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they were preparing an ambush. 2.4.4 For in general, the slave is by nature an enemy to his masters, and when he misses the mark of his masters, having seized power, he becomes unbearable to his fellow slaves. At any rate, Alexios Komnenos experienced such a character and spirit from the aforementioned slaves. Hence those already mentioned were not raging against the Komnenoi on behalf of the emperor; but Borilos was aiming at the throne, as some said, while Germanos, being his partner in the plot, was carefully preparing an ambush with him. And they discussed with each other their plans and how the matter might turn out according to their mind; and they were now bringing out into the open what had until then been spoken under their breath. 2.4.5 A certain man heard what was being said, an Alan by race, a *magistros* in rank, who had long been close to the emperor and was counted among his household. At that very time, at any rate, leaving during the middle watch of the night, he ran out to the Komnenoi to report everything to the Grand Domestic. But some say that the empress was not at all unaware of the *magistros*'s arrival to the Komnenoi. And he brought him in to his mother and his brother. And having heard that dreadful news, they considered it necessary to bring what was until then hidden into the open and, with God, to secure their own safety. 2.4.6 Since he had learned that after the following day the army was to occupy Tzurulon (a small town situated somewhere around Thrace), the Domestic, around the first watch of the night, went to Pakourianos (this man was small in stature, according to the poet, but nevertheless a fighter, descending from a noble family of the Armenians) and he communicated everything to him: the wrath of the slaves, their envy, their long-standing plot against them, and the imminent plan to put out their eyes, and how they ought not to suffer like slaves, but, having done something noble, to perish, if that should be necessary; for he said that this too was a mark of magnanimity. 2.4.7 But he, having heard everything and understanding that one must not delay in such matters but quickly undertake a nobler deed, said, “If you leave this place at tomorrow's dawn, I too will follow you, ready to fight alongside. But if you keep your plan until next year, know that I myself will go to the emperor immediately and denounce you and those with you without the slightest delay.” And he replied, “Since I see you are concerned for my safety, and this is surely the work of God, I will not stand apart from your counsel; but we must both have security through an oath.” Hence they also made pledges to each other with oaths, that if God should bring him to the imperial throne, he would raise the other to the rank of Domestic, which he himself now held for the time being. Therefore, leaving there, Alexios Komnenos, after parting from Pakourianos, went away to another man, himself a warlike man, Humbertopoulos. And he announced his own purpose and presented the reason why he wanted to escape, calling on him too for an alliance. And he immediately consented; “And you will certainly have me,” he said, “courageously and very much risking danger for you.” 2.4.8 The aforesaid men were attached to Alexios more for other reasons, and because he surpassed the others in courage and intelligence. And they exceedingly loved him for being most generous with gifts and, if anyone ever was, having a hand very quick to give, although he was not at all overflowing with wealth. For he was not one of those who seize and gape after riches. For generosity is not customarily judged by the quantity of money provided, but is naturally weighed by one's disposition. For it is possible for one who possesses little and contributes in proportion to what he has to be generous, while the one who has much wealth and buries it in the earth or does not provide it proportionally to the one in need, another Croesus or gold-mad Midas, is stingy and miserly and one of those who splits cumin seeds

