Death of Psellos' father; Psellos' mother censured his grief, & was herself rebuked for excessive asceticism

Summary:
Psellos' father invited his son to his monastery and told him that his soul was being covered in darkness. Then father and son had a satisfying philosophical discussion. Michael, however, felt depressed and decided to visit Theodote, his mother. She welcomed him like a visitor from a distance, and invited him to stay. But they were woken at midnight by the doorkeeper, who reported a message from his father's monastery, that he was seriously ill. He rushed to his father, followed by Theodote, and found he had a high temperature, breathing quickly. He took his pulse (a skill learned long before), and it was irregular. He did not know whether to tend father, mother or himself. His father told him he was dying, that he should not grieve, but console his mother. As his father died, cradled in his arms, Michael wept and lamented, but was stopped by his mother, who pulled him away, conquering her own grief. She complained that all his pagan learning had not taught him self-control and the meaning of Christian death. He acknowledged the lesson. After the funeral of his father, he prayed for him and then fell asleep and saw a dream of his father, handsome and happy, who embraced him and told him of his joyous reception in heaven. After his death, Theodote increased her ascetic practices, provoking protests from her spiritual adviser that she was far overstepping the mark. Once he persuaded her to order a fish to eat, but she was morally unable to eat this luxury, totally at variance with the life she had chosen. So she told her maid (her confidant) to go out and give it to the first person she saw. This was a poor old woman, who was extremely grateful 
Dates:
1038 (Uncertain) 
doorkeeper at convent of Theodote, mother of Michael Psellos (Anonyma 2114)
maid of Theodote, mother of Michael Psellos (Anonyma 2115)
  • She alone was allowed by Theodote 2101 to know all her ascetic practices: once Theodote ordered a fish, but could not bring herself to eat it, so she told her maid to go out and give it to the first person she saw: this was Anonyma 2116 (:) Psellos Mother 43-45
old woman who received fish from Theodote, mother of Michael Psellos (Anonyma 2116)
  • She was the first person found by Anonyma 2115 to receive the fish that Theodote 2101 could not eat; she came into the cell, sat on the bed, called Theodote by many flattering names, and ate the fish (:) Psellos Mother 44-45
father of Michael Psellos (Anonymus 2134)
  • He invited Michael 61 to his monastery and told him that his soul was being covered in darkness, but then father and son had a satisfying philosophical discussion; Michael, however, felt depressed and decided to visit Theodote 2101 (:) Psellos Mother 36-37
  • After his funeral, Michael 61 prayed for him and then fell asleep and dreamed of him, handsome and happy; his father embraced him and told him of his joyous reception in heaven (:) Psellos Mother 41-42
  • He fell seriously ill, and Michael 61 and Theodote 2101 were summoned at midnight; he told Michael not to grieve and to look after Theodote, then he died: in fact Michael cradled him in his arms and wept - but was rebuked by Theodote Psellos Mother 38-41
spiritual adviser of Theodote, mother of Michael Psellos (Anonymus 2140)
  • He rebuked Theodote 2101 for overstepping the mark, in asceticism, and frightened her into ordering a fish - which she found herself unable to eat, and gave away to Anonyma 2116, an old woman (:) Psellos Mother 43-45
Michael Psellos (named Konstantinos till tonsure in 1054) (Michael 61)
  • He was welcomed by Theodote 2101 like a visitor from a distance, and invited him to stay; but they were woken at midnight by Anonyma 2114, the doorkeeper, who reported a message from the monastery of Anonymus 2134, that he was seriously ill (:) Psellos Mother 37-38
  • He rushed to his father, followed by Theodote 2101, and found he had a high temperature, breathing quickly; he took his pulse (a skill learned long before), and it was irregular; he did not know whether to tend to father, mother or himself (:) Psellos Mother 38
  • Anonymus 2134 told him that he was dying, that Michael should not grieve, but console Theodote 2101; as his father died in his arms, Michael wept and lamented, but was stopped by his mother (:) Psellos Mother 38-39
  • As he lamented, cradling Anonymus 2134, Theodote 2101 pulled him away, conquering her own grief and complaining that all his pagan learning had not taught him self-control and the meaning of Christian death; he acknowledged the lesson (:) Psellos Mother 39-41
  • After the funeral of his father Anonymus 2134, he prayed for him and then fell asleep and saw a dream of his father, handsome and happy, who embraced him and told him of his joyous reception in heaven (:) Psellos Mother 41-42
  • He was invited to the monastery of Anonymus 2134, who told him that his soul was being covered in darkness; there followed a satisfying philosophical discussion between them - but Michael felt depressed and decided to visit his mother (:) Psellos Mother 36-37
Theodote, mother of Michael Psellos (Theodote 2101)
  • She was visited by Michael 61, coming from a good but worrying philosophical discussion with his father Anonymus 2134; Michael stayed as a visitor in her convent, but they were woken at midnight by Anonyma 2114, the doorkeeper (:) Psellos Mother 37-38
  • She and Michael 61 were summoned to the monastery of Anonymus 2134, because he had fallen very ill; he told them that he was dying, that Michael should not grieve, but console Theodote; his father died in Michael's arms (:) Psellos Mother 38-39
  • She rebuked Michael 61, stopping him from weeping over his father's body, conquering her own grief and complaining that all his pagan learning had not taught him self-control and the meaning of Christian death; he acknowledged the lesson (:) Psellos Mother 39-41
  • After the death of her husband Anonymus 2134, she increased her ascetic practices, provoking protests from her spiritual adviser Anonymus 2140 that she was far overstepping the mark; once he persuaded her to order a fish to eat (:) Psellos Mother 43-44
  • She was morally unable to eat the fish, a luxury totally at variance with the life she had chosen, so she told her maid, Anonyma 2115, to go out and give it to the first person she saw: this was Anonyma 2116, who was extremely grateful (:) Psellos Mother 44-45