A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

1:178 NICEPHORUS. N ICEPHORUS.
to have been of good fimily and education, and to an eunuch, conspired against that excellent princess
have been a disciple of Stilpo, a dialectic philoso- with a view of putting his brother Leo on the
pher, who was alive B. c. 299. Diogenes LaS'rtius throne. His schemes were seen through by several
states that she was Stilpo's mistress, though he of the grand functionaries of state, and a counterhad a wife. (Athen. xiii. p. 596, e; Diog. Lairt. conspiracy took place, which is decidedly one of
ii. 114.) Fabricius (Bibl. Graec. vol. iii. p. 628) the most remarkable recorded in history. The
states, on the authority of Laertius, that Nicarete principal leaders on both sides were eunuchs, of
was the mother-in-law of Simmias, a Syracusan. whom seven were against Ahtius, viz., Nicetas, the
Lartius, however, only (I. c.) mentions Stilpo's commander of the guard, his two brothers, Sisinnius
daughter as the. wife of Simmias, but gives no hint and Leo Clocas, the quaestor Theoctistus, Leo of
as to who was her mother. [W. M. G.] Sinope, Gregorius, and Petrus, all of whom held
NICA!RETE (NLKap6'rV), St., a lady of good the patrician rank. Their object was to raise
family and fortune, born at Nicomedeia in Bithynia, Nicephorusto thethrone, andthey succeeded through
renowned for her piety and benevolence, and also one of those sudden strokes which are so characfor the numerous cures which her medical skill teristic of the revolutions of Constantinople. On
enabled her to perform gratuitously. She suffered the 31st of October, 802, Nicephorus was suddenly
great hardships during a sort of persecution that proclaimed emperor. I-le began his career by dewas carried on against the followers of St.. Chry- ceiving Irene by false promises; and no sooner had
sostom after his expulsion from Constantinople, she entrusted her safety to him, than he sent her
A. D. 404. (Sozom. Hist. Eccles. viii. 23; Niceph. into exile in the island of Lesbos, where she died
Callist. Hist. Eccles. xiii. 25.) She has been soon afterwards of misery and grief. The vices of
canonized by the Romish Church, and her memory the new master of the empire soon became so conis celebrated on December 27 (Martyr. Rom.). spicuous that he incurred the hatred of the very
Bzovius (Nornencl. Sanctor. Profess. Medic.) and parties to whom he was indebted for his elevation;
after him C. B. Carpzovius (De Medicis ab Eccles. but as he was supported by the clergy, and a crowd
pro Sanctis habit.) think it possible that Nicarete of reckless characters, he attacked his former friends
may be the lady mentioned by St. Chrysostom, openly, and put their leader Nicetas to death.
as having restored him to health by her medicines Upon this Bardanes, surnamed the Turk, the
(Epist..ad Olymp. 4. vol. ii. p. 571, ed. Bened.), bravest man and best general of Greece, rose in
but this conjecture is founded on a faulty reading revolt, was proclaimed emperor by his adherents,
that is now amended. (See note to the passage and marched against Nicephorus, who was unable
referred to.) [W. A. G.] to vanquish him in the field, and took refuge in
NICA/TOR, SELEUCUS. [SELEUCUS.] intrigues. Forsaken by his principal supporters
NICE (NiKe). 1. The goddess of victory, or, Bardanes promised to subniit on condition of enas the Romans called her, Victoria, is described as joying his life and property. Both were granted
a daughter of, Pallas and Styx, and as a sister of him by the emperor. As soon, however, as,Zelus (zeal), Cratos (strength), and Bia (force). Bardanes was in the power of his faithless rival,
At the time when Zeus entered upon the fight he was forced to take the monastic habit, had his
against the Titans, and called upon the gods for property confiscated, was deprived of his eyes, and
assistance, Nice and her two sisters were the first continued till his death to be a victim of unrethat came forward, and Zeus was so pleased with mitting cruelty and revenge. In 803 Nicephorus
*their readiness, that he caused them ever after sent ambassadors to Charlemagne, and received in
to live with him in Olympus. (Hes. Theog. 382, his turn an embassy from the latter. A treaty was
&c.; Apollod. i. 2. ~ 2.) Nice had a celebrated made between them, by which the frontiers of the
temple on the acropolis of Athens, which is still two empires were- regulated: Charlemagne was
extant and in excellent preservation. (Paus. i. 22. confirmed in the possession of Istria, Dalmatia,
4 4. iii. 15. ~ 5.) She is often seen represented in Liburnia, Slavonia, Croatia, and Bosnia; but the
ancient works of art, especially together with other Dalmatian islands and sea-towns were left to Nicedivinities, such as Zeus and Athena, and with phorus. In these transactions Nicephorus showed
conquering heroes whose horses she guides. In no small deference to his great rival in the West,
her appearance she resembles Athena, but has while he behaved with impudence towards his
wings, and carries a palm or a wreath, and is en- equally great rival in the East, the khalif Harun-argaged in raising a trophy, or in inscribing the Rashid, who resented the insult by invading the
victory of the conqueror on a shield. (Paus. v. 10. empire. After a bloody war of several years,
~ 2. 11. ~~ 1, 2, vi. 18. ~ 1; comp. Hirt, Mythol. during which a great portion of Asia Minor was
Bilderb. p. 93, &c.) laid waste, Nicephorus was compelled to accept the
2. A daughter of Thespius and, by Heracles, disgraceful conditions of a peace, by which he
mother of Nicodromus. (Apollod. ii. 7. ~ 8.) was bound to pay to the khalif an annual tribute of
3. Nice also occurs as a surname of Athena, 30,000 pieces of gold, out of which three were consiunder which the goddess had a sanctuary on the dered as being paid by the Greek emperor personacropolis of Megara. (Paus. i. 42. ~ 4; Eurip. ally, and three others by his son Stauracius. In
Ion, 1529.) [L. S.] 807 Nicephorus set out for Bulgaria, being involved
NICE'PHORUS (NKn(OPOPeS), i. e. bringing in a war with king Crum, and in the same year
victory, occurs as a surname of several divinities, the Arabs ravaged Rhodes and Lycia. A dangersuch as Aphrodite. (Paus. ii. 19. ~ 6.) [L. S.] ous conspiracy obliged him to return to ConstantiNICE'PHORUS I. (NLKlipJpos), emperor of nople, where a few months after his arrival another
Constantonople, A. D. 802-811, was a native of one broke out of which he nearly became a victim.
Seleuceia in Pisidia, and by all sorts of court in- Through the death of Harun-ar-Rashid, in 809,
tligues rose to the important post of logotheta, or Nicephorus was relieved from his most formidable
minister of finances,with which he was invested by enemy, but was nevertheless unable to secure peace
the empress Irene. The prime minister Ahtius, to his subjects, king Crum of Bulgaria proving as