Περίληψη : Άλλα Ονόματα David Paphlagon, Niketas the philosopher, Niketas Rhetor

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1 Περίληψη : Niketas David Paphlagon was a scholar and a cleric, who was active in the late 9 th and the early 10 th century. He was a distinguished philosopher, rhetor and teacher, and the author of many hagiological, theological and ethical, philosophical, scientific and historical works. Άλλα Ονόματα David Paphlagon, Niketas the philosopher, Niketas Rhetor Τόπος και Χρόνος Γέννησης or around Amastris (?), Paphlagonia Κύρια Ιδιότητα Scholar, clergyman 1. Birth - family The exact date of Niketas birth cannot be determined; he was probably born between 880 and 890, 1 perhaps c Through indirect sources from his later life, we can conclude that during the issue of Leo VI s tetragamy in 906/907, Niketas was already of mature age. In any case, he must have been younger than Arethas of Caesarea or the Patriarch Nicholas Mystikos ( / ). While it still remains unconfirmed, it is assumed that Niketas was born in Paphlagonia, probably in the city of Amastris (mod. Amasra). His father, Andrew, was a priest in Paphlagonia, where his large family lived. His mother s name does not survive. However, we know that one of his brothers was called Peter, while another brother had a name ending in rianos. His father s brother was probably called Paul and was a sakellarios in the Patriarchate and abbot of the monastery of St Phokas in Constantinople. Niketas two names have inspired many theories. The most common one is that he assumed the name David when he became a monk, after the Emperor Leo VI confined him in the monastery of Agathos in Constantinople, in the quarter of Psamathia (mod. Samatya). 3 On the other hand, it is not even certain that Niketas became a monk during this imprisonment; we could, therefore, presume that he simply had two secular names Upbringing - Education It is certain that Niketas completed the second stage of his education (enkyklios paideia) in his home place of Paphlagonia. He continued his studies in Constantinople, where he was perhaps brought or called by his uncle, Paul. In the capital, Niketas started to associate with some of the most educated men of his age: the Patriarch Nicholas Mystikos, the Patriarch Euthymios ( ) and Arethas of Caesarea. It is possible that he was also the latter s pupil, but this allegation cannot be argued with certainty. 5 In any case, he was a friend and colleague of Arethas of Caesarea and corresponded in writing with him, until Arethas accepted Leo VI s fourth marriage, during the replacement of Nicholas Mystikos by Euthymios in the patriarchal throne. Not much is known with certainty about Niketas character and type of education. However, it is certain that his contemporaries considered him an important scholar, whose excellent education brought him glory and attracted the attention of Emperor Leo VI. 3. Activity The high education that he received in Constantinople gave Niketas David the Paphlagonian many epithets, confirming the level of education that he possessed. He was a philosopher and an orator, as well as scholastikos. It remains unconfirmed, however, if Δημιουργήθηκε στις 27/10/2017 Σελίδα 1/6

