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to prove, but the lord and emperor was avenging the will of his own soul. But the protostrator said, "You seem to me to be entirely mistaken of the reality, O Emperor, and, as it seems, you have forgotten what the Grand Domestic said to you about such a trial, which indeed seemed to both you and to us to have been spoken correctly at that time. For when you said, 'I would wish to have a trial before the emperor and my grandfather, and either be acquitted of the charges, or, if unable to do this, to be deprived not only of the empire, 1.58 but also of life itself,' he prayed that he would not live to see such a day, on which it would fall to you to see a trial between the emperor and his grandfather; for it is more true to call that day a day not of justice, but of condemnation. For since the judge and the accuser are one and the same, there is nothing else left to conclude. Besides, the emperor is not a fool, to rush so thoughtlessly into the trial as to provide you an opportunity for a defense, and for you to either be acquitted of the charges, or even to show yourself to be wronged; but being of a deep and prudent mind, as we know, and clever in handling affairs, he will bring you to trial only when, having arranged everything beforehand to his own liking, nothing else would be left but to pass sentence against you; and this, so that he might seem to outsiders to be doing what is just, as if you had been clearly caught in the most unholy acts and for this reason were justly suffering whatever it might be. While they were discussing such things with one another, another messenger came from the emperor, hastening the grandson’s arrival at the palace; and he, for it was not possible to do otherwise, arrived before the emperor and his grandfather, his soul consumed with great sorrow, because the Grand Domestic was absent and he had not been able to consult with him about the present situation. And immediately after a little while the Grand Domestic also arrived at the palace, and found the emperor inside with the emperor and his grandfather, but the protostrator sitting outside, showing by his expression the inner turmoil of his heart and his concern 1.59; and he said to him: "You seem to me by your outward appearance and your pensive mood to be considering some matter of great importance;" and he said he was both considering and contending with the direst circumstances. When the other asked for what reason, he said, "The emperor, having been summoned to trial by the emperor his grandfather, sought very much to meet with you, but was unable; and since the occasion did not permit delay, he himself went in to the emperor, but he instilled no small fear in me for him, especially as I recalled your words, which you related to us about this very trial." And when the other