GEORGE OF LAODICEA: Bishop of Laodicea in Syria, one of the leaders of the homoiousian party; b. in Alexandria; d. between 360 and 363. Alex ander of Alexandria made him presbyter, and before the Council of Nictea, during a stay at Antioch, George tried to mediate in the controversy between Alexander and the Arians. The opponents of the Arians treated him as Arian, and Alexander deposed him. George then joined the "Eusebians," and before 335 they procured him the bishopric of Laodicea; he took part in the Synod of Antioch in 339 and for doing so was anathematized by the Occidentals. George regarded the Nicene doctrine as Sabellianism and was an especial enemy of Athanasius; but he did not altogether agree with Eusebius of Nicomedia since he opposed Arianism sharply, and, with Bishop Basil of Ancyra, became founder of the holnoiousian party. The new atti tude of George after 358 can hardly be called a change of conviction since the homoiousian formu las may be traced back to the Christology of Alex ander of Alexandria who influenced his youth. After the Synod of Seleucia George disappears. It is said that he took part in the homoian synod at Constantinople in 360, having submitted at that time, like many other homoiousians, to the power of the court; this is possible, but George of Laodicea seems to have been confounded with George of Doara, the Arian. Of his writings there have been preserved a few sentences of a letter found in Athanasius, De synodis, xvii. (MPG, xxvi. 712, cD), a letter in Sozomen (IV., xiii. 2-3) and a memorial in Epiphanius (Hmr., lxxiii. 22, end). It is said that he wrote also an "Encomium of Eusebius of Emesa," and a treatise against the Manicheans.

(F. Loofs.)

Bibliography: Sources are the histories by Socrates, Sozomen and Theodoret, and the "History of the Arians" by Athaneaius, all available in Eng. transl. in NPNF, 2 ser. Consult: Leo Allatius in Georgro4 Acropolita . . . historic, p. 305-308, Paris, 1851; Tillemont, M6moirsa, vi. 259 of Venice ed.; M. Le Quien, Oriene christianue, ii. 792-793, Paris, 1740; Fabricius-Hades, Biblioouca Graces, vii. 327, ix. 293, Hamburg, 1801, 1804; J. H. Newman, The Ariane of as 4th Century, p. 284, London, 1871; J. Dritaeke, Geaammelte patriatische Untersttchungen, Altona, 1889; DCB, ii. 837-838; KL, v. 335-338; and the literature under Arianism.

GEORGE THE PISIDIAN: Byzantine poet and historian; flourished in the first half of the seventh century. He was a deacon in the church of St. Sophia, Constantinople, and enjoyed the favor of the Patriarch Sergius, and of the Emperor Heraclius, whom he accompanied on his first campaign against the Persians. He wrote a number of long poems of historical, philosophical, and religious content, which were highly praised by the latter Byzantine writers, though modern criticism has condemned them as artificial and tedious. The Hexaemeron aeu mundi oftcium, and his De vanitale vine were

printed, with a Latin translation, by F. Morel (Paris, 1584), and his complete works, with Latin translation and a critical introduction, were edited by G. M. Querci (Rome, 1777). This edition was reprinted in CSHB, vol. xiv., and also in MPG, xcii.

Bibliography: Leo Allatius, De Georgiia, in FabriciusHarlee, Bibliotheco Graxa, x. 581-589, Hamburg, 1807; 1. Hilberg, in Wiener Studien, viii (1888), 292-304, ix (1887), 207-222 (on the Hexaemsron); L. Sternbach, De Georpio Pig" Nonni aectatore, Cracow, 1893; Krumbacher, Geschichte, pp. 709-712 et passim; KL, v. 337-338; DCB, ii. 848-849.