Psellos' suppliant was lame, like him; it would not be easy to help by approaching the emperor

Summary:
Psellos wrote to a lame friend, exploring their common disability (physical and/or metaphorical?). His feet were massaged and bound by a local pedicurist, but without much effect. He feared that he was also exaggerating the possibility of curing his friend by approaching the emperor - but they had to go and try 
Dates:
1060 (Uncertain) 
lame friend of Michael Psellos (Anonymus 2211)
  • He (like Michael 61) was lame, his problems increasing as the storm rose; [...] they must think of othersÂ’ symptoms more than their own - but it was easy to exaggerate the chance of curing him by approaching the emperor (:) Psellos Letters (Sathas) 96.340-341
pedicurist who treated Michael Psellos (Anonymus 2212)
  • A local man massaged and bound Psellos? toes, but without much effect (:) Psellos Letters (Sathas) 96.340
Michael Psellos (named Konstantinos till tonsure in 1054) (Michael 61)
  • His feet were massaged and bound by Anonymus 2212, a local man, but without much effect; he feared that he was also exaggerating the possibility of curing Anonymus 2211 by approaching the emperor; but they had to go and try! (:) Psellos Letters (Sathas) 96.340-341
  • He wrote to Anonymus 2211 exploring their common lameness (physical and/or metaphorical?) Psellos Letters (Sathas) 96.340-341
  • He asked Anonymus 2207 for many favours, enjoying correspondence with him, recommending his help to suppliants and himself as intermediary; most such cases needed only sympathy - innate to the krites - as did Anonymus 2208, whom he now sent (:) Psellos Letters (Sathas) 94.338
  • He and Anonymus 2211 (he said) were both lame, the latter in more pain, his previous problems increasing as the storm rose; commonality of suffering eased pain [...] a new increase over a year; they must think of othersÂ’ symptoms more than their own (:) Psellos Letters (Sathas) 96.340