asked again, "What have we accomplished so far that is suitable to the occasion and the circumstances?" "Nothing," said the protostrator, "for since the time between the messages was very short, and urged on his arrival to the emperor, we did none of the necessary things." When he asked, "How is it that none of the emperor's retainers or even any of yours are here?" the protostrator said, "They were present, but I, fearing that if others saw them present they would draw various conclusions, and that from this some suspicion and harm might arise, ordered them to depart." But he, having strongly blamed his lack of counsel, and saying that they would find no other time more perilous or more violent for demonstrating their sincere goodwill and love for the emperor and delivering him from the dangers that surrounded him, said, "You, for your part, gather as many of your own retainers as possible and your friends, and order them to remain here; and I, going out, 1.60 will in turn gather the emperor's men and my own; and coming together as one, and taking the young emperor with us, which I think we will be able to do, we will go to the divine temple of Sophia, the Word of God, to secure his safety through its right of sanctuary, then, sending an embassy to the emperor, we will ask for amnesty for what has been dared. And he, fearing the sedition, as is likely, will by an oath guarantee both security to the emperor and to us, and amnesty for what has been done. And with the young emperor freed from the sudden danger that now surrounds him, it will then be possible for us, having deliberated on what seems best, to act according to

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ἀποδεῖξαι, τὸν δὲ κύριον καὶ βασιλέα ψυχῆς ἰδίας θέλησιν ἐκδικοῦντα. ὁ πρωτοστράτωρ δὲ «πάνυ μοι δοκεῖς ἁμαρτάνειν» ἔφη «τοῦ ὄντος, ὦ βασιλεῦ, καὶ, ὡς ἔοικεν, ὧν πρός σε περὶ τῆς τοιαύτης κρίσεως ὁ μέγας δομέστικος εἴρηκεν ἐπελάθου, ἃ δήπου καὶ σοὶ εἰρῆσθαι τότε καὶ ἡμῖν ὀρθῶς ἐδόκει. σοῦ γὰρ εἰρηκότος, ὡς βουλοίμην ἂν ἐπὶ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ πάππου δίκης τυχὼν, ἢ τὰ ἐγκλήματα ἀπολύσασθαι, ἢ τοῦτο μὴ δυνηθεὶς, μὴ τὴν βασιλείαν μόνον, 1.58 ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴν ἀφαιρεθῆναι ζωὴν» ὅδ' ηὔξατο, μὴ ζῶν ἰδεῖν τοιαύτην ἡμέραν, ἐν ᾗ γενήσεταί σοι τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ τῷ πάππῳ δικαζόμενον ἰδεῖν· οὐ γὰρ δίκης, καταδίκης δὲ μᾶλλόν ἐστιν ἀληθὲς τὴν ἡμέραν προσειπεῖν ἐκείνην. ἑνὸς γὰρ ὄντος τοῦ δικάζοντος καὶ τοῦ κατηγοροῦντος, οὐδὲν ἄλλο λείπεται συνάγειν. ἄλλως τ' οὐδὲ τῶν ἀνοήτων ὁ βασιλεὺς, ὥσθ' οὕτως ἀπερισκέπτως ὁρμηθῆναι πρὸς τὴν δίκην, ὡς καὶ καιρὸν ἀπολογίας σοι παρασχεῖν, καὶ ἢ τὰ ἐγκλήματα ἀπολύσασθαι, ἢ καὶ ἀδικούμενον ἑαυτὸν ἀποδεῖξαι· ἀλλὰ βαθείας ὢν καὶ συνετῆς, ὡς ἴσμεν, φρενὸς, καὶ δεινὸς πράγμασι χρῆσθαι, τότ' ἐπὶ τῆς δίκης σε καταστήσει, ὅτε