NIC 
than which the ara has apn g more illuftrious. 
e of former, 
It has, 
as Ae as later 
learned, impartial, and eindid, Lardner makes the eget 
remarks. eae rae Pamper oe not the intended 
effet ; peace reby reftored to the 
churches, Notwithitasding ae geries made by many 
) igh a for councils, men do not value them 
ey cause asin their own particular 
opinions: and 1 the ey are un reftraints of external 
force, dane contradi& their decease eiice {cruple. 
man, or number of men feparate, or united in council, fince the 
time of Chrift and his apoftles, have any right to decide in 
matters of faith. It is inconfiftent with the refpect due to 
Jefus Chrift, to attempt it: unlefs they can fhew themfelves 
to bé infpired, and work miracles, to manifeft evidently a 
divine commiffion. If fuch a cafe fhould happen, which is 
very unlikely, what fuch perfons propofe muft be tried and 
the dodtrine of the gofpel, delivered in a 
ity Ta bee 
their authority, and enforcing by wordly menaces and re- 
compences any fpeculative dodtrines, they fhould rather 
have ee forbearance and moderation to all parties. 
See Counc 
NICEA, i in Geography, a town of a ae Turkey, 
in the Morea; 18 miles ea ous 
E 
the place where the Billicha difcharged into this river. 
d’Anville conceives it to have been the place which was 
called Callinicum or Callinicus, and under the em 
eon, Leontopolis.—Alfo, a town of Afia Minor, near 
the Propontide, which, oe to Arrian, was a forti- 
fied place, in which were tem 
NICEPHORIUS, a river of Armenia, which, accord- 
ing to Tacitus, watered and guarded the town of Tigrano- 
certa, and difcharged itfelf into the Tigris. 
NICEP I. in Biography, fg a of the Eaft, 
ogothete,”’ was great treafurer and clan: 
cellor of the empire at the time when a revolt of the no- 
bility from the emprefs Irene difpoffeffed her of the throne, 
A.D. 802. Nicephorus was invefted with the purple, on 
Bigale crowned at St. Sophia, while Irene was firft c 
fined to a aay el and afterwards banifhed to the ifle of 
Lefbos. a fhort time after his acceffion he made a treaty 
h the eaivert Charlemagne, and having fupprefled a 
revolt excited by Bardanes, the governor of one of his pro- 
is council met, inftead of deciding by - 
NIC 
vinces, = Badges his throne by the affociation of his 
fon Satur eror now declared his intention 
no (once io 4 . accuftomed tribute to the Saracens 
the caliph Haroun-al-Rafhid announced his determination of 
arc an army to aig the it, and accordingly made an 
incurfion into Phrygia. Ni tie aoe on this occafion, was 
completely defeated, ae with difficulty made his efcape. 
Nicephorus made another attempt to free himfelf from this 
bondage, but after a fruitlefs, and even a difaftrous eee 
he agreed to the mott humiliating term ms, viz. to pay a 
yearly tribute in coin, ftamped with the image of the Sa- 
tacen, and not to r de nary fortrefles. 
duc 
= 
-6 
Me 
o 
ps) 
bon J 
a 
pol] 
= 
o 
bar 3 
[oad 
aes 
2 
° 
is'} 
3 
a 
Q 
4 
e 
a” 
w 
a 
® 
[ peal 
ao 
a 
0 
d by his 
i one to heretic and his contempt for the church of 
Rome. 
Niceruorus II., Puocas, emperor of the Eaft, was the 
te " a s Phocas and commande 
feated the Saracens s 
{ent againft the Saracen caliph of Syria, seat = defeated, 
and then captured the important city of Ber: On the 
death of Romanus he returned to Conttantinople, where he 
obtained the honour of a triumph. Finding that he was 
fufpected of ambitious defigns by the prime mie Jofeph, 
he requefted a private audience with him, at which he pre- 
tended an averfion for all geet digntis and a (aeolian 
to retire to a monattic life, fhew: 
th which he wore nee his 
cuas, perfuaded, or peeaitee im to affume the title of 
emperor, which was conferred upon can: in the year 963. 
He returned to Conftantinople, where he was crowned by 
the patriarch. His warlike difpofition was manifefted in the 
continual affaults which, in perfon or by his generals, he made 
upon the Saracen power. He fent Manuel, the natural fon 
of his uncle Leo, with a powerful army, on an attempt to 
expel the Saracens from the ifland of Sicily, but the unfkil- 
fulnefs of the leader caufed his total deftruGtion. His lieu. 
C 2 tenant 
