so many particulars from what holds true of the Chora, that it is difficult, if not impossible, to believe that in that description he had the latter church in mind. Unless, then, we are prepared to admit grave mistakes in Gerlach's description, we must either assume an extraordinary failure on his part and on the part of Gyllius to notice a most interesting Byzantine monument, directly on the path of both explorers in this quarter of the city, or regret the disappearance of an ancient sanctuary that rivalled the Chora in splendour. [A] It was probably the ruined cistern with twenty-four columns arranged in four rows of seven pillars each, near the mosque Kassim Aga, a short distance above Kefelé Mesjedi. Gerlach associates it with the church of Aetius. [B] _Tagebuch_, pp. 455-56; cf. Crusius, _Turcograecia_, p. 190. In the documents associated with the Synod of 536 in Constantinople the cistern of Aetius serves to identify the monastery of Mara (Mansi, viii. cols. 910, 930, 990). Cf. Banduri, iii. p. 49; v. p. 106. [443] There is some uncertainty as to the identity of Manuel. Some authorities distinguish Manuel the general from Manuel the uncle of Theodora, on the ground that the former is said to have died of wounds received in battle during the reign of Theophilus (see Leo Gramm. p. 222). But it would be strange for different Manuels to reside near the cistern of Aspar, and to convert their residences into the monastery of Manuel in that vicinity. For other reasons for the identification see Bury, _Eastern Roman Empire_, Appendix viii. p. 476. [444] Theodore Balsamon, vol. i. p. 1041; Canon VII. of the Synod of Constantinople held under Photius. [445] Theoph. Cont. p. 433, [Greek: monê tou Manouêlou]. [446] Cedrenus, ii. p. 487. [447] Scylitzes, in Cedrenus, ii, p. 738. [448] H. Brockhaus, _Die Kunst in den Athos-Klöstern_, p. 34; G. Millet, _Le Monastère de Daphné_. [449] Gerlach, _Tagebuch_, p. 337. [450] Paspates, p. 395. [451] In Parker's _Glossary of Architecture_, p. 506, the term is defined 'quae vulgariter a volta dicitur' (Matt. Par. 1056). Du Cange defines the word 'caverna ubi viae conveniunt.' [452] According to the Patriarch Constantius (_Ancient and Modern Constantinople_, p. 76), the monogram-- [Illustration: Monogram in Greek.] was to be seen in his day on the exterior western wall of the Chora. CHAPTER XVIII MONASTIR MESJEDI