<;i:i.l.KRT. CHRISTIAN KURCHTr.OOTT. 



r.EMINIANI, FRANCESCO. 



The Geography and Antiquities of Ithaca,' 4 to, 1808 ; ' The Itinerary 

 of Greece, with a Commentary on Pauaaniaa and Strnbo, and an 

 Account of the Monument* of Antiquity at present existing in that 

 Country,' 4to. 1810; 'The Itinerary of the More*, being a Particular 

 Description of that Poin>nla, with a Map of the Routes,' 8vo, 1817 ; 

 Pomptuna, or Olerrationa upon the Topography, Edifice*, and 

 Ornamrnu of Pompeii' (in conjunction with J. 1'. Gaudy, Esq.), * Tola, 

 Svo, 1817-19; ' Attica,' folio, 1817; ' Narrative of a Journey in the 

 More*,' STO, 1829 (the journey having been performed in 1801) ; ' The 

 Topography of Home and iu Vicinity,' 3 Tola, 8vo, 1834 (an important 

 work in reference to the citie* anciently existing iu the Cainpagna di 

 Roma); 'Home and ita Environi' (a map), 1834. Ciell wa* a good 

 draftsman, and be baa the merit of having carefully examined and 

 delineated many monument* of antiquity. Some of his work* are 

 hurried performance*, but they have all a certain value a* being the 

 results of actual observation. The one that brought the author most 

 into notice was his ' Pompeiana ;' of this a continuation, or second 

 eeriea, in 2 vola. 8vo, was published in 1835. 



(Gmtlema'i ilaoatitu, Jane. 1836; (jell, H'orlu.) 

 OELLEKT, CHRISTIAN Ft'UfHTKGOTT, born near Chemniti 

 in Saxony, July 4, 1715, acquired a great reputation as a writer of 

 fable* and a* a moralist. The simplicity of hi* manners, his candour 

 and goodness of heart, contributed to render him popular with all 

 classes. Frederick IL and Prince Henry were very partial to Mm, 

 notwithstanding his habitual shyness. His 'Fubeln und Ereahlungen' 

 had a prodigious success in Germany. He also wrote ' Sacred Odes and 

 Songs,' which are much esteemed. His 'Letters' have also been 

 pnbUabed. The collection of his works, ' Siimmtlicho VVerke,' forma 

 part of the ' Karlsruuer Deutsober Claasiker,' 1823-26. His fnblas 

 and letters were translated into French, 5 vols. 8vo, with a biographical 

 notice of the author. Gellert died at Leipzig, where he was professor 

 of philosophy, December 5, 1769, and a monument was raised to him 

 in tlie church of St. John, with a cast of bis head in bronze. 



(iK'LLIUS. A ULUS (or, according to some writers, AGELLIUS), 

 the author of the ' Xoctes Attica;,' was born at Rome iu the early part 

 of the 2nd century, and died at the beginning of the reign of the 

 Emperor Marcus Aureliu". We have few particulars of his life : we 

 know that be studied rhetoric under Cornelius Frouto at Home, and 

 philosophy under I'havorinus at Athens, and that be was appointed at 

 an early age to a judicial office. (' NocL Att,' xiv. 2.) Tho ' Noetss 

 Attica ' was written, as he informs us in the preface to the work, 

 duri g the winter evenings in Attica, to atnuso his children in their 

 hours of relaxation. It appears from his own account that he had 

 been accustomed to keep a commonplace book, in which he entered 

 whatever he heard in conversation, or met with in his private reading, 

 that appeared worthy of memory. In composing his ' Nodes Attica;,' 

 he seems merely to have copied the content* of his common-place book 

 with a little alteration in the language, but without any attempt at 

 classification or arrangement. Tnis work contains anecdotes aud 

 arguments, scrape of history and pieces of poetry, and dissertations on 

 various pointa in philosophy, geometry, and grammar. Amidst much 

 that is trifling and puerile, we obtain information on many subjects 

 relating to antiquity of which we must otherwise have been ignorant. 

 It is divided into twenty books, which are still extant, with the 

 exception of the eighth and the beginning of the seventh. He mentions 

 in the conclusion of his preface his intention of continuing the work, 

 which he probably never carried into effect. The ' Noctes Attica) ' 

 was printed for the first time at Home in 1469, and boa been frequently 

 reprinted ; the most valuable editions are the Bipont., 2 vols. 8vo, 

 1784 ; one by Gronovius, 4to, 1706 (reprinted by Conradi, Leips., 

 1762) ; and one by Lion, 2 vols. 8vo, Gottingen, 1824. The work 

 has been translated into English by lieloe, 3 vols. bvo, London, 

 1795 ; and into French by Douz<S de Verteuil, 3 vols. 12mo, Paris, 

 1776-77. 



GELON, a native of Gela, rose from the station of a private citizen 

 to be supreme ruler of Gela aud Syracuse. He was descended from 

 an ancient family, which originally came from Telus, an island off the 

 coast of Caria, and settled at Gela when it was first colouieed by the 

 Uhodians; at which place his ancestors held the office of hereditary 

 minister of the infernal gods (\S&vun Otot, Herodotus, vii. 153). 

 During the time that Hippocrates reigned at Gela (B.C. 498-91), Gelon 

 was appointed commander of the cavalry, and greatly distinguished 

 himself in the various wars that Hippocrates carried on against the 

 Grecian cities in Sicily. On the death of Hippocrates, who fell in a 

 battle against the Siceli, Gelon seized the supreme power (B.C. 491). 

 Soon afterwards a more splendid prize fell in his way. The nobles 

 and landholders (ya^Apoi) of Syracuse, who had been expelled from 

 the city by an insurrection of their slaves supported by the rest of 

 the people, applied to Gelon for assistance. This crafty prince gladly 

 availing himself of the opportunity of extending his dominions, marched 

 to Syracuse, into which he was admitted by the popular party (n.o. 

