Hugo Etherian: Writter, Translator, Polemist

Abstract

This article summarizes the sources and literature on the life and work of the little-known Latin author Hugo Etherian (1110/1120-1182), a Latin theologian and polemicist, who was at the court of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Comnenus as a consultant on the issues of the Western Church. A feature of Hugo’s theological education and methodological approach is the emphasis on the dialectic of Aristotle and the use of the works of the Greek fathers in disputes with the Greeks. Hugo’s literary activity becomes known in Byzantium, shortly before the beginning of the Christological controversy of 1165-1166. The article provides an overview of 7 works written by Hugo Etherian. These writings are predominantly polemical in nature and represent an attempt to provide constructive answers to topical theological questions of their time.