetical manner in which he treats a subject of which he was entirely ignorant (de Orat., 1, 16); while Plutarch, on the other hand, says that the Theriaca only escapes being prose because it is put into metre, and will not allow it to be called a poem because there is nothing in it "of fable or falsehood." (De Aud. Poët., c. 2.) This very point, however, Julius Cæsar Scaliger thinks worthy of especial commendation, and says, “ Magna ei laus quod ne quid ineptum aut ineptè dicut." (Poët., lib. 5, c. 15.) He goes on to praise the accuracy of his expressions and versification, and declares that among all the Greek authors a more polished poet is hardly to be found. M. Merian, on the other hand, in an essay "Comment les Sciences influent dans la Poësie” (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 66 Museum Criticum, with Bentley's emendations (vol. | defeated by them, and lost his life A.D. 811. His 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.) NICEPHORIUM (Nikηpópɩov), a strongly-fortified city of Mesopotamia, south of Charræ, and at the confluence of the Billichia and Euphrates. Alexander is said to have selected the site, which was an extremely advantageous one. (Plin., 6, 26.-Isidor., Charac., p. 3.) The name remained until the fourth century, when it disappeared from history, and, in the account of Julian's expedition, a city named Callinicum (KaλλvíKov) is mentioned, which occupies the same place where Nicephorium had previously stood. This conformity of position, and sudden change of name, lead 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 earlier appellation (“ Victory-bringing," víkn and pépw) had merely been exchanged for one of the same general import ("Fair-conquering," kaλós and viκn). Hence we may reject the statement sometimes made, that the city received its later name from Seleucus Callinicus as its founder (Chron. Alexandr., Olymp. 134, 1), as well as what Valesius (ad Amm. Marcell., 23, 6) cites from Libanius (Ep. ad Aristænet.), that Nicephorium changed its name in honour of the sophist Callinicus, who died there.-Marcellinus describes Callinicum as a strong place, and carrying on a great trade (“munimentum robustum, et commercandi opinitate gratissimum"). Justinian repaired and strength-delberg has 30 chapters more; but Hase believes that ened the fortifications. (Compare Theodoret, Hist. Relig, c. 26.) At a subsequent period, the name of the city again underwent a change. The Emperor Leo, who about 466 A.D. had contributed to adorn the place, ordered it to be called Leontopolis, and under this title Hierocles enumerates it among the cities of Osroëne. (Synecdem., ed. Wesseling, p. 715.) Stephanus of Byzantium asserts that Nicephorium, at a later period, changed its name to Constantina; but this is impossible, as the city of Constantina belongs to quite a different part of the country. D'Anville fixes the site of Nicephorium near the modern Racca, in which he is followed by subsequent writers. (Mannert, vol. 5, pt. 2, p. 286, seqq.) 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 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 Romanus II., A.D. 950, his widow Theophano, who was accused of having poisoned him, reigned as guardian to her infant son; but, finding herself insecure on the throne, she invited Nicephorus to come to Constantinople, and promised him her hand. Nicephorus came, married Theophano, and assumed the title of Augustus, A.D. 963. He repeatedly attacked the Saracens, and drove them out of Cilicia and part of Syria. In 968, Otho I., emperor of Germany, sent an embassy to Nicephorus, who received it in an uncivil manner. His avarice made him unpopular, and his intrigue with John Zimisces, an Armenian officer, conspired with him against her husband. Zimisces, with his confederates, was introduced at night into the bedchamber of the emperor, and murdered him, A.D. 969.-We have remaining, at the present day, a portion of a military work under the name of this emperor. It is entitled IIɛpì rapadрoμns noλéμov, “Of war with light troops," making known the mode of carrying on war in mountainous countries, as practised in the tenth century. Hase has given the first 25 chapters of this work, at the end of his edition of Leo Diaconus, these being the only ones contained in three MSS. of the Royal Library at Paris. A MS. at Heithey do not belong to this work, or, rather, that they form part of a second work on the same subject. It is thought, however, that the production first mentioned appeared after the death of Phocas, and that the compiler, or perhaps author of it, lived in the time of Basilius II. and Constantine VIII. (Schöll, Gesch. Gr. Lit., vol. 3, p. 350.)-III. The third emperor of the name, surnamed Botoniates, was an old officer of some military reputation in the Byzantine army in Asia, and revolted against the Emperor Michael Ducas, A.D. 1078. With a body of troops, chiefly composed of Turkish mercenaries, he marched to Chalcedon; upon which Michael resigned the purple, and Nicephorus 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. Hav ing 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 Пavvπeрaébaoтos, equivalent to that of Casar. 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 |