πρὸς τὸ αὐτῷ δοκοῦν πάντα προκατασκευασάμενος, οὐδενὸς ἄλλου λείποιτο, ἢ τὴν ἀπόφασιν ἐξενεγκεῖν κατὰ σοῦ· καὶ τοῦτο, ἵνα καὶ τοῖς ἔξω δίκαια δοκοίη ποιεῖν, ὡς ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀνοσιωτάτοις σοῦ φανερῶς ἑαλωκότος καὶ διὰ τοῦτο δικαίως πάσχοντος ὁτιοῦν. Τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὁμιλούντων, αὖθις ἧκε μηνυτὴς ἕτερος ἐκ βασιλέως, ἐπισπεύδων τὴν ἐν βασιλείοις ἄφιξιν τῷ ἐγγόνῳ· ὁ δ', οὐ γὰρ ἐξῆν ἑτέρως δρᾷν, ἀφικνεῖται πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ πάππον, λύπῃ πολλῇ τηκόμενος τὴν ψυχὴν, διὰ τὸ τὸν μέγαν ἀπόντα δομέστικον μὴ περὶ τῶν παρόντων ἐσχηκέναι συνδιασκέψασθαι. εὐθὺς δὲ μετὰ μικρὸν καὶ ὁ μέγας δομέστικος ἧκεν ἐν βασιλείοις, καὶ τὸν μὲν βασιλέα παρὰ τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ πάππῳ ἔνδον εὕρισκεν ὄντα, τὸν πρωτοστράτορα δ' ἔξω καθήμενον, καὶ τῇ ὄψει τὴν ἔνδον ταραχὴν τῆς καρδίας καὶ τὴν φροντίδα 1.59 ὑποδεικνύντα· εἶπέ τε πρὸς αὐτόν· «δοκεῖς μοι περί τινος σκέπτεσθαι τῶν μεγάλων τῇ ἔξωθεν ὄψει καὶ τῇ συννοίᾳ·» ὁ δ' ἔφη καὶ σκέπτεσθαι, καὶ περιστάσεσι προσομιλεῖν ταῖς ἐσχάταις· τοῦ δ' ὅτου χάριν, ἀντερομένου, «ὁ βασιλεὺς» ἔφη «παρὰ βασιλέως τοῦ πάππου κληθεὶς ἐπὶ δίκην, σοὶ μὲν συντυχεῖν πολλὰ ζητήσας, οὐκ ἠδυνήθη· τοῦ καιροῦ δὲ οὐκ ἐπιτρέποντος διαμέλλειν, αὐτὸς μὲν εἰσῆλθε πρὸς βασιλέα, ἐμοὶ δὲ φόβον οὐ μικρὸν ἐνέθηκε περὶ αὐτοῦ, μάλιστα τῶν σῶν λόγων ἐνθυμουμένῳ, οὓς πρὸς ἡμᾶς περὶ τῆς δίκης ταυτησὶ διεξῆλθες.» τοῦ δ' αὖθις ἐπανερομένου «τί δ' ἡμῖν ἄχρι νῦν ἁρμόζον τῷ καιρῷ καὶ τοῖς πράγμασιν εἴργασται;» «οὐδὲν» εἶπεν ὁ πρωτοστράτωρ «βραχυτάτου γὰρ ὄντος τοῦ μεταξὺ τῶν ἀγγελιῶν χρόνου, καὶ τὴν ὡς βασιλέα ἄφιξιν κατεπείγοντος, οὐδὲν ἐπράξαμεν τῶν δεόντων.» «πῶς δ' οὐ πάρεισιν ἐνταῦθα τοῦ βασιλέως οἰκετῶν ἢ καὶ τῶν σῶν τινες;» ἐρομένου, «παρῆσαν μὲν» εἶπεν ὁ πρωτοστράτωρ «δείσας δ' ἐγὼ μὴ παρόντας ὁρώντων καὶ ἄλλων ἄλλα λογιζομένων, ἐκ τούτου συμβῇ τις ὑποψία καὶ βλάβη, ἐκέλευσα ἀπιέναι.» ὁ δὲ πολλὰ καταμεμψάμενος τῆς ἀβουλίας, καὶ μηδένα καιρὸν ἄλλον εὑρήσειν ἐπικινδυνότερον ἢ βιαιότερον εἰπὼν, ὥστε τὴν ἄδολον αὐτῶν εὔνοιαν καὶ ἀγάπην ἐνδεικνυμένους πρὸς βασιλέα τῶν περισχόντων ἀπαλλάττειν κινδύνων, «σὺ μὲν» ἔφη «τῶν σῶν οἰκετῶν ὁπόσους ἂν ἐξῇ καὶ τῶν φίλων συναγαγὼν, ἐνταῦθα κέλευσον μένειν· ἐγὼ δ' ἐξελθὼν 1.60 αὖθις τοὺς βασιλέως συναθροίσω καὶ τοὺς ἐμούς· εἰς ἓν δὲ συνελθόντες, καὶ τὸν νέον βασιλέα παραλαβόντες, ὅπερ οἶμαι δυνήσεσθαι, πρὸς τὸν τῆς Σοφίας ἀπελευσόμεθα τοῦ θεοῦ λόγου θεῖον νεὼν, τὴν σωτηρίαν διὰ τῆς ἀσυλίας τῆς ἐκείνου πραγματευσόμενοι, εἶτα διαπρεσβευσάμενοι πρὸς βασιλέα, ἀμνηστίαν αἰτήσομεν τῶν τολμηθέντων· τὸν δὲ, δείσαντα τὴν στάσιν, ὥσπερ εἰκὸς, ὅρκῳ καὶ βασιλεῖ καὶ ἡμῖν καὶ τὴν ἀσφάλειαν πιστώσασθαι καὶ τὴν ἀμνηστίαν τῶν εἰργασμένων. τοῦ νέου δὲ βασιλέως ἀπαλλαγέντος τοῦ περισχόντος νῦν ἐξαπίνης κινδύνου, τότ' ἤδη βουλευσαμένοις ὅπερ ἂν δοκῇ βέλτιον, ἐξέσται πράττειν κατ'