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The emperor said that they had spoken these things just as they were and 1.52 had guessed well, but that there was still need of endurance and magnanimity, up to the very height of the dangers. For he always hoped that the emperor would change his mind and would desist from what was being planned. "For the present," he said, "we must consider about the empress, my wife, whether it is necessary for her also to accompany us in our flight." She was from the Germans, the daughter of the Duke of Brunswick, the most illustrious among them and by the splendor of her family surpassing all her countrymen. Therefore, to two of his intimates it seemed best to take along the emperor's wife as well, because they themselves also had their wives with them, and for this reason it was necessary to use every contrivance so that the empress might also be with the emperor. 11. But Kantakouzenos, the grand domestic, was of the opposite opinion, and he added the reasons: "For in the first place," he said, "since our departure is to be secret and hurried, it is most dangerous for women, who are weak and unsuited for such deeds; and for us ourselves no small danger is to be suspected, if we are caught in the very act; then, and if by some chance this should turn out easily for us, yet what comes after will not turn out similarly. 1.53 For if an army should be sent by the emperor in pursuit of us, it is necessary to choose one of two things, either, abandoning the women, to resort to flight, which will bring upon us the charge of cowardice and unmanliness, and moreover of folly and poor counsel, in addition to being the cause of disgrace for the empress, as she is led away like a captive of war, or for her sake, being few, to engage with a much larger force and die, neither of which is it proper for sensible men to choose. In addition to these things, not even with those to whom we are going are our matters of trust secure, and for this reason it is necessary not to delay nor to waste time proceeding evenly and at a leisurely pace, but hurriedly and with great speed, so that not, before we arrive, having learned of our arrival, they should deliberate among themselves not to receive us into the city, and become an example for the others as well to do the same things, but we ourselves must both announce our arrival and take possession of the city. But furthermore, the empress's being with child is no small hindrance to following fleeing men. For all these reasons, I think it is fitting to let her remain in peace, and for us to face the danger; and if our affairs proceed according to our wishes, God willing, then indeed to summon the empress as well to wherever the emperor may be, but if it should turn out contrary to our hopes, she at least will be in safety." The emperor with the others having voted in favor of these words, as being well-said, they considered about when and how the departure should be made. And seeing that the rest 1.54 of the senate and those in office considered the dispute of the emperors a terrible thing and were expecting no small flurries of evils for the commonwealth of the Romans and were always discussing these things with one another, and that they were expected to speak with the emperor as well about the need not to innovate, but to allow the grandson to retain his rank, since such an undertaking would be the cause of great evils and disturbance, when it seemed best to wait, watching what was about to happen, they sent Syrgiannes off to Thrace to take care of the government, while they themselves remained in Constantinople. While matters were in this state, the grand constable Michael Tornikes, who was related by birth on his mother's side to the elder of the emperors, and enjoyed much favor and honor from him not only because of the relationship, but also because he was of a profound mind and good in character and, toward the provinces which he governed by the emperor's grant, he proved to be most lawful and diligent, this man then, taking courage from the emperor's favor toward him, both approached and spoke in secret about the young emperor, pointing out, as was likely, the absurdity of what was being planned, and how it would be the cause of many misfortunes for the empire of the Romans, whether what was being planned should succeed, or not. And the same

