Εμφανίζονται 25 τίτλοι με αναζήτηση: Θρησκευτικές βιογραφίες στην ευρύτερη περιοχή: "ΚΡΗΤΗ Νησί ΕΛΛΑΔΑ" .
ΑΖΟΚΕΡΑΜΟΣ (Οικισμός) ΙΤΑΝΟΣ
Ο όσιος Ιωσήφ γεννήθηκε στο χωριό των Κεράμων της επαρχίας Σητείας
της Κρήτης. Κείρεται μοναχός
στην Ιερά Μονή Αγ. Ιωάννου του Θεολόγου στον Χάνδακα
(σημερινό Ηράκλειο). Χειροτονήθηκε Διάκονος και κατόπιν Ιερεύς και στη συνέχεια
χρημάτισε και Ηγούμενος τής παραπάνω Μονής. Ολόκληρη η ζωή του υπήρξε προσφορά
στο Θεό και τον άνθρωπο, γενόμενος δοχείο της Χάριτος του Θεού. Κοιμήθηκε οσιακά
στις 22 Ιανουαρίου του 1511 και ενταφιάσθηκε στο μοναστήρι του. Στις 29 Αυγούστου
1669 μετεκομίσθη το Ιερό Λείψανο του Οσίου από τον ιερέα Αντώνιο Αρμάκη στη Ζάκυνθο
εξαιτίας της επιδρομής τον Τούρκων στη Μεγαλόνησο. Αρχικά τοποθετήθηκε στην Ι.
Μονή Αγ. Ιωάννου του Μαντινειού. Το 1915 μεταφέρθηκε οριστικά στον Ι. Ναό του
Παντοκράτορος Γαϊτανίου Ζακύνθου.
ΑΠΟΚΟΡΩΝΟΥ (Επαρχία) ΧΑΝΙΑ
Γεννήθηκε στα τέλη του 16 αιώνα στο Μέγα Δένδρο Αποκόρου και πέθανε το 1682μ.Χ. στα Βραγγιανά των Αγράφων. Τα πρώτα γράμματα έμαθε στην Ιερά Μονή Βλοχού και συνέχισε τη μόρφωσή του στη Μονή της Θεοτόκου του Τροβάτου των Αγράφων.
Το 1616μ.Χ. χειροτονήθηκε διάκονος στην Ιερά Μονή Τατάρνας. Θεολογία και Ελληνικά γράμματα ο Ευγένιος σπούδασε στο Άγιο Όρος. Από το Άγιο Όρος πήγε στην Αλεξάνδρεια όπου ο πατριάρχης Κύριλλος το 1619μ.Χ. τον χειροτόνησε πρεσβύτερο. Αφού επισκέφθηκε το όρος Σινά, έπειτα πήγε στα Ιεροσόλυμα και παρέμεινε ως εφημέριος του Ι.Ν. Αγίου Κωνσταντίνου έως το 1622μ.Χ., στη συνέχεια επανήλθε για να συνεχίσει τις σπουδές του στη Σχολή Τρικάλων, στην Κεφαλονιά, κοντά στον Παΐσιο Μεταξά. Υπέρμαχος της Ορθοδοξία διώχθηκε και καθαιρέθηκε από τον Κύριλλο Κονταρή. Δίδαξε στην Άρτα, στο Αιτωλικό, στο Μεσολόγγι, στο Καρπενήσι, στα Βραγγιανά.
Στο Καρπενήσι ανήγειρε τον Ι.Ν. της Αγίας Τριάδος και ίδρυσε τη Σχολή Ανωτέρων Γραμμάτων, όπου και δίδαξε πολλά χρόνια. Θεωρείται μεγάλος πνευματικός ηγέτης του υπόδουλου λαού. Το Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο ανακήρυξε το 1982 τον Ευγένιο Όσιο και η μνήμη του εορτάζεται στις 5 Αυγούστου.
ΓΟΡΤΥΣ (Αρχαία πόλη) ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΟ
According to tradition and the information of the New Testament (
2 Corinthians , Galatians, 2 Timothy , Titus, and other Epistles of St Paul),
the venerable bishop Titus was of Greek origin. His parents were nobles from Crete.
Soon Titus became the disciple and follower of the Apostle of Nations. He followed
Paul in his ecumenical and missionary journeys. As a matter of fact Apostle Paul
took Titus to Jerusalem to attend the proceedings of the Apostolic Synod. Titus
gained invaluable experience from this Synod. Soon afterwards, around 55-56 AD,
while Paul was preaching at Ephesus, Titus was sent to Corinth to assist the local
church with matters of utmost importance. Having fulfilled his task, he left for
Philippi where he met his master. Titus gave a full account to Paul of his journey
to Corinth. In the fall of the same year, Titus was dispatched to Corinth once
more to conclude his teaching. Apostle Paul was very proud of his pupil. In Corinthians
B' Paul refers to Titus as "partner" and "fellow helper" to his missionary work.
