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him? And the rest, he says to the emperor in secret: Understand what is being said, O emperor, and know the truth, which the prophet made clear to us, and hold to such a worship, and do not be thunderstruck by objects of veneration made from likenesses. Having said such things, he injected into him much more of the poison of heresy, through which he imparted corruption to the pious communities, from which he mercilessly tortured those who did not obey. 1.16 But this emperor Leo, though impious, was nevertheless most attentive to public affairs, so as to leave nothing beneficial unforeseen, so that even after his death, Nikephoros the patriarch would say such things as that the Roman state, though impious, had nevertheless lost a great provider. In addition to this, he was also most justly burdensome to wrongdoers. So that at a certain customary time, as he was coming out of the palace, a certain man approached him, bringing a complaint that his wife had been abducted by one of the senators, who had obtained so much freedom as to hold her without fear for a long time; and though I complained about this to the prefect, nothing was accomplished for me toward vengeance. The emperor, therefore, having heard these things, quickly ordered one of his servants to bring the accused, along with the prefect, before his face upon his return. So when the emperor returned, what was ordered was put into action. And to the one who made the complaint, he readily says: What is the drama concerning you? And the one used the same words, while the accused confessed the crime as indisputable, and the examiner testified to the deposition, even if he had not carried out the sentence against the condemned man. Immediately he removed the judge from his office as a neglecter of justice, and he punished the one convicted of adultery according to the laws. He conducted most of his administrative business transacting in the Lausiac, summoning the best secretaries, to whom was entrusted the writing of the edicts, and he appointed generals and rulers from among the worthy, especially those who practiced incorruptibility, he himself not being inferior in matters of money, even though he was for the most part a cause of heresy, so as to punish very many of the orthodox with cruelty. And he was very ambitious, even if shouting pompously and unmusically. which was also made clear in the church of the Pharos and was well-known to those who came upon him singing psalms in a throaty voice. For he sometimes led the chanters, and especially then, shouting: They disparaged the all-ruler with desire, having indeed slipped in this, he manifestly brought upon himself the divine judgment with the hymn, a prophecy being fulfilled in this way. 1.17 After some time had passed, Michael of Amorium, advancing in pre-eminence in matters of bravery, on account of which the regiment of the Excubitors was also entrusted to him, is assailed by a slander of conspiracy; who, having shaken this off in many ways, is sent by the emperor to command the troops under him. whom, being jealous, as some said, he wished to put to death, if God, in the ways He saw fit, had not marvelously protected and appointed him for the empire. although some have understood this, that Michael also had a boldness of tongue greater than his utter rashness in courage, speaking improper things and threatening the ruler with total deposition, and to outrage his wife with unholy nuptials. Leo was informed of these things, and at first he tried to skillfully calm the inclination (for he knew him to be a chatterbox and most shameful, even if he considered him brave), but he does not persuade him with words, either by advising him at all or by being indignant; for Michael likewise held to such shameful audacity. The emperor therefore appoints listeners to his audacious acts, on the one hand seemingly to suppress his insolence and talkativeness, and on the other choosing to eavesdrop on matters concerning him. For he had also cautiously suggested to Exaboulios, as he was a prudent and very experienced man, and also an acquaintance of his household, not to allow him when he was eager to speak unguardedly, but

