Psellos wrote three letters to Aristenos, with thanks, comparison of two grammatikoi & advice on rhetoric

Summary:
In the first letter, Psellos made no requests, but thanked Aristenos for help he had given a man over tax relief. He seemed to have received at least ten times more than he had asked, and reacted as if forgiven sins, not tax. Aristenos was fertile ground for sowing the word, giving crops all year round. In the second he spoke of two different grammatikoi he had sent Aristenos. One preferred closer thrones on earth to those of heaven, aimed to be crowned (a solemn ceremony might be needed - greenstuff was available) and paraded like a peacock, The other wanted the kingdom of heaven, was passing through rituals to complete initiation in Mithraism (as a monk?), and in the interim might be a good grammatikos (?). The third letter made hypotheses based on various exchange rates between his letters and those of his ex-pupil Aristenos, settling on 1:1. Aristenos, remembering his lessons, should embellish his letters, maybe outdoing his master, who enjoyed defeat by his children. His eloquence developed as Psellos' waned. He should take a branch from Psellos (or one of the ancients) and graft it on his trunk. Psellos had many garlands ready, and would give him a crown he would not win in war 
Dates:
1067 
Aristenos, protoasekretis (Anonymus 2300)
  • He was asked no favours by Michael 61, but thanked for giving Anonymus 2418 ten times (it seemed) what was asked; the man reacted as if forgiven sins, not tax; Aristenos was fertile ground for sowing the word, and gave crops all year round (:) Psellos Letters (K - D) 94, 122.1-21
  • He was sent by Michael 61 two grammatikoi, Anonymus 2429 and Anonymus 2430; the former wanted the kingdom of heaven and would soon complete initiation in Mithraism (as a monk?), the other aimed to be crowned and paraded like a peacock (:) Psellos Letters (K - D) 111, 139.11-140.30
  • He was imagined by his teacher, Michael 61, in a competition with him over writing letters; he, remembering his lessons, should embellish his works, maybe outdoing his master, who enjoyed defeat by his children (:) Psellos Letters (Gautier) 24.1-33
  • His eloquence developed as Michael 61’s waned; he should take a branch from Psellos (or one of the ancients) and graft it on his trunk; Psellos had many garlands ready for him, and would present a crown he would not win in war (:) Psellos Letters (Gautier) 24.33-46
applicant to Aristenos for tax relief (Anonymus 2418)
  • He had applied to Anonymus 2300 (via Michael 61) for relief from tax; he was given ten times (it seemed) what was asked for him, and reacted as if forgiven sins, not tax (:) Psellos Letters (K - D) 94, 122.1-21
grammatikos initiated in Mithraism (as a monk?) (Anonymus 2429)
  • He was sent (with Anonymus 2430) by Michael 61 to Anonymus 2300; he wanted the kingdom of heaven, was passing through rituals and would soon complete initiation in Mithraism (as a monk?), and in the interim might be a good grammatikos (?) (:) Psellos Letters (K - D) 111, 139.11-140.30
grammatikos sent by Michael Psellos to Aristenos (Anonymus 2430)
  • He was sent (with Anonymus 2429) by Michael 61 to Anonymus 2300; he preferred closer thrones on earth to those of heaven, aimed to be crowned (a solemn ceremony might be needed - greenstuff was available) and paraded like a peacock (:) Psellos Letters (K - D) 111, 139.11-140.6
Michael Psellos (named Konstantinos till tonsure in 1054) (Michael 61)
  • He sent Anonymus 2300 two grammatikoi, Anonymus 2429 and Anonymus 2430, describing their differences Psellos Letters (K - D) 111, 139.11-140.30
  • He made hypotheses using different exchange rates between his letters and those of Anonymus 2300, settling on 1:1; his pupil, remembering his lessons, should embellish his letters, maybe outdoing his master, who enjoyed defeat by his children (:) Psellos Letters (Gautier) 24.1-33
  • He sent Anonymus 2300 two grammatikoi, Anonymus 2429 and Anonymus 2430; the former wanted the kingdom of heaven, the other preferred thrones on earth to those of heaven, aimed to be crowned (greenstuff was available) and paraded like a peacock (:) Psellos Letters (K - D) 111, 139.11-140.6
  • His aged eloquence waned as Anonymus 2300’s developed; he should take a branch from Psellos (or one of the ancients) and graft it on his trunk; Psellos had many garlands ready for him, and would present a crown he would not win in war (:) Psellos Letters (Gautier) 24.33-46
  • He wrote to Anonymus 2300, comparing the letters they wrote and offering him a crown Psellos Letters (Gautier) 24.1-46
  • Anonymus 2429 was passing through stages of ritual and would soon complete initiation in Mithraism (as a monk?), and in the interim might be a good grammatikos (?) (:) Psellos Letters (K - D) 111, 140.6-30
  • He asked no favours from Anonymus 2300, but thanked him for giving Anonymus 2418 ten times (it seemed) what was asked; the man reacted as if forgiven sins, not tax; Aristenos was fertile ground for sowing the word, and gave crops all year round (:) Psellos Letters (K - D) 94, 122.1-21
  • He thanked Anonymus 2300 for generosity to Anonymus 2418 Psellos Letters (K - D) 94, 122.1-21