Paulus the Silentiary

Paulus (110), sometimes called "the Silentiary," from his position as an officer of Justinian's court, wrote several epigrams preserved in the Anthologia Palatina, and some other works of minor importance; his poetical account of the buildings and dedication of the Great Church of Constantinople must, as the evidence of a contemporary, always be an important authority on the greatest effort of Byzantine church architecture. It is written in Homeric hexameters, with a dedication in iambic verse. Its vividness is much praised by Agathias, but, from his necessary avoidance of technical terms, it is not easy to follow his description of the building. Together with the ἔκφρασις τοῦ ἄμβωνος, it was edited by Graefe (Lips. 1822). Some assistance to its better understanding in relation to church architecture is given by Neale, Hist. of Holy Eastern Church (Intro.).

[H.A.W.]