Emperor Konstantinos VIII M X / E XI
κυροῦ Κωνσταντίνου الملك قسطنطين (Konstantinos 8)
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Narrative (87) Before 1025Married the daughter of Alypios 101 (Helena 103 ) before the death of Basileios 2 ἣν ἔτι ζῶντος τοῦ Βασιλείου ἡρμόσατο Skylitzes 374.33-34 Banned civil judges from hearing cases brought in by members of the clergy: in association with Basileios 2 ἐν τοῖς ἐγγράφοις αὐτῶν τυπικοῖς Alexios Stoudites Rhalles-Potles 5.29 Lost his wife Helena 103 by her death; his daughters were brought up in the palace Zonaras 17.10.7 While a young man, married Helena 103 , daughter of Alypios 101 and had three daughters by her Zonaras 17.10.7 On the death of Ioannes 1 , the empire passed legitimately to him: in association with Basileios 2 περιίσταται δὲ καθαρῶς ἡ βασιλεία εἴς τε Βασίλειον καὶ Κωνσταντῖνον Psellos: Chronographia I 1.5 He and Basileios 2 did not it think fit for both to be autokrator, but the elder of them, Basileios 2 , girded on the entirety of the power and appointed him partner in the name alone of empire: in association with Basileios 2 Αὐτοκράτορε μὲν οὖν ἄμφω οὐκ ἐδοκιμασάτην εἶναι, ... μόνου τοῦ τῆς βασιλείας ὀνόματος τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἐκληρώσατο κοινωνόν Psellos: Chronographia I 2.6-9 Although it was possible for him to share his ancestral inheritance - that is, the rule - on equal terms with Basileios 2 , he ceded most of it to him, even though he was young, when lust for rule is especially kindled ἐξὸν κατ’ ἰσομοιρίαν τὸν πατρῷον κλῆρον, τὴν ἡγεμονίαν φημί, τῷ ἀδελφῷ διανείμασθαι, ὁ δὲ τοῦ πλείονος αὐτῷ παρακεχωρήκει Psellos: Chronographia I 2.12-16 Ceded most of his inheritance to Basileios 2 , even though seeing that Basileios 2 was not yet past the span of youth, but only newly bearded Psellos: Chronographia I 2.14-18 Was present in the battle-line (against Bardas Phokas) and was part of the infantry, clad in a breastplate and wielding a long spear: in association with Basileios 2 οὐδὲ ... ἀπῆν τῆς παρεμβολῆς· ἀλλὰ καὶ οὗτος θώρακά τε περιβαλλόμενος καὶ δόρυ μακρὸν ἐπισείων, μέρος τῆς φάλαγγος ἦν Psellos: Chronographia I 14.3-6 When Bardas Phokas learned that he was in the battle-line (at Abydos), he decided to delay the fight no longer but made that day sovereign judge of the war: in association with Basileios 2 τοὺς βασιλεῖς διατεταγμένους ... εἰς τὴν παράταξιν Psellos: Chronographia I 15.3-7 Advanced a short distance in front of the infantry (at Abydos), wielding a long spear βραχὺ δέ τι καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Κωνσταντῖνος δόρυ μακρὸν ἐπισείων προῄει τῆς φάλαγγος Psellos: Chronographia I 16.8-10 Boasted that he had killed Bardas Phokas himself ἑαυτῷ τὴν τοῦ τυράννου ἐμεγαλαύχει ἀναίρεσιν Psellos: Chronographia I 16.17-19 Basileios 2 behaved disdainfully not only to others, but even to him, allocating him only a small bodyguard, as if he begrudged a more elevated and brilliant array; Basileios subdued him by gradually diminishing his authority ἐχειροῦτο διὰ τῆς βραχὺ παραλλαττούσης εἰς τὸ χεῖρον ἀρχῆς Psellos: Chronographia I 22.10-16 When still young, at the time Basileios 2 became master of the office of autokrator, married Helena 103 νέαν ἔτι ἄγων τὴν ἡλικίαν, ὁπότε ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτῷ Βασίλειος ἐγκρατὴς ἐγεγόνει τῆς αὐτοκράτορος ἀρχῆς Psellos: Chronographia II 4.1-4 Helena 102 bore him three daughters Psellos: Chronographia II 4.6-7 Basileios 2 felt affection and strong love for Eudokia 101 , Theodora 1 and Zoe 1 , but took no more noble care for them; while guarding the