Zoe made advances to Michael (IV); Ioannes (orphanotrophos) encouraged him to respond

Summary:
Ignored now by Romanos III, Zoe fell in love with Michael (IV), the attendant of the bedchamber, and began to cultivate Michael's eunuch brother, Ioannes the orphanotrophos. She would insert into irrelevant conversations suggestions that Michael should pluck up courage and visit her. Ioannes realised the opportunity, and told Michael to reciprocate to any advances from the empress. She gave Michael opportunities to show affection, which he did, with increasing skill and confidence, kising and embracing her. Both his initial modesty and later boldness attracted Zoe, and ended in lovemaking, in which she felt great passion, while he was fired more by ambition 
Dates:
1030 (Uncertain) 
Ioannes the Orphanotrophos, brother of Michael IV (Ioannes 68)
  • Although formerly hateful to her, was summoned by Zoe 1, after she fell in love with Michael 4, and thought more legitimately worthy of acquaintance, and subsequently even questioned about his brother Michael 4 (:) ὁμιλίας ἠξίωτο γνησιώτερον Zonaras 17.13.11
  • When Zoe 1 questioned him many times, Ioannes 68, who was clever, recognised her love and instructed his brother (Michael 4) both to approach the empress Zoe 1 and, if she tried him, not to draw back, but even to touch and kiss and cling to her (:) Zonaras 17.13.12
  • Brought Michael 4 to Romanos 3 when he was seated with the empress (Zoe 1), for him to see; when the two entered, Romanos took one look, asked some brief questions and bade them go (:) τῷ βασιλεῖ τῇ βασιλίδι συγκαθημένῳ, οὕτω δόξαν ἐκείνῳ, εἰσήνεγκεν ὀφθησόμενον Psellos: Chronographia III 18.15-17
  • Although she had often turned herself away from the eunuch, Zoe 1 now approached him frequently (:) ἡ πολλάκις ἀποστρεφομένη τὸν ἐκτομίαν Psellos: Chronographia III 19. 2-3
  • Beginning from another topic, as if in digression from her subject Zoe 1 would end with a mention of his brother (Michael 4), urging him to be bold and come to her whenever he wished (:) ἄλλοθεν ἀρχομένη ὥσπερ ἐν παρεκβάσει τῆς ὑποθέσεως εἰς τὸν περὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ λόγον κατέληγε Psellos: Chronographia III 19.3-6
  • Schooled in the art by him, Michael 4 would suddenly throw himself about Zoe 1 and kiss her, touch her neck and hand (:) ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ πρὸς τὴν τέχνην παιδοτριβούμενος Psellos: Chronographia III 19.17-19
  • It was rumoured that he caused the empress (Zoe 1)'s passion for his brother (Michael 4), for, realising that she wanted a child, he sent some women to convince her to compel Michael to bring up any children they might beget from him (:) ὡς ἂν ἀναγκάσῃ αὐτὸν διὰ προσταγμάτων τρέφειν, ἃ ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἔτεκον Skylitzes 404.60-63
Emperor Michael IV Paphlagon (Michael 4)
  • After his appointment to the imperial bedchamber, Zoe 1 fell in love with him (:) Zonaras 17.13.10
  • Instructed by Ioannes 68 (when the latter recognised Zoe 1's love for Michael) to approach the empress Zoe and, if she tried him, not to draw back but even to touch and kiss and cling to her (:) Zonaras 17.13.12
  • As if her eyes were inflamed with a light proportionate to his beauty, Zoe 1 was immediately captivated, and through a secret union impregnated with his love; but this was meantime a secret from most people (:) ὥσπερ τινὶ συμμέτρῳ φωτὶ τῷ ἐκείνου κάλλει τοὺς ὀφθαλμοιὺς ἀναφθεῖσα, ἐαλώκει εὐθὺς καὶ ἐξ ἀρρήτου μίξεως τὸν ἐκείνου ἐνεκυμόνησεν ἔρωτα Psellos: Chronographia III 18.19-23
