Theodoros Prodromos wrote a poem to Theodoros Stypeiotes, asking his help in two ways. First over information: Stypeiotes had as a student been an enthusiastic supporter of Prodromos' poetry, especially his encomia. But now that his former student travelled with the emperor and could send him useful information about victories, he did not. Second, over money: during the absence of the imperial party, Prodromos had very few potential paymasters in the city, and so had fallen into very serious poverty