waiting for him gives a sword to two men dressed in gold, as if praepositi, and says that having quickly slipped away he assigned the emperor to the right, but the God-hated Caesar, so he said, to the left, and to punish him limb by limb with this. As he was supposedly being sent forth, he had also spoken about Michael, to await execution, calling him an impious child. 42. So after Pascha the emperor set out with a large army and came to the theme of the Thrakesians, and Basil was plotting against the Caesar. And in the conspiracy were Marianos his brother, and Symbatios the son-in-law of the Caesar, and Bardas the brother of Symbatios, and Peter the Bulgarian, and Leo the Assyrian his cousin, and John the Chaldos, and Constantine the Toxaras. But John Neatokomitos learned of these things, and informed the Caesar through Prokopios. But he informed him in return, "You are young, and you talk nonsense sowing tares." But the Caesar, remaining sleepless, at deep dawn summoned all his men, explained what had been said to him, and sought counsel. But Philotheos the protospatharios and genikos, being his favorite, says to the Caesar, "Tomorrow, master, put on your gold-Persian tunic and show yourself to your enemies, and they will flee from your face." And when the sun had risen, mounting a horse he came to the emperor's tent in splendid attire, with many men surrounding him. 679 But Basil, coming and taking him by the hand, led him in to the emperor. And he said to the emperor, "Master, with all the people assembled, give the order to cross over to Crete." And immediately Basil, standing behind, strikes him with a sword. And the rest cut him limb from limb, while the emperor watched and was silent. And it was about the third hour. And immediately they return to the city. And when they came to the emporion of Akritas, a certain monk on a high rock cried out loudly to the emperor, "You have made a fine journey, O emperor, having killed your own kinsman. Woe to you, for you have done these things." But the emperor and Basil, becoming angry, send men to kill the monk. But those present persuaded the one who was sent that the monk was witless and possessed by a demon. Therefore the monk barely escaped punishment. 43. And on holy Pentecost the emperor Michael and Photios the patriarch, in Hagia Sophia, crowned Basil the parakoimomenos as emperor, having a tomos read by Castor the asekretis which ran as follows. "Bardas the Caesar plotted to kill me, and for this reason he led me out of the city; and if it had not been revealed to me by Symbatios and Basil, I would not be among the living. Wherefore he died by his own sin. But I wish Basil the parakoimomenos, as