Psellos wrote a monody for Eirene the kaisarissa, delaying his composition to avoid raw emotion

Summary:
A monody was written by Psellos on the death of Eirene the kaisarissa, wife of Ioannes kaisar, a family he knew well. It had been delayed because he wished to avoid exaggeration due to raw emotion. He closed the monody with a long recapitulation of her virtues and a formal passage of consolation for her husband. The latter, against his will, had a place in the encomium of Eirene, because some of her qualities only became visible through praise of him. He was the best of men (except the emperor), as she was the best of women 
Dates:
1065 (Uncertain) 
Eirene Pegonitissa, wife of Ioannes the kaisar (Eirene 20117)
  • A monody was written on her death by Michael 61, delayed because he wished to avoid exaggeration due to raw emotion (:) Psellos Eirene 155-189
  • Some of her qualities only became visible in a brief encomium of her husband Ioannes 62; as she was the best of women (except Eudokia 101), he was the best of men (except Konstantinos 10) (:) Psellos Eirene 164-166
Ioannes Doukas, kaisar (Ioannes 62)
  • He had (reluctantly) a place in Michael 61’s encomium of Eirene 20117, because some of her qualities were only visible through praise of him; he was the best of men (except Konstantinos 10), as she was the best woman (except Eudokia 101) (:) Psellos Eirene 164-166
Michael Psellos (named Konstantinos till tonsure in 1054) (Michael 61)
  • He wrote a monody on Eirene 20117, wife of Ioannes 62 kaisar, a family he knew well; he had postponed the writing to avoid exaggeration due to raw emotion Psellos Eirene 155-189
  • He closed his monody on the death of Eirene 20117 with a long recapitulation of her virtues and a formal passage of consolation for her husband Ioannes 62 Psellos Eirene 181-189