 485), who had not the means of resisting so formidable an opponent 

 (Herodotus, vii. 154, 155.) Having thus become master of Syracuse, 

 lie appointed his brother Hieron governor of Gela, and exerted all his 

 endeavours to promote the prosperity of his new acquisition. In 

 order to increase tho population of Syracuse, be destroyed Camarino, 

 and removed all its inhabitants, together with a great number of the 

 citizens of Gela, to bin favourite city. As ho was indebted for his 



power in Syracuse to the aristooratical party, he took care to strengthen 

 it against the people. Thus when he conquered the Megarians and 

 Eubtaans of Sicily, he transplanted to Syracuse all those who were 

 possessed of wealth, bat sold the remainder as slaves. (Herod, vii. 

 156.) By hi* various conquests and his great abilities be had become 

 a very powerful monarch ; and therefore when the Greeks expected 

 the invasion of Xerxes, ambassador* were sent to Syracuse to secure 

 if possible his assistance in the war. Gelon promised to send to their 

 aid 200 triremes, 20,000 heavy-armed troops, 2000 cavalry, and 6000 

 light-armed troops, provided tho supreme command were given to 

 him. This oiler being indignantly rejected by the Lacdtcmonian and 

 Athenian ambassadors, Gelon sent, according to Herodotus, an indi- 

 vidual named Cadmus to Delphi with great treasure*, with orders to 

 present them to Xerxes if he proved victorious in the coming war. 

 (Herod, vii. 157-64.) This statement however was denied by the 

 Syracusans, who said that Gelon would have assisted the Greeks if he 

 had not been prevented by an invasion of the Carthaginians with a 

 force amounting to 300,000 men under the command of llaiuihur. 

 This great army was entirely defeated near Hi mem by Gelon. and 

 Tberon, monarch of Agrigentum, on the same day on which the battle 

 of Salami* was fought. (Herod, vii. 165-67.) An account of tint 

 expedition is also giveu by Diodorui (b. xi. p. 254, Steph.), who states 

 that the battle between Gelon and the Carthaginians wai fought on 

 the same day as that of Thermopylae. 



Coin of Gelon. 

 British Museum. Actual size. Silver. Weight 98 grains. 



Gelon appears to have used with moderation the power which he 

 had acquired by violence, and to have endeared himself to th<- 

 cusans by the equity of his government and the encouragement he 

 gave to commerce and the fine arts. There are still existing many 

 coins of Gelon and his successor Hieron, of beautiful workmanship, 

 of which a description is given in Mion net, vol. i. p. 323. It is sup- 

 posed by some that these coins were not struck in the time of Gelon, 

 but by order of Hieron II. (n.c. 275-216), n supposition somewhat incon- 

 sistent with the number of coins still remaining ; though it is probable 

 that some at least of them may belong to Gelon 11., the son of 

 Hieron. We are informed by Plutarch, that posterity remembered 

 with gratitude the virtues and abilities of Gelon, aud that the Svr.v 

 cusans would not allow his statue to ba destroyed, together with 

 those of the other tyrants, when Tinioleon was master of the city. 

 ('Life of Timoleon,' p. 247.) He died B.O. 478, and was succeeded 

 by his brother Hieron. (Aristotle, 'Polit.,' b. v., c. 12, p. 678, 

 Elzevir.) 



GEMINIA'NI, FRANCESCO, a distinguished composer and violin- 

 ist, was born at Lucca about 1680. The foundation of hia professional 

 knowledge was laid by Aleesandro Scarlatti, but he couiplet .1 In* 

 studies under Corelli. England was then, as now, the place of attrac- 

 tion for foreign musical talent, and Geminiani arrived in London in 

 1714, where hia performance speedily gave him celebrity. He soon 

 became acquainted with Baron Kilmansegge, chamberlain tn George I. 

 as Elector of Hanover, through whose means he was introduced to the 

 king, and had the honour to perform before that sovereign some of In * 

 recently published Sonatas, for ' Violiuo, Violoue, e Cembalo,' iu \\hi< h 

 Handel accompanied him on the harpsichord. Successful as he was 

 professionally, his finances were continually in a disordered state, 

 and to relieve his embarrassed circumstances he applied for the 

 appointment of Composer of State Music in Ireland, and through the 

 interest of the Earl of Essex was nominated to that good situation ; 

 but finding a difficulty in taking the necessary oaths, the office was 

 I given to his pupil, Matthew Dubourg. lie now set down industriously 

 | to compose, and published numerous works. Six of Corelli' a solos aud 

 i as many of that great musician's sonatas he converted iuto co; 

 for a band, and in so efficient a manner, that some of them have 

 retained their vitality almost to the present day. These were followed 

 I by his own six orchestral concertos, ' Opera Terza,' and twelve sonatas 

 for violin and bate, all of which abound iu beautiful melody, and 

 evince his skill in harmony. His deep knowledge of harmony was 

 further exhibited soon after, in his ' Guida Armoiiica,' a work which 

 met with strong opposition among musicians of the old school, but 

 was finally triumphant. But as the emoluments arising from his many 

 publications weru by no means commensurate ta the thought and time 

 necessarily bestowed on them, or to his expensive habits, his neces- 

 sities still pursued him, and he had recourse to a kind of benefit-con- 

 cert at Drury-Lauo Theatre, by which he made a considerable sum. 

 ' He then went to 1'nris, aud there printed two sets of concertos. On 

 his return to England he continued composing and publishing. In 

 1761 he paid a visit to his friend Dubourg iu Dublin; but soon after 

 j his arrival in that city he lost, through the treachery of a servant, a 