he is faithful and guards my empire and has freed me from my enemy and has great affection for me, 680 to be guardian of my empire and administrator, and to be acclaimed by all as emperor." And all acclaimed, "Many years to Michael and Basil." But Castor the asekretis, who read the tomos, went out to Nicomedia, and coming to a men's monastery, stayed in the middle of a meadow. And there was a well there, and falling into it he was drowned. 44. But Symbatios, the Caesar's son-in-law, seeing that he had been mocked by Basil, is moved to hatred of him; and having taken counsel with George Peganes he asks to be appointed strategos, and he is. And in his place Goumer is appointed logothete of the dromos. And going out together, both Symbatios and Peganes lay waste the people and burn the lands (for it was the season of summer), acclaiming only Michael, and denouncing Basil. Learning this, the emperors write to the other strategoi to make war on them. But Nikephoros Maleinos scattered letters among all the people, so that they might seize them by deceit and not fall into civil war. Therefore Peganes is seized, and brought into the city is blinded, and they set him at the Milion to beg. And Symbatios is also seized by Maleinos at Keltzene; and having been brought into the holy
μένων αὐτῷ δύο χρυσενδύτων ὡσεὶ πραιποσίτοις μάχαιραν ἐπιδίδωσι, καί φησιν τάχει ἐκνεύσας τὸν μὲν βασιλέα τῷ δεξιῷ ἀφώρισεν, τὸν δὲ θεόργιστον Καίσαρα, οὕτως εἰπών, τοῖς ἀριστεροῖς, καὶ διὰ ταύτης μεληδὸν τιμωρήσασθαι. οὗ δῆθεν ἐξιεμένου, καὶ περὶ τοῦ Μιχαὴλ διειρήκει τὴν τομὴν ἀπεκδέχεσθαι, ἀποκαλῶν αὐτὸν ἀσεβότεκνον. 42. Μετὰ γοῦν τὸ πάσχα ἀπάρας ὁ βασιλεὺς μετὰ πολλοῦ στρατοῦ ἦλθεν ἐν τῷ θέματι τῶν Θρᾳκησίων, καὶ Βασίλειος κατὰ τοῦ Καίσαρος ἐμελέτα. ἦσαν δὲ ἐν τῇ βουλῇ Μαριανὸς ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ Συμβάτιος ὁ γαμβρὸς τοῦ Καίσαρος καὶ Βάρδας ὁ ἀδελφὸς Συμβατίου καὶ Πέτρος ὁ Βούλγαρος καὶ Λέων ὁ Ἀσσύριος ἐξάδελφος αὐτοῦ, Ἰωάννης τε ὁ Χάλδος καὶ Κωνσταντῖνος ὁ Τοξαρᾶς. διέγνω δὲ ταῦτα Ἰωάννης ὁ Νεατοκόμιτος, καὶ δηλοῖ διὰ Προκοπίου τῷ Καίσαρι. ὁ δὲ ἀντιδηλοῖ αὐτῷ "νέος εἶ, καὶ ληρεῖς ἐγείρων ζιζάνια." ἄϋπνος δὲ ὁ Καῖσαρ διατελέσας, ὄρθρου βαθέος τοὺς αὐτοῦ πάντας προσκαλεσάμενος διεσάφησε τὰ λαληθέντα αὐτῷ καὶ βουλὴν ἐζήτει. Φιλόθεος δὲ ὁ πρωτοσπαθάριος καὶ γενικὸς προσφιλὴς αὐτοῦ ὢν λέγει τῷ Καίσαρι "αὔριον, δέσποτα, περιβαλοῦ τὸν χρυσοπέρσικόν σου χιτῶνα καὶ ὄφθητι τοῖς ἐχθροῖς σου, καὶ ἀπὸ προσώπου σου φεύξονται." τοῦ δὲ ἡλίου ἀνατείλαντος ἵππῳ ἐπιβὰς παρεγένετο πρὸς τὴν κόρτην τοῦ βασιλέως μετὰ στολῆς λαμπρᾶς, πολλῶν περικυκλούντων αὐτόν. 