Chapter I: Preface

It is proposed to issue the present translation of the _Bibliotheca_ of Photius in five volumes; a sixth will contain an account of his life and works, a Bibliography, and a General Index to the whole.

A translator of the _Bibliotheca_ has apparently an open field. So far as can be ascertained, no complete version exists in English or any other modern language, although there are English translations or editions of some of the longer extracts (_e.g._ Ctesias’ _Indica_), of some of the literary criticisms,[1] of selected codices (chiefly on profane authors) in Italian by G. Compagnoni,[2] a well-known Milanese literary man and statesman (1754-1834), and of the whole in Latin by the learned Jesuit Andreas Schott[3] in Migne’s _Patrologia Graeca_ (vol. ciii.).

The text[4] is unfortunately in many places unsatisfactory, and no critical edition has been attempted for nearly a hundred years--since 1824, the date of Immanuel Bekker’s edition. The nature of the work, a sort of enlarged table of contents, often leaves the meaning and connexion obscure, when there exist no complete texts[5] or other means of supplementing it. The present translator, in the endeavour to obtain as satisfactory a rendering as possible, has constantly consulted the most important literary, theological, and historical works and encyclopaedias bearing on the wide field covered by the extensive reading of Photius. Naturally, there is little scope for elegance of translation, and in the literary criticisms it is by no means easy to find a correct and adequate English equivalent for the terms used.

In the matter of notes, the number of personal and geographical names, of historical allusions, is so large that any attempt to deal with them at length would have swamped the text and reduced it to a kind of peg on which to hang a miniature encyclopaedia. In the case of persons familiar to all only a brief note has been given, sufficient for the purposes of identification (often necessary where there are several persons of the same name), so that those desirous of further information should know for whom to look in the usual biographical and other dictionaries. In the case of names less familiar and points arising directly from the text, the details given are somewhat fuller. In the Bibliography a list of the most useful general works of reference and of special editions or accounts of the authors criticised in the _Bibliotheca_ will be given. The present work makes no claim to contain a complete exegetical or critical commentary, but is a somewhat free translation intended to give the ordinary reader an idea of the literary activity of the chief representative of the so-called Byzantine Renaissance.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] G. Saintsbury, _History of Criticism_, i. 176; La Rue van Hook in _Transactions of the American Philological Association_ (xxxviii. 1907) and _Classical Philology_ (iv. Chicago, 1909), and here and there in books such as Hodgkin’s _Italy and her Invaders_, Bury’s _Later Roman Empire_.

[2] Vols. xlv. xlvi. of _Biblioteca Scelta di opere greche e latine_.

[3] Born and died at Antwerp (1552-1629). After a wandering life he finally settled down as professor of Greek at the Jesuit college in his native city. He was an indefatigable translator and editor. The translation of Photius is of unequal merit, and it is supposed that in parts it is the work of a young and less competent colleague.

[4] _See_ E. Martini, _Textgeschichte der Bibliothek des Patriarchen Photios_ (1911).

[5] It would be difficult, for instance, to get a clear idea of the story of Heliodorus’s _Theagenes and Chariclea_ from Photius’s abstract alone.

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF AUTHORS CRITICISED IN VOL. I

Achilles, Tatius.
_Clitophon and Leucippe_ (LXXXVII)

Acts of the disputation of heretics, held before John, patriarch of
Constantinople (XXIV)

Adrian (Hadrian).
_Introduction to the Scriptures_ (II)

Adrian (Hadrian), emperor.
Declamations (C)

Aeschines.
_Ovations and Letters_ (LXI)

_Against the Jews and Quartodecimans._ Anonymous (CXV)

Amyntianus.
_On Alexander the Great_ (CXXXI)

Andronicianus.
_Against the Eunomians_ (XLV)

Aphthonius.
_Declamations_ (CXXXIII)

Apolinarius of Hierapolis.
_Against the Heathen, On Piety and Truth_ (XIV)

