After his eyes had been cut out he was brought to the monastery which he had founded on the island named Prote; after living there for a short time he died, after reigning for less than four years, leaving Michael 7 in undisupted power
Psellos: Chronographia VIIb 43.9-13
After living on there [Prote] for a short time, he deposited his earthly remains on the island, being buried most splendidly by the empress Eudokia 1, after ruling for three years and eight months.
Zonaras 18.15.23
Died a painful death and was buried in the monastery he had founded on the island of Prote
Died shortly after his blinding and was buried at great cost by his wife the former empress Eudokia 1 on the summit of the island of Prote where he had founded a monastery
Maintained good relations with the barbarians of the region (presumably to the north of Serdica, in Danube area?) from the time he held a post there, and his courage was well known among them
Was considered by the Turkish troops of Alp Arslan 51 as a man who thought nothing of danger, but as a disciple of Ares he would renew the Roman empire and take revenge on its enemies
Hence arose against him talk, whispers, intrigues and treacheries, unseemly hatred, nets and traps and the thought of betraying him to the enemy as an easy and very willing prey
After his death he was remembered for his excessive temptations and misfortunes, and for being grateful and never complaining about his ills, and it was said that they resulted from the kaisar (Ioannes 62)'s actions and decisions
(His defeat near Amaseia) was the beginning of his destruction
Psellos: Chronographia VIIb 34.1-2
His courage and bravery were known to all those who grieved for his banishment from Constantinople, and even those who had no personal experience of him had heard of his virtues
During his reign the Romans started again to take heart and oppose and fight the enemies, unlike the time of his successors when troops were merely gathered for show and never engaged in battle
Subsequent generations remember him for his suffering, which surpassed that of Job, and for never uttering an evil or mean-spirited word despite the temptation and ordeals, thanking God and praying to live longer in misery in order to please Him
χρόνων προσθήκην ἐπιζητῶν ἐν κακοῖς. Attaleiates: History 179.15-22 / 132.20-26
He who had done no wrong
τὸν μηδὲν ἠδικήκοτα. Zonaras 18.15.19
Was more arrogant because of his further achievements, not only to others but also towards the empress herself (Eudokia 1)
A charming and good-looking man, who was of Cappadocian descent, with a handsome body and strong arms, rich in attractive beauty, worthy of supreme power
When he became emperor, he showed his intense masculinity from the very beginning, not desiring bodily luxuries, nor charmed by the imperial cloak of gold and purple but living the life of a wretched worm, in the dark, hiding in the imperial chambers, avoiding enemies and battles ...
He became too vain because of his dignity as emperor, acquired a fickle character and suspected everyone, familiar and unfamiliar, as if they were plotting against him and keeping an eye on him, seeming troublesome and bitter not only to officials but also to Eudokia 1 and Anonymi 2105
At Mantzikert, he was like a falcon exterminating sparrows, or a hurricane and thunderbolt landing on the enemy; he was covered in blood like a lion, resembling mythical giants
He was treated with greater care and consideration by the most barbarous Alp Arslan 51, though he was of a different race, than by his own people and those of his own race
The new emperor was strong, unshakeable, dominating Byzantium's enemies, living up to his name, tall and powerful in appearance, terrifying when unarmed and worse when in armour etc.
Psellos Orationes panegyricae XVIII, 1-23
He had great strength and courage (as Michael 61 had observed), a match not only for Turks and Arabs but for Achilles and Alexander
Psellos Letters (Sathas) 3.224
A Cappadocian
τὸν Καππαδόκην. Kleinchroniken 170.3
He was approximately the sixtieth emperor since Konstantinos (Constantine) the Great, a courageous man
վաթսուներորդ ի մեծէն Կոստանդիանոսէ՝ ըստ համարոյ թագաւորացն...և արիական բնութեանն. Aristakes 137.12-18 (124-125)
A man who took care of his friends
ἀνὴρ μνημονεύων φιλίας. Kekaumenos 220.9
When he had become master of the Roman realm he did not turn out according to the hopes of Eudokia 1 who had made him emperor
His father (Konstantinos 101), after becoming an in-law through a niece (Anonyma 108) of Romanos 3 from the Argyroi who was emperor of old, was caught in the act of usurpation and threw himself headlong
The many who were with Michael 61 and him on campaign know that he does not exaggerate in the description (of the emperor's envy of Psellos' strategic knowledge)
In character he was sometimes straightforward, but usually dissimulating and a braggart; he himself had not escaped (charges of) usurpation, but for most his life he went unnoticed
He grew angry with the Turks, made an expedition against them and crushed their morale, covering the ground with their bodies and making seas with their blood, showing the greatness of Byzantine courage and their strength in war
Michael 61 is not yet free (to speak) in this matter (the 1069 campaign), although he has no ground for ill will against the emperor nor did everything fail for him
He agreed that he was inferior in all respects by Michael 61 in words, that is in those that concerned the sciences, but he wished to be superior in the undertanding of strategy
But by the rules of strategy as commander-in-chief he should have stood at a distance giving the necessary commands to his men, while he foolishly ran into danger: this would give cause for much abuse
τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς γενέσεως ἔσχηκε. Attaleiates: History 99.21-22 / 75.12
A man of noble family
τις τῶν εὐπατριδῶν. Attaleiates: History 97.7 / 73.18
His young age and bravery at the time of his banishment caused discontent among those who knew about him, and even those who did not know him, had heard about him and held him in high regard
His actions were not the result of love for himself, but of his concern for his fellow-citizens and his piety
φιλαδελφίας καὶ φιλευσεβείας. Attaleiates: History 99.1-2 / 74.23-25
Not only was he virtuous, but he was handsome too, tall, with broad chest and shoulders, an aristocratic look, beautiful eyes, a complexion neither dark nor fair, but mixed with red, exuding sweetness and with an emperor's physique