The Letters of Psellos: Cultural Networks and Historical Realities (Oxford Studies in Byzantium)

The Letters Of Psellos Is The First Detailed Study Of The Correspondence Of Michael Psellos, A Leading Byzantine Intellectual, Politician, And Writer Of The Eleventh Century. Psellos' Corpus Of Over 500 Letters Represents A Historical Source Of Great Significance For The Study Of Society And Culture Of The Time: Literary Masterpieces In And Of Themselves, Yet Often Complex And Difficult To Understand In Their Entirety, They Not Only Rebound With Subtlety And Humor, But Also Offer Invaluable Information On Myriad Subjects Ranging From The Political Culture Of Byzantium And Its Civil Administration To Social Codes, Religious Beliefs, And Popular Culture. This Volume Consists Of Two Complementary Parts Designed To Make Psellos' Letters As Widely Accessible As Possible, Both To The Specialist Academic Community And To A Wider Non-specialist Audience. The First Part Contains Five Essays Offering Detailed Historical And Literary Analyses Of A Considerable Number Of The Letters Across A Range Of Different Topics, Including The Financial Management Of Monasteries, The Friendship Of Psellos And John Mauropous, And The Challenges Posed By Psellian Irony. While The Essays Are Supplemented By Individual Appendices Containing The Translated Text Of The Pertinent Letters, The Second Part Of The Book Presents Annotated Summaries In English Of The Entirety Of Psellos' Correspondence, Compiled Over Many Years As Part Of The Prosopography Of The Byzantine World Project And Supported By Substantial Excursuses And Notes. The Result Is An Engaging And Accessible Shortcut Into These Bewildering And Fascinating Letters And An Essential Resource For The Study Of Eleventh-century Byzantine Society And Culture Through The Pen Of One Of Its Pre-eminent Figures.-- Introduction / Marc D. Lauxtermann -- Educational Networks In The Letters Of Michael Psellos / Floris Bernard -- Michael Psellos And The Monastery / Michael Jeffreys -- Constantine, Nephew Of The Patriarch Keroularios, And His Good Friend Michael Psellos / Michael Jeffreys -- The Intertwined Lives Of Michael Psellos And John Mauropous / Marc D. Lauxtermann -- Venomous Praise : Some Remarks On Michael Psellos' Letters To Leon Paraspondylos / Diether Roderich Reinsch -- Summaries Of The Letters Of Michael Psellos / Michael Jeffreys. Edited By Michael Jeffreys And Marc D. Lauxtermann. 'this Volume Consists Of Two Uneven Parts: A Number Of Papers Presented At A Workshop Dedicated To The Correpondence Of Michael Psellos, Held In Oxford On 6-7 November 2010, And The Summaries Of All The Letters Of Michael Psellos.... The Second Part Is Obviously The Most Important One Because It Offers Byzantinists A Shortcut Into The Often Bewildering, And Sometimes Incomprehensible, Letters Of Michael Psellos....-preface. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 447-458) And Index. The Letters of Psellos is the first detailed study of the correspondence of Michael Psellos, a leading Byzantine intellectual, politician, and writer of the eleventh century. Psellos'corpus of over 500 letters represents a historical source of great significance for the study of society and culture of the time: literary masterpieces in and of themselves, yet often complex and difficult to understand in their entirety, they not only rebound with subtlety and humour, but also offer invaluable information on myriad subjects ranging from the political culture of Byzantium and its civil administration to social codes, religious beliefs, and popular culture. This volume consists of two complementary parts designed to make Psellos'letters as widely accessible as possible, both to the specialist academic community and to a wider non-specialist audience. The first part contains five essays offering detailed historical and literary analyses of a considerable number of the letters across a range of different topics, including the financial management of monasteries, the friendship of Psellos and John Mauropous, and the challenges posed by Psellian irony. While the essays are supplemented by individual appendices containing the translated text of the pertinent letters, the second part of the book presents annotated summaries in English of the entirety of Psellos'correspondence, compiled over many years as part of the Prosopography of the Byzantine World project and supported by substantial excursuses and notes. The result is an engaging and accessible shortcut into these bewildering and fascinating letters and an essential resource for the study of eleventh-century Byzantine society and culture through the pen of one of its pre-eminent figures. 'The Letters of Psellos' provides a detailed study of the correspondence of Michael Psellos, a preeminent Byzantine intellectual, politician, and writer. Structured in two parts, it juxtaposes five essays offering detailed historical and literary analyses of selected letters with annotated summaries of the entirety of Psellos' correspondence. Abstract: 'The Letters of Psellos' provides a detailed study of the correspondence of Michael Psellos, a preeminent Byzantine intellectual, politician, and writer. Structured in two parts, it juxtaposes five essays offering detailed historical and literary analyses of selected letters with annotated summaries of the entirety of Psellos' correspondence The Letters of Psellos' is the first detailed study of the correspondence of Michael Psellos, a leading Byzantine intellectual, politician, and writer of the eleventh century. Psellos' corpus of over 500 letters represents a historical source of great significance for the study of society and culture of the time: literary masterpieces in and of themselves, yet often complex and difficult to understand in their entirety, they not only rebound with subtlety and humour, but also offer invaluable information on myriad subjects ranging from the political culture of Byzantium and its civil administration to social codes, religious beliefs, and popular culture.--Provided by the publisher The Letters of Psellos' is the first detailed study of the correspondence of Michael Psellos, a leading Byzantine intellectual, politician, and writer of the eleventh century. Psellos' corpus of over 500 letters represents a historical source of great significance for the study of society and culture of the time: literary masterpieces in and of themselves, yet often complex and difficult to understand in their entirety, they not only rebound with subtlety and humour, but also offer invaluable information on myriad subjects ranging from the political culture of Byzantium and its civil administration to social codes, religious beliefs, and popular culture.--Résumé de l'éditeur