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reigning in public speeches frequently during the day, then afterwards also showing favor to the many, he threw silver coins with both hands into their midst; and those who gathered them up praised the benefactor, so they said, bidding farewell to the boy and his interests, not even knowing what an evil thing had happened to them; for the plot of the one against the other began from this. What then remained? While the ink of the written words was still wet, they themselves neglected not to draw the sword according to what had been sworn. But those of the church, even if the clergy were negligent, at least those holding the archiepiscopal dignity, having nothing with which to defend themselves, so bound the people with terrible oaths that of necessity one of two things would happen to them: either to give in to civil wars and be slaughtered, or indeed to sin most greatly against God by committing perjury. But, as it seems, the saying praised by many is true, that what is destined to happen works against even good sense. He therefore, after he had delivered his public speech, would ride and play with the rulers with lances and balls, and it was a delight for those who watched what was happening. And speaking to the crowd, he turned them so much to relaxation and held out good hopes for them, that they would live well in the future, that he even reminded them of ancient civic graces, which were a symbol of freedom. And these were to spin their beards while combing them and to rejoice freely; and 149 some spun them apart, and I saw them delighting that the emperor commanded this, promising ease in their affairs. But there were some, I know not from where, prophets of the future, who ordered those who rejoiced in their hopes to spin them, as if they were dragging them along while grieving at what was being done, in case they should be hungry later. But they paid no attention to what was said as if it were pointless, but were of good hopes, even if someone spoke of fears. At any rate, time showed if the prophecies were true, and we will speak in the proper place, adding nothing to the establishment of the truth. At that time, therefore, after spending some days in Nicaea, since it was necessary to return to Nymphaeum, taking leave of the patriarch and taking the child with him, he who promised to be his guardian went out together with those in authority and the army.

ιʹ. How, having returned to Nymphaeum with the boy, he received ambassadors from all sides. And so he, having reached Nymphaeum, received ambassadors and gifts from the Persians and promised the sultan, who was buffeted by the ebb and flow of affairs, that if he came over to the Romans he would be received with open arms and in due time be sent back again in safety, when matters had settled down. For Melik had come over, and the sultan feared that he might return with a force sufficient and too great to withstand. And he gave guarantees not to fear their old acquaintance. And the Italians in the great city also sent an embassy to him, and he granted a truce to the war against them, on the condition that he would make a stronger treaty with them after a short time, if they fulfilled certain of his proposals; but he also treated the ambassadors, who were Romans and of Roman descent, as he was able, and, having nothing in the city, he gave to those who asked, if he should have it, and secured what was given with golden-sealed 151 words. And from then on he treated them as his own and, giving and receiving proof, he deferred the treaties, expecting something greater from what he learned while conversing with the ambassadors.

ιαʹ. How the emperor's own brother John received his dignities. He had also melted away the westerners; whence also he sends his own brother John, who was still grand domestic, together with very many forces, who, having come upon the westerners, seemed to breathe terror on them, at once with the heat of youth, and at the same time being buoyed by the army around him. And with wingless speed he takes the fortress near Kanina, and he takes the one near Berati and Polog and Koloneia, and he subdues Kastoria and Pelagonia and Devol, as well as Tzernikon and Diabolis and Prilep, Vodena and Ostrovo, an island in the lake, Petra, and Prespa

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βασιλεύων ἐν δημηγορίαις τῆς ἡμέρας συχνάκις, εἶθ' ὕστερον καὶ προσφιλο τιμούμενος τοὺς πολλούς, κατὰ μέσον σφῶν ἐρρίπτει καὶ ἀμφοτέραις ἀργύ ρια· οἱ δὲ προσσυλλέγοντες ἀνύμνουν δῆθεν τὸν εὐεργέτην, παιδίον καὶ τὰ κατ' ἐκεῖνο χαίρειν ἐῶντες, μηδ' οἷ κακοῦ εἰδότες γεγόνασιν· ἡ γὰρ κατὰ θατέρου ἐπιβουλὴ τοῦ ἑτέρου ἐντεῦθεν ἤρχετο. Τί γοῦν λοιπόν; Ὑγρῶν οὐσῶν ἔτι τῶν γεγραμμένων, αὐτοὶ κατημέλουν μὴ ξίφος κατὰ τὰ ὀμωμο σμένα κινεῖν. Οἱ δὲ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, κἂν ὁ κλῆρος ἠμέλει, ἀλλ' οἵ γε τὸ ἀρχιερατικὸν ἀξίωμα φέροντες, τὶ μὴ ἔχοντες ἀμύνειν, τὸν λαὸν οὕτως κατενεπέδουν φρικώδεσιν ὅρκοις ὥστ' ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἓν τῶν δύο τούτοις ἐπι συμβαίνειν, ἢ ἐμφυλίοις ἐνδιδόναι πολέμοις καὶ σφάττεσθαι, ἢ μὴν τὰ μέγιστα εἰς Θεὸν ἁμαρτάνειν ἐπιορκοῦντας. Ἀλλ' ὡς ἔοικε τὸ παρὰ πολλοῖς ὑμνούμενον ἀληθές, ὡς τὸ μέλλον γενέσθαι ἀντιπράττει καὶ τῷ φρονεῖν. Ἐκεῖνος τοίνυν, μεθὸ καὶ δημηγορήσειε, κοντοῖς καὶ σφαίραις τοῖς ἄρχουσι συνιππάζετό τε καὶ συνέπαιζε, καὶ τρυφὴ ἦν τοῖς βλέπουσι τὰ πραττόμενα. Εἰς τόσον δὲ τὸ πλῆθος δημηγορῶν εἰς ἄνεσιν ἔτρεπε καί σφιν χρηστὰς τὰς ἐλπίδας ὑπέτεινεν, ὡς καλῶς εἰς τοὐπιὸν βιώσουσιν, ὥστε καὶ χαρίτων ἀρχαίων πολιτικῶν ὑπεμίμνῃσκεν, ἐλευθερίας φερουσῶν σύμβολον. Ἦσαν δ' ἐκεῖναι προσκλώθειν τὰς γενειάδας πέκοντας καὶ χαίρειν ἀνέδην· καί 149 τινες προσέκλωθον δίχα, καὶ σφᾶς ἑώρων ἐγὼ γαννυμένους ὅτι τοῦτο κελεύοι ὁ βασιλεύς, τὴν ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων εὐμάρειαν ὑπισχνούμενος. Ἦσαν δέ τινες οὐκ οἶδ' ὁπόθεν τῶν μελλόντων προφοιβασταὶ καὶ κλώθειν προσέταττον χαίρουσι τοῖς ἐλπιζομένοις, ὡς συροῦσι λυπουμένοις τοῖς πραττομένοις, εἰ πεινῷεν ἐσύστερον. Οἱ δ' ὡς εἰκαίως λεγομένοις οὐ προσεῖχον, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἦσαν ἐλπίδων, κἂν φόβους τις λέγοι. Εἰ γοῦν ἀληθῆ τὰ φοιβάσματα, ἔδειξεν ὁ καιρός, καὶ ἡμεῖς κατὰ τόπον ἐροῦμεν, μηδὲν προσθέντες εἰς τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας σύστασιν. Τότε τοίνυν, ἐφ' ἡμέραις τισὶ διατρίψας κατὰ τὴν Νίκαιαν, ἐπεὶ παλι νοστεῖν ἔδει πρὸς Νύμφαιον, τῷ πατριάρχῃ συνταξάμενος καὶ τὸ παιδίον παραλαβών, ὁ κηδεύειν ὑποσχὼν ἑαυτὸν ἔξεισιν ἅμα τοῖς ἐν τέλει καὶ τῷ στρατῷ.

