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

GEORGIUTS. GEORGIUS. 255
contended that we have the work of Syncellus in secretary, according to Hody, to the two popes,
a complete form, but the contrary opinion seems Eugenius IV. and Nicholas V. (who acceded to the
to be the better founded. Possevino, Vossius, and papal crown A. D. 1447),but according to other state.
others have identified Syncellus with. Georgius ments he received the appointment from Nicholas'
Hamartolus [No. 27]; but Allatius has shown V. apparently about A. D. 1450. He occupied for
that this identification is erroneous. Syncellus has mauy years a position ofunrivalledeminence at Rome,
transcribed verbatim a considerable part of the as a Greek scholar and teacher, and a translator of
Chronicon of Eusebius, so that his work has been the Greek authors; but the arrival of many scholars
employed to restore or complete the Greek text of whom Nicholas invited to that city, and the suthe Chronicon. The Chronographia of Theophanes, perior reputation of the version of Aristotle's Prowhich extends from A.D. 285 to A. D. 813, may be blemata, made by Theodore Gaza subsequently to
regarded as a continuation of that of Syncellus, George's version of the same treatise, and the
and completes. the author's original design. The attacks of Laurentius Valla, threw him into the
Bonn edition of Syncellus is edited by W. Din- shade. Valla attacked him because he had cendorf, and, with the brief Ch]ronographia of Nicepho- sured Quintilian; and this literary dispute led to a
rus of Constantinople, occupies two volumes 8vo., bitter personal quarrel between Valla and George
1829. (Theophanes, Prooemium ad Chlronog.; Ce- but after a time they were reconciled. Poggio, the
dren. Compend. sub init.; Allatius, Ibid. p. 24; Florentine, had also a dispute with George, who
Fabric. Bibl. Gr. vol. vii. p. 457; Cave, Hist. Litt. boxed his antagonist's ears, in the presence of the
vol. i. p. 641.) pope's other secretaries, a tolerable proof of the
47. SYRACUSANUS. Some of the hymns in the greatness of the provocation, or the irritability of
Menaea, or services for the saints' days in the George's temper. For some time George had BesGreek church, are ascribed to George, who was sarion for his patron, but he lost his favour by his
bishop of Syracuse about A. D. 663, and who is said attack on the reputation of Plato, in maintaining
to have studied Greek literature at Constantinople, the rival claims of Aristotle. George ceased to
and to have become an accomplished scholar. He teach as professor in A. D. 1450, perhaps on his
wrote also Troparia, or hymns for the feasts of the appointment as papal secretary.
Nativity and the Epiphany. (Fabric. Bibl. Gr. Beside the duties of his professorship and his
vol. x. p. 629.) secretaryship, he was much engaged in translating
48. TRAPEZUNTIUS (Tpawre'ov6Tos) of TRAPE- into Latin the works of Greek authors; but, from
zus or TREBIZOND. The surname of George Tra- the haste with which they were brought out, arising
pezuntius is taken, not from the place of his birth, from his anxiety to receive the promised payment
for he was a native of Crete (Nic. Comnenus Pa- for them, they appeared in an imperfect or mutilated
padopoli says of Chandace (Candia?), the capital form.
of the island), but from the former seat of his Having lost the favour of Nicholas, who was
family. His contemporary, Cardinal Bessarion, alienated from him, as George himself states, becommonly designates him' Cretensis." He was cause he refused to allow his versions of certain
born 4th April, A. D. 1396, and came into Italy Greek philosophers and fathers to appear under the
prohably about A. D. 1428, as he was invited into names of others, and perhaps also by the intrigues of
that country.by Franciscus Barbarus, a Venetian his rivals, he went to Naples, to the court of Alnoble, to teach Greek in Venice after the departure fonso the Magnanimous, who gave him a respectable
of Franciscus Philelphus who left that city in that salary; but he was, after a time, reconciled to the
year. George received the freedom of the city from pope by the- friendly offices of Franciscus Philelthe senate. It appears from his commentary on phus, and returned to Rome about A. nD. 1453.
Cicero's Oration for Q. Ligarius, that he learned In A. D. 1465 he visited his native island, and
Latin (Nic. Comnenus Papadopoli says at Padua) from thence went to Constantinople. On his return
under Victorinus of Feltre, who was also the by sea from Constantinople to Rome, he was in
teacher of Theodore Gaza. After a few years he imminent danger of shipwreck, and, in his peril,
removed from Venice, and, after several ineffectual he besought the aid of the martyr, Andreas of
attempts to establish himself as a teacher in differ- Chios, who had a few months before suffered marent towns, settled at Rome, where he was made tyrdom at Constantinople; and he made a vow
professor of philosophy and polite literature, with a that if he escaped and came safely to his destinasalary from the Papal government; and where his tion, he would write in Latin the narrative of his
lectures were attended by hearers from Italy, martyrdom. He fulfilled his vow about two years
France, Spain, and Germany. The year of his afterwards, and embodied in the narrative an acsettlement at Rome is not ascertained. The ac- count of the circumstances which led him to write
count of Boissardus, who says (Icones Viror. Illustr.) it.
"Primus omnium Graecorum Graecas literas docuit In his old age George's intellect failed, and he
summa cum laude utpote qui clarebat A. Chr. 1430 sunk into second childhood. His recollection was
Eugenio IV. pontificatum tenente," is not accurate, completely lost in literary matters, and he is said to
as Eugenius did not become pope till 1431. Tri- have forgotten even his own name. In this crazy
themius says that he flourished at Rome in the time condition he wandered about the streets of Rome
of Eugenius IV., A. D. 1435, which may be true; in a worn cloak and with a knotted staff. According
at any rate, he was at Rome before the council of to some accounts, this wreck of his intellect was the
Florence, A. D. 1439. He had become eminent in result of a severe illness; others ascribe it to grief
Italy before 1437, when he wrote to the Byzantine and mortification at the trifling reward which he
emperor, Joannes or John II., exhorting him to received for his literary labours. A story is told
disregard the promises of the council of Basel, and of him (Boissard, i. c.), that having received of the
to attend the council which was to be summoned at pope the trifling slm of 100 ducats for one of his
Ferrara, in Italy; but it is not clear from what works which he had presented to him, he threw
part of Italy the letter was written. He was the money into the Tiber, saying, "Periere labores5