Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 3.djvu/549

Rh PROCLUS. portions of it preserved by Photius (cod. 239), treating of poetry and the lives of various cele- brated poets. The short life of Homer which passes under the name of Procliis, was probably taken from this work. 15. 'EirL-xeipi/ii^aTa irf Kara Xpicr- Tiavwv. The object of this work was to maintain the eternity of the universe against the Christian doctrine on the subject. The work of Proclus has not come down to us in a separate form, but we still possess his arguments in the refutation of them by Joannes Philoponus {de Aeternitate Mtmdi). 16. De Providentia ei Faio, addressed to Theo- doras, a mechanician. 17. Decern Dubitationes circa Providentiam {Trepi rwf SeVa "irpos Tr]v lipo- voiav diropriiJ.dTwv). 18. De Malorum Suhsislentia (riepi TTis rwv KaKwv virodToiaeus). This and the two preceding treatises only exist in the Latin trans- lation of Giilielmus de Morbeka. They are printed entire by Fabricius, in his Bibliolheca Graeca^ vol. ix. p. 373, &c. 19. A little astrological treatise on the effect of eclipses, in a Latin translation. 20. A treatise on poetry, also in a Latin translation, printed, together with a treatise by Choeroboscus (Paris, 1615). 21. Five hymns. 22. Some scholia on Homer. There is no complete edition of the extant works of Proclus. The edition of Cousin (Paris, 6 vols. 8vo., 1820—1827) contains the trea- tises on Providence and Fate, on the Ten Doubts about Providence, and on the Nature of Evil, the commentary on the Alcibiades, and the commentary on the Pannenides. There are English translations of the commentaries on the Timaeus, the six books on the Theology of Plato, the commentaries on the first book of Euclid, and the Theological Elements, and the five Hymns, by Thomas Taylor. Besides the treatises already mentioned, the follow^ing have perished: — 1. A commentary on the Philebus of Plato (Procl. in Tim. p. 53, 222). 2. A commentary on the Phaedrus of Plato (Procl. I. c. p. 329). 3. A defence of the Timaeus of Plato against the duTippi^a-iLS of Aristotle (l. c. p. 226. ^i€iov iSia, e/cSeSwKois 6l5a twv irpos rov TifxaLOV 'Api(TTOT€ovs avTi^pvcrewu cTriaKerpeis TToiovfxivwv^. 4. KadapTiKos twi/ ^oyjxarwv rov JlKarwuos, against Domninus. (Suid. s. v. Aopivt- vos.) 5. A commentary on the Theaetetus of Plato. (Marinus, /. c. cap. ult.) 6. "No/u-oi, a com- mentary apparently on the Laws of Plato. (Procl. in Tim. p. 178). 7. Notes on the 'EvvedSes of Plotinus. 8. MrjrpwaKTJ i8i§Aos, on the mother of the gods. (Suid. s. v. UpoKX.) 9. Eis rriv 'Op- (peoos ^eoAoyiav. (Suid. L c. ; Marinus, c. 27.) 10. Uepl rcL yia, in ten books. (Suid. Marin, c. 26.) 11. A commentary on Homer. (Suid.) 12. riep! ruv Trap' 'OjUTjp^' bfwu. (Suid.) 13. 2v^- (pwvla '0/)(^ews, Tlu6ay6pou Kal IlXdrcavos. (Suid. Marin, c. 22.) 14. On the three evdSes vorjral, namely, aArjdfia, KaWovri, and avixpt-^rpia. (Procl. in Polit. p. 433.) 15. Els rov Koyov rrjs Aiori- juas irepl rrjs rwv KaKwv vnoffrdaecos. 16. H(pl dywyijs, on the theurgic discipline, in two books. (Suid.) 17. Various hymns and epigrams. (Fabric. J3iOl. Grace, vol. ix. pp. 363 — 445 ; Brucker, His- toria Critica Philosophiae, vol. ii. pp. 319 — 336 ; Tennemann, Geschichie der Philosophies vol. vi. ; Ritter, GescMchfe der Philosophic, bk. xiii. c. 3. vol. iv. p. 699, &c.) [C. P. M.] PROCLUS (SAINT),, was at a very early age appointed reader in the church at Constantinople. He ■was also employed as secretary or amanuensis to St. Chrysostom, and was employed in a similar capacity PROCLUS. 537 by Atticus Twho succeeded Arsacius as patriarch of Constantinople), by whom he was invested succes- sively with the orders of deacon and presbyter. He was raised to the rank of bishop of Cyzicus by Sisinnius, the successor of Atticus, but did not exercise the functions of his office, the people of Cyzicus choosing another in his place. On the death of Sisinnius (a. d, 427) there was a general expression of feeling in favour of Proclus as his successor, but Nestorius was appointed. Proclus contended zealously against the heresies which the latter strove to introduce into the church, com- bating them even in a sermon preached before Nestorius himself. On the deposition of Nestorius, Proclus was again proposed as his successor ; but his elevation was again opposed, though on what grounds does not appear very clearly ascertained. But on the death of Maximianus, who was ap- pointed instead, Proclus was at last created patriarch. In A. d. 438 Proclus gained a great deal of honour by having the body of St. Chrysostom brought to Constantinople. There is still extant a fragment of a Latin translation of an dloge on St. Chrysostom, by Proclus, deli- vered probably about this time. It was in the time of Proclus that the custom of chanting the Trisagion was introduced into the church. While in office, Proclus conducted himself with great prudence and mildness. For further details re- specting his ecclesiastical career, the reader is re- ferred to Tillemont's Memoires Eccltsiasliques (vol. xiv. pp. 704 — 718). His extant writings are enu- merated by Fabricius {B. G. vol. ix. pp. 505 — 512). One of the most celebrated of his letters (vrepl ttiVtcws) was written in A. D. 435, when the bishops of AiTnenia applied to him for his opinion on certain propositions which had been dissemi- nated in their dioceses, and were attributed to Theodoras of Mopsuestia. The discussion that ensued with respect to these propositions made a considerable stir in the East. Proclus bestowed a great deal of pains upon his style, which is terse and sententious, but is crowded with antitheses and rhetorical points, and betrays a laboured endeavour to reiterate the same sentiment in every possible variety of form. From the quotations of subsequent authors, it appears that several of the writings of Proclus are lost. The Platonic Tlieology of Proclus Diadochus has sometimes been erroneously described as a theo- logical work of St. Proclus.' The 24th of October is the day consecrated to the memory of St. Proclus by the Greek church. [C.P. M.] PROCLUS (IIpo/cAos), one of the eminent artists in mosaic who flourished in the Augustan age. His name occurs on two inscriptions found at Pe- rinthus, from one of which we learn that he adorned the temple of Fortune in that city, and that the Alexandrian merchants, who frequented the city, erected a statue in honour of him. The second inscription is the epitaph of a mosaic artist, who is said in it to have left a son, his associate and equal in the art ; from which it would seem probable that both father and son were named Proclus. The second inscription, as restored, runs thus : — ndcrais hv iroAieaai r^x^^ ifa-Kfjaa vp6 irdtnav /r](poderas, Scipois UaWddos ivpdfxevos, via AiTTUv fiovrJ5 avveSpov Tlp6KXov Iffonx^iv fioi dySwicourovrrfs rovde rd(poio Aax^v. (Bockh, Coi-p. Inscr. vol. ii. p. 68, n. 2024, 2025