Although he has thrust the books away from his hand, many people think that he can predict the future
ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς ἀπωσάμενον τὰ βιβλία αὖθις με ἀξιοῦσι προλέγειν. Psellos: Chronographia VIa 10.12-13
As it were completing a circuit, he came down to philosophers like Plotinos, Porphyry and Iamblichos; next he advanced to the most marvellous Proklos and putting in at his great harbour drew from there the whole science and exact understanding of concepts
At the age of 16 he had just (precociously) left the study of poetry and was, with pleasure, beginning that of rhetoric, while acting as assistant to Anonymus 2138
Psellos Mother 28
At the age of 5 he was sent by his mother Theodote 2101 to a teacher and enjoyed the lessons like a game
Psellos Mother 12
At the age of 8 he was sent (at his own and his mother Theodote 2101's wish) for more difficult education, against the opposition of other family members
Psellos Mother 12
At twenty-five he was engaged in serious studies, with two objectives, to mould his tongue into fine shape by rhetoric and to purify his mind by philosophy
Having heard that philosophy was important in Greece, expressed in simple terms and propositions, and that these were, as it were, its pillars and limits, condemning those who belittled this, he set out to discover something more
He applied himself to arithmetical methods and geometrical demonstrations, which some call "necessities", and also to music and astronomy and the other disciplines subsidiary to them, omitting none
He came upon some of the interpreters of philosophy and learned from them the path of knowledge; passing from one to the next, the lesser to the greater..., he came to Aristotle and Plato, to whom their predecessors were glad to come second
He did not think it right to neglect one branch of literary study, like most men, and concentrate either on rhetoric or philosophy, and while rich in wondrous concepts to scorn the flower of discourse, the art of division and arrangement
He drew into his mind the second-hand imitations (of learning) and once assembled begrudged them to none, but imparted to all what he had gathered with much toil, not selling his words for a fee, but even giving to any who wished to receive
He first went over each subject individually, then he united all, since through one another they reach a single end as the "Epinomis" implies; so through these studies he launched himself towards higher ones
He had recently perfected rhetoric so as to distinguish the central theme and link primary and secondary points to it, not to fear the art altogether nor follow it like a child in all things, but to contribute something more in the details
He has also studied horoscopes, but has not misused any knowledge banned by the church; he does not believe the positions of the stars affect events in our world; he rejects those who argue that the irrational stars inhabit our bodies
He heard from more advanced philosophers that there is a wisdom beyond even demonstration, known only to the mind prudently inspired; he did not bypass it but reading mystic books, took in this too as far as possible and strength allowed
He knows from reading pagan works that the vapour sent into the air from perfumes drives away evil spirits, while introducing to underlying matter the presence of better powers, just as stones, herbs and rituals call up divine apparitions
He studied the new higher philosophy (Christianity), which completes the mystery of the word for us; it is also twofold, divided by nature and by time, capable of proof while arising from imagination and inspired knowledge in some
He turned to philosophy being sufficiently acquainted with reasoning, both from causes to immediate consequences, and from various effects; and he engaged in natural questions and aspired to the fundamental philosophy through mathematics
He was asked daily questions by his mother Theodote 2101, confirming his memory by having him tell her what he had learned, staying up late with him as he struggled with his work; he felt the debt to her, which he had no way of repaying
Psellos Mother 20-21
He would like to be praised not for gathering his limited part of wisdom from a flowing source, but because, finding the streams blocked, he unstopped and purified them andwith great effort drew up the water lying in the deep
He, Ioannes 18 and Ioannes 289 were brought together by love of learning; ... (to avoid accusations of departing from the truth) they were devotees of philosophy, while he was occupied with the highest philosophy
His education at first was directed towards rhetoric, because he came late to philosophy
Psellos Niketas Maïstor 89-90
In an oration he sometimes elegantly introduces a scientific demonstration, while a philosophical topic he embellishes with the graceful arts, so that the reader confronted with a difficult concept may not lose the philosophical argument
In one year he learned all of orthography and the whole Iliad - not just the poem , but several kinds of analytical details; he dreamed of catching talking birds and defeating them; he went on to even higher studies, including music
Psellos Mother 14-15
In some respects he followed the declarations of the great Fathers on Christianity. but in others he himself contributed something to the divine corpus
It is not beyond our nature to make oneself at home in one science and then proceed to understanding of others for research and return again to one's starting-point
Many people think more highly of him than his true nature: as he studied geometry they think he can measure the heavens; as he knows something of the (celestial) sphere, they assume he knows every (technical) detail
... καὶ ἐπειδὴ γεωμετρίας ἡψάμην, οἴονταί με τὸν οὐρανὸν καταμετρεῖν δύνασθαι. Psellos: Chronographia VIa 10.6-12
On reading of the powers of perfume vapour, at first he paid no attention to the account; subsequently did not trust these activities but rejected them with scorn
Present readers of his account will testify that, finding philosophy expiring as regards its professors, he himself revived it, encountering no notable teachers nor finding, despite searching everywhere, any seed in Greece or among barbarians
Speaking without vanity, he would not wish to be praised for his extensive learning, since he is not deceived by self-love nor ignorant of his limits, being far short of those who have surpassed him in oratory and philosophy
To climb to the first philosophy and to pure knowledge, he began with incorporeals in the so-called mathematics, which are between the corporeal natures and their understaanding, which is unconnected with them, and the actual essences, object of pure apprehension
Today literature no longer flourishes in the great cities of learning and all vital sources are blocked: as he could not engage with the living streams, he turned his attention to their images