_Apology for Origen and his Doctrines._ Anonymous (CXVII)

Appian.
_Roman History_ (LVII)

Arrian.
_Parthica_, _Bithynica_, _Discourses of Epictetus_ (LVIII);
_Indica_, _Campaigns of Alexander the Great_ (XCI);
_Events after the Death of Alexander_ (XCII);
_Bithynica_, _The Acts of Dion and Timoleon_ (XCIII)

Athanasius.
_Letters_ (XXXII);
_Commentary on Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs_ (CXXXIX);
_Against Arius_ (CXL)

Basil of Cilicia.
_Ecclesiastical History_ (XLII);
_Against John Scythopolita_ (CVII)

Basil the Great.
Refutation of Eunomius (CXXXVIII);
_Ascetica_ (CXLIV);
_Hexaëmeron_ (CXLI);
_Moral Discourses_ (CXLII);
_Letters_ (CXLIII)

Boëthus.
_List of Platonic Words_ (CLIV);
_Doubtful Words in Plato_ (CLV)

Caius (Gaius) Presbyter.
_On the Universe_ (XLVIII)

Candidus.
_Histories_ (LXXIX)

Cephalion.
_Historical Epitome_ (LXVIII)

Charinus, Lucius.
_Travels of the Apostles_ (CXIV)

Choricius.
_Declamations_ (CLX)

Clement (Titus Flavius Clemens), presbyter, of Alexandria.
_Outlines_ (CIX);
_The Tutor_ (CX);
_Stromateis_ (CXI)

Clement (Clemens Romanus), bishop of Rome.
_Apostolic Constitutions_, _Recognitions_ (CXII, CXIII);
_Epistles to the Corinthians_ (CXXVI)

Conon.
_Against Philoponus_ (XXIII)

Cosmas Indicopleustes.
_Christian Topography_, _Exposition of the Octateuch_ (XXXVI)

Ctesias. _Persica_ (LXXII)

Cyril of Alexandria.
_Against Nestorius_ (XLIX);
_Thesauri_ (CXXXVI)

Damascius.
_Incredible Things_ (CXXX)

Dexippus.
_Events after the Death of Alexander_, _Historical Epitome_ (LXXXII)

Diodorus.
_Lexicon to the Ten Orators_ (CL)

Diodorus Siculus.
_History_ (LXX)

Diodorus of Tarsus.
_On the Holy Spirit_ (CII)

Dio(n) Cassius.
_History_ (LXXI)

Dionysius of Halicarnassus.
_History_ (LXXXIII, LXXXIV)

Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Aelius.
_Attic Words_ (CLII)

Dorotheus.
_New and Foreign Words in Plato_ (CLVI)

Epiphanius.
_Panaria_ (CXXII);
_Ancoratus_ (CXXIII);
_Weights and Measures_ (CXXIV)

Eugenius.
_Against Philoponus_ (XXIII)

Eunapius.
_Chronicle_ (continuing Dexippus) (LXXVII)

Eunomius.
Heretical treatise (CXXXVII);
its refutation by Basil (CXXXVIII)

Eusebius (sophist).
_Declamations_ (CXXXIV)

Eusebius of Caesarea.
Various Writings (IX-XIII);
_Ecclesiastical History_ (XXVII);
_Against Hierocles_ (XXXIX);
_Defence of Origen_ (CXVIII);
_Life of Constantine_ (CXXVII)

Eusebius of Thessalonica.
_Against Andrew the Monk_ (CLXII)

Evagrius.
_Ecclesiastical History_ (XXIX)

Gaius, _see_ Caius

Galen.
_On Medical Schools_ (CLXIV)

Gelasius of Cyzicus.
_Proceedings of the First Synod_ (XV);
_Ecclesiastical History_ (LXXXVIII);
_Preface to Additions to the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius_
(LXXXIX);
_Against the Anomoeans_ (CII)

George, bishop of Alexandria.
_Life of John Chrysostom_ (XCVI)

