International congress of byzantine studies belgrade, 22 27 august 2016

Bojana Pavlović
Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Institute for Byzantine Studies, Belgrade, Serbia; 
[e-mail]
Rhetoric in 
History
: 
Nikephoros Gregoras and His Portrayal of Andronikos II Palaiologos
The Roman History
of Nikephoros Gregoras, a work which deals with approximately 150 years 
of the Empire’s history, is one of the chef oeuvres of Byzantine historiography. However, apart from 
historical narrative, which is predominant and forms the central part of his history, Nikephoros 
Gregoras also included rhetorical works he wrote for specific occasions. These are (to mention only a 
few of them relevant for this analysis) the basiliko.j and èevpita,fioj lo,goj for emperor Andronikos II 
Palaiologos (1282-1328), èevpita,fioj lo,goj for the grand logothete and Gregoras’ teacher, Theodore 
Metochites, as well as the èevpita,fioj lo,goj written on the occasion of emperor Andronikos III’s 
(1328-1341) death.
The fact that the mentioned rhetorical works have been, in their entirety, included into Gregoras’ 
Roman History,
is a thing which is itself very interesting and deserves a more detailed analysis. 
Historical works generally abound in speeches of the emperors, generals or other distinguished 
characters, they are very often rich in evkfra,seij and excursuses of various kinds, but the integral 
basilikoi. and èevpita,fioi lo,goi within a certain historical work are rarely to be found. Therefore, in 
order to answer the question whether or not their inclusion served certain purpose or whether the 
author’s intention was only to praise his own literary skill, one must analyze the historical context, 
the leading characters of the works in question, as well as the position these rhetorical works occupy 
within the 
Roman History
.

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The main focus of the paper are rhetorical works dedicated to emperor Andronikos II, who is 
the leading character in three of the lo,goi as well as in the introductory part of Gregoras’ history, 
in a speech performed at the court of Andronikos II by the emperor himself. The portrayal of this 
Byzantine ruler in the rhetorical works included in the 
History
as opposed to (or in relation to) 
his portrayal in the frame of historical narrative predominant in the mentioned work is of special 
importance for apprehension of Gregoras’ own attitude towards Andronikos II. In addition to that, 
special attention shall be given to the description of Michael VIII and his younger son and emperor 
Andronikos II’s brother, Constantine Porphyrogennetos, for it has been noticed that Gregoras’ 
preference lies with the two mentioned Palaiologoi and not with Andronikos II. Bearing in mind the 
problem posed by the more precise dating of certain parts of Gregoras’ historical work, which could 
have influenced the attitude of the writer, the portrait of Andronikos II will be outlined by posing 
various questions and by analyzing and contrasting the two narrative forms: rhetoric and history. 
Several important aspects must, therefore, also be born in mind: various levels in which rhetorical 
forms can be expressed (not necessarily a speech, or a funeral oration, etc.), the fact that rhetorical 
works contain numerous to,poi, as well as the well-known characteristic of a historiographical work 
that, in spite of its 
sine ira et studio
postulate, it does not tell us the exact truth, but leaves us rather 
with the subjective perception of the author.

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