Theodore Metochites

Theodoros Metochites (Greek Θεόδωρος Μετοχίτης; * 1270 Opel Constantine, † March 13 1332 in Constantine Opel ) was a Byzantine diplomat, senior government official, theologian, philosopher, historian, astronomer, poet and patron of the arts. From about 1305 to 1328 he was chancellor and personal advisor ( mesaxōn ) of the Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos.

Life

Metochites was the son of Archdeacon George Metochites, an ardent supporter of the Union of Orthodox and Catholic churches. After the Second Synod of Blachernae his father was convicted and sent to exile. Metochites seems to have spent his youth in the monastic milieu of Bithynia in Asia Minor. He devoted himself to study secular and religious authors. When Andronikos II visited 1290/1291 Nicaea, Metochites apparently made ​​such an impression on him that he called him immediately to the court, and appointed Logothete. About a year later he was appointed senator. In addition to fulfilling his political duties ( diplomatic missions in Cilicia in 1295 and Serbia in 1299 ) went on to learn and write Metochites continued. 1312/1313 he began the study of astronomy at Manuel Bryennios and later became a teacher himself Nikephoros Gregoras. Theodoros Metochites was married and had five sons and a daughter, Irene, who was married to John Palaeologus the governor of Thessalonica, a nephew Andronikos II.

The highlight of Metochites political career was his appointment as Großlogotheten 1321. He was one of the richest men of his time. He used a portion of its assets for the restoration and decoration of the church of the Chora monastery in the north-west of Constantinople Opel where Metochites represented as sponsor, on a mosaic in the narthex, can be seen above the entrance to the nave today.

Metochites fate was closely tied to that of his emperor. After several years of civil war was Andronikos II on May 24, 1328 by his own grandson Andronikos III. Palaiologos overthrown. Metochites and the other leaders of the old regime fell out of favor. Metochites was deprived of his property and exiled in Didymoteichon. 1330 the return to Constantinople Opel he was allowed. He retired in the Chora monastery and took the name Theoleptos. Theodoros Metochites died in the monastery on March 13, 1332.

Works

Metochites work includes 20 poems in dactylic hexameters, 18 speeches ( logoi ), commentaries on Aristotle writings on natural philosophy, an Introduction to the Study of Ptolemaic astronomy ( Stoicheiosis astronomike ), and 120 essays on various topics, gnomikai the Semeioseis. Many of these works have not yet been edited.

Text editions and translations

  • Theodorus Metochites: Paraphrasis in Aristotelis Universam naturalem philosophiam ( = Commentaria in Aristotelem Graeca vol 3. ). Translated by Gentianus Hervetus. Reprint of the first edition, Basel 1559, with an introduction by Charles Lohr. From man - Holzboog, Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt, inter alia, 1992, ISBN 3-7728-1223-6.
  • Jeffrey M. Featherstone (ed.): Theodore Metochites 's Poems "To Himself ". Introduction, Text, and Translation ( = Byzantina Vindobonensia. Vol. 23). Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna 2000, ISBN 3-7001-2853-3
  • Karin Hult ( Eds.): Theodore Metochites on Ancient Authors and Philosophy. Semeioseis gnomikai 1-26 & 71 ( = Studia Graeca et Latina Gothoburgensia. Vol. 65). A Critical Edition with Introduction, Translation, Notes, and Indexes. With a Contribution by Börje Bydén. Acta Universitatis Gothoburgensis, Gothenburg 2002, ISBN 91-7346-434-1
  • Hendrik Joan Drossaart Lulofs: Aristotle De SOMNO vigilia et liber. Adiectis veteribus translationibus et Theodori Metochitae Commentario. Burgersdijk & Niermans among others, Lugdunum Batavorum ( di: Leiden ) 1943 (Utrecht University, PhD thesis, 1943).
Chora Church Andronikos III Palaiologos Integrated Authority File
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