679 θὼν δὲ Βασίλειος καὶ τῇ χειρὶ κρατήσας εἰσήγαγε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα. ὁ δὲ τῷ βασιλεῖ ἔφη "τοῦ λαοῦ παντός, δέσποτα, συνειλεγμένου πρόσταττε διαπερᾶσαι ἐν τῇ Κρήτῃ." καὶ εὐθὺς ὁ Βασίλειος ὄπισθεν ἑστὼς δίδωσιν αὐτῷ μετὰ ξίφους. οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ μεληδὸν αὐτὸν κατέκοψαν, τοῦ βασιλέως βλέποντος καὶ σιωπῶντος. ἦν δὲ ὡσεὶ ὥρα τρίτη. καὶ εὐθὺς ὑποστρέφουσι πρὸς τὴν πόλιν. ἐλθόντων δὲ αὐτῶν κατὰ τὸ ἐμπόριον τοῦ Ἀκρίτα, μοναχός τις ἐφ' ὑψηλῆς τῆς πέτρας ἐπεφώνει μεγάλως τῷ βασιλεῖ "καλὸν ταξείδιον ἐποίησας, ὦ βασιλεῦ, τὸν ἴδιόν σου καὶ συγγενῆ ἀνελών. οὐαί σοι, ὅτι ταῦτα ἐποίησας." θυμωθεὶς δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ ὁ Βασίλειος πέμπουσιν ἀνελεῖν τὸν μοναχόν. οἱ δὲ παρατυχόντες ἔπεισαν τὸν ἀποσταλέντα ἄνουν καὶ δαιμονῶντα εἶναι τὸν μοναχόν. διὸ καὶ μόλις παρῆλθεν ὁ μοναχὸς τῆς τιμωρίας. 43. Τῇ δὲ ἁγίᾳ πεντηκοστῇ ἔστεψεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Μιχαὴλ καὶ Φώτιος πατριάρχης ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ Σοφίᾳ Βασίλειον τὸν παρακοιμώμενον εἰς βασιλέα, τόμον ἀναγνοὺς διὰ Κάστορος ἀσηκρῆτις ἔχοντα οὕτως. "Βάρδας ὁ Καῖσαρ ἐβουλεύσατο ἀνελεῖν με, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὑπεξήγαγέ με τῆς πόλεως· καὶ εἰ μὴ διὰ Συμβατίου καὶ Βασιλείου ἐμηνύθη μοι, οὐκ ἐν τοῖς ζῶσιν ἤμην. ὅθεν καὶ ἐτελεύτησεν ὑπὸ τῆς ἰδίας ἁμαρτίας. θέλω δὲ Βασίλειον τὸν παρακοιμώμενον, ὡς πιστὸν ὄντα καὶ φυλάττοντα τὴν ἐμὴν βασιλείαν καὶ τοῦ ἐχθροῦ ἐλευθερώσαντά με καὶ πόθον πρός με πολὺν ἔχοντα, 680 εἶναι φύλακα τῆς ἐμῆς βασιλείας καὶ προνοητήν, καὶ ὑπὸ πάντων εὐφημεῖσθαι ὡς βασιλέα." καὶ εὐφήμησαν πάντες "Μιχαὴλ καὶ Βασιλείου πολλὰ τὰ ἔτη." ὁ δὲ τὸν τόμον ἀναγνοὺς Κάστωρ ὁ ἀσηκρῆτις ἐξελθὼν ἐν Νικομηδείᾳ καὶ ἐλθὼν εἰς μονὴν ἀνδρῴαν ἔμεινεν μέσον λιβαδίου. ἦν δὲ ἐκεῖσε φρέαρ, καὶ πεσὼν ἐν αὐτῷ ἀπεπνίγη. 44. Συμβάτιος δὲ ὁ γαμβρὸς τοῦ Καίσαρος, ἰδὼν ὅτι ἐνεπαίχθη ὑπὸ τοῦ Βασιλείου, εἰς μῖσος αὐτοῦ κινεῖται· καὶ συμβουλευσάμενος μετὰ Γεωργίου τοῦ Πηγάνη αἰτεῖται στρατηγὸς προβληθῆναι, καὶ γίνεται. ἀντ' αὐτοῦ δὲ προβάλλεται λογοθέτης τοῦ δρόμου ὁ Γοῦμερ. καὶ ἐξελθόντες ἅμα ὅ τε Συμβάτιος καὶ ὁ Πηγάνης καταστρέφουσι τὸν λαὸν καὶ πυρπολοῦσι τὰς χώρας (ἦν γὰρ καιρὸς τοῦ θέρους), εὐφημοῦντες Μιχαὴλ μόνον, τὸν δὲ Βασίλειον ἀποκηρύττοντες. τοῦτο μαθόντες οἱ βασιλεῖς γράφουσι τοὺς λοιποὺς στρατηγοὺς καταπολεμῆσαι αὐτούς. Νικηφόρος δὲ ὁ Μαλέϊνος ἔρριψεν ἔγγραφα μετὰ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ, ἵνα δόλῳ τούτους κρατήσωσι καὶ μὴ εἰς ἐμφύλιον ἐμπέσωσι πόλεμον. κρατεῖται οὖν ὁ Πηγάνης, καὶ εἰσαχθεὶς ἐν τῇ πόλει ἀποτυφλοῦται, καὶ καθίζουσιν αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ Μιλίῳ προσαιτεῖν. κρατεῖται δὲ καὶ ὁ Συμβάτιος παρὰ τοῦ Μαλεΐνου εἰς Κελτζινήν· καὶ εἰσαχθέντος εἰς τὸν ἅγιον