Titus proved one of the best disciples and partners to Paul. The Apostle
entrusted him with the organisation of the Cretan Church and appointed him bishop.
Titus was installed (took office) in Crete between 62-64 AD, i.e. following the
release of Paul from Rome, where he had been brought to stand trial as reactionist.
Although the Gospel had already been delivered to Crete by Cretan missionaries,
yet certain schism matters needed immediate attention. In addition, the organisation
of the Church was deficient. Christian communities suffered internal conflicts
on account of false teaching. Thus, the task of Titus was very delicate and difficult.
In spite of this Titus managed to resolve the conflict and restore peace among
the contending parties. As an instrument of divine justice, Titus distinguished
himself as a paragon of piety and an eradicator of impiety. The influence of St.
Titus was such that a great many heretics and idolaters revoked their heresies
or abandoned their idols to become followers of the Cretan Saint. According to
legend, St. Titus, the agent of Paul, died at Gortyna of Crete at the age of 94,
after many years of service to God. During the fourth century the Church declared
Titus saint and since then his memory is celebrated on August 25. In addition,
he was recognised as patron of Crete.
During the 6th century a wooden roofed basilica was built in his name
at the place were his holy relics had been deposited. However, when Crete was
conquered by the Saracens (Arabs) in 824 AD, the basilica was demolished and since
then it remains in ruins. The saint's skull was salvaged by devout Christians.
Following the recovery of Crete by the Byzantine general Nicephoros Phokas in
961 AD., a stately Metropolitan church was erected in the town of Heraklion (Chandax)
where all holy relics were kept. When the town of Heraklion fell to the Turks
in 1669, the saint's skull was transported to Venice and deposited in the Basilica
of St. Mark. The skull of the saint was returned to Crete following a series of
negotiations with the representatives of the western church which lasted from
1957 to 19G6. On the morning of May 15, 1966 hundreds of devout Christians gathered
at the port of Heraklion to honour the arrival of the holy relics. It was an extraordinary
experience for all Christians. The Church celebrated the event with a stately
joint liturgy at the Cathedral. The memorable Archbishop of Crete, Eugenios, eulogised
the saint's skull as "to dokimwvtero upevr crusivon kai timiwvteron livqwn polutelwvn
qhsaurwvn". Since then the relics have been a blessing for the Church of Crete.
In conclusion, Apostle Titus invites us all to become the disciples
of true teachers and with the grace of God turn fervent missionaries in our land.
In this day and age thrive heresies and false religions. Their teachings have
a charming effect on Cretans, particularly on the young. We only need assimilate
the teachings of Apostle Titus and follow his example in order to avert the danger
of falsehood.
The text is cited November 2003 from the follow URL of The Greek Orthodox
Archdiocese of Australia
660 - 740
Theologian, homilist, hymnographer, b. at Damascus
about the middle of the seventh century; d. 4 July, 740 (or 720), on which day
his feast is celebrated in the Greek Church.
At the age of fifteen he repaired to Jerusalem,
entered a monastery, was enrolled amongst the clerics of Theodore, Bishop of Jerusalem,
rose to some distinction, and was finally sent by Theodore in 685 to felicitate
the Emperor, Constantine Pogonatus, on the holding of the Sixth General Council.
His embassy fulfilled, he remained at Constantinople,
received deaconship, again distinguished himself, and was finally appointed to
the metropolitan see of Gortyna, in Crete.
As a preacher, his twenty-two published and twenty-one unpublished
discourses, replete with doctrine, history, unction, Scriptural quotation, poetic
imagination, dignified and harmonious phraseology, and rhetorically divided in
clear and precise fashion, justify his assignment to the front rank of ecclesiastical
orators of the Byzantine epoch. He is principally interesting to us, however,
as for the reason that he is credited with the invention (or at least the introduction
into Greek liturgical services) of the canon, a new form of hymnody of which we
have no intimation before his time. His “Greek Canon”, whose immense
length of 250 strophes has passed into a proverb with the Greeks, has been criticized
for its length, its subtilties, its forced comparisons, it still receives the
tribute of recitation entire on the Thursday of the fifth week of Lent, and the
four parts into which it is divided are also severally assigned to the first four
days of the first week. His hymnographic labours were indeed immense, if we may
credit absolutely all the attributions made to him.
H.T. Henry, ed.
Transcribed by: Mark A. Banach
This extract is cited June 2003 from The Catholic Encyclopedia, New Advent online edition URL below.
