RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Suicerus Suidbert
against the pressure and the vicissitudes of complex modern civilization; though natural elasticity and strong sense of duty may give similar results within a limited area, the only reliable foundation of a patience and a hope which do not fail even in the most desperate situations is religion. And as once Christianity brought new regard for life into a decadent civilization, so only the Gospel can heal the destructive and deadly tendencies of modern culture. The battle against suicide thus becomes, in the last analysis, identical with the validation of a Christian view of life and morality. He who knows that he has a duty to perform toward God is bound to go on, be conditions what they may; and he who is convinced that there is forgiveness for the penitent and help for the fallen can never despair. The Christian Church has naturally condemned utterly an act which she can not but regard as absolute negation of the fear of God and of trust in him, and as an insult alike to divine judgment and to divine grace. It is, therefore, inadvisable to break down the barriers erected by law and custom against the suicide, for such procedure would only invite still greater laxity of public opinion. While in some cases the suicide may deserve pity rather than blame, the act itself must uncompromisingly be regarded as morally impossible for the Christian. At the same time, it is hopeless to look for great results merely from laws and disciplinary measures; only the Gospel can create a new spirit, and thus heal the evils of modern civilization. (O. Kirn.)
Bibliography: C. F. Staudlin, Geschichte der Vorstellungen und Lehren vom Selbstmord, Gottingen, 1824; A. Wagner, Die Gesetzmassigkeit in den scheinbar willkurlichen menschlichen Handlungen, Hamburg, 1864; A. Legoyt, Le Suicide ancien et moderne, Paris, 1881; T. G. Masaryk, Der Selbstmord als soziale Massenerscheinung der modernen Civilisation, Vienna, 1881; H. Morselli, Der Selbstmord, Leipsic, 1881, Eng. transl., Suicide, London, 1881; J. J. O'Dea, Suicide; Studies on its Philosophy, New York, 1882; G. Garrisson, Le Suicide dans Vantiguiti et dans les temps modernes, Paris, 1885; M. Imhofer, Der Selbstmord, Augsburg, 1886; C. A. Geiger, Der Selbstmord im klassischen Altertum, Augsburg, 1888; E. Motta, Bibliografia del suicidio, Bellinzona, 1890; E. Rehfisch, Der Selbstmord, Berlin, 1893; E. Durkheim, Le Suicide, Paris, 1897; H. H. Henson, Suicide, Oxford, 1897; F. H. P. Coste, The Ethics of Suicide, London, 1898; J. Gurnhill, The Morals of Suicide, 2 vols., London and New York, 1900; H. Rost, Der Selbstmord als sozialstatistische Erscheinung, Cologne, 1905; H. A. Krose, Der Selbstmord im 19. Jahrhundert; and Die Ursachen der Selbstmordhaufigkeit, 2 vols., Freiburg, 1906; W. W. Westcott, On Suicide, London, 1905; W. Spark, Der Selbstmord, seine Folgen und seine Verhutung, Freiburg, 1909.
SUIDAS, swi'das: Greek lexicographer. Nothing is known of the personal history of Suidas, even his period is only with probability assigned as that of Johannes Tzimisces, Basil II., and Constantine IX., therefore before the end of the tenth century; his home is conjectured to have been Samothrace. His Greek lexicon, probably finished c. 976, is a most important, even indispensable, reference-book for the classical philologist, and is equally valuable for the theologian and church historian. He drew upon older dictionaries and collections, upon Hesychius Milesius for facts of literary history, upon the dictionary of Harpokratio, perhaps also upon that of Photius, upon the Biblical glossators, and upon the
scholiasts. His articles on secular and ecclesiastical history are derived chiefly from the book of excerpts of Konstantinos Porphyrogenitos and from George the Monk. He also read a great number of sources at first hand. From all this it is easy to explain the manifold character of Suidas' work. It resembles now a lexicon, now an encyclopedia. It is a repertorium for the study of the classics and the Bible, of secular and ecclesiastical history.
Of interest from a theological point of view are especially the Biblical glosses derived from Hesychius and such Greek exegetes as Theodoret and CEcumenius, relating to Biblical names and the more important New-Testament words and conceptions. It is still worth while to consult Suidas on such words as Smaioavvn, dinatw/ia, 66tja Oeov, iKoraair, evxiptarla, v6fior) Tr^ovrog, irvevfia, ipvxiK-dg. The theological and dogmatic point of view of the work may be inferred from such entries as dedr. The general scientific and philosophic interest of Suidas appears abundantly. Finally Suidas offers a large register of patristic names and choice excerpts, enriched with biographical and literary details. The notice of Hypatia's life, studies, and death may be cited. The opinion of the author and his church appears not seldom in the account. For example, Dionysius the Areopagite receives the appellation of " the most famous man," who attained the summit of Greek wisdom, and as a pupil of Paul was by him made bishop of Athens. Chrysostom is praised yet more highly. His eloquence was like the cataracts of the Nile and was never equaled; only God could count the number of his works.
The lexicon was first issued by Demetrius Chalkondylas (Milan, 1499; Aldine ed., Venice, 1514). Other editions are Cambridge, 1705, by Kiister; Oxford, 1834, by Gaisford; best ed. by Bernhardy, Halle, 1853; and the reprint by Bekker, Berlin, 1854. (Philipp Meyek.)
Bibliography: The introduction in Bernhardy's ed., ut sup.; Krumbacher, Geschichte, pp. 562-570, where a large list of helps is furnished; Fabrioius-Harles, Bibliotheca Grwca, vi. 389-595, Hamburg, 1795.
SUIDBERT, swid'bart: Apostle of the Frisians; d. at what is now Kaiserswerth in Mar., 713. He was one of the twelve who under the leadership of Willibrord (q.v.) began the mission to the Frisians. He was chosen bishop by his companions and placed at the head of the undertaking, and this has given rise to many explanations of the passing over of Willibrord, the real leader; the probable reason was Willibrord's youth and Suidbert's maturity. Suidbert was consecrated by Wilfrid of York late in 692 or early in 693. Soon after his return to his field of work he abandoned it and went to labor beyond the Rhine among the Bructeri, a course probably to be explained by a difference between him and Pippin, who had the right of confirmation of bishops in his realm. The only notice of Suidbert's success is Bede's brief statement that " by his preaching he led many into the way of truth " (Hist, eccl., v. 11); but this success aroused the animosity of the heathen Saxons who scattered the Christians. Suidbert was then presented with the
Suidger Summa