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the one who excels in dignities and is exalted above others by royal decree? And what have you heard about us, as though we seem to be angry with the one who administers the emperor's affairs? Who could justly blame you for what happened to him when the emperor was angry? No one had reached such a point of ignorance as to be unaware of the emperor's wrath and not to know the bitterness of the moment, how great it was and how it touched everyone, and especially those who were close; and what of it, if he happened to be far from our circle and of a foreign race? But since it happens that 75 those who are bound by oaths and covenants of trust are enslaved, it is not at all unlikely for them to suffer incurable things, should it seem so to him, even if no one were instigating it, insulting the one who is to suffer. Therefore, where even the perpetrator is acquitted of the charge by those who understand the peculiarities of monarchy, others would hardly be convicted, being suspected of slandering and kindling the flames of anger. These things have happened and have passed, and to discuss such matters now is like being overly curious about the dead as to how they departed from here; for just as there fate is a necessity, whether a disease strikes or not, so here to suffer is close to fate, whether there are those who suggest words or whether there are not; and for one who is subordinated to another and is a slave, as much as it is a grief to suffer justly, so much is it a consolation to suffer unjustly, even if he were to suffer the greatest things. Where then is the opportunity for us, being in such a state, to remember such matters and to attach an accusation to you that is not at all fitting? But for you to be honored by the emperor with greater dignities was not merely the emperor’s will and an inopportune disposition toward you and some irrational and excessive impulse—one would be mad, if one were to suppose so—but the advantages belonging to you and your knowing and speaking and acting beyond the many and your guileless and pure loyalty toward him and your toiling exceedingly for the affairs of the empire and the other things in which a true man would take pride, having such a status, these things persuaded the emperor's judgment that it was good for you and that you be honored with fitting things. And what injustice has anyone suffered because of this? As if it were not otherwise possible for the others to be honored, unless you were placed in the last rank. For if it were the case that others were honored by your being overlooked, it would be right for you to be at fault; but since it was possible both for you to be honored and for the dignities to be no less fittingly assigned to the others, and for some to have their own, and for others to receive from the emperor what was appropriate for them, where is it just, if both were not possible and did not occur, it seeming so to the emperor, that you nevertheless, experiencing favorable fortune, should be judged the cause of their