Nikephoros Basilakios, writer involved in doctrinal disputes E / M XII
Νικηφόρος (Nikephoros 17003)
(Unspecified)
(null)
Narrative
(11)
Authorship
(16)
As a preface to his collected works, he wrote an intellectual autobiography, emphasising some of his disputes but omitting others, and giving an index of his surviving speeches and letters
Τοῦ αὐτοῦ λόγος, ὃν ἐποίησεν ὡς πρόλογον καὶ οἱονεὶ πίνακα εἰς βίβλον περιέχουσαν πονήματα αὐτοῦ. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 1.1-9.22
He decided to write only useful compositions, encomia for emperors and prominent people, and educational works for others; he was a supporter of schedographia, with his own variant called basilakizein, unpopular with conventional teachers of grammar
τὸ βασιλακίζειν ἐν σχεδοπλόκοις. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 2.25-3.37
He gave a complex description of his own style, then listed works, including speeches to or against
Alexios 20110
Aristenos,
Ioannes 2
Komnenos,
Nikolaos 14
Mouzalon,
Ioannes 293
Axouchos and
Anonymus 25048
Bagoas
λοιπὸν τὴν ἰδέαν προσθεῖναι καὶ τὸν χαρακτῆρα ὐποτυπώσασθαι .... Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 7.14-9.22
He probably wrote a fragment, part of the extant encomium for
Ioannes 293
or of another encomium for him or someone else. [The recipient is probably
Ioannes 293
, but this would be unique evidence of naval initiative by
Ioannes 2
against
Roger 17001
]
Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 116.1-119.14
He wrote a common letter to two friends
Anonymi 25010
, giving a bad report on his condition, speaking of plots, threats, fears and dangers; he mentioned the need to discipline
Anonymus 25053
and
Anonymus 25054
; if only he were going home!
No title. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 111.1-112.25
He wrote a forensic speech, with fictional names, at least in part, on an old false charge against Kosmas (probably
Kosmas 12
) for smearing dung on holy icons; he attacked
Anonymus 25048
, one of the accusers, as in fact responsible for the plot
No title. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 92.1-110.12
He wrote an elaborate encomium of
Alexios 20110
, stressing his broad education, eloquence and skills in both legal and religious spheres; he was favoured by an emperor whose activities reached beyond the Tigris
... καὶ ὑπὲρ τὸν Τίγρητα τοξεύματα βάλλουσιν. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 10.1-25.26
He wrote an encomium of
Adrianos 25001
, a Komnenian prince who became a monk, joined
Ioannes 2
's Syrian expedition of 1137-1138, and went on from there to visit Jerusalem on pilgimage
Λόγος εἰς τὸν σεβαστὸν κῦρ Ἀδριανὸν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ σεβαστοκράτορος κυροῦ Ἰσαακίου τοῦ Κομνηνοῦ καὶ αὐταδέλφου τοῦ βασιλέως κυροῦ Ἀλεξίου τὸν διὰ τοῦ ἀγγελικοῦ σχήματος Ἰωάννην μετονομασθέντα. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 26.1-48.18
He wrote an encomium of
Nikolaos 14
, sketching his unusual career and praising him for solving the crisis which faced him on appointment as patriarch
Λόγος ἐκδοθεὶς τινὶ τῶν ῥητορευόντων εἰς τὸν πατριάρχην κῦρ Νικόλαον τὸν Μουζάλωνα τὸν πάλαι μὲν παραιτησάμενον τὴν Κύπρον, ὕστερον δὲ τῆς Κωνσταντινουπόλεως πατριαρχεύσαντα. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 75.1-83.19
He wrote an encomium of
Ioannes 293
as an icon of the prototype
Ioannes 2
, whose leg wound in the destruction of the Pechenegs was used as an important symbol; he ended with discussion of the promised land, which might be a journey to Jerusalem
Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 84.1-91.19
He wrote an encomium to welcome
Ioannes 2
back to the capital after his long expedition to Cilicia and Syria; it included many allusions to events of the campaign, culminating in an exhortation to the people to celebrate his triumph as he deserved
