Psellos, Mavropous & Xiphilinos agreed that if one was forced into a monastery, the rest would follow

Summary:
Psellos, Xiphilinos and Mauropous all felt out of place in the worldly splendour of the court, but hesitated to express their feelings. They were impelled to speak out by the inconsistency of Konstantinos IX, which caused the sudden downfall of many and left everybody feeling insecure. All three made a pact that if any one of them were to retreat to a monastery, the rest would follow 
Dates:
1048 (uncertain) 
Ioannes VIII Xiphilinos, patriarch of Constantinople (Ioannes 18)
  • When close to the throne he enjoyed the "good life" to satiety and naturally observed affairs, not feeling at home with this worldly splendour; but he hesitated to say what he wished, keeping it to himself until the right time : in association with Michael 61, Ioannes 289 (:) τῆς λεγομένης εὐδαιμονίας εἰς κόρον κατετρυφήσαμεν Psellos: Chronographia VI 193.1-6
  • Konstantinos 9 was the main reason he spoke out: the emperor set in motion the wheels of power throwing or dragging down very many, so that he too feared he might be dislodged with a great jolt from his insecure hold: in association with Michael 61, Ioannes 289 (:) ἱκανῶς διεπτόησε μή πως ... καὶ ἡμᾶς ἀπορράξει ἐκεῖθεν, οὐ πάνυ ἀπρὶξ ἐχομένους τῆς ἄντυγος Psellos: Chronographia VI 193.5-12
  • (Konstantinos 9's character) made him decide to become a monk; united in this, he, Michael 61 and Ioannes 289 revealed their secret thoughts to one another and swore alliance, but delayed immediate action, pledging to follow the first (:) τοῦτο τὸ πάθος ἐπὶ τὴν κρείττονα ζωὴν ἡμας μετεσκήνωσεν Psellos: Chronographia VI 194.1-9
  • He and Michael 61 made a vague pact to enter a monastery, and were later attacked in a jealous and cowardly way (name of attacker and details suppressed); he took it to heart, claiming that Konstantinos 9 gave it too much credence (:) Psellos Xiphilinos 421
Ioannes Mauropous, metropolitan of Euchaita (Ioannes 289)
  • Konstantinos 9 was the main reason he spoke out: Konstantinos 9 set in motion the wheels of power throwing or dragging down very many, so that he too feared he might be dislodged with a great jolt from his insecure hold: in association with Michael 61, Ioannes 18 (:) ἱκανῶς διεπτόησε μή πως ... καὶ ἡμᾶς ἀπορράξει ἐκεῖθεν, οὐ πάνυ ἀπρὶξ ἐχομένους τῆς ἄντυγος Psellos: Chronographia VI 193.5-12
  • When close to the throne he enjoyed the "good life" to satiety and naturally observed affairs, not feeling at home with this outward splendour; but he hesitated to say what he wished, keeping it to himself until the right time : in association with Michael 61, Ioannes 18 (:) ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ στήθους ἔχων εἰς καιρὸν τὴν ἔκφρασιν ἐταμίευε Psellos: Chronographia VI 193.1-6
  • Konstantinos 9's character) made him decide to become a monk; united in this, he, Ioannes 18 and Michael 61 revealed their secret thoughts to one another and swore alliance, but delayed immediate action, pledging to follow the first of them to act (:) τοῦτο τὸ πάθος ἐπὶ τὴν κρείττονα ζωὴν ἡμας μετεσκήνωσεν Psellos: Chronographia VI 194.1-9
Emperor Konstantinos IX Monomachos (Konstantinos 9)
  • He was the main reason Michael 61, Ioannes 18 and Ioannes 289 spoke out: he set in motion the wheels of power, throwing or dragging down very many, so that they too feared he might dislodge them with a great jolt from their insecure hold (:) γίνεται δ᾿ οὖν ἡμῖν ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ ταύτης πρωταίτιος Psellos: Chronographia VI 193.7-12
Michael Psellos (named Konstantinos till tonsure in 1054) (Michael 61)
  • Konstantinos 9 was the main reason he spoke out: Konstantinos set in motion the wheels of power throwing or dragging down very many, so that he too feared he might be dislodged with a great jolt from his insecure hold: in association with Ioannes 18, Ioannes 289 (:) ἱκανῶς διεπτόησε μή πως ... καὶ ἡμᾶς ἀπορράξει ἐκεῖθεν, οὐ πάνυ ἀπρὶξ ἐχομένος τῆς ἄντυγος Psellos: Chronographia VI 193.7-12
  • When close to the throne he enjoyed the "good life" to satiety and naturally observed affairs, not feeling at home with this outward splendour; but he hesitated to express his real thoughts, keeping them to himself until the right time : in association with Ioannes 18, Ioannes 289 (:) ὥσπερ ἔδει τῶν πραγμάτων κατέγνωμεν Psellos: Chronographia VI 193.1-6
  • He and Ioannes 18 made a vague plan to enter a monastery, and were later attacked in a jealous and cowardly way (name of attacker and details suppressed); he disregarded this libel (:) Psellos Xiphilinos 421
  • Konstantinos 9's character made him decide to become a monk; united in this, he, Ioannes 18 and Ioannes 289 revealed their secret thoughts to one another and swore alliance, but delayed immediate action, pledging to follow the first to make the decision (:) τοῦτο τὸ πάθος ἐπὶ τὴν κρείττονα ζωὴν ἡμας μετεσκήνωσεν Psellos: Chronographia VI 194.1-9