power for him, he put their care in Konstantinos' hands τῷ ἀδελφῷ τὸ κράτος φυλάττων ἐπ’ ἐκείνῳ τὴν περὶ τούτων φροντίδα ἔθετο Psellos: Chronographia II 4.10-13 Basileios 2 left him to enjoy the charms of the countryside, pleasures of bathing, and hunting, things that mattered to him χαίρειν ἀφεὶς ἀγρῶν τε χάρισι καὶ λουτρῶν ἀπολαύσεσι καὶ κυνηγεσίοις, ὧν ἐκεῖνος ἐφρόντιζεν Psellos: Chronographia I 22.16-18 1025 Certainty: 3 Konstantinos VIII was called to the deathbed of Basileios II to receive power & discuss his funeral Certainty: 3 Certainty: 3 Death of Basileios II; accession of Konstantinos VIII Certainty: 3 Certainty: 3 Death of Basileios II; accession of Konstantinos VIII Certainty: 3 Certainty: 1 Inadequate plans of Konstantinos VIII for the future of his daughters Certainty: 1 Certainty: 1 Konstantinos VIII suspected rebels everywhere & blinded them (unspecific) He frequently used the punishment of blinding, which he regarded as lighter than other physical penalties. He often blinded people on a mere accusation, usually because he claimed they were planning revolt. Those he blinded were often more worthy than those he promoted. Certainty: 2 Konstantinos VIII pursued a past vendetta against Konstantinos Bourtzes by blinding him Certainty: 2 Certainty: 2 Konstantinos freed political prisoners & promoted the elite to new dignities Certainty: 2 Certainty: 1 All unpaid taxes cruelly exacted by Konstantinos VIII Certainty: 1 1026 Certainty: 2 Konstantinos appointed to the highest positions worthless persons, often his own eunuchs Certainty: 2 Certainty: 1 Konstantinos promoted Romanos (III) Argyropoulos to patrikios & eparchos Certainty: 1 Certainty: 1 Nikephoros Komnenos fought Saracens in Media, but was dismissed & imprisoned Certainty: 1 Certainty: 1 Bardas Phokas (grandson of Bardas) condemned for treason on trumped-up charge & blinded Certainty: 1 Certainty: 1 Revolt of people of Naupaktos against strategos brutally put down Certainty: 1 Certainty: 1 List of persons suspected of revolt & punished, mostly by blinding Certainty: 1 Certainty: 3 Novel of Konstantinos VIII & Alexios Stoudites on punishment of rebels Certainty: 3 1027 Certainty: 2 Pecheneg invasion of Bulgaria driven back across Danube by Konstantinos Diogenes Certainty: 2 Certainty: 2 After a year of captivity, Nikephoros Komnenos & eight colleagues were blinded Certainty: 2 Certainty: 2 Georgian attempt to recover fortresses from Byzantium was stopped by parakoimomenos Nikolaos (Symeon) Certainty: 2 Certainty: 1 Iberian magnates expelled from estates by Niketas of Pisidia; grants of dignities in western lands Certainty: 1 Certainty: 2 Basileios Skleros quarelled with Prousianos: both exiled, then Skleros was blinded (?) & Prousianos freed Certainty: 2 1028 Certainty: 3 Konstantinos VIII, suddenly ill, chose Konstantinos Dalassenos as son-in-law & successor Certainty: 3 Certainty: 3 Konstantinos VIII turned to Romanos Argyros as successor: his wife became a nun Certainty: 3 Certainty: 2 Konstantinos VIII as he died handed to Kyriakos a document for Bagratids on heritability of their rule Certainty: 2 Certainty: 3 Romanos (III) married Zoe Certainty: 3 Certainty: 3 Death of Konstantinos VIII; accession of Romanos III Certainty: 3 Certainty: 2 Romanos III increased church revenues & abolished allelengyon Certainty: 2 Certainty: 2 Synod to support metropolitan Ioannes of Melitene against Yuhanna, Jacobite archbishop of Antioch Certainty: 2 1034 Certainty: 2 Kiwrakos sold to Michael IV the letter on the future of the Armenian kingdom Certainty: 2 1042 Certainty: 3 Michael V banished