Leon Paraspondylos M XI
Λέων ὁ Παρασπόνδυλος (Leon 62)
(Unspecified)
(null)
Narrative
(32)
Authorship
(null)
Death
(null)
Description
(18)
He seemed quite different in his private lifestyle: he was lavish and magnificent, his mind liberal, inaccessible to gifts; in good company he would enjoy the food laid out readily, chat, show every grace and behave appropriately
πολυτελής τε γὰρ τὴν δίαιταν καὶ χρημάτων ἀδώρητος· ... τῶν τε παρακειμένων ἀπληστότερον ἅψαιτο, στωμύλλοιτό τε καὶ πᾶσαν ἐπιδεικνύοιτο χάριν, πρὸς τρόπου ἐκείνῳ ἐτύγχανεν ὤν. Psellos: Chronographia VIa 9.4-11
He was not remarkable for his learning and eloquence, but rather for knowing how to keep quiet and look at the ground; he was able neither at meetings nor in anything else which usually characterises a politician
οὐχ ὃν ὁ λόγος οὐδ᾿ ἡ εὐγλωττία πάλαι ἀνέδειξεν, ἀλλὰ τὸ εἰδέναι σιγᾶν καὶ ὁρᾶν πρὸς τοὔδαφος, καὶ μήτε πρὸς ἐντεύξεις ἐπιτηδειον εἶναι μήτε πρὸς ἀλλο τι τῶν οἷς πολιτικὸς ἀνὴρ χαρακτηρίζεσθαι εἴωθεν. Psellos: Chronographia VIa 6.7-10
He had an element of facility with words - but his hand rather than his tongue was able in this: he was versatile in neither respect, but accomplished more with his hand, and was wise in this alone
... μοῖρά τις ἀπενεμήθη τῆς περὶ τοὺς λόγους ἕξεως, καὶ μᾶλλόν γε ἡ χεὶρ ἢ ἡ γλῶττα πρὸς τοῦτο ἠδύνατο· εὐστρόφως μὲν γὰρ οὐδεμιᾶς εἶχε, τῇ δὲ χειρὶ μᾶλλον ἀπετέλει, καὶ ἦν ἐντεῦθεν μόνον σοφός. Psellos: Chronographia VIa 6.15-19
If he tried to show knowledge with his tongue, he caused his hearers to think the opposite, his conversation was so completely lacking in clarity and sweetness
εἰ γὰρ ἐπιχειρήσειε καὶ τῇ γλώττῃ τὴν ἐπιστήμην ἐνδείξασθαι, τοὐναντίον ἐδίδου νοεῖν τοῖς ἀκούουσιν· οὕτω πάνυ ἀσάφως καὶ ἀγλευκῶς εἶχε τῆς διαλέξεως. Psellos: Chronographia VIa 6.19-22
He was neither gracious nor did he converse skilfully with those who approached him, demonstrating his rough character to all, shunning every interview
ὅθεν οὔτε χαριέστατος ὤν, οὔτε τοῖς προσιοῦσι δεξιῶς ὁμιλῶν, ἀλλ᾿ ἀεὶ καὶ πᾶσι τὸ τραχὺ τοῦ ἤθους ἐπιδεικνύμενος, καὶ πᾶσαν ἀποστρεφόμενος ἔντευξιν. Psellos: Chronographia VIa 7.4-6
By being the philosopher in matters not appropriate to philosophy he seemed not to be a philosopher, but to mimic one
κἀκεῖνος ἐν ἀφιλοσόφοις φιλοσοφῶν πράγμασιν, οὐ φιλόσοφος, ἀλλὰ μιμούμενος φιλόσοφον ἔδοξεν. Psellos: Chronographia VIa 9.1-3
The man entrusted with the administration of all affairs
ὁ ... τῶν ὅλων πεπιστευμένος διοίκησιν. Psellos: Chronographia VIa 15.9-14
The leader (of
Theodora 1
's advisers)
τὸ κορυφαῖον. Psellos: Chronographia VIa 20.4-6
That short fellow (so described by
