the kingmaker of the Eastern Empire, again rouses the people, overturns Michael, goes himself to cut off his hair and make him a monk, and sets up Isaac Komnenos (1057–1059) in his place. At first Isaac, who knows quite well to whom he owes his place, is very docile. The year 1058 was the time of Cerularius's greatest power. The Emperor let him rule as he liked in the Church and the Palace; he appointed the officers of state and at last succeeded in being the only real sovereign of the Empire.[1] "Losing all shame," said Psellos afterwards, "he joined royalty and priesthood in himself; in his hand he held the cross, while from his mouth imperial laws came."[2] But gradually Isaac got tired of being the Patriarch's vassal and wanted to really reign. So once again Cerularius works up a revolution. His language to the Emperor lacked respect: "You beast," he said, "I made you and I will crush you."[3] However he did not succeed this time. He seems to have meant to get himself actually crowned Emperor after this revolution.[4] But Isaac was too quick for him. Before Cerularius had time to arrange his insurrection he was arrested and tried for high treason (1059). It was Psellos, his old friend and future panegyrist, who was the advocate for the crown, and the comparison of his indictment with the funeral oration he pronounced when Cerularius was dead and had to be glorified is an interesting example of Byzantine honesty. Now everything had to be made as black as possible, and so besides the accusation of treason, which was a true bill, Psellos heaps up every kind of absurd charge. Cerularius was guilty of Hellenism[5] and Chaldaism—that is, heathen witchcraft; he had invoked "material ghosts." (It is true that when
- ↑ He now began to wear purple shoes, one of the official privileges of the Emperor: Bréhier, l.c.
- ↑ Quoted by Bréhier, o.c. p. 275.
- ↑ Ἐῶ σε ἔκτισα, φοῦρνε, ἐῶ ἴνα σε χαλάσω (Bréhier, p. 279). A beautiful example of vulgar 11th-century Greek. Ἐῶ is, of course, ἐγώ. φοῦρνος is a baker's oven. Notice ἴνα with the subj. already = future. I do not know why he called Isaac a baker's oven. Bréhier translates it "brute."
- ↑ See Bréhier, p. 281.
- ↑ Hellenism still means heathenism. These Greeks, of course, all called themselves Romans—Ρωμαῖοι—that is citizens of the Roman Empire.
