John Tzetzes
John Tzetzes lived in Constantinople from roughly 1110 until his death in 1180. He described himself as pure Greek on his father's side and part Iberian or Georgian on his mother's side. His grandmother was a relative of the Bagratid princess Maria of Alania who arrived in Constantinople with her family. This princess later became the second wife of Constantine Keroularios, a megas droungarios and nephew of patriarch Michael Keroularios. These connections placed him within the complex web of Byzantine aristocracy during the twelfth century.
Tzetzes worked briefly as a secretary to a provincial governor before earning a living through teaching and writing. He was known for being vain and resentful of any rivalry that threatened his status. Historical accounts describe how he violently attacked fellow grammarians who challenged his authority. Because written material was scarce during his time, he had to rely heavily on his memory when composing texts. Scholars must exercise caution when reading his work due to this reliance on recollection rather than physical sources. Despite these flaws, he made significant contributions to the study of ancient Greek literature.
His most important work is the Book of Histories, also called Chiliades or thousands. This long poem contains 12,674 lines of political verse divided into 660 topics. The first editor N. Gerbel arbitrarily divided it into books each containing one thousand lines in 1546. The text serves as poetic footnotes to letters Tzetzes addressed to John Lachanas, an official in Constantinople. It preserves fragments of more than two hundred ancient authors including many whose works have been lost forever. A revised edition with marginal notes appeared later edited by T. Kiessling in 1826.
Tzetzes wrote didactic poems explaining Homeric theology through three specific types of allegory: euhemeristic, anagogic, and physical. These works were dedicated initially to the German-born empress Irene and then to Constantine Cotertzes. The first poem covers events from the Iliad while the second addresses the Odyssey. He supplemented Homer's original narrative by beginning with the birth of Paris and continuing until the Achaeans returned home. Modern translations by Adam J. Goldwyn and Dimitra Kokkini brought these texts to English readers in 2015 and 2019 respectively.
His most significant commentary elucidates the obscure Cassandra or Alexandra written by Hellenistic poet Lycophron. This work is usually called On Lycophron and was edited by K.O. Müller in 1811. His brother Isaac generally assisted him in producing this complex scholarly text. Tzetzes also composed a dramatic sketch describing the caprices of fortune and the wretched lot of learned men. An iambic poem on the death of emperor Manuel I Komnenos introduced the last word of each line at the start of the following one. These writings demonstrate his engagement with difficult classical texts during the mid-twelfth century.
Common questions
When did John Tzetzes live and where was he born?
John Tzetzes lived in Constantinople from roughly 1110 until his death in 1180. He described himself as pure Greek on his father's side and part Iberian or Georgian on his mother's side.
What is the total line count of John Tzetzes Book of Histories?
The long poem contains 12,674 lines of political verse divided into 660 topics. The first editor N. Gerbel arbitrarily divided it into books each containing one thousand lines in 1546.
Which ancient authors does John Tzetzes preserve in his work?
His text preserves fragments of more than two hundred ancient authors including many whose works have been lost forever. This includes material that serves as poetic footnotes to letters addressed to John Lachanas.
How did John Tzetzes explain Homeric theology in his poems?
He wrote didactic poems explaining Homeric theology through three specific types of allegory: euhemeristic, anagogic, and physical. These works were dedicated initially to the German-born empress Irene and then to Constantine Cotertzes.
Who edited the commentary On Lycophron by John Tzetzes?
This work is usually called On Lycophron and was edited by K.O. Müller in 1811. His brother Isaac generally assisted him in producing this complex scholarly text.
All sources
2 references cited across the entry
- 1webJohn Tzetzes – Byzantine scholar12 April 2024
- 2bookIndividualism and Conformity in Classical IslamAmin Banani — Otto Harrassowitz — 1977