misfortune? Cease, therefore, turning such thoughts in your soul, from which it happens that listeners are also grieved not a little, as for me, though I could say many things about this, I will say one thing only, that if you, being such as you are, were in a foreign land, I would have prayed many times in an instant, if it were possible, for you to take charge of our affairs, which are in such a state and even worse, or else for us ourselves with 77 money and by other means to seek your arrival to us and to ask you to take charge and assist with our affairs. But you, as if another were more worthy for the royal guardianship, await our decision. Who then is able to annul a royal decree? And who besides you will appear having the guarantee for such a very great attendance and for royal affairs? For you both excel in dignities and are superior in understanding, lacking nothing. Rule, therefore, and provide for the emperor, and provide also for the affairs of the Roman dominion, and we, being obedient, will follow; for we shall not all rule, nor do we all have the ability to command; for rule by many is anarchy. But since it is one of the necessities for one to preside after the emperor, who else is worthy to rule first, if not the one who is exalted in dignities? At least, as much as was mine to say, has been said; but to whomever it seems otherwise, it is good to speak out for now; for fear will not prevent it, and we shall listen, if anyone should have anything else to say for now. But no one at all, as it is possible to learn from the facts, and rather from what I hear them saying, would disagree with what has been said.” These things

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ὁ ταῖς ἀξίαις ὑπερέχων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων κρίσει βασιλείῳ ὑπερφερόμενος; Τί δὲ καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν σοι ἤκουσται, ὡς ἐγκοτεῖν δῆθεν δοκούντων διοικοῦντι τὰ βασιλέως; Τίς δέ σε καὶ αἰτιάσαιτο δικαίως ὧν, ὀργισθέντος τοῦ βασιλέως, ξυνέβη οἱ παθεῖν; Οὐδεὶς εἰς τόσον προεληλύθει ἀγνοίας ὥστε καὶ βασιλέως ὀργὴν ἀγνοεῖν καὶ τὴν τοῦ καιροῦ μὴ εἰδέναι πικρίαν, ὁπόση ἦν καὶ ὅπως ἐφῆπται πᾶσι, καὶ μᾶλλον τοῖς πλησιάζουσι· καὶ τί γάρ, εἰ μὴ πόρρω τῶν ἡμετέρων ἔτυχεν ὢν κἀκ γένους ἀλλοδαπός; Πλὴν ἐπεὶ ξυμβαίνει 75 δουλοῦσθαι, ὅρκοις καὶ συνθήκαις ἐπὶ πίστει ξυνισχημένους, οὐδὲν ἀπεικὸς καὶ πάσχειν ἀνήκεστα, δοκοῦν ἐκείνῳ, κἂν μηδεὶς ἐποτρύνοι ἐπηρεάζων τῷ πεισομένῳ. Ὅπου τοίνυν τῆς αἰτίας καὶ ὁ δράσας ἀφεῖται τοῖς τὰ τῆς μοναρχίας ἐπισταμένοις ἴδια, σχολῇ γ' ἂν ἁλῷεν ἄλλοι, συκοφαντεῖν ὑπονοούμενοι καὶ ἐξάπτειν τὰ τῆς ὀργῆς. Γέγονε ταῦτα καὶ παρῆλθε, καὶ τὸ περὶ τοιούτων ἀρτίως διεξιέναι ὅμοιον ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ περὶ νεκρῶν ὅπως ἐντεῦθεν ἀπῆλθον ἐπολυπραγμονοῦμεν· ὡς γὰρ ἐκεῖ τὸ χρεὼν ἀναγκαῖον, κἂν νόσος ἐνσκήψῃ, κἂν μή, οὕτως ἐνταῦθα τὸ παθεῖν ἐγγὺς τοῦ χρεών, κἂν εἶεν οἱ λόγους ὑποβαλλόμενοι, κἂν μὴ εἶεν· καὶ τὸ τεταγμένον ὑπ' ἄλλῳ καὶ δοῦλον ὄντα ὅσον εἰς λύπην παθεῖν δικαίως, τοσοῦτον εἰς παραμυθίαν τὸ ἀδίκως, κἂν τὰ μέγιστα πάσχοι, παθεῖν. Ποῦ τοίνυν καιρὸς