Gregory of Nyssa.
_In Support of St. Basil against Eunomius_ (VI, VII)

Heliodorus.
_Aethiopica_ (LXXIII)

Helladius.
_Lexicon_ (CXLV)

Heraclian, bishop of Chalcedon.
_Against the Manichaeans_ (LXXXV)

Herodian.
_History_ (XCIX)

Herodotus.
_History_ (LX)

Hesychius Illustrius (of Miletus).
_History_, _Acts of Justin the Elder_ (LXIX)

Hesychius (presbyter, of Constantinople).
_Discourses on the Brazen Serpent_ (LI)

Himerius.
_Declamations_ (CLXV)

Hippolytus Romanus.
_Against Heresies_ (CXXI)

Iamblichus.
_Rhodanes and Sinonis_ (XCIV)

Irenaeus.
_Against Heresies_ (CXX)

Isocrates.
_Ovations_ (CLIX)

John Chrysostom.
_Letters to Olympias and Others_ (LXXXVI)

John Philoponus.
_On the Resurrection_ (XXI);
_On the Creation_ (XLIII);
_Against the Fourth Synod_ (LV);
_Against John Scholasticus, patriarch of Constantinople_ (LXXV)

John (presbyter, of Aegae).
_Ecclesiastical History_ (XLI);
_Against the Fourth Synod_ (LV)

John Scythopolita.
_Against the Eutychians_ (XCV)

Josephus.
_On the Universe_ (XLVIII);
_On the Jewish War_ (XLVII);
_On the Antiquities of the Jews_ (LXXVI)

Julian.
_Lexicon to the Ten Orators_ (CL)

Julius Africanus.
_History_ (XXXIV)

Justin Martyr.
_Apology_ (CXXV)

Justus of Tiberias.
_Chronicle of the Jewish Kings_ (XXXIII)

Lesbonax.
_Political Orations_ (LXXIV)

Lexica.
_Of the Pure Style_ (CXLVI);
_Of the Serious Style_ (CXLVII);
_Of Political Style_ (CXLVIII);
_Of the Ten Orators_ (CXLV-CLIX)

Libanius.
_Orations and Letters_ (XC)

Lucian.
_Various Works._ _Dialogues of the Dead and Of Courtesans_ (CXXVIII)

Lucius of Patrae.
_Metamorphoses_ (CXXIX)

Malchus.
_History_ (LXXVIII)

Maximus.
_Declamations_ (CXXXV)

Metrodorus.
_On Easter_ (CXV)

Moeris.
_The Atticist_ (CLVII)

Nicephorus, patriarch of Constantinople.
_Historical Epitome_ (LXVI)

Nicias (the monk).
_Against Philoponus, Severus, and the Heathen_ (L)

Nonnosus.
_History_ (III)

Olympiodorus.
_History_ (LXXX)

_On the Easter Festival_ (Anonymous) (CXVI)

Orators, the ten, Lexica to (CXLV-CLIX)

Origen.
_On First Principles_ (VIII)

Palladius.
_Declamations_ (CXXXII)

Pamphilus.
_Apology for Origen_ (CXVIII)

Pausanias.
_Lexicon_ (CLIII)

Philip of Side.
_Christian History_ (XXXV)

Philo Judaeus.
_Allegories of the Sacred Laws_ and _On Political Life_ (CIII);
_On the Essenes and Therapeutae_ (CIV);
_His Censure of the Emperor Gaius and Flaccus_ (CV)

Philostorgius.
_Ecclesiastical History_ (XL)

Philostratus of Tyre.
_Life of Apollonius of Tyana_ (XLIV)

Phlegon of Tralles.
_List of Olympic Victors_ and _Chronicle_ (XCVII)

Phrynichus the Arabian.
_Oratorical Equipment_ (CLVIII)

Pierius Presbyter.
Various Writings (CXIX)

Pollio.
_Lexicon_ (CXLIX)

Polycarp.
_Letter to the Philippians_ (CXXVI)