  • Zoe 1 now approached Ioannes 68 frequently; beginning from another topic, as if in digression from her subject she would end with a mention of Michael, urging him to be bold and come to her whenever he wished (:) θαρρεῖν τε ἐκεῖνον παρεκελεύετο καὶ προσιέναι οἷ ὁπότε καὶ βούλοιτο Psellos: Chronographia III 19.2-6
  • Knowing nothing of Zoe 1's secret, he attributed her invitation to her kind spirit; he went to her as bidden, but with a modest and fearful manner (:) ὑφειμένῳ δὲ καὶ πεφοβημένῳ τῷ σχήματι Psellos: Chronographia III 19.6-8
  • HIs bashfulness made him more dazzling; he looked all rosy and was splendid with brilliant colour ἥ γε αἰδὼς μᾶλλον τοῦτον κατήστραπτε καὶ φοινικίον ὅλον ἔδεικνυ καὶ λαμπρῷ κατηγλάϊζε χρώματι Psellos: Chronographia III 19.8-10
  • Zoe 1 took away his fear, smiling gently and relaxing her grim frown; as it were hinting at love she converted him to boldness (:) πρὸς τὸ θαρρεῖν μετεσκεύαζεν Psellos: Chronographia III 19.10-13
  • When Zoe 1 gave him clear opportunites for love, he set himself to reciprocate, at first not very courageously, but later approaching more shamelessly and practising lovers' ways (:) τὰ μὲν πρῶτα οὐ πάνυ τεθαρρημένως, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἀναιδέστερόν τε προσιὼν καὶ τὰ τῶν ἐρώντων διαπραττόμενος· Psellos: Chronographia III 19.13-17
  • Beloved (by Zoe 1) τῷ ἐρωμένῳ Psellos: Chronographia III 19.14
  • He would suddenly throw himself about Zoe 1 and kiss her, touch her neck and hand, schooled in the art by his brother (Ioannes 68) (:) περιχυθεὶς γὰρ ἄφνω ἐφίλησε, καὶ δέρης ἥψατο καὶ χειρός Psellos: Chronographia III 19.17-19
  • Zoe 1 clung to him yet more and pressed back at the strength of his kisses, she truly in love, he not at all desiring one past her prime, but turning over in his mind the grandeur of empire and for this daring and enduring anything (:) τὸν δὲ τῆς βασιλείας ὄγκον εἰς νοῦν βαλλόμενος Psellos: Chronographia III 19.19-23
  • Did not at all desire one past her prime (Zoe 1), but turned over in his mind the grandeur of empire οὐ πάνυ μέν τι ταύτης παρηκμακυίας ἐπιθυμῶν, τὸν δὲ τῆς βασιλείας ὄγκον εἰς νοῦν βαλλόμενος Psellos: Chronographia III 19.21-2
  • Zoe 1's love for him went as far as intercourse, and as time went on the affection for him almost burst out into the open μέχρι καὶ συνουσιασμοῦ τὰ τοῦ ἔρωτος κατηντήκεσαν καὶ προιόντος τοῦ χρόνου εἰς προῦπτον σχέδον τι περὶ τὸν Μιχαὴλ ἐξερράγη φίλτρον Zonaras 17.13.13
  • He had intercourse with Zoe 1, and she enjoyed reaping the roses of the graces from his face (:) ἐρωτικῶς ἐμίγνυτο καὶ συνεχῶς ἐτρύγα ἐκ τοῦ προσώπου Μιχαὴλ τὰ τῶν χαρίτων ρόδα Manasses, Chronicle 5990-5991
Emperor Romanos III Argyros (Romanos 3)
  • Whether he wished initially to remain chaste or turned to other amours, as most people say, he despised the empress Zoe 1, refrained from intercourse with her and was altogether averse to associating with her εἴτε γὰρ σωφρονεῖν βουλόμενος τὸ κατ’ ἀρχάς, εἴτε πρὸς ἑτέρους, ὡς ὁ τῶν πολλῶν λόγος, στραφεὶς ἔρωτας, καταπεφρονήκει μὲν τῆς βασιλίδος Ζωῆς, ἀπείχετό τε τῆς πρὸς αὐτὴν μίξεως καὶ πάντη ἀποστρόφως πρὸς τὴν κοινωνίαν Psellos: Chronographia III 17.4-8
Empress Zoe (Zoe 1)
  • After a few years,when Romanos 3 was estranged from her, she was roused to hatred, both because she was scorned and more because of the company of a man (:) Zonaras 17.13.7
  • When captivated by love for Michael 4, her soul was ravaged by fire, and the sight of his beauty each day gradually inflamed the fire τούτου τῷ ἔρωτι ἁλοῦσα ἡ βασιλὶς ἐπυρπολεῖτο τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ τὸ πῦρ τὸ ἐκείνου κάλλος καθ ᾿ ἑκάστην ὁρώμενον ὑπανέφλεγε Zonaras 17.13.10
  • Although previously hateful to her, after she had fallen in love with Michael 4 she would summon the eunuch Ioannes 68 and thought him more legitimately worthy of acquaintance, and then would even question him about his brother Michael 4 (:) Zonaras 17.13.11
