Psellos wrote Orationes panegyricae 2 for Konstantinos IX, with summary of recent history

Summary:
As soon as Konstantinos IX became emperor, Psellos was recommended to him, though they had not met. All Konstantinos' bodyguard knew of his eloquence. He became his servant in all things, was ranked in the higher order and entrusted with the most honoured tasks. Psellos was ignorant of nothing, neither of things done openly nor secretly. He was employed in the palace at the age of 25. An early task (perhaps an application piece?) was Orationes panegyricae 2, a summary of recent history, from Basileios II to the defeat of Georgios Maniakes 
Dates:
1043 
strategos of the West (Anonymus 2126)
  • 1043 summary: he fought a battle with Georgios 62 and was defeated, increasing the latter’s prestige (:) Psellos Orationes panegyricae II. 723-724
Emperor Basileios II Boulgaroktonos (Basileios 2)
  • 1043 summary: it began from him, as the more active of two imperial brothers, magnificent in bearing, successful in war and in building up the economy, defending Byzantium from a range of enemies and making it the dominant local power (:) Psellos Orationes panegyricae II, 75-156
Georgios Maniakes (Georgios 62)
  • 1043 summary: despite unfettered access to the palace and generosity of Konstantinos 9, he revolted with all of Italy (his including Rome, with an eastern army and a band of Varangians, all led by his experienced military talent (:) Psellos Orationes panegyricae II, 706-721
Ioannes the Orphanotrophos, brother of Michael IV (Ioannes 68)
  • 1043 summary: he and Michael 5 disagreed over the succession in 1041; he suspected what would happen under Michael, and had a secret plan; Michael himself, who had done Ioannes many favours, eventually won and became emperor (:) Psellos Orationes panegyricae II, 363-369
Emperor Konstantinos VIII (Konstantinos 8)
  • 1043 summary: he married an aristocratic wife (Helena 103, unnamed), and had three daughters (unnamed here), who were reared in the palace after their mother’s death, including Eudokia 101 and Zoe 1 (:) Psellos Orationes panegyricae II, 179-194
Emperor Konstantinos IX Monomachos (Konstantinos 9)
  • As soon as he became emperor, Michael 61 became his servant in all things, was ranked in the higher order and entrusted with the most honoured tasks; Psellos was ignorant of nothing, neither of things accomplished openly nor secretly (:) εὐθὺς ἐκείνῳ βεβασιλευκότι ὑπηρετηκώς Psellos: Chronographia VI 14.9-12
  • Michael 61 cannot show ingratitude to him as Konstantinos 9 honoured him extremely and raised him above others (:) ἐμοὶ οὐ διὰ ταῦτα ἀγνωμονητέον τῷ ὑπερβαλλόντως τετιμηκότι καὶ ὑπὲρ τοὺς ἄλλους ὑψώσαντι Psellos: Chronographia VI 24.4-6
  • Michael 61 begs him to be gracious to him, and even if he speaks immoderately of his times, yet without concealment and truthfully; may Konstantinos 9 pardon him this too (:) κἂν μὴ μετρίως περὶ τῶν χρόνων εἴποιμι, ἀλλ᾿ ἀνεπικαλύπτως καὶ ἀληθῶς, σύγγνωθί μοι καὶ τοῦτο Psellos: Chronographia VI 28.4-6
  • He did not yet know Michael 61, but all his bodyguard did and described his various qualities to him, adding that grace also adorned his lips (:) ἄλλος ἄλλο τι τῶν ἐμῶν διηρίθμει τῷ βασιλεῖ Psellos: Chronographia VI 44.1-5
  • Michael 61's eloquence brought him to the palace as his under-secretary when he was twenty-five years old (:) ὑπογραμματεύειν ἐδίδου τῷ βασιλεῖ Psellos: Chronographia VIIa 7.11-15
  • Michael 61 was first brought to his notice by his eloquence and the grace of his tongue was a forerunner which initiated Psellos to him and provided lustral cleansing of his sanctuary (:) τοῦτό με τοίνυν πρῶτον εἰς βασιλέα συνίστησι, καὶ ἡ πρόδρομος χάρις τῆς γλώττης προτέλεια ἐκείνῳ Psellos: Chronographia VI 45.6-8
  • Michael 61 needed a more brilliant way of life and a more showy house; the emperor was energetic on his behalf and exchanged Konstantinos 10's house; for this reason Psellos and Konstantinos 10 were united in stronger friendship (:) οὐδὲ τοῦτό μοι τὸ μέρος ἀσπούδαστον ἀφῆκεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Psellos: Chronographia VI 7.15-19
  • On first meeting him Michael 61 spoke neither with fluency nor elegance, but described his family and his education in literature; as men transported by God are possessed without others seeing, so he felt pleasure without reason (:) ὥσπερ οἱ θεοφορούμενοι ἀδήλως τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐνθουσιῶσιν, οὕτω δὴ κἀκείνῳ αἰτίαν οὐκ εἶχεν ἡ ἡδονή Psellos: Chronographia VI 46.1-5
  • He almost embraced Michael 61, so immediately uplifted was he by his tongue; others had limited access to him, but for Psellos the doors of his heart were opened and as he gradually advanced he revealed all (:) κατὰ βραχὺ προϊόντι ξύμπαντα ἐπεδείκνυτο Psellos: Chronographia VI 46.5-9
  • 1043 summary: he was chosen as a husband by the empress Zoe 1, who summoned him back from Mitylene; he made a splendid entry into the capital and then there occurred a wonderful meeting of imperial luminaries (:) Psellos Orationes panegyricae II, 655-679
Emperor Michael IV Paphlagon (Michael 4)
  • 1043 summary: the Bulgarian revolt spurred him into frantic activity; though unable to move without the help of others, he led an army from Constantinople to Bulgaria, made plans, fought battles, rode a horse, won victories and returned (:) Psellos Orationes panegyricae II, 344-353
Emperor Michael V Kalaphates (Michael 5)
  • 1043 summary: he and Ioannes 68 disagreed over the succession in 1041; Ioannes suspected what would happen under Michael, and had a secret plan; Michael himself, who had done Ioannes many favours, eventually won and became emperor (:) Psellos Orationes panegyricae II, 363-369
  • 1043 summary: his actions enraged the city populace, who armed themselves and attacked him; after trying in vain to buy allies he fled and was tonsured - but even this did not save him from arrest, blinding and parading on a mule (:) Psellos Orationes panegyricae II, 413-434
  • 1043 summary: with Sicily and Italy in revolt, he was only settling family scores; worse still, he expelled from the palace his mother and benefactress Zoe 1 (who must also have feared mutilation), ignoring natural laws and sworn oaths (:) Psellos Orationes panegyricae II, 395-413
Michael Psellos (named Konstantinos till tonsure in 1054) (Michael 61)
  • Konstantinos 9 did not yet know him, but all his bodyguard did and described his various qualities to the emperor, adding that grace also adorned his lips (:) προστίθεντες ὅτι μοι καὶ χάρις διαπρέπει τοῖς χείλεσιν Psellos: Chronographia VI 44.1-5
  • His eloquence brought him to the palace as under-secretary to Konstantinos 9 when he was twenty-five years old (:) ἀνάγει με ὁ λόγος εἰς τὰ βασίλεια Psellos: Chronographia VIIa 7.11-15
  • His eloquence first brought him to Konstantinos 9 and his tongue's grace was a forerunner which initiated him with Konstantinos and provided lustral cleansing of his sanctuary (:) ἡ πρόδρομος χάρις τῆς γλώττης προτέλεια ἐκείνῳ καὶ περιρραντία τῶν ἐμῶν ἀδύτων ἐγένετο Psellos: Chronographia VI 45.6-8
  • On first meeting Konstantinos 9 he spoke neither with fluency nor elegance, but he described his family and the education he had received in literature (:) ἐγὼ μὲν τὸ γένος κατέλεγον καὶ οἵαις ἐχρησάμην περὶ τοὺς λόγους παρασκευαῖς Psellos: Chronographia VI 46.1-3
  • Konstantinos 9 almost embraced him, being so immediately uplifted by his tongue; others had limited access to the emperor, but for him the doors of his heart were opened and as he gradually advanced Konstantinos revealed all (:) μικροῦ με δεῖν κατεφίλησεν, οὕτω μου τῆς γλώττης εὐθὺς ἀπῃώρητο Psellos: Chronographia VI 46.5-9
  • He wrote a panegyric for Konstantinos 9 [surely one of his first imperial commissions], which contained a fairly detailed summary of recent history (1043 summary) ἀλλὰ νῦν τῆς ἱστορίας ἀπάρχεται ... Λόγος εἰς τὸν βασιλέα τὸν Μονομάχον Psellos Orationes panegyricae II, 1-834
  • 1043 summary: he congratulated Konstantinos 9 for his dramatic victory over Georgios 62, which did not seem to occur by human agency, but as a sign of divine favour; he finally asked Konstantinos to pay him and make him his court rhetor συγγραφεὺς πρόκριτος Psellos Orationes panegyricae II, 775-835
  • He could not have talked about (his interview with Konstantinos 9) without first explaining the cause, and since he wished to explain the cause, he needed to mention some personal details τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἦν ἄλλως ἐδείξασθαι μὴ τὴν αιτίαν προειρηκότι, ταύτην δὲ βουλόμενος προειπεῖν, ἀναγκαῖον καὶ τῶν κατ᾿ ἐμὲ μνημονεῦσαί τινα Psellos: Chronographia VI 46.13-15
Emperor Romanos III Argyros (Romanos 3)
  • 1043 summary: he was slowly overcome by illness and death became inevitable; he lost most of his strength, had little appetite, and hardly slept, while treatment made things worse; the crisis was most obvious to Zoe 1, his devoted nurse (:) Psellos Orationes panegyricae II, 249-259
Empress Zoe (Zoe 1)
  • 1043 summary: with her adopted son Michael 5 mutilating his relatives, she must have feared for her breasts; in fact she was expelled from the palace in disregard of natural law, sworn oaths and benefactions given (:) Psellos Orationes panegyricae II, 395-413