Psellos replied after a time to Ophrydas' attack on the appointment of Ioannes Xiphilinos as nomophylax. Xiphilinos' all-round ability and achievement, and the precocious age at which he achieved it, are stressed throughout Psellos' text, which often contrasts him with Ophrydas. The latter's limited career and the poor quality of his attack were compared unfavourably by Psellos with Ioannes' splendid exploits. His strictures on youthful promotions were shown to be unhistorical (especially among the admired ancients) and generally ridiculous. Konstantinos IX was praised by most legal experts when he appointed Xiphilinos as nomophylax. Ophrydas, in attacking the choice, was in fact attacking the emperor who made it. Psellos hints that behind the elderly nonentity Ophrydas there may lurk a man of greater education and legal knowledge [Eustratios Romaios? - but he is unlikely to have lived so long]