Fourteen Byzantine Rulers by Michael Psellus

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Moreover, the greater part of the material used in its building had been obtained from generous and voluntary contributions. It had been constructed on a massive scale, at great cost of labour, and it combined different styles of architecture with beauty. For example, the parakoimomenus had built a magnificent monastery in honour of Basil the Great, a monastery that bore his own name too. In everything he strove to bring about the eunuch’s downfall and disaster. The former, the emperor contended, had been approved by himself of the latter, he knew nothing. All those decrees, on the other hand, which referred to the granting of favours or positions of dignity, were now rescinded. Whatever happened to contribute to his own (the emperor’s) welfare, or to the good of the state, was allowed to remain on the statutes. He examined the various measures that had been taken during all that period. Rather was it the prelude to further misfortunes, for the emperor next proceeded to review the events of the reign since he acceded to the throne and the parakoimomenus began to govern the empire. Nor did this disgrace prove to be the end of Basil’s troubles. In fact, the emperor’s action was incredibly cruel, for he shipped him off into exile. What made it worse was the fact that this change in the latter’s fortunes was not softened by any sign of respect. Once the decision was taken, however, he dismissed the parakoimomenus and deposed him at one blow. He gave the subject much thought, and it was only after long vacillation that he finally made up his mind. Michael Psellus tells us how the Emperor Basil II decided to erase the work of his long-time advisor, the eunuch Basil Parakoimomenus.

Apparently, this was not the first time this happened.

We know that the current occupant of the White House has made a practice of erasing every one of his predecessor Barack Obama’s accomplishments. Today, I was reading Michael Psellus’ Fourteen Byzantine Rulers (aka The Chronographia), written at some point in the 11th Century A.D. Byzantine Emperor Basil II, the Bulgar-Slayer

Fourteen Byzantine Rulers by Michael Psellus