A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology
William Smith, Ed.

---

Matthaeus CAMARIOTA

3. CAMARIOTA (ὁ Καμαριῶτα), a native of either Constantinople or Thessalonica, was the son of a Greek priest who perished during the capture of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453. Matthaeus, the son, was also present at the capture, but survived the event.

Matthaeus was the tutor of Georgius Scholarius. It would seem that in 1438 he accompanied John VII. Palaeologus to Italy, and was present at the councils of Ferrara and Florence; and if we can trust Phranza (3.19), he became, after the fall of the Greek capital, patriarch of Constantinople, under the name of Gennadius, but finally abdicated and retired into a convent.

---

Works

He is praised for his knowledge of philosophy and rhetorical talents.

He wrote:

1. Epistola de capta Constantinopoli, a very prolix production, the greater extant portion of which was translated into Latin by Theodore Zygomala, and published with the Greek text by M. Crusius in his Turco-Graecia. 2. Epitome in Hermogenem et Rhetoricae Liber. 3. Synopsis Rhetorica. [See the following, No. 4.] 4. Commentarii in Synesii Epistolas. 5. Encomium in tres Hierarchas, Basilium, Gregorium et Chrysostomum. 6. (perhaps) Matthaei Monachi et Presbyteri Thessalonicensis de Divina Gratia et Lumine, &c. 7. Tractatus de iis qui Spuria et Aliena docent.

---

Further Information

Fabr. Bibl. Graec. vol. vi. p. 118, vol. xii. p. 107; Cave, Hist. Liter. Append. p. 110, ed. Geneva.