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αὐτόν; καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, ἐν παραβύστῳ λέγει τῷ βασιλεῖ· σύνες τοῖς λεγομένοις, ὦ βασιλεῦ, καὶ γνῶθι τὸ ἀληθές, ὅπερ ὁ προφήτης ἡμῖν διεσάφησεν, καὶ τοιαύτης ἔχου λατρείας, καὶ μὴ τοῖς ἐξ ὁμοιωμάτων καταβεβρόντησο πάνυ σεβάσμασιν. τοιαῦτα εἰπὼν ἐνέσκηψεν αὐτῷ πολλῷ πλέον ἰὸν τῆς αἱρέσεως, δι' ἧς φθορᾶς μετεδίδου τοῖς εὐσεβοῦσι συστήμασιν, ἐξ ὧν τοὺς μὴ πειθαρχοῦντας ἀφειδῶς κατῃκίζετο. 1.16 Οὗτος δὲ Λέων ὁ βασιλεύς, κἂν δυσσεβής, ἀλλὰ τῶν δημοσίων πραγμάτων <ἦν> ἀντιληπτικώτατος, ὡς μηδὲν τῶν ὀνησιφόρων παραλιμπάνειν ἀπρόοπτον, ὡς καὶ μετὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ τελευτὴν Νικηφόρον τὸν πατριάρχην τοιαῦτα ἐρεῖν, ὡς ἄρα ἡ πολιτεία Ῥωμαίων κἂν δυσσεβῆ, ἀλλ' οὖν γε μέγαν προμηθευτὴν διαπολώλεκεν. πρὸς τούτοις καὶ τοῖς ἀδικοῦσι δικαίως ἐπαχθεινότατος ἦν. ὥστε κατά τινα νενομισμένον καιρὸν τούτου ἐξιόντος τοῦ παλατίου, ἀνήρ τις προσῄει αὐτῷ ἔγκλησιν ἐνστησάμενος, ὡς τούτου τὸ γύναιον ἁρπαγῇ συγκεκύρηκεν παρά τινος τῶν συγκλητικῶν, ὅστις εἴληχεν τοσαύτης ἐλευθερίας, ὡς κατασχεῖν αὐτὴν ἀδεῶς ἐπὶ χρόνον πολύν· ἐμοῦ δὲ περί γε τούτου καὶ τῷ ἐπάρχῳ διεγκαλέσαντος, οὐδέν μοι τῶν πρὸς ἐκδίκησιν ἐπεράνατο. ὁ γοῦν βασιλεὺς τούτων ἐνωτισθείς τινι τῶν θεραπόντων ὀξέως προσέταξεν ἐν τῇ ἐπανόδῳ τὸν ἐγκαλούμενον συνάμα τῷ ἐπάρχῳ κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ παραστήσασθαι. τοῦ οὖν αὐτοκράτορος ἐνδημήσαντος τὸ κελευσθὲν εἰς πρᾶξιν παρίστατο. καὶ τῷ τὴν ἔγκλησιν ποιησαμένῳ ἑτοίμως φησί· τί τὸ κατὰ σὲ δραματούργημα; καὶ ὁ μὲν ταῖς αὐταῖς ἐκέχρητο ῥήσεσιν, ὁ δὲ ἐγκληματιζόμενος ἀνωμολόγει τὸ ἔγκλημα ὡς ἀναμφισβήτητον, καὶ ὁ ἐταστὴς τῇ καταθέσει συνεμαρτύρει, εἰ καὶ μὴ τὴν ὑπεξέλευσιν κατὰ τοῦ κατακρίτου πεποίητο. αὐτίκα τὸν μὲν δικαστὴν ὡς ἀφερέπονον τοῦ δικαίου διέστησε τῆς ἀρχῆς, τὸν δὲ τῇ μοιχείᾳ ἑαλωκότα κατὰ νόμους ἐτιμωρήσατο. τὰ πλείω δὲ τῶν διοικημάτων τῷ Λαυσιακῷ χρηματίζων διήνυεν, ὑπογραφέας προσκαλούμενος τῶν ἀρίστων, οἷς γραφὴν τῶν ἐκδόσεων ἐπετέτραπτο, προσεποιεῖτό τε στρατηλάτας καὶ ἄρχοντας τῶν ἀξιολόγων, ἄλλως τε τοὺς ἀδωρίαν ἐξησκημένους, αὐτὸς οὐχ ἥττων χρημάτων καθεστηκώς, κἂν ἐπὶ τὸ μᾶλλον αἱρέσεως αἴτιος, ὡς καὶ πλείστους τῶν ὀρθοδόξων ποινηλατεῖν ἐν ὠμότητι. ἦν δὲ φιλότιμος πάνυ, κἂν σοβαρὸν ἐμβοῶν καὶ κακόρρυθμος. ὃ καὶ κατὰ τὸν τοῦ Φάρου ναὸν καὶ τόδε γνώριμον διεφαίνετο τοῖς ἐπελευσομένοις αὐτῷ ψαλμῳδῶς λαρυγγίζοντι. ἐξῆρχε γὰρ τῶν ψαλλόντων ἐνίοτε, καὶ μάλιστα τότε, φωνῶν· τῷ παντάνακτος ἐξεφαύλισαν πόθῳ, οὗ γε διολισθήσας ἄρα τὴν θείαν δίκην περιφανῶς ἐπεσπάσατο τῷ ὕμνῳ, προφητείας ταύτῃ συντελεσθείσης. 1.17 Τούτων δὲ χρόνου τινὸς προδεδραμηκότος Μιχαὴλ ὁ ἐξ Ἀμορίου τοῖς κατ' ἀνδρείαν προκόπτων ἐν προτερήμασι, παρ' ὃ καὶ τὸ τῶν ἐξκουβίτων πεπίστευτο σύνταγμα, διαβολῇ καθοσιώσεως ἐπισκήπτεται· ὃς ταύτην πολυτρόπως ἀποσεισάμενος ἐκπέμπεται παρὰ βασιλέως διακυβερνᾶν τὸ ἐν αὐτῷ στρατολόγημα. ὃν βασκαίνων, καθάπερ τινὲς ἔφασκον, θανατῶσαι βεβούλητο, εἰ μὴ θεός, οἷς τρόποις εὐδόκει, παραδόξως φυλάξας τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦτον ἀφώρισεν. εἰ καὶ τοῦτό τινες ἐξειλήφασιν, ὅτι τῷ Μιχαὴλ παρῆν καὶ τολμηρία γλώσσης μείζων τῆς κατὰ γενναιότητα πάντῃ θρασύτητος, λαλούσης παράσημα καὶ ἀπειλούσης τῷ κρατοῦντι ὅλως καθαίρεσιν, αὐτοῦ τε τὴν γαμετὴν ἀνοσίοις γάμοις ἐγκαθυβρίσαι. ἐνηχεῖτο τούτοις ὁ Λέων, καὶ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐπειρᾶτο εὐμηχάνως κατευνάσαι ῥοπήν (ᾔδει γὰρ αὐτὸν γλωσσηματίαν καὶ αἴσχιστον, κἂν ἀνδρεῖον ἐνόμιζεν), ἀλλ' οὐ πείθει τοῖς λόγοις ἢ παραινῶν πάντως ἢ ἐμβριμώμενος· εἴχετο γὰρ ὡσαύτως ὁ Μιχαὴλ τῆς τοιαύτης αἰσχροτολμίας. καθίστησι τοίνυν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀκροατὰς τῶν αὐτοῦ τολμημάτων, τὸ μὲν δῆθεν καταπιέζων αὐτοῦ τὸ θράσος καὶ γλωσσαλγίαν, τὸ δὲ καὶ ὠτακουστεῖν τὰ περὶ τοῦτον αἱρούμενος. ἦν γὰρ καὶ τῷ Ἐξαβουλίῳ περιεσκεμμένως εἰσηγησάμενος, ἅτε νουνεχεῖ ὄντι καὶ πολυπείρῳ ἀνδρί, πρὸς δὲ καὶ γνωστῷ αὐτοῦ τῶν οἰκείων, μὴ παραχωρεῖν αὐτῷ ἀθυροστομεῖν σπεύδοντι, ἀλλὰ