Zoe to Prinkipo Certainty: 3 1043 Certainty: 2 Psellos wrote Orationes panegyricae 2 for Konstantinos IX, with summary of recent history Certainty: 2 Unassigned Activities Death (14) Description (69) Reigned for three years τριῶν ἐνιαυτῶν (εἰς τοσοῦτον γὰρ χρόνον αὐτῷ ἡ ἀρχῇ ἐξετάθη). Skylitzes 373.8-9 He was especially mad about the theatre and horse-racing, and devoted to them, changing horses and harnesses, his thoughts on the starting-gates μάλιστα δὲ ἐμεμήνει περί τε τὰ θέατρα καὶ ἱπποδρομίας καὶ ἐσπούδαζε περὶ ταῦτα, ἀντιδιδοὺς ἵππους καὶ ἀντιζευγνύς, καὶ περὶ τὰς ἱππαφέσεις φροντιζων. Psellos: Chronographia II 8.1-3 Reigned for 2 years and 11 months after the death of his brother Basileios 2 وله فى الملك بعد وفاة باسيل أخيه سنتان وأحد عشر شهرًا. Yahya al-Antaki 488 The lives of the two brothers (Basileios 2 and Konstantinos) differed totally from each other in innumerable ways οἱ βίοι γὰρ τοῖν ἀδελφοῖν ἦσαν ἐκ διαμέτρου ἀλλήλων παραλλάττοντες ἀπειρομέτροις μέτροις. Manasses, Chronicle 5945-5946 He could not bear looking at greaves around the shins and iron coats, nor listening to the heavy rattle of chariots even if dreaming, nor the cries of the warrior trumpet, nor warlike shouting, nor the evil tumult of battle οὐδὲ γὰρ φέρων βλέπειν κνημίδων περισφύρια καὶ σιδηροῦς χιτῶνας, οὐ δοῦπον ἁρματόκτυπον ἀκούειν κἂν ἐν ὕπνοις, οὐδὲ τῆς σάλπιγγος βοὰς τῆς πολεμιστηρίας, οὐ λαλαγὰς ἀρεϊκάς, οὐ κέλαδον κακόθρου. Manasses, Chronicle 5951-5955 He always spent time on luxuries and costly meals and rejoiced in the company of indecent women, dancers, playful girls who were fond of the flute and lyre -and all this despite his extreme old age τρυφαῖς ἐσχόλαζεν ἀεὶ καὶ λιπαραῖς τραπέζαις καὶ γυναιξὶν ἐπέχαιρεν ἀσέμνοις, ὀρχηστρίσι, φιλαύλοις, φιλοπαίγμοσι, φιλοκιθαριστρίαις, καὶ ταῦτα παλαιόχρονος πέμπελος ὤv τριγέρων. Manasses, Chronicle 5956-5959 Reigned as sole emperor for two years καὶ χρόνους δύο μόναρχος δειχθεὶς Αὐσονοκράτωρ. Manasses, Chronicle 5970a Lived for 70 years and reigned for three years minus a month ζήσας μὲν τὸν ἄπαντα τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ χρόνον ἑβδομήκοντα ἔτη. Skylitzes 374.40-42 As Zoe 1 knew that Konstantinos 8 was unsparing in removing eyes, scarcely had someone committed the least crime than he was led off to this punishment; had he not conceded, many would have been blinded for no reason οὐκ ἔφθη τις τὸ βραχύτατον πλημμελήσας καὶ ἐπι τὴν τοιαύτην ἀπήγετο βάσανον, καὶ εἰ μὴ ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ οὐ ξυνεχώρει τὸ ἔργον, πολλοῖς ἂν ἐπ᾿ οὐδενὶ λόγῳ ἐξεχύθη τὰ ὄμματα. Psellos: Chronographia VI 167.20-5 A peace-loving and generous man այր խաղաղասէր էր և առատ. Aristakes 40.20 (26) Was a slave to his belly and to lust, mad about gaming and the theatre, and indeed about hunting ἥττητο γὰρ γαστρὸς καὶ ἀφροδισίων καὶ ἐμεμήνει περὶ τοὺς κύβους τε καὶ τὰ θέατρα, ἀλλὰ μέντοι καὶ περὶ τὰ κυνηγέσια. Zonaras 17.10.3 He was of great physical size, standing up to nine feet tall, and was even stronger in constitution; his stomach was tough and his constitution ready to take in foods εὐμεγέθης δὲ ὢν τὸ σῶμα, ὡς εἰς ἔννατον πόδα ἀνεστηκέναι, ἔτι καὶ ῥωμαλεώτερον εἶχε τῆς φύσεως· ἔρρωτό τε αὐτῷ ἡ γαστήρ, καὶ πρὸς τὰς ὑποδοχὰς τῶν τροφῶν ἡ φύσις ἡτοίμαστο. Psellos: Chronographia II 7.1-4 Blinding seemed to him lighter than other punishments; since it rendered the victim ineffective he used it more and from the highest to the lowest, extending it also to some of the clergy and not exempting even bishops διότι δὲ τοὺς τιμωρουμένους ἀπράκτους ἐποίει, ταύτῃ μᾶλλον ἐχρῆτο· ... ἀπὸ τῶν πρώτων καὶ ἄχρι τῶν τελευταίων· ἐξέτεινε δὲ τὸ κακὸν καὶ ἐνίοις τῶν ἐν κλήρῳ κατειλεγμένων, οὐδὲ ἀρχιερωσύνης ἐφείσατο. Psellos: Chronographia II 2.21-6 Reigned in a negligent and careless fashion ἀμελῶς βασιλεύοντος καὶ ῥᾳθύμως. Skylitzes 378.46-47 Enjoyed the dances and games of women, and was particularly fond of horse races γυναιξὶ χαίρων ὀρχηστρίαις καὶ φιλοπαίγμοσιν. Glykas 579.19-22 When already advanced to the depths of old age and the wasting arising from it, was possessed by a disease which also assaulted his body, ἤδη δ᾿ εἰς γῆρας ἐλάσας ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ βαθὺ καὶ τῷ ἐκ τούτου μαρασμῷ καὶ νόσον τινὰ συνεισπεσοῦσαν τῷ σώματι ἐσχηκώς. Zonaras 17.10.17 If he suspected a man of boldness or sedition, he inflicted punishment before the attempt, enslaving his subjects not by goodwill, but by all kinds of oppressive tortures κἂν ὑπείληφέ τινα τολμητίαν ἤ στασιώδη, πρὸ τῆς πείρας τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐπῆγεν, οὐκ εὐνοίας τοὺς ὑπὸ χεῖρα δουλούμενος, ἀλλὰ παντοδαπαῖς βασάνων κακώσεσιν. Psellos: Chronographia II 2.8-11 (Imperial aspirations) he punished terribly, not by immediate restraint, limitation of movement or confinement, but at once digging out the eyes with the iron διὰ τοῦτο ἐτιμωρεῖτο δεινῶς, οὐ τὸ νῦν ἀνείργων, οὐδὲ περιγράφων αὐτούς, οὐδ’ ἀπροΐτους ποιούμενος, ἀλλ’ εὐθὺς σιδήρῳ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὀρυττόμενος. Psellos: Chronographia II 2.13-16 He had had not one daughter, as Michael 61 had narrated earlier, but three (Eudokia 101 , Theodora 1 , Zoe 1 ) οὐ μία τοῦ Κωνσταντίνου θυγάτηρ, ..., ἀλλὰ τρεῖς ἐγεγόνεισαν. Psellos: Chronographia V 34.3-5 Konstantinos 111 was one of his servants ἕνα τῶν πατρῴων αὐτῇ θεραπόντων. Psellos: Chronographia V 36.10 With his death the noble power (i.e. the Macedonian dynasty) ended δι᾿ ὃ τὸ εὐγενὲς κράτος ἀπεληλύθει. Psellos: Chronographia VI 91.7-8 Younger son of Romanos 2 and brother of Basileios 2 , he inherited a very wealthy empire ὁ τούτου μὲν νεώτερος παῖς, ἀδελφὸς δὲ ἐκείνου, τὴν βασιλείαν παραλαβὼν πολλῶν χρημάτων ἀνάπλεω. Psellos: Chronographia VII 52.3-4 He assumed power as a very old man, after long desiring it, and made no attempt to lead campaigns and add to what he inherited, nor did he think of conserving what he had οὗτος δὲ εἰς βαθὺ γῆρας τὴν αὐτοκράτορα ἡγεμονίαν ἀναζωσάμενος, ἐκ πολλοῦ τε ταύτης ἐρῶν, οὔτε στρατεύειν ἐπικεχείρηκε καὶ τοῖς εὑρημένοις προστίθεσθαι, οὔτε τὰ ὄντα διαφυλλάττειν διανενόητο. Psellos: Chronographia VII 52.11-14 After him, Theodora 1 assumed sole rule more legitimately; μεθ᾿ ὃν ἡ βασιλὶς Θεοδώρα γνησιώτερον αὐταρχήσασα. Psellos: Chronographia VII 55.16-17 Was related to the ancestors of Romanos 3 Argyropoulos with whom he shared a common lineage للقرابة الواصلة بينه وبين أسلافه والنسب الجامع لهما. Yahya al-Antaki 484 When he succeeded he was old and sick, and preferred to work through his full treasury rather than by war; he was as irascible as Basileios 2 , but showed it not in battle but in violence against all suspected rebels, innocent or guilty Psellos Orationes panegyricae II, 160-178 Having a weak and cowardly soul, most of those he blinded he punished out of a mere false accusation, allegedly because they were plotting treacherous acts of revolt
