MatthaeusCAMARIOTA3. 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.