Suidas

Suidas, the reputed author of a Lexicon, though when he lived, or who he was, or whether he was even called Suidas, no one can say; but it is customary to place him about the 10th or 11th century. The Lexicon bears unmistakable evidence of having gone through many hands; and though we can fix the date when several of the articles must have been written, it is impossible to ascertain whether they are the composition of the first compiler or of a later editor. The work is a sort of cyclopædia, giving an explanation of words, and notices of persons, places, &c., in alphabetical order. It possesses almost no literary or critical merit, but is valuable for its numerous extracts from ancient writers, whose works in many cases have perished. The first edition appeared at Milan (1499); since then the best editions have been those of Küster (3 vols. 1705), Gaisford (3 vols. Oxf. 1834), Bernhardy (2 vols. Halle, 1834), and I. Bekker (1854).