St. Cyril led an ascetic life by the end of the third and beginning of the fourth century AD. As Archbishop of Crete, he administered the Church for 25 years. During the Diocletian and Maximian persecutions he suffered torture and was finally executed by sword. Our Church celebrates his memory on July 14 each year.
Bishop of Gortyna, Crete (c 180). Little is known about him except for his authorship of a now lost treatise against the Gnostics.
Feastday 11 April
ΜΑΡΑΘΟΚΕΦΑΛΑ (Οικισμός) ΚΟΛΥΜΒΑΡΙ
ΜΟΝΗ ΚΑΨΑ (Μοναστήρι) ΜΑΚΡΥΣ ΓΙΑΛΟΣ
The visitor to the southeastern Crete will come across an impressive
monastic complex, the Holy Monastery of Timou Prodromou Kapsa, which nests in
the middle of grey-red rocks. The monastery was built either in the thirteenth
or the fourteenth century. It was the hermitage of ascetic and God-bearing Father
Ioseph Gerontogiannis. His real name was Ioannis (John) Vintsentzos.
Hosios Ioseph was born at the village of Lithines, Siteia, in particular
at the chapel or Kapsa in 1799, when his parents, Emmauel and Zambia Vintsentzos,
had gone there to pay their respects to St. John the Baptist. The Saint was baptised
a few years later in the same chapel and was given the name Ioannis. Ioannis was
an astute and clever man. Since no schools were allowed to function during the
Turkish occupation, he was educated by clerics. In addition, he had an extensive
knowledge of the Orthodox service and was soon to become an assistant chanter
and eloquent participant in debates concerning Church matters. At the same time
he occupied himself with the family property; he worked in his fathers fields
and tended the family's flock of sheep in the area of Kapsa, Siteia. As soon as
he reached adulthood, he married a pious young maiden from his village. The young
woman was so beautiful that she attracted the attention of the Turks. To protect
their daughter from the Turks, they would hide her in remote caves of southern
Crete, and ultimately find a man for her who would be able to protect her. This
man was Ioannis Vintsentzos. Their marriage was officiated at the Monastery of
St. John the Baptist, which was in ruins.
The surname Gerontogiannis or Gerontakis was attributed to the Saint
by the family of his wife Ioannis and his wife lived happily at the village of
Lithines and devoted themselves to the upbringing of their children. Ioannis enjoyed
the respect of his fellow men because of his hospitality, generosity and philanthropy.
On Easter Friday (4-5 April) 1841 Ioannis fell in deep sleep and all efforts to
wake him up failed. Forty-three hours later Ioannis woke up to find his family
and a number of friends at his bed side He then related to them his experience
during his short hibernation. He said that he had been taken up to heaven where
he saw and heard things wonderful which cannot be put into words. Later Ioannis
shared his experience with the bishop of Ierapetra and with the local commander.
Taking his vision as a sign from God, Ioannis decided to leave his
family and village and devote himself completely to God. As a place of practice,
he chose his birthplace, where he was also baptised and got married. He was ordained
monk and named Ioseph (Joseph). He practices abstinence and penance. At the same
time, he refurbished two cells of the local monastery to accommodate visitors,
while he lived in a cave located over the monastery, on a steep slope in the gorge
of Pervolakia. He lived there for 17 years. During that time novice, monks and
laymen consulted him while he also found time for the complete refurbishment of
the monastery. The fame of Hosios Ioseph attracted numerous people in the area
who wished to receive his blessing and advice. Owing to his fame and virtuous
life he received an invitation by the head of the Monastery of Agia Sophia (Holy
Wisdom) at Armenous, which was almost in ruins from Turkish attacks? Hosios Ioseph
took over the reconstruction of the monastic complex. He rebuilt it entirely from
the ruins. The reconstruction work lasted five years (1866-1870). In 1870, the
Saint returned to his hermitage where he died four years later, August 6, 1874,
at the age of 75. On May 7, 1982 there was a panegyric removal of the Saint's
relics following an all night devotions in a vigil celebrated by the Metropolite
of Ierapythis and Siteias Kyros Filotheos and by Bishop Methodios Petrakis, clerics
and a large congregation. The relics were placed in silver shrines and deposited
in the church along with the Saint's skull.