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βασιλεὺς δὲ αὐτοὺς ταῦτα μὲν ᾗ ἔχουσιν εἰρηκέναι καὶ κα 1.52 λῶς στοχάσασθαι ἔφη, ἔτι μέντοι γε καρτερίας καὶ μεγαλοψυχίας προσδεῖν, ἄχρι καὶ αὐτῆς τῶν κινδύνων τῆς ἀκμῆς. ἤλπιζε γὰρ ἀεὶ μεταβαλεῖν καὶ τῶν μελετωμένων ἀποστήσεσθαι τὸν βασιλέα. «τὸ δὲ νῦν ἔχον, περὶ τῆς βασιλίδος» ἔφη «τῆς ἐμοὶ συνοίκου σκεπτέον, εἰ χρὴ καὶ ταύτην φεύγουσιν ἡμῖν συνέπεσθαι.» ἦν δ' ἐκ Γερμανῶν αὕτη θυγάτηρ δουκὸς ντὶ Μπρουζουὴκ τοῦ παρ' αὐτοῖς ἐπιφανεστάτου καὶ λαμπρότητι πάντας τοὺς ὁμοφύλους ὑπερβάλλοντος τοῦ γένους. τοῖς μὲν οὖν δυσὶ τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐδόκει καὶ τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως γαμετὴν συμπαραλαβεῖν, διὰ τὸ καὶ αὐτοὺς τὰς γυναῖκας ἔχειν μεθ' ἑαυτῶν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο δέον εἶναι πάσῃ μηχανῇ χρήσασθαι, ὥστε καὶ τὴν βασιλίδα συνεῖναι τῷ βασιλεῖ. ιαʹ. Καντακουζηνὸς δ' ὁ μέγας δομέστικος τἀναντία φρονῶν ἦν, καὶ τὰς αἰτίας προσετίθει· «πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ» ἔφασκε «τῆς ἀναχωρήσεως ἡμῶν λαθραίας γινομένης καὶ κατεσπουδασμένης, ἐπικινδυνότατον γυναιξὶ πρὸς τὰ τοιαῦτα τῶν ἔργων ἀσθενῶς ἐχούσαις καὶ ἀφυῶς· καὶ ἡμῖν δὲ αὐτοῖς οὐ μικρὸς ὁ κίνδυνος ὑποπτεύεται, ἐπ' αὐτῶν τῶν ἔργων καταφώροις γινομένοις· ἔπειτα εἴτε καὶ τύχῃ χρησαμένοις τοῦτο πρὸς τὸ ῥᾴδιον ἀποβαίη, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὁμοίως ἀπαντήσει καὶ τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα. 1.53 εἰ γὰρ πρὸς βασιλέως στρατιὰ πρὸς δίωξιν ἡμῶν ἀποσταλῇ, δυοῖν ἀνάγκη θάτερον ἑλέσθαι, ἢ τὰς γυναῖκας καταλιπόντας χρήσασθαι φυγῇ, ὃ δειλίας καὶ ἀνανδρίας, ἔτι τε ἀνοίας καὶ ἀβουλίας ἡμῖν ἔγκλημα περιάψει, πρὸς τῷ καὶ ἀδοξίας αἰτίους τῇ βασιλίδι γεγονέναι δίκην ἀγομένῃ δοριαλώτου, ἢ ταύτης ἕνεκα πολλαπλασίοις ὀλίγους συμπλεκομένους ἀποθνήσκειν, ὧν οὐδέτερον ἑλέσθαι προσήκει σωφρονοῦντας. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, οὐδὲ πρὸς οὓς ἀπερχόμεθα βέβαια τὰ τῆς πίστεως ἡμῖν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐ μέλλειν οὐδὲ κατατρίβειν τὸν καιρὸν ὁμαλῶς βαδίζοντας καὶ ἀνειμένως, ἀλλὰ κατεσπουδασμένως καὶ σὺν τάχει πολλῷ χρὴ, ἵνα μὴ πρὸ τοῦ ἡμᾶς ἀφικέσθαι, τὴν ἄφιξιν ἡμῶν πυθόμενοι, βουλεύσωνται κατὰ σφᾶς, μὴ εἰσδέξασθαι ἡμᾶς τῇ πόλει, καὶ γένωνται παράδειγμα καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις τὰ ἴσα δρᾷν, ἀλλ' αὐτοὺς ἡμᾶς ἀγγέλλειν τε τὴν ἄφιξιν ἡμῶν καὶ κατέχειν τὴν πόλιν. οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ κατὰ γαστρὸς ἔχειν τὴν βασιλίδα οὐ μικρὸν κώλυμα πρὸς τὸ ἀνδράσι φεύγουσιν ἀκολουθεῖν. δι' ἃ δὴ πάντα προσήκειν ἡγοῦμαι, ταύτην μὲν ἐᾷν καθ' ἡσυχίαν μένειν, ἡμᾶς δὲ διακινδυνεύειν· κἂν μὲν ἡμῖν τὰ πράγματα χωρήσῃ κατὰ νοῦν, θεοῦ βουλομένου, τότ' ἤδη καὶ τὴν βασιλίδα μετακαλεῖσθαι ὅπουπερ ἂν ᾖ βασιλεὺς, εἰ δ' ἐναντίως ἢ ἐλπίζομεν ἀποβαίη, αὐτὴν γοῦν ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ εἶναι.» Τούτοις τοῖς λόγοις ὡς καλῶς ἔχουσιν ἐπιψηφισάμενος ὁ βασιλεὺς σὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις, ἐσκέπτοντο περὶ τοῦ πότε καὶ ὅπως τὴν ἀναχώρησιν χρὴ ποιεῖσθαι. ὁρῶντες δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἐπιλοίπους 1.54 τῆς συγκλήτου καὶ τοὺς ἐν τέλει ἐν δεινῷ τιθεμένους τὴν τῶν βασιλέων διαφορὰν καὶ κακῶν νιφάδας τῷ κοινῷ τῶν Ῥωμαίων οὐ μετρίας προσδοκοῦντας καὶ περὶ τούτων πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀεὶ διαλεγομένους, καὶ προσδοκίμους ὄντας καὶ βασιλεῖ διαλέξεσθαι περὶ τοῦ μὴ δεῖν νεωτερίζειν, ἀλλ' ἐᾷν τὸν ἔγγονον ἐπὶ σχήματος εἶναι, ὡς μεγάλων κακῶν αἰτίας ἐσομένης καὶ ταραχῆς τῆς τοιαύτης ἐπιχειρήσεως, ἐπεὶ ἔδοξε καρτερεῖν τὸ μέλλον ἀποβήσεσθαι σκοποῦντας, ἐξαποστέλλουσι πρὸς Θρᾴκην τὸν Συργιάννην τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐπιμελησόμενον, αὐτοὶ δὲ προσεκαρτέρουν τῇ Κωνσταντίνου. ἐν τούτοις δὲ τῶν πραγμάτων ὄντων, ὁ μέγας κονοσταῦλος Μιχαὴλ ὁ Τορνίκης, μητρόθεν μὲν κατὰ γένος προσήκων τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ τῶν βασιλέων, καὶ πολλῆς εὐμενείας ἀπολαύων παρ' αὐτῷ καὶ τιμῆς οὐ μόνον διὰ τὴν συγγένειαν, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ φρενὸς ἦν βαθείας καὶ τοὺς τρόπους ἀγαθὸς καὶ πρὸς τὰς ἐπαρχίας ὧν ἦρξε, βασιλέως διδόντος, εὐνομώτατος καὶ σπουδαιότατος ἐφάνη, οὗτος δὴ τῇ πρὸς αὐτὸν εὐμενείᾳ τοῦ βασιλέως θαῤῥήσας, προσῆλθέ τε καὶ διελέχθη κρύφα περὶ βασιλέως τοῦ νέου, τὸ ἄτοπον ὡς εἰκὸς τῶν μελετωμένων ὑποδεικνὺς, καὶ ὡς πολλῶν ἔσοιτο συμφορῶν αἴτιον τῇ βασιλείᾳ Ῥωμαίων, ἄν τε κατορθωθῇ τὸ μελετώμενον, ἄν τε μή. τὸ δ' αὐτὸ