According to Zonaras (Annales, lib. 13. c.23, vol. ii. p. 44, ed. Paris, p. 35, ed. Venice) the Homero-Centra, or Homero-Centrones, Ὁμηρόκεντρα ἃ καὶ Κέντρωνες, composed by the Empress Eudocia, wife of the younger Theodosius [EUDOCIA, No. 1], had been begun but left unfinished by a certain Patricius, or, for the expression (Πατρικίου τινος) ambiguous, by a certain Patrician. If a MS. noticed below is right in terming him Sacerdos, Patricius must be understood as a name, not as a title. Cedrenus (p. 354, ed. Paris, 621, ed. Bonn) ascribes the Homero-Centra to a certain Pelagius Patricius, or (for there is the same ambiguity as in Zonaras), "Pelagius the Patrician" (Πελάγιον τὸν Πατρίκιον), who was put to death by the Emperor Zeno. If we understand Zonaras to say that Patricius left the Homero-Centra unfinished at his death, and that they were afterwards finished by Eudocia, who herself died in A. j. 460 or 461, he must have been a different person from the Pelagius Patricius slain by Zeno. who did not become emperor till A. D. 474. But it is not necessary so to understand Zonaras. A MS. in the king's library at Paris (formerly No. 2891) is supposed to contain the Homero-Centra as written by Patricius, consisting of only two hundred and three lines, yet noticing all those events in the Saviour's History which are recapitulated in the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds. Two other MSS. in the same library (formerly Nos. 2977 and 3260) are thought to contain the poem as completed by Eudocia, consistinig of six hundred and fifteen verses, and comprehending not only thle work of Patricins, but also narratives of many of the miracles of Christ inserted in the appropriate places, and a description of the last judgment. In the account of a MS. in the Esecurial, the poem is described (Fabric. Bibl. Gr. vol. xi. p. 706) as composed by "Patricius Sacerdos," but arranged and corrected by Eudocia. It is not unlikely therefore that the poem of Patricius was not properly left unfinished, as Zonaras states, but composed onl a less comprehensive plan, and that Eudocia enlarged the plan, and re-arranged the poem. inserting her own additions in suitable places. There is then little difficulty in believing that Patricius was contemporary with Eudocia, but survived to the reign of Zeno, and was put to death by him as related by Cedrenus. The difficulty would be removed sby supposing the correctness of the title of one of the above MSS. in the king's library at Paris (formerly No. 2977), which ascribes the poem in its complete state to the later Empress Eudocia of Macrembolis [EUDOCIA, No. 8]; but the supposition is contrary to all other evidence.
William Smith. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. London. John Murray: printed by Spottiswoode and Co., New-Street Square and Parliament Street. In the article on Soranus, we find: "at this present time (1848)" and this date seems to reflect the dates of works cited. 1873 - probably the printing date.