The faithful people of Siteia and all active Christians of the Lassithi
county take pride in the fact heir homeland is the place of such an eminent personality
of the Church. Hosios Ioseph, a paragon of married and celibate life, blesses
all those who resort to him and are pure in heart or come in penance. The Saint
is commemorated on August 6.
from The Orthodox Messenger, v. 9(7/8)
published bi-monthly by the SA Central Youth
PO Box 269, GLENELG SA 5045 AUSTRALIA
The text is cited November 2003 from The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia
WebPage
ΜΟΝΗ ΟΔΗΓΗΤΡΙΑΣ (Μοναστήρι) ΜΟΙΡΕΣ
Sts Eutychlos and Eutychlanos Cassiane were brothers of Cretan origin. While young they chose the ascetic life and established themselves in a remote and dry place in southern Crete. Soon Eutychios was appointed Bishop of Gortyn. He was persecuted for being very active and an uncompromising Christian. Later he, his brother and sister were exiled from the hometown. During the exile, they lived in a cave for the rest of their lives. The cave today is referred to by their names. To honour their memory, St. Ioannis the "Xenos" built a Church there. Today their relics are kept at the monastery of Odegetria. We celebrate their memory on August 17 each year.
ΓΑΒΑΛΟΜΟΥΡΙ (Χωριό) ΒΟΥΚΟΛΙΕΣ
ΚΡΗΤΗ (Νησί) ΕΛΛΑΔΑ
Andreas, archbishop of Crete, was a native of Damascus. He was first a monk at Jerusalem, whence he is called in some ancient writings " of Jerusalem" (Hierosolumites, ho Hierosolumon), then a deacon at Constantinople, and lastly archbishop of Crete. His time is rather doubtful, but Cave has shewn that he probably flourished as early as A. D. 635. (Hist. Lit. sub ann.) In 680 he was sent by Theodorus, the patriarch of Jerusalem, to the 6th council of Constantinople, against the Monothelites, where he was ordained a deacon. Some Iambics are still extant in which he thanks Agathe, the keeper of the documents, for communicating to him the acts of the synod. It seems to have been soon after this council that he was made archbishop of Crete. A doubtful tradition relates that he died on the 14th of June, 724 (Fabric. Bibl. Graec. xi.). The works ascribed to him, consisting of Homilies, and Triodia and other hymns, were published by Combefisius, Par. 1644. A " Computus Paschalis," ascribed to Andreas, was published in Greek and Latin by Petavius. There is great doubt as to the genuineness of several of these works.
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
ΝΕΑΠΟΛΗ (Κωμόπολη) ΛΑΣΙΘΙ
Ένας από τους πιο αναγνωρισμένους κατοίκους της ήταν ο Πέτρος Φίλαργος
ή Πάπας Αλέξανδρος Ε΄. Γεννήθηκε ορφανός κι ανατράφηκε από τους μοναχούς του τοπικού
μοναστηριού. Στάλθηκε για σπουδές στο Ηράκλειο στο βενετικό Μοναστήρι του Αγίου
Φραγκίσκου (όπου σήμερα στεγάζεται το Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο). Μετά από μια πετυχημένη
ακαδημαϊκή καριέρα σε αρκετές Ευρωπαϊκές πόλεις ανακηρύχθηκε Πάπας στη Σύνοδο
της Πίζας το 1409. Πέθανε στη Μπολόνια πριν φτάσει στη Ρώμη και θάφτηκε σ' ένα
λαμπρό μαυσωλείο στην εκκλησία του Αγίου Φραγκίσκου, στην Μπολόνια.
Το απόσπασμα παρατίθεται τον Φεβρουάριο 2003 από την ακόλουθη ιστοσελίδα της Crete TOURnet
ΚΡΗΤΗ (Νησί) ΕΛΛΑΔΑ
Elias. Elias of Crete. There are several works extant ascribed to Elias Cretensis,
whom Rader, Cave, Fabricius, and others, suppose to have been Elias, bishop (or
rather metropolitan) of Crete, who took part in the second general council of
Nicaea, A. D. 787. (Labbe, Concilia, vol. vii.) Leunclavius considers that the
author was a different person from the prelate, and places the former in the sixth
century or thereabout (Prooemiam in Sti Gragorii Nazianzeni Opera) Oudin, who
has examined the subject most carefully, agrees with Leunclavius in distinguishing
the writer from the prelate, and deduces from the internal evidence of his works
that the writer lived about A. D. 1120 or 1130.
He wrote
(1) Commentaries on several of the Orations of Gregory Nazianzen. There are several
MSS. extant of these commentaries in the original Greek, but we believe they have
never been printed. A Latin version of them, partly new, partly selected from
former translations, was published by Billius with his Latin version of Gregory's
works, and has been repeatedly reprinted.
(2.) A Commentary on the Klimax, Climanx, " Scala Paradisi," or Ladder
of Paradise of Joannes or John surnanmed Scholasticus or Climacus. This commentary,
which has never been published, but is extant in MS., is described by Rader in
his edition of the Climax, as very bulky. Some extracts are embodied in the Scholia
of a later commentator given by Rader.
