parents who were both able and willing to provide for his instruction in all the various branches of learning and knowledge. He was first sent to Xanthus, a city of Lycia, to learn grammar; thence to Alexandria, where he was under the best masters in rhetoric, philosophy, and mathematics; and from Alexandria he removed to Athens, where he heard Plutarch, the son of Nestorius, and Syrianus, both of them celebrated philosophers. He succeeded the last in the rectorship of the Platonic school at Athens, where he died in the year 485. Marinus of Naples, who was his successor in the school, wrote his life; and the first perfect copy of it was published, with a Latin version and notes, by Fabricius, Hamburgh, 1700, 4to, and afterwards subjoined to his "Bibliotheca Latina, 1703," 8vo.

He wrote a vast number of works in various ways; many of which are lost, some are published, and a few remain still in manuscript only. Of the published, there are four very elegant hymns; one to the "Sun," two to "Venus,' and one to the "Muses," of all which Godfrey Olearius, and Grotius, wrote Latin versions. There are "Commentaries upon several pieces of Plato," upon the four books of Claudius Ptolemæus "De judiciis Astrorum," upon the first book of "Euclid's Elements," and " and upon Hesiod's "Opera & Dies." There are also works of Proclus upon philosophical and astronomical subjects; particularly the piece "De Sphæra," which was published in 1620, 4to, by Bainbridge, the Savilian professor of astronomy at Oxford. Lastly, we may mention his "Argumenta XVIII. adversus Christianos;" which, though the learned Cave supposed them to be lost, are still extant. Cave, concluding too much from the title of this piece, and from what Suidas says of Proclus, was led to rank him with Celsus, Julian, Porphyry, as a professed and bitter adversary of Christianity whereas Proclus only attacks the Christians upon this single dogma, "whether the world be eternal?" the affirmative of which he attempts to prove against them by eighteen arguments. Joannes Philoponus refuted these arguments of Proclus, with eighteen arguments for the negative: and both the one and the other, for they are interwoven, have been printed more than once with Latin versions.

The character of Proclus is that of all the later Platonists, who were in truth much greater enthusiasts than the Christians their contemporaries, whom they represented in VOL. XXV.

Ꮓ

this light. Proclus was not reckoned quite orthodox by his order: he did not adhere so religiously, as Julian and Porphyry, to the doctrines and principles of his master: "he had," says Cudworth, "some peculiar fancies and whimsies of his own, and was indeed a confounder of the Platonic theology, and a mingler of much unintelligible stuff with it."

PROCOPIUS, an ancient Greek historian of the sixth century, was born at Cæsarea in Palestine, and went thence to Constantinople in the time of the emperor Anastasius; whose esteem he obtained, as well as that of Justin the first, and Justinian. His profession was that of a rhetorician and pleader of causes. He was advanced to be secretary to Belisarius, and attended that renowned general in the wars of Persia, Africa, and Italy. He afterwards was admitted into the senate, and became prefect or governor of the city at Constantinople; where he seems to have died, somewhat above sixty, about the year 560. His history contains eight books; two, of the Persian war, which are epitomized by Photius, in the sixty-third chapter of his "Bibliotheca;" two, of the wars of the Vandals; and four, of that of the Goths; of all which there is a kind of abridgment, in the preface of Agathias, who began his history where Procopius left off. Besides these eight books, Suidas mentions a ninth, which comprehends matters not before published, and is therefore called his avendota, or inedita. Vossius thought that this book was lost; but it has since been published, and gone through many editions. Many learned men have been of opinion, that this is a spurious work, and falsely ascribed to Procopius; and cannot be persuaded, that he, who in the eight books represented Justinian, Theodora, and Belisarius, in a very advantageous light, should in this ninth have made such a collection of particulars as amounts to an invective against them; and Le Vayer was so sensibly affected with this argument, that he declares all Procopius's history to be ridiculous, if ever so little credit be given to the calumnies of this piece. Fabricius, however, sees no reason, why this secret history may not have been written by Procopius; and he produces several examples, and that of Cicero amongst them, to shew that nothing has been more usual, than for writers to take greater liberties in their private accounts, than they can

1 Brucker. Fabric. Bibl. Græc.-Hutton's Dict.-Life by Burigny in the "Academie des Inscriptions, vol. XXXI.-Blount's Censura.-Saxii Onomast.

venture to introduce in what was designed for the public. There is another work of Procopius, still extant, entitled “Kτμaτα, sive de ædificiis conditis vel restauratis auspicio Justiniani Imperatoris libri vi." which, with his eight books of history, were first renewed in Greek by Hoeschelius in 1607; for the book of anecdotes, though published in 1624, was not added to these, till the edition of Paris, 1662, in folio, when they were all accompanied with Latin versions. The learned have been much divided, nor are they yet agreed, about the religion of Procopius: some contending that he was an Heathen, some that he was a Christian, and some that he was both Heathen and Christian: of which last opinion was the learned Cave. Le Vayer declares for the Paganism of Procopius, and quotes the following passage from his first book of the "Wars of the Goths," which, he says, is sufficient to undeceive those who considered him as a Christian historian. "I will not trouble myself," says he, speaking of the different opinions of Christians, "to relate the subject of such controversies, although it is not unknown to me; because I hold it a vain desire to comprehend the divine nature, and understand what God is. Human wit knows not the things here below; how then can it be satisfied in the search after divinity? I omit therefore such vain matter, and which only the credulity of man causes to be respected; content with acknow ledging, that there is one God full of bounty, who governs us, and whose power stretches over the universe. every one therefore believe what he thinks fit, whether he be a priest and tied to divine worship, or a man of a private and secular condition." Fabricius sees nothing in this inconsistent with the soundness of Christian belief, and therefore is not induced by this declaration, which appeared to Le Vayer, and other learned men, to decide against Procopius's Christianity. This, however, whatever the real case may be, seems to have been allowed on all sides, that Procopius was at least a Christian by name and profession; and that, if his private persuasion was not with Christians, he conformed to the public worship, in order to be well with the emperor Justinian.