2 Niketas was also a didaskalos, a teacher in the literal sence, that is if he taught in one of the schools of the capital. His first appearance in the political scene was caused by the issue of the tetragamy of Leo VI. Niketas was a firm opponent of the approval and recognition of the emperor s fourth marriage. He also opposed the use of oikonomia, which, in this case, would allow Leo VI to have his marriage to Zoe Karbonopsina recognised without many consequences. In this matter, Niketas was on the same side as the Patriarch Nicholas Mystikos and his teacher and friend, Arethas. In 907, Leo VI wanted to have his marriage to Zoe sanctioned at all costs, since she had given him his only male heir. Therefore, he managed to dethrone Nicholas Mystikos (2 February 907) and replace him with Euthymios ( ). Despite the approval of the emperor s actions by Arethas and even though the new patriarch sanctioned the marriage, Niketas David remained firm in his opposition. In one of his surviving letters, Niketas mentions that he was pressured by the Pope Nicholas I to stand by the emperor s side; this pressure did not seem to have brought any results. 6 It appears that Niketas was very decisive in defending his beliefs. His contemporaries had been impressed by this attitude, as is shown in an episode from the Life of the Patriarch Euthymios: 7 Leo VI tries in vain to intimidate Niketas, after the latter had suffered a large number of accusations. The text does not mention the issue of the tetragamy as a reason for this strife. However, the portrayal of Niketas as a firm and strong-willed man is remarkable, especially because the author was a supporter of the emperor and the patriarch, and certain of Niketas guilt. 8 Niketas David s denial to shift his position in the matter of the Emperor s fourth marriage greatly damaged his relationship with Leo VI. Niketas withdrew from public life, becoming a hermit near Medea, in the west coast of the Black Sea. A few months later, probably in the second half of 907 or at the beginning of 908, the strategos of Thrace in Medea arrested Niketas, with the charge of being a spy for the Bulgars. Niketas was brought before Leo VI in Constantinople, where he was accused of having composed a libel against the patriarch and the emperor. After this incident, Niketas was imprisoned, and then freed on the patriarch s initiative and moved to the Asian side of the Bosporos, in the monastery of Agathos, where he was confined for two years. It is possible that while there, he was under the personal custody of the Patriarch Euthymios; after all, the monastery of Agathos was a methochion of the monastery of St. Euthymios, erected by Leo VI in the quarter of Psamathia, in honour of Euthymios. 9 However, it appears that even during this two-year exile in this monastery of the capital, Niketas did not become a monk. He was then imprisoned in the monastery of St Phokas (where his uncle Paul used to be hegoumenos) for 20 months, from October 910 until May 912; that was when Nicholas Mystikos returned to the patriarchal throne after the Emperor Leo VI s death (11 May 912). 4. Death Little is known for the last period of Niketas life. It is certain that he was still alive during the monocracy of Leo VI s son, Constantine Porphyrogennetos ( ). Even though he had once been the main opponent of the recognition of the marriage of Leo with Constantine s mother, Niketas David appeared to be in good terms with Constantine VII; he dedicated to him a Life of St John Chrysostom, which he composed. What remains unsure are Niketas David Paphlagon's last days. It appears that Niketas Paphlagon left Constantinople, or was exiled, and returned to Paphlagonia. It is speculated that he died there, after Oeuvre Niketas was the author of many written works. 10 He wrote approximately 50 encomia of saints, a treatise on the end of the world, a commentary on the Psalms and a number of homilies. 11 In his theological works, he stresses the contrast between God s omnipotence and man s humble position. He is also the author of the Life of the Patriarch Ignatios ( ), which is essentially a libel against the Patriarch Photios ( , ); it is considered his most important work. 12 Six of his letters also survive. 1. Πασχαλίδης, Σ., Νικήτας Δαβίδ Παφλαγών. Το πρόσωπο και το έργο του (Θεσσαλονίκη 1999), p. 90. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 27/10/2017 Σελίδα 2/6

