172 CONSTANTINOPLE. 
CHAP. The destruction of the University Library 
IV 
w ' . was passionately lamented by Malchus, a 
Batiiica. learned Bi/zantian, who wrote the History of 
Constantinople; deducing it from the reign of 
its founder down to the time of the Emperor 
Anastasius\ The Basilica was a College, 
or University, for the instruction of youth, 
governed by a President or Master'^. He had 
under him twelve persons as Lecturers^, to each 
of whom a number of Students was assigned ; 
and these Lecturers were held in such high 
estimation, that upon all State affairs they 
were summoned to council by the Emperors*, 
In the reign of Basiliscus, there happened a 
great fire in Constantinople, which began in the 
brazieries; and consuming whole streets, with 
many stately edifices, wholly destroyed the 
Basilica, together with its Library, con- 
taining six hundred thousand volumes. Among 
other curiosities, there was a Manuscript of 
the Iliad and Odyssey of Homer, written in 
(1) Gyllius, ibid, 
(2) " Fuerat autem hsec domus superioribus temporibus, disciplinis 
prsestantis praeceptoris, quem (Economicum vocabaot, domicilium." 
Ibid. 
(3) " Hypodidascalos." Ibid. 
(4) ** Etiara reges in rebus agendis consiliarios adhibebaot." Ibid. 
