He was like Achilles, born of famous ancestors but outdoing them by his own deeds: so too his family won renown from his deeds; his family heritage was brilliant, yet more brilliant what came from his own nature and principles of conduct
So as not to be judged by his own brilliance, like a sun he put a cloud before himself
ἵνα μηδὲ κατὰ τὴν οἰκείαν αὐγὴν νομίζοιτο, ὥσπερ τις ἥλιος νέφος ἑαυτοῦ προεβάλλετο. Psellos: Chronographia VII 85.8-9
Michael 61 speaks of him on the basis of his own perceptions and opinions, not from hearsay; others may boast of his many great successes, but for Michael 61 one thing balances all this -
He wanted to live in privacy and scorned illustrious offices; he dressed casually, equipped in country style, but as with lovely women this unassuming dress did not mask his good looks but showed them off more brilliantly
His resignation of the rank of kaisar after Isaakios 1 was established on the throne makes one admire him more ... his character was unparalleled
ἵνα τις ἐπὶ πλέον τὸν ἄνδρα θαυμάσειεν, ... τοσοῦτον τὸ εἰς ἦθος ἀσύγκριτον τοῦ ἀνδρός. Psellos: Chronographia VII 88.15-20
There was one plot against him and he was rescued from one disaster; the rest of his reign he spent in tranquillity and contentment, leaving behind royal sons just like their father, bearing his stamp in soul and body
Thereby he wooed these two things for himself, avoidance of further expenditure on campaigns, and personal peace and total leisure for the accumulation of wealth
His wife Eudokia bore to him three sons, two of them, Michael 7 and Andronikos 62 while he was still a civilian, but Konstantios 61 when he was emperor and she had been proclaimed Augousta
Zonaras 18.9.19
Delighted in those men who attested in their life to their piety, but was extraordinarily devoted to money and devised means to come into possession of many treasures
Being niggardly and parsimonious, he resolved to himself not to clash with foreign nations in battles, but by gifts and other acts of goodwill to win them over and reconcile them to the Roman realm
But since their family was long ago exterminated root and branch, when Konstantinos had attempted usurpation while Konstantinos Porphyrogennetos was emperor ..., and no male survived, the ancestors of Konstantinos 10 were descended on the female side
An illustrious man whose family had the highest origins, going back to Andronikos and Konstantinos Doukas who feature large in the historians for their keen intellect and noble actions; he was no less proud of their successors
While still a private citizen, he rivalled the greatest emperors in his capacity to lead and brilliant family; he strove to live prudently, not be offensive to neighbours, nor treat anyone disdainfully, to appear most ready to obey emperors
A man amazing in both appearance and reality, he thought less of others than of Michael 61, perhaps because he thought Michael 61's opinions more intelligent than the rest or found his character pleasing
He was so attached to Michael 61 and loved him so much more than others, that he hung upon his tongue and soul and entrusted to him his most precious possessions
Although Isaakios 1 had been elected emperor, the lesser honour of kaiser was promised to him, but his eminent family and his most likeable character attracted people to wish him well
Michael 61 will describe his reign, the nature of his acts, his policies, his initial position and the ends he reached, his objectives, his successes, innovations, his admirable acts and those not so, his civil and military policies
He was the most pious of all emperors, surpassing all in this respect
εὐσεβέστατος δὲ εἴπερ τις ἄλλος βασιλέων γενόμενος, κἀν τούτῳ τῷ μέρει πάντας ὑπερβαλλόμενος. Psellos: Chronographia VIIa 3.8-10
He administered the realms for seven years and a bit and died from disease, leaving great competition for those who wished to praise him; he controlled his temper, did nothing spontaneously but everything by reason
τῷ θαυμασίῳ τούτῳ καὶ ὑπερφυεῖ αὐτοκράτορι. Psellos: Chronographia VIIa 5.3
His family was fine and prosperous: everyone still talks of Andronikos, Konstantinos and Pantherios, his relatives on the male or female side; his immediate ancestors were also eminent, but he surpassed them, preeminent in all the virtues
From his earliest youth he seemed suitable to be emperor and he undertook the task so well that no one blamed him; keeping himself distant from the idle talk and cleverness of the forum he lived generally in the country, busy on his estate
Whereas other emperors rivalled or equalled him in other respects, the glory of God and the mystery of the ineffable dispensation of the Divine Word were in him beyond all expression, internal or external, simple or technical
He used to say of those who plotted against him that he would not deprive them of honour or money but would treat them as slaves not free men: "It is not I who have removed their freedom, but the law has banished them from the state"
He was passionate about religion: whenever Michael 61 expounded the divine mystery, his spirit rejoiced, his whole body shook with joy and he wept floods; if ever he had leisure from public cares he turned to holy books
At home he was a charming father to his children, playing with them happily, smiling at their baby-talk, often romping with them, seeking a good education and training for them
Psellos: Chronographia VIIa 20.1-5
He steered the imperial chariot in a moderate way ... keeping the boiling of arrogance under control, driving away from unforeseen crags and avoiding the dangers of clashing wheels.