3 2. Jenkins, R.J.H., A Note on Nicetas David Paphlago and the Vita Ignatii, Dumbarton Oaks Papers 19 (1965), p. 243, n Jenkins, R.J.H., A Note on Nicetas David Paphlago and the Vita Ignatii, Dumbarton Oaks Papers 19 (1965), p Πασχαλίδης, Σ., Νικήτας Δαβίδ Παφλαγών. Το πρόσωπο και το έργο του (Θεσσαλονίκη 1999), pp Lemerle, P., Ο πρώτος Βυζαντινός Ουμανισμός (Αθήνα 1985, trans. Μ. Νυσταζοπούλου Πελεκίδου), pp On the other hand, Πασχαλίδης, Σ., Νικήτας Δαβίδ Παφλαγών. Το πρόσωπο και το έργο του (Θεσσαλονίκη 1999), pp. 92 ff., believed that Niketas David was a pupil of the renown bishop of Caesarea, Arethas. 6. See entry Niketas David Paphlagon, The Oxford History of Byzantium III, p (A. Kazhdan). 7. An anonymous text, a valuable source on the history of the period, is essentially the hagiography of the Patriarch Euthymios. An older edition with a historical annotation exists in C. de Boor (Berlin 1888). For a more recent edition of the text (based on the one by de Boor) with an English translation see Karlin Hayter, P. (ed.), Vita S. Euthymii, Byzantion ( ), pp Karlin Hayter, P. (ed.), Vita S. Euthymii, Byzantion ( ), pp Cf. the second and third texts in the Appendices. 9. Entry Niketas David Paphlagon, The Oxford History of Byzantium 3, p (A. Kazhdan). Cf. Janin, R., La géographie ecclésiastique de lʹempire byzantin, I: Le siège de Constantinople et le patriarcat Oecumenique, tome 3: Les églises et les monastères (Paris 1969), p For a complete list of his works see Πασχαλίδης, Σ., Νικήτας Δαβίδ Παφλαγών. Το πρόσωπο και το έργο του (Θεσσαλονίκη 1999), pp. 123 ff. and pp (Table). 11. See Lebrun, F., Nicetas le Paphlagonien. Sept homélies inédites (Leuven 1997). 12. See Bibliotheca Hagiographica Graeca 817, and for the edition see Patrologia Graeca 105, cols Βιβλιογραφία : Ιωάννης Σκυλίτζης, Σύνοψις Ιστοριών, Thurn, I. (ed.), Ioannis Skylitzae Synopsis Historiarum, Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5, Berlin New York 1973 Westerink L.G., Arethae archiepiscopi Caesariensis Scripta Minora, vol. I- II, Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana, Leipzig Jenkins R.J.H., Studies on Byzantine History of the 9th and 10th Centuries (v.r.), London 1970 Πασχαλίδης Σ., Νικήτας Δαβίδ Παφλαγών. Το πρόσωπο και το έργo του, Θεσσαλονίκη 1999, Βυζαντινά Κείμενα και Μέλεται 28 Jenkins R.J.H., "A Note on Nicetas David Paphlago and the Vita Ignatii", Dumbarton Oaks Papers, 19, 1965, Westerink L.G., "Nicetas the Paphlagonian on the end of the World", Μελετήματα στη μνήμη Βασιλείου Λαούρδα, Θεσσαλονίκη 1975, Flusin B., "Un fragment inédit de la Vie d'euthyme le Patriarche?", Travaux et Mémoires, 9, 1985, Δημιουργήθηκε στις 27/10/2017 Σελίδα 3/6

