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Sophia (CHURCH OF ST in Constantinople)

CHURCH OF ST., in Constantinople, the most celebrated ecclesiastical edifice of the Greek Church, now used as a mosque; was built by the Emperor Justinian, and dedicated in 558. It is in the Byzantine style of architecture, has a fine dome rising to the height of 180 feet, and is richly decorated in the connected two half domes and six smaller interior. With the principal dome are ones, which add to the general effect. The mass of the edifice is of brick, but is overlaid with marble; the floor is of mosaic work, composed of porphyry and verd antique. The great piers which support the dome consist of square blocks of stone bound with hoops of iron. The numerous pillars supporting the internal galleries, SOPHISTS etc., are of white and colored marbles, porphyry, granite, etc., and have capitals of various peculiar forms. The interior of the church is 243 feet in width from N. to S., and 269 in length from E. to W., and its general effect is singularly fine.

SOPHISTS. The Greek word sophistes (from sophos="skilled," "wise") meant originally any one of acknowledged or professed skill; thus, the term was applied to the seven sages (whether philosophers, like Thales, or statesmen, like Solon), to poets, musicians, etc. In the SORBONNE the battle of Salamis was fought, and for his remarkable beauty and skill in music he was chosen to lead the chorus which sang the pæan of victory. His first appearance as a dramatist was in 468, when, under memorable circumstances, he had Æschylus for his rival and won the victory. Of the next 28 years of his life nothing is recorded; but it is known that he made poetry his business, and that he composed a great many plays during that period. Not one of them, however, is now extant. The "Antigone," the earliest of his extant tragedies, was brought out in 440, and won the prize. The number of plays attributed to him without question was 113, of which 81 were probably produced after the "Antigone." Seven only, are extant, viz., "Antigone," "Electra," "Trachinian Women ," "King Edipus," "Ajax," "Philoctetes," and "Edipus at Colonus." These exhibit his art in its maturity, and sus- „tain the verdict of ancient and modern 5th and 4th centuries B. c. it came to be applied specially to those who made a profession of teaching all or any of the higher branches of learning. The great intellectual awakening of Athens after the Persian War, and the growth of democracy in Sicily and elsewhere, as well as at Athens, which gave skill in public speaking a new importance, led to the demand for an education which should go beyond the old training in "gymnastics" and "music" (i. e., reading, writing, singing, and reciting from the poets). To meet this demand there arose a class of professional teachers, wandering scholars, who undertook to provide what we should call "higher education."