MICHAEL PSELLOS ON RHETORIC
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/subbto.2021.1.12Keywords:
rhetoric, epistolary genre, levels of style, aesthetic, Atticism.Abstract
The present paper is focused on Psellos’ letters, which contain a number of remarks on his role as a teacher of rhetoric and as a rhetor active at the imperial court, as well as many comments on his correspondents’ and his own style – including considerations on kinds and levels of style, Atticism and sophistry, and judgements on the great rhetorical models of the past. The examination of all these passages makes it possible to highlight the way Psellos constructs his own image as an expert in rhetoric, familiar with Hermogenean theories, but also heavily influenced by Dionysios of Halikarnassos’ aesthetic conceptions. The great diversity of models with whom he identifies testifies to his stylistic versatility and his frequent adoption of a polemical stance can be read as a claim to independence of mind and originality.References
Texts
Michael Psellos
— Collections of letters
E. Kurtz et F. Drexl [KD], Michaelis Pselli Scripta Minora, II, Milan, Vita e pensiero, 1941.
K. N. Sathas [S], Mesaiônikê Bibliothêkê, V, Paris, Maisonneuve, 1876, p. 219-523.
P. Gautier [G], “Quelques lettres de Psellos inédites ou déjà éditées”, REB 44, 1986, p. 111-197.
E. V. Maltese [M], “Epistole inedite di Michele Psello I-III”, Studi Italiani di filologia classica (3e série) 5, 1987, p. 83-98 and 210-223; 6, 1988, p. 110 -134.
S. Papaioannou, Michael Psellus. Epistulae, I-II, Berlin-Boston, De Gruyter, 2019.
— Other works
- Chron.: ed. É. Renauld, Michel Psellos. Chronographie, I-II, Paris, Les Belles Lettres, 1926-1928.
Michele Psello, Imperatori di Bisanzio (Cronografia), testo critico a cura di S. Impellizzeri, commento di U. Criscuolo, traduzione di S. Ronchey, I-II, Milan, Fondazione L. Valla: Mondadori, 1984.
- De Heliodoro et Achille Tatio judicium: ed. A. R. Dyck, Michael Psellus (see infra), p. 90-98.
- Encomium for his mother: ed. U. Criscuolo, Michele Psello Autobiografia. Encomio per la madre, Naples, M. D’Auria editore, 1989; English transl.: A. Kaldellis, Mothers and Sons, Fathers and Daughters, Notre-Dame (Indiana), Ind. University of Notre Dame Press, 2006, p. 51-109; French transl.: Michel Psellos. Portraits de famille. Textes traduits et commentés par Jean-Claude Riedinger et Corinne Jouanno, avec le concours de Vincent Déroche, Paris, ACHByz, 2015.
- Ep. ad Cerul.: ed. U. Criscuolo, Michele Psello: Epistola a Michele Cerulario, 2nd ed., Naples, Bibliopolis, 1990.
- Ep. ad Xiph.: ed. U. Criscuolo, Michele Psello: Epistola a Giovanni Xifilino, 2nd ed., Naples, Bibliopolis, 1991.
- Funeral oration for Constantine Leichoudes: transl. U. Criscuolo, Michele Psello. Orazione in memoria di Costantino Lichudi, Messina, A. Sfameni, 1983.
- On Rhetoric (De Rhetorica): ed. M. Patillon and L. Brisson, Longin, Fragments, Art rhétorique - Rufus, Art rhétorique, Paris, Les Belles Lettres, 2001 (CUF).
- On saint John Chrysostom (Ψελλοῦ εἰϛ τὸν ἅγιον ̓Ιωάννην Χρυσόστομον): ed. P. Lévy, Michaelis Pselli de Gregorii Theologi charactere iudicium, Leipzig, Typis Roberti Noske Bornensis, 1912, p. 92-98.