4 Flusin B., "Un fragment inédit de la Vie d'euthyme le Patriarche? II. Vie d'euthyme ou Vie de Nicétas", Travaux et Mémoires, 10, 1988, Barbunes M., "Ενδείξεις για την ύπαρξη βυζαντινών ακριτικών τραγουδιών σε αγιολογικό κείμενο του αγ. Προκοπίου", Βυζαντινός Δόμος, 5-6, 1992, Yannopoulos P., "Autour de Nicétas le Paphlagonien", Byzantion, 69, 1999, Karlin-Hayter P., "Vita Euthymii Patriarchae CP (BHG 651)", Byzantion, 25-27, , Δικτυογραφία : "The life and struggle of our holy father Ignatios the archbishop of Constantinople" written by Niketas David Paphlagon Niketas Paphlagon Γλωσσάριo : enkyklios education The secondary education in Byzantium. The students, from 12 years old, were taught grammar, rhetorics and eloquence. oikonomia (kat'oikonomian) A principle of action that allows a deviation from established rules if a (considered as) higher end is to be met. sakellarios - sakellion A Byzantine administrative term with two basic meanings: 1. The imperial treasury. A significant institution for administrative work and disbursement of funds. Connected with this are the offices of sakellarios (originally), chartulary of the sakelle (from the 9th c.), the sekreton of the sakellion, o epi sakelliou (the dignitary in charge since the 11th-12th c.). The "sakellarios" was, in all probability, the medieval name of the "tamias ton vasilikon chrematon" (royal treasurer). 2. The treasury of the Great Church of Constantinople, i.e. Hagia Sophia. In the patriarchal sakelle were kept documents attesting to the property rights of the Patriarchate. In monasteries and lesser churches the corresponding title was megas sakellarios or "ho sakelliou". scholastikos A lawyer. strategos ("general") During the Roman period his duties were mainly political. Οffice of the Byzantine state s provincial administration. At first the title was given to the military and political administrator of the themes, namely of the big geographic and administrative unities of the Byzantine empire. Gradually the title lost its power and, already in the 11th century, strategoi were turned to simple commanders of military units, responsible for the defence of a region. tetragamy A political and ecclesiastical controversy that followed the fourth marriage of emperor Leo VI ( ). Since his only male heir had been a product of this marriage, it was of vital importance to leo to have the marriage recognised, whereas to the Church this was unacceptable. The issue was finally resolved in the Council of Constantinople in 920. Πηγές Karlin Hayter, P. (ed.), Vita Euthymii Patriarchae CP (Bibliotheca Hagiographica Graeca 651), Byzantion ( ), pp (repr. Bibliothèque de Byzantion 3, Bruxelles 1970). Thurn, I. (ed.), Ioannis Scylitzae, Synopsis Historiarum, Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5 (Berlin New York 1973). Westerink, L.G. (ed.), Arethae Archiepiscopi Caesariensis Scripta Minora, 1 2, Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana (Leipzig ) Δημιουργήθηκε στις 27/10/2017 Σελίδα 4/6

5 Παραθέματα Niketas' reputation Παῦλος δέ τις ὁσιώτατος ἀνὴρ τὸ κατ ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ σακελλάριος καὶ ἡγούμενος ὑπῆρχε τῆς τοῦ ἁγίου Φωκᾶ μονῆς ἐκ Παφλαγονίας ὁρμώμενος. οὗτος ἀνεψιὸν ἔσχεν Νικήταν τοὔνομα, ὃν παδείᾳ καὶ νουθεσίᾳ ἀνέτρεφεν [ ] οὗτος πάντα τὰ ἐν κόσμῳ καταφρονήσας τοῖς τε πένησι καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς διανείμας τὴν ὕπαρξιν ἀναχωρεῖ ἐπί τινα τοῦ Εὐξείνου πόντου τόπον [ ] χρόνου δὲ παρῳχηκότος, παρὰ τοῦ τὴν Θρᾴκην στρατηγοῦντος διαγνωσθεὶς καὶ κρατηθεὶς ὡς εἰς Βουλγάρους προσφυγεῖν καταγγελόμενος, τῷ βασιλεῖ δέσμιος παραπέμπεται. τοῦτον ὁ βασιλεὺς δεξάμενος καὶ ἀνακρίνας τὸ τί πρὸς Βουλγάρους θέλων ἀφίκοιτο ἠρώτα. «εἰ μὲν πρὸς αὐτῶν ὠφέλειαν, ἔδει καὶ ἡμᾶς τοῦτο προσυπομνησθῆναι», φησίν «εἰ δὲ καθ ἡμῶν τῶν ὁμοφύλων, ποῖος νόμος σοι τοῦτο παρακελεύεται». ὁ δὲ προσαπελογεῖτο μήτε εἰς ἐνθύμιον αὐτοῦ τὸ τοιοῦτον εἰσδέξασθαι. καὶ ὁ βασιλεύς «οὐδὲ τοῦτο καθομολογήσεις ὡς Χριστὸν σεαυτὸν ὠνόμασας;» ὁ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ἀνεβάλλετο μὴ ποιῆσαι τὸ παράπαν διομνύμενος. ὡς