[Footnote 55: Theophylact, l. viii. c. 15. The life of
Maurice was composed about the year 628 (l. viii. c. 13) by
Theophylact Simocatta, ex-praefect, a native of Egypt.
Photius, who gives an ample extract of the work, (cod. lxv.
p. 81 - 100,) gently reproves the affectation and allegory
of the style. His preface is a dialogue between Philosophy
and History; they seat themselves under a plane-tree, and
the latter touches her lyre.]