τῶν τοιούτων ἡμῖν, οὕτως ἔχουσι, τῶν πραγμάτων μεμνῆσθαι καὶ μηδὲν προσῆκον ὑμῖν ἔγκλημα περιάπτειν; Τὸ δ' ὑμᾶς παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως τιμᾶσθαι τοῖς μείζοσιν ἀξιώμασιν οὐ θέλημα μόνον ἦν βασιλέως καὶ σχέσις περὶ ὑμᾶς ἄκαιρος καὶ ὁρμή τις ἄλογός τε καὶ περιττήμαίνοιτο ἄν τις, εἰ οὕτως ὑπονοοῖτο, ἀλλὰ τὰ ὑμῖν προσόντα πλεονεκτήματα καὶ τὸ ὑπὲρ τοὺς πολλοὺς εἰδέναι καὶ λέγειν καὶ πράττειν καὶ ἡ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἄδολος πίστις καὶ καθαρὰ καὶ τὸ τῶν βασιλείων πραγμάτων ὑπερπονεῖν καὶ τἆλλα οἷς ἂν ὁ ἀληθὴς ἀνὴρ σεμνύνοιτο, τοιαύτην ἔχων κατάστασιν, ταῦτα τὴν βασιλέως ἔπειθε γνώμην καλῶς ἔχειν ὑμῖν καὶ τιμᾶν τοῖς προσήκουσι. Τί δὲ καὶ παρὰ τοῦτο καί τις ἠδίκηται; Ὥσπερ ἂν οὐκ ἄλλως ἦν τοὺς ἄλλους τιμᾶσθαι, εἰ μὴ ἐν ἐσχάτῃ τάξει ὑμεῖς τάττοισθε. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ οὕτως ἦν τὸ τοὺς ἄλλους τιμᾶσθαι ἐκ τοῦ ὑμᾶς παρορᾶσθαι, καλῶς ἂν εἶχεν ὑμᾶς ἐν αἰτίαις εἶναι· ἐπεὶ δὲ ἦν ἅμα καὶ ὑμᾶς τιμᾶσθαι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις οὐδὲν ἧττον τὰ τῶν ἀξιωμάτων ὡς εἰκὸς προσνέμεσθαι, καὶ τοὺς μὲν τὰ οἰκεῖα ἔχειν, τοὺς δὲ καὶ λαμβάνειν παρὰ βασιλέως τὰ σφίσι προσήκοντα, ποῦ δίκαιον, εἰ μὴ ἦν ἄμφω καὶ ἐνεχώρει, οὕτω δοκοῦν βασιλεῖ, ὅμως ὑμᾶς, δεξιᾶς πειρωμένους τῆς τύχης, αἰτίους τῆς ἐκείνων δυσπραγίας κρίνεσθαι; Παῦσαι τοίνυν τοιούτους λογισμοὺς στρέφων ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ, ἐξ ὧν συμβαίνει οὐκ ὀλίγα λυπεῖσθαι καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντας, ὡς ἔγωγε, πολλὰ ἂν εἰπεῖν ἔχων περὶ τούτων, ἓν καὶ μόνον ἐρῶ, ὡς, εἴπερ ἐπ' ἀλλοδαπῆς ἦτε τοιοῦτοι ὄντες, πολλὰ ἂν ηὐξάμην ἂν ἐν ἀκαρεῖ, εἴπερ οἷόν τε, τοῖς ἡμετέροις, οὕτως καὶ μᾶλλον ἔχουσιν, ἐπιστῆναι, ἢ ἀλλ' ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς καὶ 77 χρήμασι καὶ τρόποις ἑτέροις ζητεῖν τὴν ὑμετέραν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἄφιξιν καὶ ἀξιοῦν ἐπιστάντας τῶν ἡμετέρων ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι. Σὺ δέ, ὥσπερ ἂν ἀξιώτερος ἄλλος ἦν εἰς κηδεμονίαν βασιλικήν, τὴν ἡμετέραν βούλησιν ἀνα μένεις. Τίς τοίνυν ἱκανὸς ἀναλύειν ψῆφον βασίλειον; Τίς δὲ παρὰ σὲ τὸ ἐχέγγυον ἔχων φανεῖται ἐπὶ μεγίστῃ τοιαύτῃ προσεδρείᾳ καὶ βασιλικοῖς πράγμασι; Σὺ γὰρ καὶ ταῖς ἀξίαις προέχεις καὶ συνέσει, ὡς οὐδὲν ἐλλείπων, ὑπερτερεῖς. Ἄρχε τοίνυν, καὶ προνόει μὲν βασιλέως, προνόει δὲ καὶ τῶν τῆς τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἡγεμονίας πραγμάτων, καὶ ἡμεῖς εὐπειθοῦντες ἑψόμεθα· οὐ γὰρ πάντες ἄρξομεν, οὐδὲ πάντες ἐπιτάττειν ἔχομεν· ἄναρχον γὰρ τὸ πολύαρχον. Ἐπεὶ δ' ἕνα προέχειν μετὰ βασιλέα τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐστί, τίς ἄλλος καὶ προάρχειν ἄξιος, εἰ μὴ ὁ ταῖς ἀξίαις ὑπερφερόμενος; Τὸ γοῦν ἐμὸν ὅσον ἦν εἰπεῖν, εἴρηται· ὅτῳ δ' ἑτέρως δοκεῖ, καλὸν ἐξειπεῖν τέως· οὐ γὰρ δέος κωλύσει, καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα, ἂν ἄλλως τέως ἔχοι τις λέγειν. Ἀλλὰ μηδέ τις τῶν πάντων, ὡς ἐκ τῶν πραγμάτων ἔστι μανθάνειν, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἐξ ὧν ἀκούω λεγόντων, ἀμφιγνωμονήσοι πρὸς τὰ λεγόμενα.» Ταῦτα