- On the Style of certain Writings (Περὶ χαρακτήρων συγγραμμάτων τινῶν): ed. J.-F. Boissonade, Michael Psellus, de operatione daemonum, Nuremberg, Fr. Nap. Campe, 1838, p. 48-52.
- On the Style of Gregory the Theologian, Basil the Great, Chrysostom, and Gregory of Nyssa (Χαρακτῆρεϛ Γρηγορίου τοῦ Θεολόγου, τοῦ μεγάλου Βασιλείου, τοῦ Χρυσοστόμου, καὶ Γρηγορίου τοῦ Νύσσηϛ): ed. J.-F. Boissonade, Michaelis Pselli de operatione daemonum, Nuremberg, Fr. Nap. Campe, 1838, p. 124-131.
- On the Style of the Theologian (Τοῦ ὑπερτίμου Ψελλοῦ λόγοϛ σχεδιασθεὶϛ πρὸϛ Πόθον βεστάρχην ἀξιώσαντα αὐτὸν γράψαι περὶ τοῦ Θεολόγου χαρακτῆροϛ): ed. A. Mayer, “Psellos Rede über den rhetorischen Character des Gregorios von Nazianz”, BZ 20, 1911, p. 27-100.
- Or. forens.: ed. G. Dennis, Michaelis Pselli Orationes, Forenses et Acta, Stuttgart-Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1994.
- Or. funebr.: ed. I. Polemis, Michael Psellus. Orationes funebres, Berlin, De Gruyter, 2014.
- Or. hag.: ed. E. A. Fisher, Michaelis Pselli Orationes hagiographicae, Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1994.
- Or. min.: ed. A. R. Littlewood, Michaelis Pselli Oratoria minora, Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1985.
- Or. paneg.: ed. G. T. Dennis, Michaelis Pselli Orationes panegyricae, Stuttgart-Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1994.
- Phil. min. I-II: ed. J. M. Duffy, Michaelis Pselli Philosophica minora, Stuttgart-Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1989-1992.
- Poemata: ed. L. G. Westerink, Michaelis Pselli Poemata, Stuttgart-Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1992.
- Theol. I: ed. P. Gautier, Michaelis Pselli Theologica, I, Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1989.
- Theol. II: ed. L. G. Westerink and J. M. Duffy, Michaelis Pselli Theologica, II, Munich-Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 2002.
— Other authors
Aeneas of Gaza, Letters: ed. L. M. Positano, Enea di Gaza, Epistole, Naples, Libreria scientifica, 1962.
Ps.-Aristides: ed. M. Patillon, Pseudo-Aelius Aristide, Arts rhétoriques, 2 vol., Paris, Les Belles Lettres, 2002 (CUF).
Caecilius of Calacte: ed. F. Woerther, Caecilius de Calè-Actè, Fragments et témoignages, Paris, Les Belles Lettres, 2015 (CUF).
Dionysios of Halikarnassos: ed. G. Aujac and M. Lebel, Denys d’Halicarnasse, Opuscules rhétoriques. Tome III: La composition stylistique, Paris, Les Belles Lettres, 1981 (CUF).
Eustathios of Thessalonike
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Hermogenes: transl. M. Patillon, Hermogène, L’Art rhétorique. Première traduction française intégrale, Lausanne, L’Âge d’homme, 1997.
(Michael) Italikos: ed. P. Gautier, Michel Italikos. Lettres et discours, Paris, Institut Français d’Études Byzantines, 1972.
Longinos: ed. M. Patillon and L. Brisson, Longin, Fragments, Art rhétorique - Rufus, Art rhétorique, Paris, Les Belles Lettres, 2001 (CUF).
(John) Mauropous, Letters: ed.-transl. A. Karpozilos, The Letters of Ioannes Mauropous, Metropolitan of Euchaita, Thessalonike, Association for Byzantine Research, 1990 (CFHB, 34).
Rhetores graeci [GR], ed. C. Walz, 8 vol., Stuttgart-Tübingen, J.G. Cotta, 1832-1836.
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