  • Romanos 3 despised her, refrained from intercourse with her and was altogether averse to associating with her καταπεφρονήκει μὲν τῆς βασιλίδος Ζωῆς, ἀπείχετό τε τῆς πρὸς αὐτὴν μίξεως καὶ πάντη ἀποστρόφως πρὸς τὴν κοινωνίαν εἶχεν Psellos: Chronographia III 17.6-8
  • Romanos 3 provoked her to hatred, both because the imperial line, in her person, was being disdained, but especially because of her desire for intercourse, which was not due to her age, but to the soft life in the palace τὴν δὲ ἀνηρέθιζε μὲν πρὸς μῖσος καὶ τὸ βασίλειον γένος τοσοῦτον ἐπ’ ἐκείνῃ καταφρονούμενον, μάλιστα δὲ ἡ περὶ τὴν μῖξιν ἐπιθυμία, ἣν εἰ καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν εἶχεν, ἀλλὰ διά γε τὴν ἐν βασιλείοις τρυφήν Psellos: Chronographia III 17.8-11
  • As if her eyes were inflamed with a light proportionate to the beauty of Michael 4, she was immediately captivated, and through a secret union she was impregnated with love for him; but this was meantime a secret from most people (:) ὥσπερ τινὶ συμμέτρῳ φωτὶ τῷ ἐκείνου κάλλει τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀναφθεῖσα, ἑαλώκει εὐθὺς καὶ ἐξ ἀρρήτου μίξεως τὸν ἐκείνου ἐνεκυμόνησεν ἔρωτα Psellos: Chronographia III 18.19-23
  • Since she could neither behave philosophically nor control her desire, although she had often turned away from the eunuch (Ioannes 68), she now approached him frequently (:) ὡς δὲ οὔτε φιλοσοφεῖν οὔτε οἰκονομεῖν τὸν πόθον Psellos: Chronographia III 19.1-3
  • Beginning from another topic, as if in digression from her subject she would end with a mention of Ioannes 68's brother Michael 4, urging him to be bold and come to her whenever he wished (:) θαρρεῖν τε ἐκεῖνον παρεκελεύετο καὶ προσιέναι οἷ ὁπότε καὶ βούλοιτο Psellos: Chronographia III 19.3-6
  • Knowing nothing of her secret, Michael 4 attributed her invitation to her kindness of spirit; he went to her as bidden, but with modest and fearful manner (:) γνώμης εὐμένειαν τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐτίθετο Psellos: Chronographia III 19.6-8
  • She took away Michael 4's fear, smiling gently and relaxing her grim frown; as it were hinting at love she converted him to boldness (:) ἁπαλώτερόν τε προσγελῶσα καὶ χαλῶσα τὸ βλοσυρὸν τῆς ὀφρύος καὶ οἷον αἰνιττομένη τὸν ἔρωτα Psellos: Chronographia III 19.10-13
  • When she gave her beloved clear opportunites for love, Michael 4 set himself to reciprocate, at first not very courageously, but later approaching more shamelessly and practising lovers' ways (:) ἐπειδὴ λαμπρὰς ἐδίδου τῷ ἐρωμέῳ τὰς τοῦ ἔρωτος ἀφορμάς Psellos: Chronographia III 19.13-17
  • Michael 4 would suddenly throw himself about her and kiss her, touch her neck and hand, schooled in the art by his brother (Ioannes 68) (:) περιχυθεὶς γὰρ ἄφνω ἐφίλησε, καὶ δέρης ἥψατο καὶ χειρός Psellos: Chronographia III 19.17-19
  • She clung to Michael 4 yet more and pressed back at the strength of his kisses, she truly in love, he not at all desiring one past her prime, but turning over in his mind the grandeur of empire and for this daring and enduring anything (:) ἔτι μᾶλλον προσπεφύκει καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἰσχὺν τῶν φιλημάτων ἀντήρειδεν Psellos: Chronographia III 19.19-23
  • Truly in love (with Michael 4) ... past her prime ὡς ἀληθῶς ἐρῶσα ... ταύτης παρηκμακυίας Psellos: Chronographia 19.20-1
  • She fell in love with Michael 4 (...) had intercourse with him and was continuously reaping the roses of the graces from him (:) ἐρωτικὸν ἐπιβαλοῦσα βλέμμα (…) ἐρωτικῶς ἐμίγνυτο καὶ συνεχῶς ἐτρύγα ἐκ τοῦ προσώπου Μιχαὴλ τὰ τῶν χαρίτων ῥόδα Manasses, Chronicle 5986-5991