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ἐνέδραν ἐξήρτυον. 2.4.4 Ἔστι μὲν γὰρ ἄλλως φύσει τὸ δοῦλον τοῖς δεσπόταις πολέμιον, ὅταν δὲ τῶν δεσποτῶν ἀστοχήσῃ, ἐξουσίας δραξάμενον κατὰ τῶν ὁμοδούλων ἀνύποιστον γίνεται. Τοιούτου γοῦν ἐπειράθη καὶ ἤθους καὶ φρονήματος τῶν εἰρημένων δούλων ὁ Κομνηνὸς Ἀλέξιος. Ἐντεῦθεν οἱ ἤδη ῥηθέντες οὐχὑπὲρ τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος κατὰ τῶν Κομνηνῶν ἐμηνίων· ἀλλ' ἐβασιλεία μὲν ὁ Βορῖλος, ὥς τινες ἔφασαν, ὁ δέ γε Γερμανὸς κοινωνὸς ὢν αὐτῷ τοῦ σκέμματος ἐπιμελῶς σὺν αὐτῷ ἐνέδραν ἐξήρτυε. Καὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους τὰ βου λευόμενα διελέγοντο καὶ ὅπως ἂν αὐτοῖς κατὰ νοῦν ἀπο βαίῃ τὸ πρᾶγμα· καὶ εἰς τοὐμφανὲς ἤδη ἐξέφερον τὸ ὑπ' ὀδόντα τέως λαλούμενον. 2.4.5 Ἠκροᾶτό τις τῶν λεγομέ νων Ἀλανὸς τὸ γένος, μάγιστρος τὴν ἀξίαν, ἐκ πολλοῦ προσῳκειωμένος τῷ βασιλεῖ κἀν τοῖς οἰκείοις διατελῶν. Τηνικαῦτα γοῦν μέσης ἐξελθὼν φυλακῆς τῆς νυκτὸς ἐκτρέχει πρὸς τοὺς Κομνηνοὺς ἀπαγγελῶν ἅπαντα τῷ μεγάλῳ δομεστίκῳ. Τινὲς δέ φασι μηδὲ τὴν βασιλίδα τὴν πρὸς τοὺς Κομνηνοὺς τοῦ μαγίστρου ἄφιξιν παντάπασιν ἠγνοηκέναι. Ὁ δὲ εἰσάγει τοῦτον τῇ μητρὶ καὶ τἀδελφῷ. Ἐνωτισθέντες δὲ τὴν ἀπευκταίαν ἐκείνην ἀγγελίαν, δέον ἐλογίσαντο τὸ τέως κρυπτόμενον εἰς τοὐμφανὲς ἀγαγεῖν καὶ ξὺν Θεῷ τὴν σφῶν σωτηρίαν περιποιήσασθαι. 2.4.6 Ἐπεὶ δὲ μετὰ τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν ἐμεμαθήκει τὸ στράτευμα καταλαβεῖν τὴν Τζουρουλόν (πολίχνιον δὲ τοῦτο περί που τὴν Θρᾴκην κείμενον), ὁ δομέστικος περὶ πρώτην φυλακὴν τῆς νυκτὸς φοιτᾷ πρὸς τὸν Πακουριανόν (ἀνὴρ δὲ οὗτος μικρὸς μὲν ἔην δέμας κατὰ τὸν ποιητήν, πλὴν ἀλλὰ μαχητής, γένους λαμπροῦ ἐξ Ἀρμενίων ὁρμώμενος) καὶ ἀνακοινοῦται τούτῳ τὰ πάντα, τὴν μῆνιν τῶν δούλων, τὸν φθόνον, τὴν ἐκ πολλοῦ κατ' αὐτῶν μελέτην καὶ τὴν ἐξ ὑπογύου μελετωμένην τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν ἐκκοπήν, καὶ ὡς οὐ χρὴ ὡς ἀνδράποδα παθεῖν, ἀλλὰ δράσαντάς τι γεν ναῖον ἀπολέσθαι, εἰ καὶ τούτου δεήσειε· καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ ἴδιον μεγαλοψυχίας ἔλεγεν. 2.4.7 Ὁ δὲ ἅπαντα διακηκοὼς καὶ συνιδὼν ὡς οὐ χρὴ μέλλειν ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις, ἀλλὰ ταχέως γενναιοτέρου ἔργου ἐφάπτεσθαί, φησιν «εἰ μὲν αὐγαζούσης τῆς αὔριον ἐξέλθῃς τῶν ἐνταυθοῖ, συνέψομαί σοι κἀγὼ προθύμως ἐπαγωνισόμενος. Εἰ δὲ ἐς νέωτα φυλάξεις τὸ βουλευόμενον, ἀλλ' ἐμέ γ' ἴσθι αὐτὸν ἐμὲ προσελθόντα τῷ βασιλεῖ παραυτίκα καὶ σοῦ καὶ τῶν σὺν σοὶ κατειπεῖν μηδὲ μικρὸν ἀναβαλόμενον». Ὁ δέ «ἐπεί σε τῆς ἐμῆς κηδόμενον ὁρῶ σωτηρίας, Θεοῦ δὲ τοῦτο πάντως ἔργον, οὐκ ἀποστήσομαί σου τῆς βουλῆς, πλὴν ἀλλὰ χρὴ δι' ὅρκου τὸ ἀσφαλὲς ἑκάτερον ἔχειν». Ἔνθεν τοι καὶ πίστεις πρὸς ἀλλήλους δι' ὅρκων ἐποιησάτην, ὡς ἄρα, εἰ εἰς τὸν βασίλειον θρόνον αὐτὸν ἀγάγοι Θεός, ἐκεῖνον ἐς τὴν τοῦ δομεστίκου ἀξίαν ἀναγάγῃ, ἣν νῦν αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ τέως κατεῖχεν. Ἐξελθὼν οὖν ἐκεῖθεν ὁ Κομνη νὸς Ἀλέξιος καὶ τοῦ Πακουριανοῦ ἀπαλλαγεὶς πρὸς ἕτερον ἄνδρα καὶ αὐτὸν ἀρειμάνιον τὸν Οὐμπερτόπουλον ἄπεισι. Καὶ τὸν ἴδιον ἀπαγγέλλει σκοπὸν καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν παρίστησι, καθ' ἣν διαδρᾶναι βουλόμενος εἰς συμμαχίαν καὶ αὐτὸν προσκαλεῖται. Ὁ δ' εὐθὺς κατενενεύκει· «κἀμὲ δ'« ἔφη «πάντως ἕξεις εὐψύχως σου καὶ μάλα προκιν δυνεύοντα». 2.4.8 Προσέκειντο δὲ καὶ τῷ Ἀλεξίῳ μᾶλλον οἱ εἰρημένοι ἄνδρες τά τε ἄλλα, καὶ διότι ἀνδρείᾳ καὶ συνέσει τῶν ἄλλων διέφερε. Φιλοδωρότατόν τε ὄντα καὶ τὴν χεῖρα, εἴπερ τις ἄλλος, περὶ τὰς δόσεις εὐκίνητον λίαν ὑπερηγάπων, καίτοι μὴ πάνυ τι πλούτῳ περιρρεόμενον. Οὐ γὰρ ἦν τῶν ἁρπαζόντων καὶ πρὸς τὸ πλουτεῖν διακε χηνότων. Τὸ γὰρ ἐλευθέριον οὐκ ἐν πλήθει παροχῆς χρη μάτων κρίνεσθαι εἴωθεν, ἀλλὰ γνώμῃ ταλαντεύεσθαι πέφυ κεν. Ἔστι γὰρ τὸν ὀλίγα κεκτημένον καὶ πρὸς λόγον τῶν ἐνόντων καταβαλόντα ἐλευθέριον εἶναι, τὸν δέ γε πλοῦτον πολὺν ἔχοντα καὶ τῇ γῇ κατορύττοντα ἢ μὴ κατὰ λόγον τοῦτον τῷ δεομένῳ παρέχοντα ἄλλον Κροῖσον ἢ χρυσομανῆ Μίδαν κίμβικά τε καὶ γλίσχρον καὶ ἕνα τῶν διαπριόντων τὸ κύμινον