(3.) An answer respecting virgins espoused before the age of puberty. This is
extant in MS. in the King's Library at Paris, in the catalogue of which the author
is described as the metropolitan of Crete.
(4.) Answers to Dionysius the Monk on his seven different questions, given by
Binefidius (Juris Orient. Libri, iii.) and Leunclavius (Jus Gr. Rom. i.).
It is not known that any other works of his are extant. Nicolaus Commenus
in his Praenotiones Mystagogicae cites other works, but they tire probably lust.
One was On the Morals of the Heathens, and the others were Answers to the Monks
of Corinth, To the Monks of Asea, and To the Solitary Monks. Harless incorrectly
ascribes to Elias of Crete the work of Elias or Helias of Charax on versification.
(Cave, Hist. Lit. vol. i.; Rader, Isgoge ad Scalam St. Joannis Climaci, prefixed
to his edition of that work; Oudin, Commentarii de Scriptor. et Scriptis Ecclesiasticis,
vol. ii. col. 1066, &c.; Fabric Bibl. Graec. vol. viii., ix., xi.; Catalogus Librorum
Manuscriptorum Bibliothecae Regiae, Paris, 1740.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
ΔΑΦΝΕΣ (Κωμόπολη) ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΟ
The rich and historical village of Dafnes in the province of Temenous
of Crete has been the birthplace of notable individuals who became the glory of
their land and country. One such individual was Hosios Charalambos who lived during
the last years of the Turkish occupation.
He was born at the village of Dafnes on August 3, 1723 and had three
brothers. Since early childhood he showed signs of celibacy and his friends and
relatives noticed that, as a child, he would retreat to a cave, during rest hours,
and pray to God. His burning desire for asceticism and conscious devotion to the
Commandments made him worthy of visions of the Virgin Mary. His visions led him
to the monastery Kalyviani dedicated in Her memory where he became Her faithful
servant. When he reached the monastery, near the Turkish occupied village of Kalyvia,
he met a number of monks who were not dressed in the traditional cassock for fear
of the Jenissaries. They were crypto-Christians and passed off as poor men.
As soon as the Saint established himself at the monastery he took
an active role in promoting the free practice of faith, uncompromising his principles
and in spite of the threats from Jenissaries. At that time, the lush and fertile
valley of Messara was at the hands of the Turks. The Orthodox Christians were
deprived not only of spiritual but also of corporeal nourishment. The presence
of Hosios Charalambos soothed the pain, he alleviated the grief of the Christians
in the area, and his intervention were very effective. Gradually the Christians
acquired more and more concessions by the Turks.
The Saint served our Virgin Mother and the local population for more
than twenty-five years. The indefatigable servant of our Virgin Mother's monastery
begged Her mercy. The Mother of God lent a willing ear on his burning requests
and fortified him to stand up against the demands and threats from the Jenissaries.
On August 28, 1788, the Saint passed away at the age of 65. We became aware of
the details of his arduous and manifold work by the pious nuns of the monastery.
Our Church celebrates his memory on August 28 each year.
The nuns of the monastery are the best sources of information about
the life and legend of Hosios Charalambos. They can tell us wonderful things,
their personal experiences and about their work of love, which St. Charalambos
left them as a blessing and legacy. However, we must shed our biases; we need
to go through a personal purgatory. It is not enough to simply read about the
lives of Saints; we must also internalise their principles. Jenissaries are lurking
in the dark; they take the form of passions, idols and fads - the modern plague
of our society. Actions speak better than words; therefore, the best way to pay
honour to our Saints is to follow their example. We must sacrifice our ego on
the altar of the common good.
from The Orthodox Messenger, v. 9(7/8)
published bi-monthly by the SA Central Youth
PO Box 269, GLENELG SA 5045 AUSTRALIA
The text is cited November 2003 from The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia
WebPage
1549 - 1601
Πατριάρχης Αλεξανδρείας (1590 - 1601) και "επιτηρητής" του Οικουμενικού Θρόνου Κωνσταντινουπόλεως (1597 - 1598).
ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΟΝ (Αρχαία πόλη) ΚΡΗΤΗ
4/4/1396 - 1486
Georgius Trapezuntius, (Trapezountios) of Trapezus or Trebizont. The surname of George
Trapezuntius is taken, not from the place of his birth, for he was a native of
Crete (Nic. Comnenus Papadopoli says of Chandace (Candia ?), the capital of the
island), but from the former seat of his family. His contemporary, Cardinal Bessarion,
commonly designates him " Cretensis." He was born 4th April, A. D. 1396,
and came into Italy probably about A. D. 1428, as he was invited into that country
by Franciscus Barbarus, a Venetian noble, to teach Greek in Venice after the departure
of Franciscus Philelphus who left that city in that year. George received the
freedom of the city from the senate. It appears from his commentary on Cicero's
Oration for Q. Ligarius, that he learned Latin (Nic. Comnenus Papadopoli says
at Padua) under Victorinus of Feltre, who was also the teacher of Theodore Gaza.
