Psellos wrote to Keroularios, complaining of a lack of consistency in the patriarch's dealing with him

Summary:
Psellos wrote to Michael Keroularios as his long-term supporter, but complaining of the patriarch’s serious inconsistency in return. He spoke of a slanderous demon besieging him everywhere, more fiercely because he was innocent. Successful rebuttal did not stop it shamelessly attacking again in different forms, though with no success. At the last crisis, he was unable to approach Keroularios. Psellos was attacked as a slanderer and his friendly gestures rejected. Then contacts were restored, and he felt happy and victorious. Calm soon changed to another, worse storm of slander, of which Psellos said nothing to the empress Theodora, who was ready to listen. Again he storm abated, Keroularios embraced him and killed the fatted calf, in a dramatic reversal - perhaps through remorse. Keroularios' new attitudes were widely known, to the advantage of both. Psellos, naïvely attracted to all Keroularios' gifts and attributes, was badly wounded by him; he who had always addressed Psellos in Attic, suddenly lowered his language level. Suspicion was cast on Psellos’ rise to power, his philosophical chair, his regular imperial access. He gave up as Keroularios circled and stabbed him from the side. Psellos' writings, freely handed over, were read for unintended meanings. His philosophy was disregarded, his motives impugned, his pledges ignored; neither his declaration of faith nor anything else stopped Keroularios repeating the same charges. He wondered what Keroularios would reply; Psellos promised love and an encomium to answer any future inconsistency. Keroularios was welcome to show this letter to others, to test opposing views 
Dates:
1055 
Michael I Keroularios, patriarch of Constantinople (Michael 11)
  • Michael 61 had always been a fervent supporter of his, and had not changed when Keroularios had been made a sacrifice to God (by tonsure), still seeking contact with him of every kind (:) Psellos Letters (Maltese) 16.13-24
  • Later there was a crisis, in which there was no communication between them; then there were two periods of peace and co-ooperation, followed by two further times of tension and mistrust, their friendship seeming to make things worse for Psellos (:) Psellos Letters (Maltese) 16.35-95
  • Psellos wondered how he would now defend himself, and what his attitude would be; Psellos promised love and encomium to meet any further inconsistency; Keroularios should show this letter to others, to allow expression of opposing views (:) Psellos Letters (Maltese) 16.96-104
Michael Psellos (named Konstantinos till tonsure in 1054) (Michael 61)
  • He wrote a long letter to Michael 11, stressing that he had always supported him but complaining explicitly of the patriarch's total lack of consistency in responding to him Τῷ Μιχαὴλ Κηρουλαρίῳ Psellos Letters (Maltese) 16.1-104
  • The brief calm soon changed to another, worsening storm of slander, which he suffered without really speaking to Theodora 101, who was ready to listen; if this heartbreaking story was false, Keroularios should deny it and prove his point (:) Psellos Letters (Maltese) 16.35-43
  • The storm abated again, Michael 11 embraced Psellos and killed the fatted calf; the change from hatred to love was sudden - perhaps a sign of remorse; Keroularios' new attitudes became plain everywhere, to the advantage of both (:) Psellos Letters (Maltese) 16.43-59
  • Psellos liked patriarchal gifts - but was always attracted to all Keroularios' attributes; yet again he was naïve and badly wounded by the devious Keroularios; he who had always addressed Psellos in Attic, suddenly lowered his language level (:) Psellos Letters (Maltese) 16.59-77
  • Suspicion fell on his rise to power, his philosophical chair, even his regular imperial access; he gave up without a struggle as Keroularios circled and stabbed him from the side; Psellos' works handed over as to God were read for unintended meanings (:) Psellos Letters (Maltese) 16.78-83
  • His philosophy was excluded, his motives impugned, his serious pledges ignored; neither his statement on the Trinity nor anything else convinced Keroularios, who made the same charges, his friendship bringing Psellos under worse suspicion (:) Psellos Letters (Maltese) 16.88-95
  • He wondered how Michael 11 would defend himself, and what his attitude would be; Psellos promised love and encomium to meet any further inconsistency; Keroularios should show this letter to others, to allow expression of opposing views (:) Psellos Letters (Maltese) 16.96-104
  • He complained of a slanderous demon that had long been besieging him in public and private, more fiercely because he was innocent; frequent successful defences did not stop it from shamelessly attacking again in different forms, though it achieved nothing (:) δεινὸς δαίμων Psellos Letters (Maltese) 16.1-13
  • At the moment when the last crisis began, it had not been opportune to approach Michael 11; he was attacked as a slanderer, all his friendly gestures were rejected; but then contacts were restored, and he was delighted, victorious after bad defeats (:) Psellos Letters (Maltese) 16.24-35
Empress Theodora (Theodora 1)
  • Michael 61 had hardly complained to her of the inconsistency of Michael 11, though she was willing to listen (:) Psellos Letters (Maltese) 16.35-43