δ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπέμενε, φησὶν ἐκεῖνος «τοῦτο μὴ ταραττέτω τὴν βασιλείαν σου. γέγραπται γάρ ἐγὼ εἶπα, θεοί ἐστε καὶ υἱοὶ ὑψίστου πάντες». Karlin Hayter, P. (ed.), Vita Euthymii Patriarchae CP (BHG 651), Byzantion ( ), XVI. «Περὶ τοῦ Νικήτα φιλοσόφου τοῦ Παφλαγόνος», pp Niketas is accused as a writer of a libel against the emperor καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔφη [ὁ αὐτοκράτορας] «λέγε μοι, ἀνούστατε, οὐ κατὰ τοῦ κοινοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ πάσης τῆς ἱερᾶς ταύτης ὁμηγύρεως γέγραφας; οὐ κατ ἐμοῦ καὶ τῆς ἐμῆς βασιλείας τὴν γλῶτταν ἠκόνησας; λέγε μοι τὸ ἀληθές καὶ γάρ, εἰ οὐκ ἐξείπῃς μοι, ἐπὶ τὸ ἄλγος τῶν τραυμάτων σου προσθήσω». ὁ δὲ ἀνένευεν μηδὲν ἐπίστασθαι λέγων. Karlin Hayter, P. (ed.), Vita Euthymii Patriarchae CP (BHG 651), Byzantion ( ), XVI. «Περὶ τοῦ Νικήτα φιλοσόφου τοῦ Παφλαγόνος», p The patriarch intercedes for Niketas πολλοὶ δὲ τῶν ἐκεῖσε παρόντων τῷ πατριάρχῃ ἐπετώθαζον ἐᾶσαι τῷ βασιλεῖ τὴν τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐκδίκησιν ποιῆσαι, ἐξαιρέτως δὲ καὶ Παῦλος, ὁ τούτου θεῖος ὁ καὶ σακελλάριος, καὶ ὁ Ἀρέθας ἐκεῖνος, ὁ Καισαρείας πρόεδρος, ὃς καὶ μαθητὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦτον τυγχάνειν ἔλεγεν. ὁ δὲ πατριάρχης βεβαιοῖ τῷ τε βασιλεῖ καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς παροῦσιν [ ] τότε ὁ βασιλεὺς μόλις ποτὲ οὕτω τὴν συγχώρησιν ἀπένειμεν, καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος αὐτὸν καὶ παρ ἑαυτῷ ἔχειν βιασάμενος ἀναβαλλόμενον ὁρῶν ἀπέλυσεν. ὁ δὲ τὴν τῶν ἐχθραινόντων αὐτῷ δεδιὼς ἔφοδον ἐν προαστείῳ ἐξῄει τῆς τοῦ Ψαμαθία μονῆς Ἀγαθοῦ προσαγορευόμενον ἐνιαυτοὺς δύο ἐκεῖσε διαπεράνας ἀπρόοπτος. Karlin Hayter, P. (ed.), Vita Euthymii Patriarchae CP (BHG 651), Byzantion ( ), XVI. «Περὶ τοῦ Νικήτα φιλοσόφου τοῦ Παφλαγόνος», p Βοηθ. Κατάλογοι Works - Editions - Translations of Niketas Paphlagon's works Patrologia cursus completus, series graeca, ed. J. P. Migne, vol. 105, col [Life of Patriarch Ignatios]. Karlin Hayter, P. (ed.), Vita Euthymii Patriarchae CP (Bibliotheca Hagiographica Graeca 651), Byzantion ( ), pp (repr. Bibliothèque de Byzantion 3, Bruxelles 1970) [English translation of the Life of Euthymios of Constantinople]. Vogt, A. (ed.), Deux discours inédits de Nicétas de Paphlagonie, disciple de Photius, Panégyrique de St. Pierre, Panégyrique de St. Paul, Orientalia Christiana 23 (1931) [encomium of St. Peter and panegyric of St Paul]. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 27/10/2017 Σελίδα 5/6

6 Rizzo, J.J. (ed.), The Encomium of Gregory Nazianzen (Brussels 1976) [encomium of Gregory Nazianzen the Theologian]. Crimi, C., (ed.), Nazianzenica II. Sulla Chiesa di S. Anastasia ovvero di S. Gregorio il Teologo a Costantinopoli, Orpheus 13 (1992), pp [encomium of Gregory Nazianzen the Theologian]. Dorrival, G. Le ʹCommentaire sur les Psaumesʹ de Nicétas David (début du 10e siècle), Revue des Études Byzantines 39 (1981), pp [Commentaries on Psalms]. Halkin, F., Le panégyrique du martyr Procope de Palestine par Nicétas le Paphlagonien, Analecta Bollandiana 80 (1962), pp [encomium of St Procopius of Palestine]. Paschalides, S.A., «Άγνωστο εγκώμιο του Νικήτα Ρήτορα στον προφήτη Ησαΐα εν ω και περί των Σεραφείμ», Επιστημονική Επετηρίδα Θεολογικής Σχολής 5 (Τμήμα Ποιμαντικής και Κοινωνικής Θεολογίας. Αριστοτέλειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλονίκης) (1998), pp [encomium of Prophet Isaiah]. Lebrun, F., Nicetas le Paphlagonien. Sept homélies inédites (Leuven, Peters 1997) [homilies]. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 27/10/2017 Σελίδα 6/6