After a few years he removed from Venice, and, after several ineffectual attempts
to establish himself as a teacher in different towns, settled at Rome, where he
was made professor of philosophy and polite literature, with a salary from the
Papal government; and where his lectures were attended by hearers from Italy,
France, Spain, and Germany. The year of his settlement at Rome is not ascertained.
The account of Boissardus, who says (Icones Viror. Illustr.) " Primus omnium
Graeccrum Graecas literas docuit summa cum laude utpote qui clarebat A. Chr. 1430
Eugenio IV. pontificatum tenente," is not accurate, as Eugenius did not become
pope till 1431. Trithemius says that he flourished at Rome in the time of Eugenius
IV., A. D. 1435, which may be true ; at any rate, he was at Rome before the council
of Florence, A. D. 1439. He had become eminent in Italy before 1437, when he wrote
to the Byzantine emperor Ioannes or John II., exhorting him to disregard the promises
of the council of Basel, and to attend the council which was to be summoned at
Ferrara, in Italy; but it is not clear from what part of Italy the letter was
written. He was secretary, according to Hody, to the two popes, Eugenius IV. and
Nicholas V. (who acceded to tile papal crown A. D. 1447), but according to other
statements he received the appointment from Nicholas V. apparently about A. D.
1450. He occupied for many years a position of unrivalled eminence at Rome, as
a Greek scholar and teacher, and a translator of the Greek authors; but the arrival
of many scholars whom Nicholas invited to that city, and the superior reputation
of the version of Aristotle's Problemuta, made by Theodore Gaza subsequently to
George's version of the same treatise, and the attacks of Laurentius Valla, threw
him into the shade. Valla attacked him because he had censured Quintilian; and
this literary dispute led to a bitter personal quarrel between Valla and George
; but after a time they were reconciled. Poggio, the Florentine, had also a dispute
with George, who boxed his antagonist's ears, in the presence of the pope's other
secretaries, a tolerable proof of the greatness of the provocation, or the irritability
of George's temper. For some time George had Bessarion for his patron, but he
lost his favour by his attack on the reputation of Plato, in maintaining the rival
claims of Aristotle. George ceased to teach as professor in A. D. 1450, perhaps
on his appointment as papal secretary.
Beside the duties of his professorship and his secretaryship, he was
much engaged in translating into Latin the works of Greek authors; but, from the
haste with which they were brought out, arising from his anxiety to receive the
promised payment for them, they appeared in an imperfect or mutilated form.
Having lost the favour of Nicholas, who was alienated from him, as
George himself states, because he refused to allow his versions of certain Greek
philosophers and fathers to appear under the names of others, and perhaps also
by the intrigues of his rivals, lie went to Naples, to the court of Alfonso the
Magnanimous, who gave him a respectable salary; but he was, after a time, reconciled
to the pope by the friendly offices of Franciscus Philelphus, and returned to
Rome about A. D. 1453.
In A. D. 1465 he visited his native island, and from thence went to
Constantinople. On his return by sea from Constantinople to Rome, he was in imminent
danger of shipwreck, and, in his peril, he besought the aid of the martyr, Andreas
of Chios, who had a few months before suffered martyrdom at Constantinople; and
he made a vow that if he escaped and came safely to his destination, he would
write in Latin the narrative of his martyrdom. He fulfilled his vow about two
years afterwards, and embodied in the narrative an account of the circumstances
which led him to write it.
In his old age George's intellect failed, and he sunk into second
childhood. His recollection was completely lost in literary matters, and he is
said to have forgotten even his own name. In this crazy condition he wandered
about the streets of Rome in a worn cloak and with a knotted staff. According
to some accounts, this wreck of his intellect was the result of a severe illness;
others ascribe it to grief and mortification at the trifling reward which he received
for his literary labours. A store is told of him (Boissard, l. c.), that having
received of tile pope the trifling sum of 100 ducats for one of his works which
he had presented to him, he threw the money into the Tiber, saying," Periere
labores, pereat et eorum ingrata merces" ("My labours are lost, let
tile thankless recompense of them perish too"): but the similarity of the
story to an anecdote of Theodore Gaza destroys, or at least much impairs its credibility.