ψυχὴν δὲ δειλοκάρδιον καὶ τρομαλέαν ἔχων ἀπὸ ψιλῆς διαβολῆς τοὺς πλείους ἀπετύφλου, ὡς δῆθεν ὑπορύττοντας δόλους ἀποστασίας. Manasses, Chronicle 5960-5962 Meted out blinding in punishment to all, whether the sin seemed greater or lesser, whether the act was perpetrated or advanced only to report: did not reckon to impose punishment proportionate to crime, but to free himself from suspicions ... ὁ μὲν ἔργου ἥπτετο, ὁ δὲ μέχρι φήμης προέβαινεν· οὐ γὰρ ἐφρόντιζεν ὅπως ἄν ἀναλόγους τὰς τιμωρίας ἀποδώσει τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασιν, ἀλλ’ ὅπως ἂν ἑαυτὸν ἐλευθερώσειε τῶν ὑποψιῶν. Psellos: Chronographia II 2.16-21 Already old and no longer capable of making war, he was exasperated at every ill-omened rumour; restrained the encircling barbarians from moving against us by dignities and gifts, but inflicted terrible punishments on rebellious subjects γηραιὸς δὲ ἤδη γενόμενος καὶ μηκέτι πολεμεῖν δυνάμενος, πρὸς πᾶσαν δύσφημον ἐξετραχύνετο ἀκοήν· ..., τοὺς δὲ τῶν ὑπηκόων στασιάζοντας δεινῶς ἐτιμωρεῖτο. Psellos: Chronographia II 2.4-8 Would preside most imperially, and when he loosed his tongue to speak he astounded every ear, by his dialectic and supporting arguments προὐκάθητο μάλα βασιλικῶς, καὶ τὴν γλῶσσαν ἐπὶ τὸ λέγειν ἀφιεὶς πᾶσαν κατέπληττεν ἀκοήν, ἐπιχειρῶν τε καὶ ἐπενθυμούμενος. Psellos: Chronographia II 6.6-9 Death overtook him when he was gambling away the power, and old age brought to him nature's necessary decay οὕτω γοῦν αὐτὸν τὸ κράτος διαπεττεύοντα ὁ θάνατος κατειλήφει, καὶ τὸν ἀναγκαῖον τῆς φύσεως μαρασμὸν τὸ γῆρας αὐτῷ ἐπήνεγκεν. Psellos: Chronographia II 9.7-9 Himself dictated some of the imperial rescripts (he prided himself in this); all swift hands was defeated by his dictation speed, even though he had shorthand-writers of a number and quality seldom seen ... ἐνίας τῶν βασιλείων ἐπιστολῶν αὐτὸς ὑπηγόρευεν (ἐφιλοτιμεῖτο γὰρ περὶ τοῦτο), καὶ πᾶσα χεὶρ ὀξεῖα ἡττᾶτο τοῦ τάχους τῶν ὑπηγορευμένων, καίτοι γε τοσούτους καὶ τηλικούτους ὑπογραμματέας ὀξυγράφους .... Psellos: Chronographia II 6.14-18 Reigned for 3 years ἔτη γ´. Glykas 579.18 Was large in bodily bulk and noble in strength, but cowardly in spritual condition; hence he decided to calm barbarian onsets not by wars, but rather by gifts and honours ἦν δὲ εὐμεγέθης μὲν τὸν ὄγκον τοῦ σώματος καὶ τὴν ἀλκὴν γενναιότατος, δειλὸς δὲ τὴν ἕξιν ψυχικήν, ὅθεν οὐδὲ πολεμίοις κατευνάζειν ἔκρινε τὰς τῶν βαρβάρων ὁρμάς, δωρειαῖς δὲ μᾶλλον καὶ ἀξιώμασι. Zonaras 17.10.4 Had passed his youth; differed in character from Basileios 2 , ... seemed to all to be easy-going, with a lazy existence and eager for the soft life ἤστην δὲ ἄμφω ἤδη μὲν παρεληλακότε τὴν ἥβην, διαφόρω δὲ τὸ ἦθος· .... ὁ δέ γε Κωνσταντῖνος ἀνειμένος τοῖς πᾶσιν ὦπτο, ῥᾳθύμως τε τῆς ζωῆς ἔχων καὶ περὶ τὸν ἁβρὸν βίον ἐπουδακώς. Psellos: Chronographia I 2.1-6 Having once plunged into wrath, he was hard to recall, deaf to all advice; but despite his ill-temper was not divorced from sympathy, but was disconcerted at disasters and provided alleviation to those with pitiful stories ἅπαξ γὰρ κατάφορος τῷ θυμῷ γεγονώς, δυσανάκλητος ἦν ...· οὕτω δὲ δύσοργος ὤν, οὐδὲ τοῦ συμπαθοῦς ἤθους ἀπῴκιστο, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τὰς συμφορὰς ἐδυσωπεῖτο καὶ τοῖς ἐλεεινολογουμένοις ἐξευμενίζετο. Psellos: Chronographia II 2.25-30 Exhausted by the speed of his words, his shorthand-writers would designate the multitude of his ideas and words by certain signs πρὸς τὸ τάχος τῶν λεγομένων ἀποναρκοῦντες σημείοις τισὶ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν τε ἐννοιῶν καὶ τῶν λέξεων ἀπεσήμαινον. Psellos: Chronographia II 6.18-20 He was a slave to his stomach and passions, and hence had pain in the joints; indeed his feet were so bad he could not walk. Once he was autokrator no one saw him use his feet confidently to move: he was carried securely seated on horseback ᾕττητο δὲ καὶ γαστρὸς καὶ ἀφροδισίων, ὅθεν αὐτῷ καὶ περὶ τὰ ἄρθρα ἄλγημα ἐγεγόνει, μᾶλλον δὲ τὼ πόδε κεκάκωτο ἐς τοσοῦτον, ὥστε μὴ βαδίζειν δύνασθαι· ... ἐφ᾽ ἵππου δὲ ὀχηθεὶς ἀσφαλῶς ἥδραστο. Psellos: Chronographia II 7.6-12 Lived for three days after the marriage of Romanos 3 and Zoe 1 and then paid his due, after living to be more than seventy years old, and after dancing over the kingdom for one month short of three years ... ἀπέτισε τὸ χρεών, ἑβδομηκοντούτης καὶ πρὸς γεγονώς, ἐνιαυτοὺς δὲ τρεῖς ἑνὸς ἐνδέοντος μηνὸς τῆς βασιλείας κατορχησάμενος. Zonaras 17.10.24 Was no less a slave to hunting where he was superior to heat and cold and resisted thirst; he was especially skilled in fighting beasts; for this he had learned to use a bow, throw a spear, draw a sword dexterously and shoot successfully ... καύματος κρείττων ἦν, καὶ ψύχους ἐκράτει, καὶ πρὸς δίψος ἀντέτεινεν· ... διὰ ταῦτα οὖν τοξεύειν τε ἐμεμαθήκει, καὶ ἀφιέναι δόρυ, καὶ ξίφος ἐπιδεξίως σπάσασθαι, καὶ ἐπιτετευγμένως ἀποτοξεῦσαι. Psellos: Chronographia II 8.10-15 Reigned for 13 years ἔτη ιγ´. Glykas 459 Was a little younger than his brother Basileios 2 μικρόν τι ἐκείνου κατὰ τὸν χρόνον τῆς ζωῆς ἐλαττούμενος. Zonaras 17.10.1 Took up the management of all things in his seventieth year; had a very soft disposition and a spirit inclined to pure enjoyment; finding the imperial treasuries full of money, he used his inclination and surrendered himself to pleasures ... ἤθους δὲ μαλακωτάτου τυχὼν καὶ ψυχῆς πρὸς πᾶσαν ῥεούσης ἀπόλαυσιν, εἶτα καὶ τοὺς βασιλικοὺς θησαυροὺς ἔμπλεως χρημάτων ἐφευρηκώς, καταχρῆται τῇ γνώμῃ, καὶ ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ἐκδίδωσιν ἑαυτὸν. Psellos: Chronographia II 1.5-10 When the whole administration depended on him, he was not the man to consume himself with cares; entrusting government to more learned men, he limited himself to giving audiences to ambassadors or administrating some other very easy matter ..., οὐχ οἷός τε δὴ ἦν φροντίσιν ἑαυτὸν καταδαπανᾶν, ἀνδρῶν τοῖς λογιωτέροις ἐγχειρίσας τὰ πράγματα, αὐτὸς τὸ μὲν ὅσον ἐς τὸ χρηματίσαι πρέσβευσιν ἢ ἄλλο τι τῶν ῥᾴστων διοικήσασθαι. Psellos: Chronographia II 6.2-6 Naturally skilled and rather graceful, he had a tongue polished in speaking and elegant; arguments fathered in his soul he delivered with brilliant tongue φύσεως δὲ περιδεξίου τετυχηκὼς καὶ χαριεστέρας, καὶ γλῶτταν εὐτυχήσας ἁβρὰν περὶ τοὺς λόγους καὶ καλλιρρήμονα, οὓς ἀπὸ ψυχῆς ἐγέννα λογισμοὺς λαμπρᾷ τῇ γλώττῃ ἐμαίευεν. Psellos: Chronographia II 6.11-14 He was interested in the long neglected "gymnopodia" and restored it to the theatre, not watching like an emperor, but as contender against the opposing party ὅθεν ἀμεληθείσης πάλαι τῆς γυμνποδίας οὗτος αὖθις ἐφρόντιζε καὶ ἐπανήγαγεν εἰς τὸ θέατρον, οὐχ ὡς βασιλεὺς θεωρῶν, ἀλλ’ ὡς τῷ ἀντικειμένῳ μέρει ἀντίτεχνος. Psellos: Chronographia II 8.3-6 Younger than Basileios 2 ὁ μὲν γὰρ Βασίλειος, ὁ κατὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν πρεσβύτερος ... πρεσβύτερος αὐτῶν ὁ Βασίλειος. Psellos: Chronographia I 2.2-3; 2.7 The imperial family which began with Basileios 1 the Macedonian ended with him, Romanos 3 's father-in-law ... ἐς τὸν πενθερὸν Κωνσταντῖνον τὸ βασίλειον γένος ἀπετελεύτησεν ἐκ Βασιλείου τοῦ Μακεδόνος ἠργμένον .... Psellos: Chronographia III 1.4-6 His deeds are narrated in the Chronographia of Michael 61 Χρονογραφία πονηθεῖσα τῷ ... Μιχαήλ, ἱστοροῦσα τὰς πράξεις τῶν βασιλέων, τοῦ τε Βασιλείου καὶ Κωνσταντίνου πορφυρογεννήτων. Psellos: Chronographia Introduction 1-4 Quick as any man to anger, he was mastered by wrath and receptive to every rumour, especially about all suspected of imperial aspirations ὀξύρροπος εἰ καί τις ἄλλος ἦν, θυμοῦ τε ἥττων, καὶ πρὸς πᾶσαν ἀκοὴν εὐπαράδεκτος, μάλιστα δὲ πάντων οὓς βασιλειῶντας ὑπώπτευε. Psellos: Chronographia II 2.11-13 If nothing stood in the way, wrath precipitated him to some evil, but immediately on hearing he was grieved, embraced the victim sympathetically, shed tears from his eyes and defended himself with pitiful phrases εἰ δὲ μηδὲν ἐγεγόνει τὸ ἀντικείμενον, ἀπέσκηπτε μὲν αὐτῷ ὁ θυμὸς ἐπί τι κακὸν, ὁ δ’ εὐθὺς ἀκούσας ἠνιᾶτο καὶ τὸν τετιμωρημένον συμπαθῶς ἠγκαλίζετο καὶ δάκρυα τῶν ὀμμάτων ἠφίει καὶ ἀπελογεῖτο ἐλεεινοῖς ῥήμασιν. Psellos: Chronographia II 2.34-8 He did not want his opponents to be defeated because he was emperor, but to fight back skilfully, so that he could defeat them more brilliantly. He would chatter about his contests and blended in with the ways of the citizens ἐβούλετο μὴ ὡς βασιλέως ἡττᾶσθαι τοὺς ἀντιπίπτοντας, ἀλλὰ δεινῶς ἀπομάχεσθαι, ἵνα νικῴη τούτους λαμπρότερον. ἐστωμύλλετο δὲ καὶ περὶ τὰς ἔριδας, καὶ πρὸς τὰ τῶν πολιτῶν ἔθη ἀνεκέκρατο. Psellos: Chronographia II 8.6-10 Since he had not hitherto [before the end of his life] paid steady attention to any member of the senate it was difficult then to make a rational choice [of husband for Zoe 1 ] μήπω δὲ πρὸ τούτου πρός τινα τῶν τῆς συγκλήτου βεβαιότερον ἐπερείσας τὸν νοῦν, δυσδιάκριτον τότε τὴν κατὰ λογισμὸν εἶχεν ἐπιλογήν. Psellos: Chronographia II 9.13-15 Was of easy-going disposition and not very eager to lead; strong in body, he was of cowardly spirit ῥᾴθυμος ἦν τῆν γνώμην, καὶ οὐ πάνυ περὶ τὴν ἡγεμονίαν σπουδάζων, ἄλκιμος δὲ περὶ τὸ σῶμα, δειλὸς ἦν τὴν ψυχήν . Psellos: Chronographia II 2.2-4 Naturally apathetic in character and lax, or having got into the habit of an indolent life (for his brother Basileios 2 did not share any imperial activity with him), he maintained this lifestyle when he became sole ruler ῥᾳθύμου δὲ πεφυκὼς ἤθους και ἀνειμένου ἢ καὶ εἰς ἕξιν ἐλθὼν βίου ἀργοῦ (οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκοινώνει αὐτῷ βασιλείου τινὸς ὁ σύγγονος πράξεως), καὶ αὐταρχήσας τοιαύτην εἶχε διαγωγήν. Zonaras 17.10.2 Rule of the empire would not otherwise have been piloted well under him and Basileios 2 , had not the absolute administration been allocated to the first and sharpest (Basileios) οὐδ’ ἂν ἄλλως ἡ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῖς ἀρχὴ διεκυβερνήθη, εἰ μὴ τῷ πρώτῳ καὶ ἀκριβεστάτῳ ἡ αὐτοκράτωρ ἀπεκληρώθη διοίκησις. Psellos: Chronographia I 2.9-11 Knew more than any emperor how to do good, but did not combine just fairness with this grace: to those about him he opened all the doors of benefits and stored up gold for them like sand, to those further away he showed this virtue less ... πλὴν οὐκ ἐπεμίγνυε τῇ χάριτι ταύτῃ τὴν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἰσότητα, ἀλλὰ τοῖς μὲν περὶ ἑαυτὸν πάσας θύρας εὐεργετημάτων ἀνέῳγε καὶ ὡς ψάμμον αὐτοῖς τὸν χρυσὸν ἐθησαύριζε, τοῖς δὲ πόρρω ἐλάττονα .... Psellos: Chronographia II 3.1-4 More than others his intimates were those whom he had castrated in early youth and kept as chamberlains and attendants, men neither noble nor freeborn, but pagans and barbarians ᾠκειοῦντο δὲ αὐτῷ ... οὓς ἐκ πρώτης ἡλικίας τῶν παιδογόνων ἀφελὼν μορίων κατευναστῆρας καὶ θαλαμηπόλους ἐκεκτητο· ἦσαν ... οὔτε τῆς εὐγενοῦς, οὔτε τῆς ἐλευθέρας τύχης, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἐθνικῆς καὶ βαρβάρου. Psellos: Chronographia II 3.6-9 Educated by him his eunuchs changed to his ways and were accorded respect and honour beyond others; hiding their shameful condition by their disposition, they were free, liberal with money, keen to do good