Tonsure of Michael Psellos

Summary:
To the surprise of many, Michael Psellos became a monk shortly before the death of Konstantinos IX. The reason was partly religious devotion, partly pacts made with friends and partly Konstantinos' unpredictability. But in letters to Michael Keroularios before and after this moment it is plain that it was also a way of escaping persecution by part of the orthodox church. Another letter was written around the time of tonsure to a man he calls responsible for saving him [perhaps the cleric who tonsured him?]. Persecution seems to be represented by a leopard running wild through his life - through his philosophy, the palace, his home, even his bed, changing shape and roaring. It had escaped from its keepers and was making him a monk, but God via his correspondent saved him. Psellos, being shy despite his oratory, might be burned in the streets where he grew up. Where others felt safe he was in danger from a snake's poison. While his correspondent might smile at the riddle, Psellos was really afraid of the poison and the leopard 
Dates:
1054 
man who saved Michael Psellos from his persecutors (Anonymus 2529)
  • He was given a summary of Psellos’ persecution, with the persecutors embodied as a leopard (?) but Anonymus 2529, with God’s aid, had saved him (:) Psellos Letters (K - D) 198, 223.19-226.29
Emperor Konstantinos IX Monomachos (Konstantinos 9)
  • He criticised brilliant (courtiers') robes and praised Michael 61's rough habit, crowning him with the victor's diadem because he had proved superior to persuasion (:) ὅτι κρείττων πάσης ἐγεγόνειν πειθοῦς Psellos: Chronographia VI 199.7-10
  • He was downcast at news of Michael 61's affliction, more than it merited; at first he wailed and groaned deeply that his life was at risk; the prospect of losing him overwhelmed him as he dearly loved his talk (:) ἤρα γάρ μου τῆς γλώττης δεινῶς Psellos: Chronographia VI 197.101-5
  • When he despaired of persuasion he abandoned cunning ... and wielded the club; he swore that he would burn Michael 61 and those who counselled him to change his life, and bring every disaster not only on him but his whole family (:) τῆς ἡμέρου πειθοῦς ἀπεγνώκει Psellos: Chronographia VI 198.11-16
Michael Psellos (named Konstantinos till tonsure in 1054) (Michael 61)
  • Shortly before Konstantinos 9's death it happened that he renounced the wordly life (:) ἐτύγχανον ... ἀποταξάμενος τῇ φαύλῃ ζωῇ Psellos: Chronographia VIa 13.2-4
  • He speaks the truth in saying that it was not scientific reason that turned him from secular studies to Christian faith, but a divine power possessed him; may Mary and Christ be merciful if his deeds did not always match his word ἐμοὶ δέ, ἵνα τἀληθὲς εἴποιμι, οὐδ᾿ ὁ ἐπιστημονικὸς λόγος τὴν ἀποστροφὴν τούτων δεδώρηται, ἀλλὰ μέ τις θειοτέρα κατέσχηκε δύναμις ... εἰ καὶ παρήλλαξα ταῖς πράξεσι τὸ πρὸς τὸν λόγον ἀνάλογον Psellos: Chronographia VIa 12.1-16
  • This proposition (about Konstantinos 9's fickle treatment of his friends) will be a beginning and occasion for (an account of) his own transferral to the better life (of a monk) τοῦτο δὲ τοῦ λόγου τὸ πρόβλημα ἀρχή τις γενήσεται καὶ ὑπόθεσις τῆς ἐμῆς ἐπὶ τὸν κρείττονα βίον μεταποιήσεως Psellos: Chronographia VI 191.1-3
  • It was Konstantinos 9's swift changes of mind which thrust him to his present situation (as a monk): afraid of these he chose the better life instead of the worse, one free of waves instead of confusion and disturbance: in association with Ioannes 18, Ioannes 289 (:) ἦν δέ γε τὸ ὠθῆσάν με πρὸς τὴν παροῦσαν ὑπόθεσιν Psellos: Chronographia VI 200.3-7
  • He was deaf to all Konstantinos 9's entreaties, as Ioannes 18 who had preceded him in seizing the better life, had more influence on him (:) ᾕρει γάρ με μᾶλλον Psellos: Chronographia VI 198.10-11
  • Konstantinos 9 criticised brilliant (courtier's) robes and praised his rough habit, crowning him with the victor's diadem because he had proved superior to all persuasion (:) ὅτι κρείττων πάσης ἐγεγόνειν πειθοῦς Psellos: Chronographia VI 199.7-10
  • When Konstantinos 9 despaired of persuasion he abandoned cunning for lion-skin and club; he swore that he would burn Psellos and those who counselled him to change his life, and bring every disaster not only on him but his whole family (:) τὴν κερδαλὴν ἀφεῖς τὴν λεοντῆν ἐπενδύεται καί μοι ἐπανατείνει τὸ ῥόπαλον Psellos: Chronographia VI 198.11-16
  • Not long before Theodora 1's rule he retired to the better life; as he put on the divine habit shortly before Konstantinos 9's death, many people surmised his thinking - that he knew this was the moment and retired for that reason (:) ὡς εἰδείην τε τὸν καιρὸν καὶ διὰ ταῦτα μεταλλαξαίμην Psellos: Chronographia VIa 10.1-6
  • Accepting Konstantinos 9's threats as a promise of better things, he put in at the harbour of the church; removing the hair that covered his head he cut himself off from the life of the senses (:) τὸ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀφελόμενος κάλυμμα τῆς ἐν αισθήσει ζωῆς ἀποτέμνομαι Psellos: Chronographia VI 199.1-4
  • Many people were amazed that he suddenly relinguished the splendour he had slowly accumulated at a time when he had overcome many people's envy and transferred to the life of God ἐθαύμασαν γοῦν οἱ πολλοὶ, ὅπως ποτὲ τὴν κατὰ βραχύ μοι συναυξηθεῖσαν λαμπρότητα, ὁπότε δὴ καὶ τὰς τῶν πολλῶν ὑπερβέβηκα βασκανίας, ἀθρόον ἀφείς, ἐπὶ τὸν θειότερον μετελήλυθα βίον Psellos: Chronographia VI 191.3-6
  • (His retirement) was prompted by an innate desire deep in his soul from earliest youth and by the sudden change in affairs: for he was afraid when he saw Konstantinos 9's fickleness, harrying one person after another like a soldier in war καὶ ἔμφυτός τις ἔρως ἐκ πρώτης ἡλικίας τῇ ἐμῇ ψυχῇ ἐντακεὶς καὶ ἡ ἀθρόα τῶν γινομένων μεταβολή· ἔδεισα γοῦν τὸ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς εὐμετάβολον ὁρῶν, ὥσπερ ἐν πολέμῳ ἄλλον ἐπ᾿ ἄλλῳ ἀγόμενον καὶ φερόμενον Psellos: Chronographia VI 191.6-10
  • Was perhaps the addressee of a letter from Ioannes 289 Mauropous (writing to a friend who took the monastic habit) (:) Mauropous: Letters 183
  • A leopard (his persecutors?), ran through his philosophy and much else, changing shape and roaring; it escaped from its keepers and made him a monk, but God via Anonymus 2529 saved him (:) Psellos Letters (K - D) 198, 223.19-224.19
  • He wrote to Anonymus 2529 about his fear of his persecutors Psellos Letters (K - D) 198, 223.19-226.29
  • He, being shy despite his oratory, might be burned in the streets where he grew up; where others felt safe he was in danger from a snake’s poison; while Anonymus 2529 might smile at the riddle, Psellos really feared the poison and the leopard (:) Psellos Letters (K - D) 198, 224.20-226.29