Praxagoras.
_Life of Constantine the Great_ (LXII)

Proceedings of the bishops of the West against the Nestorians and
Pelagians (LIV)

Procopius of Caesarea.
_Histories_ (LXIII)

Procopius of Gaza.
_Orations_; _Translations of Homer_ (CLX)

Sergius Confessor.
_History_ (LXVII)

Socrates.
_Ecclesiastical History_ (XXVIII)

Sopater.
_Excerpts_ (CLXI)

Sophronius.
_In Defence of Basil against Eunomius_ (V)

Sozomen.
_Ecclesiastical History_ (XXX)

Synesius.
_Writings_ (XXVI)

Synod of “The Oak” (LIX)

Synod of Side (LII)

Synods, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh (XVI-XX)

Themistius.
_Commentaries on Aristotle and Plato_; _Political Orations_ (LXXIV);
_Apology for Theophobius_ (CVIII)

Theodore of Alexandria, monk.
_Against Themistius_ (CVIII)

Theodore of Antioch.
_In Defence of Basil against Eunomius_ (IV);
_Commentary on Genesis_ (XXXVIII);
_On Persian Magic_ (LXXXI)

Theodoret.
_Ecclesiastical History_ (XXXI, LVI);
_Eranistes_ (XLVI)

Theodorus Presbyter.
_On the Writings of Dionysius the Areopagite_ (I)

Theodosius, monk.
_Against John Philoponus_ (XXII)

Theognostus of Alexandria.
_Outlines_ (CVI)

Theophanes of Byzantium (LXIV)

Theophylact Simocatta (LXV)

Timaeus.
_Platonic Lexicon_ (CLI)

Victorinus, son of Lampadius.
_Consular Orations_ (CI)

Vindanius Anatolius.
_Works on Husbandry_ (CLXIII)

Zosimus, Count.
_History_ (XCVIII)

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLES

(_Down to the time of Photius_)

ROMAN EMPERORS

Augustus 27 B.C.
Tiberius A.D. 14
Gaius 37
Claudius 41
Nero 54
Galba }
Otho } 68-69
Vitellius }
Vespasian 69
Titus 79
Domitian 81
Nerva 96
Trajan 98
Hadrian 117
Antoninus Pius 138
Marcus Aurelius 161
Commodus 180
Pertinax }
Didius Julianus } 193
Septimius Severus }
Caracalla 211
Macrinus 217
Elagabalus 218
Alexander Severus 222
Maximinus 235
The two Gordians }
Pupienus and Balbinus } 238
Gordian III }
Philip 244
Decius 249
Gallus 251
Aemilianus 253
Valerian }
Gallienus } 260
Claudius 268
Quintillus }
Aurelian } 270
Tacitus 275
Probus 276
Carus 282
Carinus and Numerian 283
Diocletian 284
(with Maximian) 286
Constantius and Galerius 305
Licinius and Constantine I 311
Constantine I 324
Constantine II }
Constantius II } 337
Constans }
Constantius II 350
Julian 361
Jovian 363

DIVISION OF THE EMPIRE

_West_ _East_

Valentinian I 364 Valens 364
Gratian and Valentinian II 375 Theodosius I 379
Valentinian II 383
Theodosius I 392
Honorius 395 Arcadius 395
Valentinian III 423 Theodosius II 408
Maximus 455 Marcian 450
Avitus 455
Majorian 457 Leo I 457
Severus 461
Anthemius 467
Olybrius 472
Glycerius 473
Julius Nepos 474 Leo II 474
Romulus Augustulus 475
[End of the Western Empire] 476
Zeno 474
Anastasius I 491
Justin I 518
Justinian I 527
Justin II 565
Tiberius II 578
Maurice 582
Phocas 602
Heraclius 610
Constantine III 641
Heracleonas 641
Constans II 642
Constantine IV 668
Justinian II 685
Leontius 695
Tiberius III 698
Justinian II (restored
to throne) 705
Philippicus Bardanes 711
Anastasius II 713
Theodosius III 716
Leo III 717
Constantine V 741
Leo IV 775
Constantine VI 780
Irene 797
Nicephorus I 802
Michael I Rhangabē 811
Stauracius 811
Leo V 813
Michael II 820
Theophilus 829
Michael III 842
Basil I 867
Leo VI 886-911

