Tzetzes wrote to protect a pseudo-intellectual young relative

Summary:
In the past, a young relative of Tzetzes had written iambic verses at the end of a bureacratic document. His superior, the tax official Ioannes Smeniotes, had refused to sign the document, putting the bureaucratic process in danger. Tzetzes had written to calm the situation, and Smeniotes had relented. Now there were rumours that in the theme governed by Batatzes (the unworldly Tzetzes did not know which it was), Tzetzes' relative and Smeniotes would again be working together. Tzetzes now wrote in advance to prepare the ground, in case his pseudo-intellectual young relative repeated the offence 
Dates:
1146 (Uncertain) 
Batatzes, sebastos and governor of a province (Anonymus 776)
  • In his theme (Ioannes 459 did not know which), Ioannes 493 was rumoured to be employed again beside Anonymus 777, who wrote poetry in bureaucratic texts; Smeniotes had pardoned him once, and was asked to protect him again, if necessary (:) Tzetzes, Letters 67.16-68.14
young relative of Tzetzes, son of a doctor from Patras (Anonymus 777)
  • He had earlier written some iambic lines at the foot of a bureaucratic document; Ioannes 493 had then refused to sign it, so that the bureacratic process was endangered, and only saved by a written plea from Ioannes 459 (:) ἐκινδύνευον ἀπρακτῆσαι τὰ πρακτικά Tzetzes, Letters 68.8-13
  • He was now likely again to be thrown together with Ioannes 493 in the tax affairs of a theme run by Anonymus 776; Ioannes 459 now wrote a letter to prepare the ground in case of a repeat offence (:) Tzetzes, Letters 67.16-68.14
Ioannes Tzetzes, man of letters (Ioannes 459)
  • Now it was rumoured that Anonymus 777 and Ioannes 493 would again be working together in the theme of Anonymus 776 (Tzetzes did not know which): he wrote to organise protection for the stupid young man, in case of a repeat offence (:) Tzetzes, Letters 67.16-68.14
  • When Anonymus 777 had previously written poetry at the end of a bureacratic document, Ioannes 493 had refused to sign it; however, on Tzetzes' plea, he had relented and saved the bureacratic process (:) Tzetzes, Letters 68.8-14
Ioannes Smeniotes, tax official (Ioannes 493)
  • A letter from Ioannes 459 thanked him for signing (eventually) a document at the end of which Anonymus 777 had written poetry; he was asked for more forbearance, as the two would probably be working together again in Anonymus 776's theme (:) Tzetzes, Letters 67.16-68.14