and otherwise gentlemanly παιδείας τε τῆς παρ’ ἐκείνου τετυχηκότες καὶ ἐς τὸ ἐκείνου ἦθος μεταβαλόντες ὑπὲρ τοὺς ἄλλους αἰδοῦς τε πλείονος καὶ τιμῆς ἠξιοῦντο· .... Psellos: Chronographia II 3.10-15 His neglect for imperial government was matched by his devotion to chequers and dice; he was so much a slave of this pastime and so mad about it that he neglected ambassadors if he was engaged in it and scorned things otherwise essential τῶν δὲ τῆς βασιλείας πραγμάτων τοσοῦτον ἠμέλει, ὅσον περὶ πεττοὺς καὶ κύβους ἐσπούδαζεν· οὕτω γὰρ ἥττητο ταύτης τῆς παιδιᾶς ..., ὥστε καὶ πρέσβεων ἐφεστηκότων ἀμελεῖν, εἰ ταύτῃ ξυνείχετο, .... Psellos: Chronographia II 9.1-5 He threw himself into a life of pleasure, determined to squander and consume everything and, had not death quickly removed him, he would have been sufficient to destroy the empire all by himself ἐπὶ δὲ τὸν ἀπολαυστικὸν βίον, σπαθᾶν πάντα καὶ ἀναλίσκειν διέγνωκε, καὶ εἰ μὴ ταχὺ τοῦτον ὑπεξεῖλεν ὁ θάνατος, ἤρκεσεν ἄν ἀντὶ πάντων εἰς τὴν τοῦ κράτους διαφθοράν. Psellos: Chronographia VII 52.14-17 He first began to corrupt and swell the body politic, fattening some of his subjects with great wealth, distending them with honours, making their life festering and corrupt οὗτος ... πρώτως τὸ σῶμα τῆς πολιτείας κακοῦν τε καὶ ἐξογκοῦν ἤρξατο, τὰ μὲν ἐνίους τῶν ὑπηκόων χρήμασι καταπιάνας πολλοῖς, τὰ δὲ ἀξιώμασι διογκώσας καὶ ὕπουλον αὐτοῖς καὶ διεφθαρμένην τὴν ζωὴν καταστήσας. Psellos: Chronographia VII 53.1-5 Although open-handed, he did not use the virtue correctly and hence fell into the opposing evils τὴν χεῖρα δ᾿ ὢν ἐλευθέριος οὐκ ὀρθῶς ἐχρῆτο τῇ ἀρετῇ, ὅθεν καὶ εἰς τὰς ἀντιθέτους κακίας ἐξέπιπτε. Zonaras 17.10.10 Basileios 2 made income greatly exceed expenditure and at his death left for him treasures beyond counting πολυπλασίους τε τὰς ἐπιγινομένας εἰσόδους τῶν ἀπογιγνομένων πεποιηκώς, τῶν ἐντεῦθεν ἀπιὼν θησαυροὺς ἀμυθήτους χρημάτων καταλελοίπει τῷ ἀδελφῷ Κωνσταντίνῳ. Psellos: Chronographia VII 52.8-11 His anger was not lasting like that of Basileios 2 , but quickly changed and he was terribly downcast at what he had done; indeed if anyone quenched his flaming wrath, he held back from punishment and accorded favours to his restrainer τὴν δὲ ὀργὴν οὐκ ἔμμονον εἶχεν ...· καὶ ἐφ’ οἷς ἐποίει δεινῶς κατεβάλλετο· ἀμέλει κἄν τις αὐτῷ φλεγμαίνοντα κατέσβεσε τὸν θυμόν, ἀπείχετό τε τοῦ τιμωρεῖν καὶ χάριτας ὡμολόγει τῷ κεκωλυκότι. Psellos: Chronographia II 2.30-4 Michael 61 took his material from others in speaking about him and Basileios 2 περὶ ἐκείνων μὲν ἐξ ἑτέρων τὰς ἀφορμὰς εἰληφὼς εἴρηκα. Psellos: Chronographia III 1.17-18 Was unstable in character, but did not rage like his brother (Basileios 2 ) or remain in a state of wrath, but was easily converted to the opposite disposition and was pained after treating someone badly πρὸς θυμὸν ὑπῆρχεν ὀξύρροπος, οὐ κατὰ τὸν ἀδελφὸν δ᾿ ἐμηνία, οὐδ᾿ ἐνέμενε τῇ ὀργῇ, ἀλλὰ ῥᾷον εἰς τὴν ἀντίροππον διάθεσιν μετετίθετο καὶ ἠνιᾶτο κακῶς τινα διαθέμενος. Zonaras 17.10.5 He was very skilled in making rich sauces, colouring dishes with tints and perfumes and summoning all nature to his appetite καρακεῦσαι δὲ δεινότατος ἐγεγόνει, χροιαῖς τε καὶ ὀσμαῖς τὰ παρατεθειμένα καταχρωννὺς καὶ πᾶσαν φύσιν πρὸς ὄρεξιν ἐκκαλούμενος. Psellos: Chronographia II 7.4-6 He joined days to nights and although a great eater refrained absolutely from food when he wanted to play dice ἡμέρας τε ξυνῆπτε νυξί, καὶ πολυβορώτατος ὢν τροφῆς ἀπείχετο παντάπασιν, ὁπότε κυβεύειν ἐβούλετο. Psellos: Chronographia II 9.5-7 Dignity/Office (26) Education (1) Kinship (71) Location (7) Possession (1) Alternative Name (1)