George's son, Andreas Trapezuntius, in his prefatory address to Pope Sixtus IV.,
prefixed to George's translation of the Almagest of Ptolemy, declares that his
life was shortened by the malignity of "his powerful enemy;" but who
this enemy was Andreas does not mention. It could hardly have been Theodore Gaza,
the rival of George, for he died A. D. 1478, while George himself did not die
until A. D. 1485 or 1486, at the age of about 90. He was buried near his residence,
in the Church of the Virgin Mary, formerly the Temple of Minerva at Rome, where
was a monumental inscription in the floor of the church; but it had been so worn
by the feet of the persons frequenting the church, that even in Allatius's time
nothing was visible but the traces of the name.
George of Trebizond left a son, Andreas or Andrew, who, during his
father's lifetime, wrote in his defence against Theodore Gaza; but he was a person
of no talent or eminence. A daughter of Andrew was married to the Roman poet Faustus
Magdalena, who was killed at the sacking of Rome by the troops of Charles V.,
A. D. 1527. Faustus, who was a friend of Leo X., used to speak much of his wife's
grandfather.
The character of George is unfavourably represented by his biographers
Allatius and Boerner, the latter of whom describes him as deceitful, vain, and
envious. The disputes in which lie was involved with the principal scholars with
whom he had any thing to do confirm these unfavourable representations.
The works of George of Trebizond are numerous, consisting partly of
original works, a few in Greek, the rest in Latin; partly of translations from
Greek into Latin. many of them, however, remain in MS. We notice only those that
have been printed; arranging them in classes, and giving the works in each class
chronologically, according to the date of their earliest known publication.
I. ORIGINAL WORKS. I. IN GREEK.
1. Pros ton upselotaton kai Deiotaton Basilea Rhomaion Ioannen ton Palaiologon,
Epistola ad excelsissimum sacratissimumque Regem Romanorum Joannem Palaeologum.
Subjoined by Pontanus, together with a Latin version, to his Latin versions of
Theophylact Simocatta and Phranza, 4to. Ingolstadt, 1604. 2. Pros Ioannen ton
Kouboklesion peri tes ekporeuseos tou Hagiou Pneumatos, Ad Joannem Cuboclesium
de Processione Spiritus Sancti. 3. Peri tes ekporeuseos tou Hagiou Pneumatos,
kai peri tes mias hagias katholikes Ekklesias, tois en Kretei Deiois andrasi hieromonachois
te kai hiereusi, De Processione Spiritus Sancti, et de Una Sancta (Catholica Ecclesia,
Divinis Hominibus, qui in Creta Insula sunt, Hieromonachis et Sacerdotibus. Both
of these were published with a Latin version in the Graecia Orthodoxa of Allatius,
vol. i., Rome, 1652.
II. IN LATIN.
4. Rhetorica, Libri V., fol. Venice, 1470. This date is fixed by the chief bibliographical
authorities, but is not given in the work. The Rhetorica has been often reprinted.
Valentine Curio, in the preface to his edition, 4to. Basil, 1522, states that
the work was left by the author in so imperfect a state that its revision had
cost the editor much labour. He adds that it embodied a translation of a considerable
part of the rhetorical works of Hermogenes. 5. De Octo Partibus Orationis ex Prisciano
Compendium, 4to. Milan, 1472. The same work appears to have been printed in 1537
in 8vo. at Augsburg, under the title of De Octo Partibus Orationis Compendium,
omitting ex Prisciano; though some of our authorities hesitate about identifying
the two works. 6. De Artificio Ciceronianae Orationis pro Q. Ligario (sometimes
described as Expositio in Orationem Ciceronis pro Q. Ligario); printed with the
commentaries of some other writers on some of the orations of Cicero, fol. Venice,
1477, and several times reprinted. 7. Commentarius in Philippica Ciceronis, 4to.
Venice. The year of publication is not known. These two works have been reprinted
in some collections of commentaries on Cicero's orations. 8. Dialectica, 4to.
Strasburg, 1509. Twelve editions of this little work were published between 1509
and 1536. The work entitled Compendiuum Dialectices ex Aristotele, by George of
Trebizond, published without note of time or place, is probably the same work.
9. Comparaitiones Philosophorum Platonis et Aristotelis, 8vo. Venice, 1523. We
are not aware that the work was printed before this date, but it must have been
circulated in some form, as it was the work which drew upon George the anger of
Cardinal Bessarion, who published a reply to it under the title Adversus Calumniatorem
Platonis, Libri Quinque, fol. Rome, 1469. In this reply he criticises George's
translation of Plato's treatise De Legibus, which has never been printed. 10.
