Psellos asked why Ioannes kaisar deprived his own to help him. Psellos knew he was wise, because he had entrapped Ioannes, and this explained his new assurance, though he remained conscious of inferiority. The owl was ugly depite the eagle's approval, and bees made honey from thyme as well as roses. Ioannes (eagle and bee) might admire, but Psellos (owl and thyme) was inferior. Ioannes should avoid tonsure, which Psellos had tried in his youth. In another letter Psellos prided himself on the fact that Ioannes collected his work in volumes and praised him like some expert in the hippodrome crowd rousing narcissistic feelings in a charioteer who had no theoretical grasp of driving skills. Ioannes was thanked for cheese and butter, and told to expect a visit. In another he said that he once feared to show his poor letters, but since Ioannes kaisar liked them, he started strutting like a peacock, continually displaying them, ignoring Solomon's advice. He tried to vary his writing to keep Ioannes' interest, like a kithara-player changing keys, or a bride changing clothes and makeup. His work had many outfits and jewels. In a fourth letter he claimed that Ioannes who praised him was greater than many past rulers, while Psellos his philosopher was inferior to philosophers of the past. Yet ancient rulers came to despise their philosophers, but Ioannes will continue to esteem Psellos for his fine encomia