Let

As an historian, he deserves an attentive reading, having written of things which he knew with great exactness. Suidas, after he had given him the surname of Illustrious, calls him rhetorician and sophister; as perhaps he seems to have been too much for an historian. He is copious; but his copiousness is rather Asiatic than Athenian, and has in

it more of superfluity than true ornament. It may not be improper to mention, that Grotius made a Latin version of Procopius's two books of the wars of the Vandals, and of the four books of the wars with the Goths; a good edition of which was published at Amsterdam in 1655, 8vo.'

PROCOPIUS of Gaza, a Greek rhetorician and sophist, lived about the year 560, and has left Commentaries on the books of Kings and Chronicles, published by Meursius in Greek and Latin, Leyden, 1620, 4to; Commentaries on Isaiah, printed at Paris, 1580, fol. Greek and Latin; "A Chain of the Greek and Latin Fathers on the Octateuch;" i. e. the first eight books of the Bible, printed in Latin, fol. Photius praises the style and accuracy of Procopius Gazæus, but justly blames him for his too long digressions."

PROCOPIUS Rasus, or The Shaven, surnamed the Great, from his valour and military exploits, was a Bohemian gentleman, who, after travelling into France, Italy, Spain, and the Holy Land, was shaven, and even ordained priest, as is said, against his will, from whence he had the above epithet added to his name. He afterwards quitted the ecclesiastical habit, and attached himself to Zisca, chief of the Hussites, who esteemed him highly, and placed a particular confidence in him. Procopius succeeding Zisca in 1424, committed great ravages in Moravia, Austria, Brandenburg, Silesia, and Saxony, and made himself master of several towns, and great part of Bohemia. He had an interview with Sigismond, but not obtaining any of his demands from that prince, he continued the war. Upon hearing that the council of Basil was summoned in 1431, he wrote a long circular letter in Latin, to all the states in his own name, and that of the Hussites, in the close of which he declared that he and his party were ready to fight in defence of the four following articles: that the public irregularities of the priests should be prevented; secondly, that the clergy should return to the state of poverty, in which our Lord's disciples lived; thirdly, that all who exercise the ministerial office, should be at liberty to preach in what manner, at what time, and on what subjects they chose; fourthly, that the Eucharist should be administered according to Christ's institution, i. e. in both kinds. copius also wrote a letter to the emperor Sigismond, May 22, 1432, requesting him to be present with the Hussites

Pro

1 Cave, vol. I.-Vossius de Hist. Græc.-Fabric. Bibl. Græc.-Blount's Censura.-Saxii Onomast.

? Cave, vol..I.-Fabric, Bibl. Græc.

at the council of Basil. He was there himself with his party in 1433 they defended the above-mentioned articles very warmly, but finding that their demands were not granted, withdrew, and continued their incursions and ravages. Procopius died of the wounds he received in a battle in 1434. The Letters before spoken of, and the proposal which he made in the name of the Taborites, may be found in the last volume of the large collection by Fathers Martenne and Durand. He must be distinguished from Procopius, surnamed the Little, head of part of the Hussite army, who accompanied Procopius the Great, and was killed in the same action in which the latter received his mortal wound.'

PROPERTIUS (SEXTUS AURELIUS), an ancient Roman poet, was born at Mevania, a town in Umbria, as we learn from his own writings, and probably about the year of Rome 700. Some say, his father was a knight, and a man of considerable authority; who, becoming a partizan with Antony, on the capture of Perusia, was made prisoner, and killed by Augustus's order, at the altar erected to Cæsar; when his estate was forfeited of course. This which happened when the poet was very young, he alludes to in one of his elegies, and laments the ruin of his family in that early season of his life. His wit and learning soon recommended him to the patronage of Mæcenas and Gallus; and among the poets of his time, he was very intimate with Ovid and Tibullus. We have no particular account of his life, or the manner of his death; only he mentions his taking a journey to Athens, probably in company with his patron Mæcenas, who attended Augustus in his progress through Greece. Those that make him live the longest carry his age no higher than forty-one. His death is usually placed B. C. 10. The great object of his imitation was Callimachus: Mimnermus and Philetas were two others, whom he likewise admired and followed in his elegies. Quintilian tells us, that Propertius disputed the prize with Tibullus, among the critics of his time; and the younger Pliny, speaking of Passienus, an eminent and learned elegiac poet of his acquaintance, says, that this talent was hereditary and natural; for that he was a descendant and countryman of Propertius. Propertius however was inferior to Tibullus in tenderness, and to Ovid in variety of fancy, and facility of expression; still it must be granted that he was equal in harmony of numbers, and certainly

! Moreri.-Dict. Hist.-Universal History.