Isaakios 1
)
τὸν βραχὺν ἐκεῖνον τὴν ἡλικίαν. Psellos: Chronographia VII 32.27
The man who looked after imperial cares
τὸν τὰς βασιλείους φροντίδας μετακεχειρισμένον. Psellos: Chronographia VII 34.13-14
A reputable man, member of the clergy and full of good sense, he did not lack experience
τῶν ἐλλογίμων ἀνδρί τινι ἱερωμένῳ τε καὶ συνέσεως γέμοντι καὶ πολυπειρίας οὐκ ἀποδέοντι. Attaleiates: History 52.1-3 / 39.5-6
The ancient of days
ὁ ... παλαιὸς τῶν ἡμερῶν. Psellos Kategoria 457-458
A rigid and unapproachable man
στρυφνὸς ὢν καὶ δυσπρόσιτος. Skylitzes 486.10-11
Managed the affairs of the empire
τὰ κοινὰ διοικοῦντι. Skylitzes 486.3-4
Experienced in the administration of public affairs, he had served under the emperor
Michael 5
διὰ πολυπειρίαν εἰς τὸ τὰ κοινὰ διοικεῖν...τὸν πάλαι τῷ βασιλεῖ Μιχαὴλ ὑπουργήσαντα. Skylitzes 479.15-17
If a man did not go to the core of a subject but put in some preamble, enraged and irritated his hostility was visible to all; no one was willing to appoach him unless they absolutely had to
εἰ μή τις εἴποι τὸ ἄρθρον τῆς ὑποθέσεως, ἀλλά τι καὶ προοιμιάσαιτο, βαρυθυμῶν καὶ δεινοπαθῶν ἀπεχθὴς σύμπασιν ὦπτο, καὶ οὐδεὶς προσίεναι ἐβούλετο, ὅτι μὴ πᾶσα ἀνάγκη. Psellos: Chronographia VIa 7.6-9
Was no less inept than the emperor (
Michael 6
) at handling aggrieved men and at diminishing the anger that their grievance caused them
ὁ δὲ οὐδὲν ἧττον τοῦ βασιλέως ἀδέξιος ὢν μεταχειρίσασθαι λυπουμένους ἄνδρας καὶ καταστεῖλαι τὸ ἐκ τῆς λύπης αὐτοῖς γενόμενον οἴδημα. Zonaras 18.2.2
(After entertaining) he would change again and revert to his usual temper just as before; he wanted no one else to share with him in government
αὖθις μεταβαλών, οὐδὲν ἧττον ἐπὶ τὸ σύνηθες μετετάττετο. ἐβούλετο δὲ μηδένα οἷ ἄλλον συμμετέχειν τῶν διοικήσεων. Psellos: Chronographia VIa 9.10-12
Dignity/Office
(8)
Protosynkellos
πρωτοσυγκέλλῳ. Skylitzes 486.2-3
πρωτοσυγκέλλῳ. Zonaras 18.2.1
πρωτοσυγκέλλου. Psellos Orationes panegyricae XV, 1-2
πρωτοσυγκέλλῳ. Psellos Letters (Sathas) 7.232
πρωτοσύγκελλον. Psellos Letters (Papaioannou) 110.1
Synkellos
τὸν σύγκελλον. Skylitzes 479.15
πρωτοσυγκέλλῳ. Skylitzes 486.2-3
συγκέλλῳ. Zonaras 17.29.2
Education
(1)
He was a learned man, able to respond in any register, but he refused to react
Psellos Letters (Sathas) 9.239
Ethnic label
(null)
Second Name
(3)
Paraspondylos
Παρασπόνδυλος. Zonaras 17.29.2
Παρασπονδύλῳ. Psellos Letters (K - D) 72, 104.18
Strabospondylos
Στραβοσπόνδυλον. Skylitzes 479.16
Kinship
(null)
Language Skill
(null)
Location
(null)
Occupation/Vocation
(null)
Possession
(null)
Religion
(null)
Eunuchs
(null)
Alternative Name
(null)
Uncertain Ident
(2)