PATRIARCHS OF CONSTANTINOPLE

(_From 315_[a])

Metrophanes 315-327
Alexander 327-340
Paul I 340-341
Eusebius 341-342
Paul I (re-elected) 342-344
Macedonius I 342-348
Paul I (re-elected) 348-350
Macedonius I (re-elected) 350-360
Eudoxius 360-369
Demophilus 369-379
Evagrius 369-370
Gregory I 379-381
Maximus 381
Nectarius 381-397
John I Chrysostom 398-404
Arsacius 404-405
Atticus 405-425
Sisinnius I 426-427
Nestorius 428-431
Maximian 431-434
Proclus 434-447
Flavian 447-449
Anatolius 449-458
Gennadius I 458-471
Acacius 471-489
Fravitta (Flavitta) 489-490
Euphemius 490-496
Macedonius II 496-511
Timotheus I 511-518
John II of Cappadocia 518-520
Epiphanius 520-536
Anthimus I 536
Menas 536-552
Eutychius 552-565
John III of Antioch 565-577
Eutychius (re-elected) 577-582
John IV the Faster 582-595
Cyriacus 595-606
Thomas I 607-610
Sergius 610-638
Pyrrhus I 638-641
Paul II 641-654
Pyrrhus I (re-elected) 655
Peter 655-666
Thomas II 667-669
John V 669-675
Constantine I 675-677
Theodore I 677-679
George I 679-686
Theodore I (re-elected) 686-687
Paul III 688-694
Callinicus I 694-705
Cyrus 705-712
John VI 712-715
Germanus I 715-730
Anastasius 730-754
Constantine II 754-766
Nicetas I 766-780
Paul IV 780-784
Tarasius 784-806
Nicephorus 806-815
Theodotus 815-821
Antonius I 821-834
John VII 834-843
Methodius I 843-847
Ignatius (Nicetas) 847-858
Photius 858-867
Ignatius (re-elected) 867-878
Photius (re-elected) 878-886

[a] There is a considerable discrepancy as to dates in different authorities. The dates here given and those of the Popes are from Krumbacher, _Geschichte der byzantinischen Literatur_ (1897).

POPES OF ROME

Marcellus 307-309
Eusebius 309
Miltiades 310-314
Silvester 314-335
Marcus 336
Julius I 337-352
Liberius 352-366
Felix II 355-358
Damasus 366-384
Siricius 384-398
Anastasius I 398-402
Innocent I 402-417
Zosimus 417-418
Boniface I 418-422
Coelestine I 422-432
Sixtus III 432-440
Leo the Great 440-461
Hilarius 461-468
Simplicius 468-483
Felix III 483-492
Gelasius I 492-496
Anastasius II 496-498
Symmachus 498-514
Hormisdas 514-523
John I 523-526
Felix IV 526-530
Boniface II 530-532
John II 532-535
Agapetus I 535-536
Silverius 536-538
Vigilius 537-555
Pelagius 555-560
John III 560-573
Benedict I 574-578
Pelagius II 578-590
Gregory I the Great 590-604
Sabinianus 604-606
Boniface III 607
Boniface IV 608-615
Deodatus I 615-618
Boniface V 619-625
Honorius I 625-638
Severinus I 640
John IV 640-642
Theodore I 642-649
Martin I 649-655
Eugenius I 654-657
Vitalianus 657-672
Deodatus II 672-676
Domnus I 676-678
Agathon 678-681
Leo II 682-683
Benedict II 684-685
John V 685-686
Conon 686-687
Sergius I 687-701
John VI 701-705
John VII 705-707
Sisinnius 708
Constantine I 708-715
Gregory II 715-731
Gregory III 731-741
Zacharias 741-752
Stephen II 752
Stephen II (III) 752-757
Paul I 757-767
Constantine II 767-768
Stephen III (IV) 768-772
Hadrian I 772-795
Leo III 795-816
Stephen IV (V) 816-817
Paschal I 817-824
Eugenius II 824-827
Valentinus 827
Gregory IV 827-844
Sergius II 844-847
Leo IV 847-855
Benedict III 855-858
Nicholas I 858-867
Hadrian II 867-872
John VIII 872-882
Martin II 882-884
Hadrian III 884-885
Stephen V (VI) 885-891

