used is one of the things which this liberty allows. Upon both these points of fierce and long
controversy he counseled continual remembrance of the common Christian faith and the common
Christian fellowship.
§ 149. Michael Psellus.
I. Michael Psellus: Opera, in Migne, Patrol. Gr., Tom. CXXII., col. 477–1358. His Hist. Byzant.
et alia opuscula, ed. by Constantin Sathas. Paris, 1874.
II. Leo Allatius: Diatriba de Psellis, in Migne, l.c., col. 477–536. Ceillier, XIII. 335–337.
Michael Psellus, the third of the five of that name mentioned by Allatius, was born of a consular
and patrician family in Constantinople about 1020. He took naturally to study, and denied himself
the amusements and recreations of youth in order that he might make all the more rapid progress.
Having completed his studies at Athens, he returned to Constantinople, and was appointed chief
professor of philosophy. Constantine Monomachus invited him to his court, and entrusted him with
secular business. He then turned his attention from philosophy and rhetoric to theology, physics,
medicine, mathematics, astronomy and military science. In short, he explored the entire domain of
knowledge, and as his memory was tenacious, he was able to retain everything he studied. "It has
been said that in him human nature yielded up its inmost powers in order that he might ward off
the downfall of Greek learning."^943 He was made the tutor of Michael Ducas, the future emperor,
who when he came to the throne retained him in his councils. Psellus, of course, took the Greek
position upon the Filioque question, and thwarted the movement of Peter, bishop of Anagni, to
establish peace between the Greek and Latin churches. When Michael Ducas was deposed (1078),
he was deprived of his professorship, and so he retired to a monastery, where he died. The last
mention of him is made in 1105.
Psellus was a prolific author, but many of his writings are unprinted, and many are lost.^944
Of the theological works which have been printed the most important are:
(1) Exposition of the Song of Songs,^945 a paraphrase in verse with a commentary and excerpts
from Gregory of Nyssa, Nilus, and Maximus.
(2) A Learned Miscellany,^946 in 157 paragraphs, in which nearly everything is treated of,
from the relations of the persons of the Trinity to the rise of the Nile and the changes of the weather.
It is one of those prodigies of learning which really indicate the comparative ignorance of the past,
and are now mere curiosities.
(3) The Operations of Demons,^947 an attack, in the form of a dialogue, upon the Euchites,
whom he charges with revolting and disgusting crimes, under the prompting of demons. But he
passes on to discuss the subject more broadly and resting on the testimony of a certain monk who
had actually seen demons he teaches their perpetual activity in human affairs; that they can propagate
(^943) Gass in Herzog, 2 s. v. xii. 340.
(^944) See lists in Allatius, Diatriba, in Migne, CXXII. col. 498-532.
(^945) Ερμηνεία κατὰ παράφρασιν του̑ α σματος τω̑ν ἀ σμάτων. Ibid. col. 537-685.
(^946) Διδασκαλία παντοδαπή. Ibid. col. 688-784.
(^947) Περὶἐνεργαίαςδαιμόνων. Ibid. col. 820-876.