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having loaded his own pack-animals, he drove on behind them. And arriving with them at Tzurulon (this too is a Thracian village), he is saved and there by chance they were all united with the army that had arrived by order of the domesticus. 2.6.4 Judging it necessary, therefore, to inform John Doukas the Caesar, who was staying at his own estates of Moroboundos, about what had happened to them, they sent a man to announce the rebellion to him. And the one bearing that message, arriving around early evening, stood outside the threshold of the residence, seeking the Caesar. But his grandson John, seeing him, being still a youth and not yet an adolescent, and for this reason inseparable from the Caesar, runs inside and waking him from sleep, announces the rebellion. But he, immediately struck by what he heard, slaps his grandson on the temple and, telling him not to babble such things, pushed him away. And a little later he, entering again, brings the same message, adding also the word shot forth at him from the Comneni. 2.6.5 And the message also contained, among other things, something rather witty, hinting at the usurpation: «We,» it said, «have prepared a very fine dish, and not without spices; but if you wish to partake of the banquet, come as quickly as possible to share in the feast» Sitting up, therefore, and leaning on his right elbow, he orders the man who had come from there to be brought in. And when he had related everything concerning the Comneni, «Alas for me!» the Caesar said, and immediately put his hands to his eyes; and for a short while also grasping his beard, as if in that time unrolling many thoughts, he settled himself on this one thing, that he too should join the rebellion. Therefore, immediately summoning the grooms and mounting his horse, he took the road leading to the Comneni. 2.6.6 And meeting a certain Byzantius on the road, who was carrying a considerable purse of gold and going to the great city, he asked him that famous Homeric question, «Who are you, and from what people?» And when he learned from him that he was carrying much gold from some tax collections and that he was conveying this to the imperial chamber, he compelled him to lodge with him, promising that at daybreak he might go wherever he wished. But when the man objected and took this badly, the Caesar pressed him more forcefully and persuaded him by speaking, being such a one as he was, fluent in speech and clever in thought, bearing persuasion on his tongue like another Aeschines or Demosthenes. Taking such a man along with him, therefore, he lodges in a certain room and having treated him kindly in every way, deeming him worthy of his table and having let him rest well, he detained the man. 2.6.7 But around dawn, when the sun also hastens to reach the eastern horizon, Byzantius, having placed the saddle-cloths on the horses, was eager to ride straight for Byzantium. But the Caesar, seeing him, says, «Stay, and journey with us.» But he, neither knowing where he was going, and completely ignorant of the reason for which he had been deemed worthy of such kindness, was again displeased and was suspicious of the Caesar and the Caesar's kindnesses. But he insisted, trying to draw him along; and when he would not obey, he changed his tone and used harsher words toward him, if he would not do what was ordered. When he did not obey, he orders that all his belongings be joined to his own pack animals and to proceed on the proposed journey, but he gives him permission to go wherever he wished. But he, having completely despaired of entry into the palace, since he was afraid he might even be put under guard for being seen by those around the imperial chamber with empty hands, and not wishing to turn back because of the disorder and confusion that had fallen upon affairs from the now-emerged rebellion of the Comnenus, followed the Caesar even against his will. 2.6.8 And something of this sort happened by chance. As he was departing, the Caesar came upon some Turks who were just crossing the