Λόγος εἰς τὸν ἀοίδιμον βασιλέα κῦρ Ἰωάννην τὸν Κομνηνόν. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 49.1-74.27
He wrote poems in a wide range of metres and four large and amusing satires, all of which were remembered by some; however he was convinced that Christian literature should be more solemn, so he destroyed the works or allowed tham to be lost
τῶν ... τεττάρων τοῦτων πονημάτων .... Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 4.1-5.9
He wrote to his brother,
Anonymus 25055
, saying that he missed him and passionately wanted to get home; in Philippopolis he felt among a hostile population
No title. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 114.4-21
He wrote two letters to his students, saying he was unhappy, not following the profession of learning, wounded by barbarous neighbours and annoyed at the poor quality of food and wine; he confessed that his exile was in some way self-induced
No title. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 113.1-114.3, 114.22-115.13
His main teaching work in the church was eloquent and popular, though it roused the envy of
Michael 20130
, who inveighed against it; he regarded Michael's criticisms as absurd, and found a difficult but effective voice through schedographia
ἑτέραν δὲ καὶ ταύτην ἄβατον τοῖς πολλοῖς ἐτραπόμην. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 6.8-7.13
Though
Anonymus 25047
encouraged him to prepare a letter-collection, he made few other attempts to promote himself or his work, which was scattered among his friends; his book, responding to many demands, thus contained only a few short items
βραχέα ἅττα. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 5.10-6.7
Death
(null)
Description
(2)
In attacking
Anonymus 25048
he made open use of prejudices against the poor, the non-Byzantine and possibly pagan (
Anonyma 25014
) and the homosexual
κίναιδον. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 92.1-110.12
Highly esteemed writer and speaker, particularly as a student of rhetoric
εὐδόκιμος ἄλλα τε τῶν ἐν λόγοις ἦν καὶ δὴ καὶ λόγων ἀγαθὸς δημιουργός· ἀμέλει γοῦν καὶ πολλὰ τῶν κατὰ ῥητορικὴν μεμελέτητο αὐτῷ ἄγαν δεξιῶς. Kinnamos 176.22-177.1
Dignity/Office
(2)
Didaskalos of the Epistles
ὁ τῶν Ἀποστόλων διδάσκαλος. Council of 1157 321
τὰς τοῦ Παύλου ἀναπτύσσων ἐπ᾽ ἐκκλησίας ἐπιστολάς. Niketas Choniates, Historia 211.94-95
Education
(1)
Though broadly and splendidly educated, he was aware of many warnings in many texts against writing too much, and so had only a small body of work to show
Ὑιέ, φυλάξαι τοῦ ποιῆσαι βιβλία πολλά. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 1.1-3.11
Ethnic label
(null)
Second Name
(4)
Basilakes
Βασιλάκιος. Kinnamos 176.19
Βασιλάκιον. Italikos 163.6
Βασιλάκη. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 1, tit
Βασιλάκης. Council of 1157 321
Kinship
(3)
brother of
Anonymus 25055
ὁμόσπορον. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 114.5
nephew of
Anonymus 25047
(τῷ πρὸς μητρὸς θείῳ). Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 5.10
son of
Anonyma 25012
(μητρός). Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 5.10
Language Skill
(null)
Location
(3)
Constantinople
wanted passionately to return to Constantinople Κωνσταντινούπολιν. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 112.25, 114.21
Philippopolis
was unhappy in exile in Philippopolis Φιλιππουπολιτῶν. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 115.3-4
Region (near the capital)
would love to be on the way to Constantinople, passing Region ῾Ρηγίου. Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 112.24, 114.20
Occupation/Vocation
(null)
Possession
(null)
Religion
(null)
Eunuchs
(null)
Alternative Name
(null)