De Antisciis in quorum Rationem Fata sua rejicit. 11. Cur Astrologorum Judicia
plerumque falluntur. These two works were printed with Omar De Nativitatibus,
8vo. Venice, 1525. 12. Expositio in illud "Si eum volo manere donec veniam,"
8vo. Basil. 1543; and reprinted in both editions of the Orthodoxographa (Basil.
1555 and 1569) and in the Bibliotheca Patrum, vol. vi. ed. Paris, 1576. In this
exposition of a passage (c. xxi. 22) in the Gospel of John, George contended that
the evangelist was still living on the earth. 13. In Claudii Ptolemaei Centum
Sententias (or Centiloquium) Commentarius, with a reprint of Nos. 10 and 11, and
with the treatise of Joannes Pontanus, Quatenus credendum sit Astrologis, 8vo.
Cologne, 1544. 14. Acta Beati Andreue Chii; printed in the De Probatis Sanctorum
Vitis of Surius, Maii, 29., Cologne, 1618, and in the Acta Sanctorum of Bollandus,
Maii, tom. vii.
II. TRANSLATIONS. 15. Eusebius Pamphili de Praeparatione Evangelica
a Georgio Trapezuntio traductus, fol. Venice, 1470. In this version the whole
of the fifteenth book is omitted; yet it obtained great reputation, as was shown
by its being reprinted nine or ten times during the fifteenth century. 16. Joannes
Chrysostomus super Matthaeum, Fol. Cologne, 1487. There is an edition without
note of time or place, but which, from the character of the type, is supposed
to be printed by Mentelius of Strasburg, whose other works bear date from 1473
to 1476. This translation is not wholly original ; in some of the homilies it
is only the ancient version of Anianus revised. 17. Rhetoricorum Aristotelis ad
Theodecion Libri Tres. A version of this work of Aristotle, which some of our
authorities state to be by George of Trebizond, but which does not bear his name
in the title, was published in fol., Leipsic, 1503, and Venice, 1515; but his
version was certainly printed, at Paris, 8vo. 1539, and with the rest of Aristotle's
works at Basel, 1538. 18. Opus insigne Beati Patris Cyrilli Patriarchae Alexandriae
in Evangelium Joannis, fol. Paris, 1508. Of the twelve books of which this work
consists George translated the first four and the last four; the remainder were
translated by Jodocus Clichtoveus, who edited the work. 19. Joannis Chrysostomi
de Laudibus et Excellentia Sancti Pauli Homiliae quatuor per Georq. Trapezuntium
e Graeco traductae, fol. Leipzig, 1510. 20. Praeclarum Opus Cyrilli Alex. qui
Thesaurus nuncupatur, fol. Paris, 1513. This version of the work of Cyril on the
Trinity has been often reprinted. 21. Almagesti Ptolemaei Libri XIII.,fol. Venice,
1515. 22. Sti Gregorii Nysseni De Vitae Perfection, sive Vita Moysis, 4to. Vienna,
1517. 23. Sti Basilii Mayni adversus Apologiam Eunomii Antirrheticus, Libri V.
The version of the third book was printed with the Acta Concilii Florentini, and
other pieces, fol. Rome, 1526; and the whole version has been printed in some
Latin and Graeco-Latin editions of the works of Basil. 24. Historia Sanctorum
Barlaam et Josaphal, subjoined to the works of Joannes Damascenus, fol. Basel,
1548. So wretchedly is this version executed, that doubts have been cast upon
its authorship. The reputation of George as a translator is, however, very low.
Beside the errors which resulted from haste, he appears to have been very unfaithful,
adding to his author, or cutting out, or perverting passages almost at will.Among
his unpublished translations are several of Aristotle's works, including the Problemata,
Physica, De Anima, De Animalibus, De Generatione et Corruptione; also the De Legibus
and the Parmenides of Plato. His version of Plato's work, De Legibus, was severely
criticised by Bessarion in his Adversus Calumniatorem Platonis; and his version
of Aristotle's De Animalibus is said to have been used by Theodore Gaza, though
without acknowledgment, in the preparation of his own version. (Boissard, Icones
Viror. Illustr., pars i.; Cave, Hist. Litt. vol. ii., Appendix, by Gery and Wharton;
Hody, De Graecis Illustribus Linguae Graecae, &c., Instauratoribus; Boernerus,
De Doctis Hominibus Graecis, Litterarum Graecarum in Italia Instauratoribus; Fabric.
Bibl. Graec. vol. iii., vol. vii., vol. viii., vol. ix., vol. xi.; Allatius, Diatrib.
de Georgiis, apud Fabric. vol. xii.; Panzer, Annales Typographici.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Nov 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Λάβετε το καθημερινό newsletter με τα πιο σημαντικά νέα της τουριστικής βιομηχανίας.
Εγγραφείτε τώρα!