ιʹ. Ὅπως, ὑποστραφεὶς εἰς Νύμφαιον μετὰ τοῦ παιδός, πρέσβεις ἐδέχετο πανταχόθεν. Καὶ ὁ μέν, καταλαβὼν τὸ Νύμφαιον, Περσῶν μὲν ἐδέχετο πρέσβεις καὶ δῶρα καὶ τῷ σουλτάν, καταιγιζομένῳ ἐκ παλιρροίας πραγμάτων, ὑπισχνεῖτο προσχωρήσαντα τῇ Ῥωμαίων ὑπτίαις τε δέχεσθαι χερσὶ καὶ εἰς καιρὸν πέμπειν αὖθις μετ' ἀσφαλείας, τῶν πραγμάτων ἡσυχασάντων. Ὁ γὰρ Μελὴκ προσκεχωρήκει, καὶ δέος ἦν τῷ σουλτὰν μήπως ἐκεῖνος ἐπανήξοι μεθ' ἱκανῆς καὶ ὅσην οὐκ ἦν ὑποστῆναι δυνάμεως. Ἐγγύας δ' ἐδίδου τοῦ μὴ φοβεῖσθαι τὴν πάλαι συνήθειαν. Ἐπρεσβεύοντο δὲ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον καὶ οἱ κατὰ τὴν μεγαλόπολιν Ἰταλοί, καὶ ἀνακωχὴν ἐδίδου τῇ πρὸς ἐκείνους μάχῃ, ὡς καὶ μετ' ὀλίγον κραταιότε ρον σπεισόμενος σφίσιν, εἰ προτενοῦντός τινα ἐκπληροῖεν· πλὴν καὶ τοὺς πρέσβεις Ῥωμαίους καὶ ἐκ Ῥωμαίων ὄντας ὡς εἶχε μετεχειρίζετο καί, μηδὲν ἔχων ἐν τῇ πόλει, ζητούντων ἐδίδου, εἰ ἕξει, καὶ χρυσοβουλλείοις 151 λόγοις κατησφαλίζετο τὰ διδόμενα. Κἀντεῦθεν προσεφέρετο ὡς ἰδίοις καί, πεῖραν διδοὺς καὶ λαμβάνων, ἀνήρτα τὰ τῶν σπονδῶν, προσδοκῶν τι μεῖζον ἐξ ὧν ἐμάνθανε, τοῖς πρέσβεσιν ὁμιλῶν.

ιαʹ. Ὅπως ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως αὐτάδελφος Ἰωάννης τὰ ἀξιώματα ἐλάμβανε. Τοῖς δὲ δυτικοῖς καὶ προσετετήκει· ὅθεν καὶ τὸν οἰκεῖον ἀδελφὸν Ἰωάννην, μέγαν ἔτι δομέστικον ὄντα, συνάμα πλείσταις δυνάμεσι πέμπει, ὅς, τοῖς δυτικοῖς ἐπιστάς, φοβερὸν ἔδοξε πνέειν ἐκείνοις, ἅμα μὲν τῷ θερμῷ τῆς νεότητος, ἅμα δὲ καὶ τῷ περὶ ἐκεῖνον στρατεύματι κουφιζόμενος. Καὶ ἀπτέρῳ τάχει αἱρεῖ μὲν τὸ περὶ τὰ Κάνινα φρούριον, αἱρεῖ δὲ καὶ τὸ περὶ τὰ Βελλάγραδα καὶ Πόλογον καὶ Κολώνειαν, χειροῦται δὲ καὶ Καστορίαν καὶ Πελαγονίαν καὶ ∆εύρας, Τζέρνικόν τε καὶ ∆ιάβολιν καὶ τὴν Πρίλαπον, Βοδεεινά τε καὶ Βόστρον, ἔλλιμνον νῆσον, Πέτραν, Πρέσπαν τε