Nikolaos Muzalon's Resignation from the Patriarchal Throne and Manuel Komnenos as the New Socrates

Abstract

The present paper deals with a 12th-century ‘Platonic’ dialogue between the patriarch Nikolaos Mouzalon, Manuel Komnenos and an unspecified number of bishops, within the frame of a synod that was held in Constantinople in 1151 and led to Mouzalon’s abdication from the throne. Although the unofficial document that records the dialogue purports to be a faithful transcription of the second day of the debate, the abundance of motifs and elements that relate to the contemporary intellectual and literary milieu, as well as Manuel’s somewhat failed attempt to act as a Socrates-like figure throughout the dialogue, pose several questions with regard to the author’s attitude against the emperor and the text’s overall connection to actual events. Both these questions are explored, via the process of close reading and also with the aid of other contemporary or slightly posterior primary sources. In addition, an attempt is made to outline Manuel’s projected image as a master in the use of dialectic and syllogisms, and its evolution through the years of his long reign.