OECUMENICAL COUNCILS

1. Nicaea 325
2. Constantinople 381
3. Ephesus 431
4. Chalcedon 451
5. Constantinople 553
6. Constantinople 680
7. Nicaea 787
8. Constantinople 869

PHOTIUS

BIBLIOTHECA OR MYRIOBIBLON[6]

_Register and enumeration of the books read by us, 279 in number, of which our beloved brother Tarasius desired to have a summary._[7]

Photius, to his beloved brother Tarasius, in the name of the Lord, greeting.

MY DEAREST BROTHER TARASIUS,

After our appointment as ambassador to Assyria[8] had been confirmed by the assent of the embassy[9] and approved by the emperor, you asked to be furnished with summaries of those works which had been read and discussed during your absence. Your idea was to have something to console you for our painful separation, and at the same time to acquire some knowledge, even if vague and imperfect, of the works which you had not yet read in our company. We believe that their number is exactly 279. Accordingly, regarding the fulfilment of your request as a sacred obligation, we engaged a secretary, and set down all the summaries we could recollect. No doubt we have not been expeditious enough to satisfy your feverish eagerness and vehement desire, but still we have been quicker than might have been expected. The summaries will be arranged in the order in which our memory recalls them. Certainly, it would not be difficult, if one preferred it, to describe historical events and those dealing with different subjects under separate headings. But, considering that nothing would be gained by this, we have set them down indiscriminately as they occurred to us.[10] If, during your study of these volumes, any of the summaries should appear to be defective or inaccurate, you must not be surprised. It is no easy matter to undertake to read each individual work, to grasp the argument, to remember and record it; but when the number of works is large, and a considerable time has elapsed since their perusal, it is extremely difficult to remember them with accuracy. As to the commonplaces met with in the course of our reading, so simple that they can hardly have escaped your notice, we have devoted less attention to them, and have purposely refrained from examining them carefully. You will be better able than ourselves to decide whether these summaries will do more than fulfil your original expectations as to their usefulness. Certainly, such records will assist you to refresh the memory of what you have read by yourself, to find more readily what you want, and further, to acquire more easily the knowledge of what has not as yet been the subject of intelligent reading on your part.

I[11]

Read the treatise of Theodore the Presbyter,[12] in which he undertakes to prove the genuineness of the works of St. Dionysius. The following arguments against it are refuted: (1) If they are genuine, how is it that none of the later Fathers cites them or quotes any passages from them? (2) How is it that Eusebius Pamphili,[13] in his list of the writings of the Holy Fathers, does not mention them? (3) How is it that these treatises describe in detail rites and customs which only became established in the Church gradually and after a long time? The great Dionysius, as is clear from the _Acts_,[14] was contemporary with the Apostles [whereas most of the institutions described only became established gradually and in later times]; it is therefore improbable (says the objector), or rather a clumsy fiction, to assert that Dionysius could have undertaken to describe institutions which were not fully developed till long after his death. (4) How is it that a letter of the divinely-inspired Ignatius[15] is referred to? for Dionysius flourished in the time of the Apostles, whereas Ignatius suffered martyrdom during the reign of Trajan, and wrote the letter referred to shortly before his death. Theodore endeavours to solve these difficulties and does his best to prove the genuineness of the treatises.[16]