2. Michael Psellus, the elder, of Andros, flourished in the 9th century A. D. He was
extremely learned in ancient literature and philosophy, and endeavoured to resist the torrent
of ignorance and barbarism which was coming upon the Christian world. He was also an eager
student of the Alexandrian philosophy. By these pursuits he incurred the suspicion of one of
his own pupils, named Constantine, who attacked him in some elegiac verses, as if he had
renounced Christianity. Upon this, Psellus placed himself under the tuition of the celebrated
Photius; and having thus improved his knowledge of theology, he replied to his adversary in a
long iambic poem, which is not now extant. Cave places him at Hist. Litt. s. a. vol. ii. p. 55); Baronius and others at
Onomast.). Some writers have
stated that he was the tutor of the emperor Leo VI., surnamed Sapiens; but this arises from a
confusion of the emperor Leo, who was a pupil of Photius,with Leo Byzantinus, surnamed
Philosophus, the grandson of John the patriarch : it was the latter who was the pupil of
Psellus. Except the poem already referred to, we have no mention of any writings of the elder
Psellus; but it is suspected by Cave, allatius, and others, that he was the real author of
some of the works which are ascribed to the younger Psellus, especially of the