Michael Psellos (aged 16) came home just as his sister was buried

Summary:
Psellos at the age of 16 he had just (precociously) left the study of poetry and was, with pleasure, beginning that of rhetoric, while acting as assistant to a krites, with responsibilities near the capital to the west. He was thus absent when his eldest sister suddenly fell ill and died. His parents, fearful of his reactions, wrote to him, complaining of lack of letters from him, asking him to come straight back, and adding a false note from his dead sister, hoping to save him pain by this deception: they failed. He happened to enter the capital just where the mourning was taking place one week after his sister's death. He asked a relative what was happening, and was bluntly told the truth. He was dumbfounded, fainted and fell off his horse, causing more commotion, so that his parents broke off the ceremony and rushed to him. They revived him: in the encomium he wrote to his mother much later the emotions which followed became formal laments 
Dates:
1034 
father of Michael Psellos (Anonymus 2134)
  • He, with Theodote 2101, wrote to Michael 61, complaining of lack of letters from him, asking him to come straight back, and adding a false note from the dead Anonyma 2110, hoping to save him pain by this deception: they failed (:) Psellos Mother 29
  • He was helping Theodote 2101 in the mourning one week after the death of their daughter Anonyma 2110, when Michael 61 arrived, was bluntly told by Anonymus 2139 what had happened, fainted and fell off his horse, causing more uproar (:) Psellos Mother 29-30
  • Hearing that Michael 61 had fainted and fallen off his horse, he rushed to him; he and Theodote 2101 revived him at the tomb of his sister Anonyma 2110; the emotions of Michael and his parents then become laments in the encomium (:) Psellos Mother 30-31
judge of area west of Constantinople (Anonymus 2138)
  • His duties in the countryside outside the city kept Michael 61 away from the capital at the moment when his sister, Anonyma 2110, fell ill and died (:) Psellos Mother 28
relative of Michael Psellos (Anonymus 2139)
  • Meeting Michael 61 as he returned, during the mourning one week after the death of his sister Anonyma 2110, and knowing nothing of the circumstances, he told him bluntly what was happening, so that Michael fainted and fell off his horse (:) Psellos Mother 29-30
Michael Psellos (named Konstantinos till tonsure in 1054) (Michael 61)
  • Having heard suddenly of the death of his sister Anonyma 2110, despite his parents' precautions, he was dumbfounded, fainted and fell off his horse, causing more commotion, so that his parents broke off the ceremony and rushed to him (:) Psellos Mother 29-30
  • His parents revived him at the tomb of his sister, Anonyma 2110, and the emotions of the three mourners become laments in the body of the encomium; he suddenly realised that Theodote 2101 was dressed as a nun (:) Psellos Mother 30-31
  • At the age of 16 he had just (precociously) left the study of poetry and was, with pleasure, beginning that of rhetoric, while acting as assistant to Anonymus 2138 Psellos Mother 28
  • Returning at his parents' summons, he happened to enter the capital just where the mourning one week after the death of his sister Anonyma 2110 was taking place; asking Anonymus 2139 what was happening, he was bluntly told the truth (:) Psellos Mother 29-30
Theodote, mother of Michael Psellos (Theodote 2101)
  • She, with Anonymus 2134, wrote to Michael 61, complaining of lack of letters from him, asking him to come straight back, and adding a false note from the dead Anonyma 2110, hoping to save him pain by this deception: they failed (:) Psellos Mother 29
  • She was helping Anonymus 2134 in the mourning one week after the death of their daughter Anonyma 2110, when Michael 61 arrived, was bluntly told by Anonymus 2139 what had happened, fainted and fell off his horse, causing more uproar (:) Psellos Mother 29-30
  • Hearing that Michael 61 had fainted and fallen off his horse, she rushed to him, for the first time unveiled; she and Anonymus 2134 revived him at the tomb of Anonyma 2110; the emotions of the three then become laments in the encomium (:) Psellos Mother 30-31