Used to say about those plotting against him that he did not wish to deprive them of their dignities and money but treat them as slaves rather than free men, adding that it was the laws of the state and not himself that took away their freedom
Being brave, he said to someone claiming he would protect the emperor with his own body in battle that he might as well wound him after he had fallen, and to one who studied the law wishing to commit an injustice he said that those laws were harmful
An associate of Isaakios 1 Komnenos, he was very close to him by virtue of his office and because of their friendly and family relations, he was dedicated to him and enjoyed his benevolence
Approachable and modest, he was against corporal punishment, was also pious, cared enormously for the poor, took care of monks, and feared God, but these virtues benefitted only himself and those close to him
His greed, his concern with increasing state revenues even through spurious means, his intervening in the judiciary and his neglect of the army harmed almost all the subjects of the empire, but were said to be a result of his advisors' influence
καὶ τὸ κατ᾿ ἐξουσίαν δικαστικόν. Attaleiates: History 77.2-19 / 58.18-59.5
Before his accession to the throne he was generous, enormously benevolent, and devoted to charity
ἄφθονον τὰ πάντα καὶ ἀπειρόκακον. Attaleiates: History 77.13-16 / 59.1-3
During his reign the empire of the Romans both experienced ills but also escaped from great danger, and disasters were attributed to his vices, while successes were ascribed to his virtues
He was a meek and good emperor, who could, nevertheless, be obstinate at times
ὡς πράῳ καὶ ἀγαθῷ βασιλεῖ. Psellos Xiphilinos 421
A pacifist emperor, whose son, Michael 7, had tried to inherit his character and policies
Psellos Letters (Sathas) 143-144.385-392
It was typical of him to show sympathy more in his face (with change of expression and colour) than in documents he sent
Psellos Letters (K - D) 56, 88.26-89.1
One of the generals of the East
τοὺς ἑῴους στρατηγούς. Skylitzes 483.21
Michael 61, after curtailing his account of him as far as is reasonable and giving the narrative its usual scale, will then speak more exacty about his family, his house, his character, likes and dislikes both before and after his rule
Exceedingly pious, he took care of monks and the poor, disapproved of corporal punishment, remained idle in other matters, was very sparing and keen to enrich the treasury, and intervened in trials
Was severe and terrible to wrong-doers, eradicating outbursts of injustice, but to those wronged he was friendly and nice, and to the former emperor (Isaakios 1) he was not ungrateful
In Michael 61's view it was by divine intervention that he did not gain power then (when Isaakios 1 did) but later, so that he was raised to the summit of imperial power not by usurpation but by legitimate means
He had a noble spirit and to anyone who said that he would gladly shield him with his own body in battle, he would say: "Excellent - and if you like give me a wound yourself too when I've fallen"
Michael 61 was a prominent orator, renowned for his eloquence rather than his family; he also loved rhetoric passionately and this was the starting-point of their friendship and intimacy