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ἐπισάξας τὰ ἑαυτοῦ ὄπισθεν αὐτῶν ἤλαυνε. Καὶ φθάσας σὺν τούτοις εἰς Τζουρουλόν (κώμη δὲ καὶ αὕτη Θρᾳκική) διασῴζεται κἀκεῖσε τυχαίως τῷ ἐξ ἐπιταγῆς τοῦ δομεστίκου καταλαβόντι στρατεύματι ἡνώ θησαν ἅπαντες. 2.6.4 ∆έον οὖν κρίναντες περὶ τῶν συμπε σόντων αὐτοῖς δηλῶσαι τῷ ∆ούκᾳ Ἰωάννῃ τῷ καίσαρι ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις κτήμασι τῶν Μωροβούνδου αὐλιζομένῳ ἀπε στάλκασι τὸν τὴν ἀποστασίαν ἐκείνῳ μηνύσοντα. Φθάσας δὲ ὁ τὴν ἀγγελίαν ἐκείνην κομίζων περὶ δείλην ἑῴαν ἔξω τῶν οὐδῶν τῆς αὐλίδος εἱστήκει τὸν καίσαρα ἀναζητῶν. Ἰδὼν δὲ τοῦτον ὁ ἔγγονος αὐτοῦ Ἰωάννης, νέος ἔτι ὢν καὶ μήπω μειράκιον καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀδιασπάστως συνὼν τῷ καίσαρι, δρομαῖος εἴσεισι καὶ καθεύδοντα τοῦτον διυπνίσας ἀπαγγέλλει τὴν ἀποστασίαν. Ὁ δ' εὐθὺς πληγεὶς τῇ ἀκοῇ ῥαπίζει τὸν υἱωνὸν κατὰ κόρρης καὶ μὴ τοιαῦτα ληρεῖν ἐπειπὼν ἀπώσατο. Κἀκεῖνος μετὰ μικρὸν πάλιν εἰσελθὼν τὴν αὐτὴν ἀγγελίαν κομίζει προσθέμενος καὶ τὸν ἀπὸ τῶν Κομνηνῶν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀποτοξευόμενον λόγον. 2.6.5 Εἶχε δὲ ὁ λόγος μεταξύ που καί τι ἀστειότατον τὴν τυραννίδα συναινιττόμενον ὡς «ἡμεῖς μέν» φησιν «ὄψον μάλα καλὸν ηὐτρεπίσαμεν καὶ καρυκείας οὐκ ἄτερ· σὺ δὲ ἀλλ' εἰ βούλει τῆς εὐωχίας μεταλαχεῖν, τὴν ταχίστην ἥκειν τῆς πανδαισίας μεταληψόμενος» Ἀνακαθίσας οὖν καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ δεξιοῦ ἀγκῶνος ἑαυτὸν ἐπερείσας εἰσαγαγεῖν τὸν ἐκεῖθεν ἐλθόντα κελεύει. Τοῦ δὲ πάντα τὰ κατὰ τοὺς Κομνηνοὺς διηγησαμένου, «φεῦ μοι» ὁ καῖσαρ εἰπὼν εὐθὺς ἐπιβάλλει τὰς χεῖρας ταῖς ὄψεσιν· ἐπὶ μικρὸν δὲ καὶ τῆς ὑπήνης περιδραξάμενος, οἷον ἐν τοσούτῳ λογισμοὺς πολ λοὺς ἀνελίττων, εἰς ἓν τοῦτο ἤρεισεν ἑαυτόν, συναπο στατῆσαι κἀκεῖνον. Εὐθὺς οὖν μετακαλεσάμενος τοὺς ἱππο κόμους καὶ τοῦ ἵππου ἐπιβὰς τῆς πρὸς τοὺς Κομνηνοὺς φερούσης ἥψατο. 2.6.6 Καὶ Βυζαντίῳ δέ τινι καθ' ὁδὸν ἐντυχὼν χρυσοῦ βαλάντιον ἱκανὸν ἐπιφερομένῳ καὶ πρὸς τὴν μεγαλόπολιν ἀπιόντι ἤρετο αὐτόν, τοῦτο δὴ τὸ Ὁμη ρικόν, «τίς, πόθεν εἰς ἀνδρῶν;» Καὶ ἐπειδὴ παρ' αὐτοῦ ἐμάνθανεν, ὅτι τε πολὺν χρυσὸν ἐπιφέρεται ἀπό τινων εἰσπράξεων καὶ ὅτι πρὸς τὸν κοιτῶνα τοῦτον διακομίζει, βιάζεται τοῦτον συγκαταλῦσαι αὐτῷ ὑπισχνούμενος ὡς ἅμα ἡμέρᾳ, οὗπερ ἂν βούλοιτο, βαδιεῖται. Τοῦ δὲ ἐνιστα μένου καὶ βαρέως φέροντος τοῦτο ὁ καῖσαρ σφοδρότερον ἐπετίθετο καὶ ἔπεισε λέγων, ὁποῖος ἐκεῖνος ἐπιτρόχαλος ἐν λόγοις καὶ δεινὸς ἐν νοήμασι πειθώ τε ἐν γλώττῃ φέρων ᾗπερ Αἰσχίνης ἄλλος ἢ ∆ημοσθένης. Συμπαραλαβὼν οὖν τὸν τοιοῦτον καταλύει ἔν τινι δωματίῳ καὶ παντοίως φιλοφρονησάμενος τραπέζης τε ἀξιώσας καὶ διαναπαύσας καλῶς παρακατέσχε τὸν ἄνδρα. 2.6.7 Κατὰ τὸ περίορθρον δὲ ἤδη, ὅτε καὶ ὁ ἥλιος τὸν ἀνατολικὸν ὁρίζοντα καταλαμ βάνειν ἐπείγεται, ὁ μὲν Βυζάντιος ἐπιθέμενος τὰς ἐφε στρίδας τοῖς ἵπποις εὐθὺ Βυζαντίδος ἐλαύνειν ἠπείγετο. Τοῦτον δὲ ὁ καῖσαρ θεασάμενος «ἔα» φησὶ «καὶ συμπο ρεύου μεθ' ἡμῶν» Ὁ δὲ μηθ' ὅπου πορεύεται γινώσκων, παντάπασι δὲ καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν δι' ἣν τῆς τοιαύτης φιλο φροσύνης ἠξίωται ἀγνοῶν πάλιν δυσανασχετῶν ἦν καὶ ὑπόπτως εἶχε πρὸς τὸν καίσαρα καὶ τὰς φιλοφροσύνας τοῦ καίσαρος. Ὁ δὲ ἐπέκειτο ἕλκων αὐτόν· ὡς δ' οὐχ ὑπήκουε, μεταβαλὼν τραχυτέροις πρὸς τοῦτον ἐκέχρητο ῥήμασιν, εἰ μὴ τὸ προσταττόμενον ποιήσειε. Μὴ ὑπακούοντος δὲ προστάττει τὰ μὲν προσόντα αὐτῷ ἅπαντα τοῖς ἰδίοις ἑνωθῆναι ὑποζυγίοις καὶ τὴν προκειμένην πορεύεσθαι, ἐκείνῳ δὲ ἄδειαν δίδωσιν ὅπη βούλοιτο ἀπιέναι. Ὁ δὲ τὴν μὲν εἰς τὰ βασίλεια εἴσοδον παντελῶς ἀπαγορεύσας, ἅτε δεδιὼς μὴ καὶ ἔμφρουρος γένηται διὰ τὸ κεναῖς χερσὶν τοῖς ἀμφὶ τὸν βασιλικὸν κοιτῶνα ὀφθῆναι, παλινδρομῆσαι δὲ μὴ θέλων διὰ τὴν τοῖς πράγμασιν ἐπεισπεσοῦσαν ἀκα ταστασίαν καὶ σύγχυσιν ἐκ τῆς ἀνακυψάσης ἤδη τοῦ Κομνηνοῦ ἀποστασίας, καὶ μὴ βουλόμενος συνείπετο τῷ καίσαρι. 2.6.8 Γίνεται δέ τι κατὰ συντυχίαν τοιοῦτον. Ἀπερχόμενος ὁ καῖσαρ περιέτυχε Τούρκοις ἄρτι δια περῶσι τὸν