Alan mistress of Konstantinos IX Monomachos M XI
τῇ Σεβαστῇ (Anonyma 210)
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Narrative (19) Description (11) A young girl who was a hostage to (Byzantium) from Alania; her kingdom was not august nor one with a great position, but it constantly gave pledge of good faith to the Roman empire τινος μείρακος ... ἐξ Ἀλανίας ὁμηρευούσης ἡμῖν· βασιλεία δὲ αὐτὴ οὐ πάνυ σεμνή, οὐδὲ ἀξίωμα ἔχουσα, τῷ δε ῾Ρωμαίων κράτει τὸ ἐχέγγυον ἀεὶ διδούσα τῆς πίστεως. Psellos: Chronographia VI 151.8-11 A young girl ... a hostage from a nation which was not large; she was not in any way distinguished, but was respected by Konstantinos 9 because she was of royal blood and was held in the highest honour τις μεῖραξ ..., ἐξ ἔθνους οὐ μεγίστου ὁμηρεύουσα παρ᾿ ἡμῖν, γενναῖον μὲν οὐδὲν ἔχουσα, ἀλλ᾿ ὡς ἐκ βασιλικοῦ αἷματος παρ᾿ αὐτῷ σεβομένη καὶ τὰ πρῶτα τῆς τιμῆς ἔχουσα. Psellos: Chronographia VI 145.6-9 The beloved (of Romanos 62 ) princess τὴν ἐρωμένην ... βασιλίδα. Psellos: Chronographia VI 145.16-17 She was not remarkable for beauty nor blessed in her retinue, but was ornamented with two graces only - her white skin and her lovely flashing eyes οὔτε τὸ εἶδος ἀξιοθέατον, οὔτε τὴν θεραπείαν εὔδαιμον, δυσὶ δὲ μόναις κεκόσμητο χάρισι, λευκὸν ἦν τὴν χροίαν καὶ καλλίστοις ἐπήστραπτεν ὄμμασιν. Psellos: Chronographia VI 151.12-15 She was beautiful and intelligent, knowing how and when to speak, a sight to make Ioannes 289 forget Euchaita Psellos Letters (K - D) 34, 55.7-56.11 She was a veritable Proteus, changing and diverse ἦν ἡ γυνὴ Πρωτεὺς ἀτεχνῶς ἐξαλλάττων καὶ ποικιλλόμενος. Psellos: Chronographia VI 152.11-12 Beloved (by Romanos 62 ) τὴν ἐρωμένην. Psellos: Chronographia VI 155.12 Her transformation (after Zoe 1 's death) was sudden and novel: unaccustomed ornament on her head, her neck splendid with gold, snake-bracelets about her arms, heavy pearls hanging from her ears, her girdle gold and adorned with pearls ὁ μετασχηματισμὸς ἀθρόος τε καὶ καινός· τήν τε γὰρ κεφαλὴν ἀσυνήθης κόσμος ἐκύκλου, ... ἐπικαρπιοί τε ὄφεις χρυσοῖ τοὺς βραχίονας αὐτῇ διενέμοντο, καὶ τῶν ὤτων μαργαρῖται βαρεῖς ἀπεκρέμαντο, ἡ δὲ ζώνη, ... . Psellos: Chronographia VI 152.5-11 A young girl, given as hostage to the Romans from the Alans, a child of one of the leaders among them μείρακά τινα, ὅμηρα δοθεῖσαν ᾿Ρωμαίοις ἐξ Ἀλανῶν, παῖδά τινος τῶν παρ ᾿ ἐκείνοις ἀρχηγετούντων. Zonaras 17.28.3 This girl Sebaste τὴν σεβαστὴν ταυτηνὶ μείρακα. Psellos: Chronographia VI 154.5-6 Everything came to absolutely nothing: when Konstantinos 9 died she was again considered a hostage and Romanos 62 's fire kindled only phantoms ἀτελέστατα ἐγεγόνει πάντα· ὅ τε γὰρ αὐτοκράτωρ ἐτεθνήκει, ..., ἐκείνων δὲ ἡ μὲν σεβαστὴ εἰς ὁμηρείας αὖθις μερίδα λελόγισται, τὸν δὲ μέχρι φαντασμάτων ὁ τοῦ ἔρωτος ἀνάπτει πυρσός. Psellos: Chronographia VI 155.20 Dignity/Office (6) Ethnic label (2) Kinship (3) Location (2) Possession (1)