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he says to them: "Since you are weary, I want you to rest for a few days, and then I will do everything that was said by you; *** from here, go to the men of Rome, and learn from them and be persuaded, that I speak the truth to you and do not lie." But when the Chersonites went to Constans along with the envoys of Sauromates, they learned what had happened between them, and they reported to Constans everything that had been done by them around the Bosporus and the Maeotic lake, and how they had taken the families of Sauromates, and that because of this necessity Sauromates had come to peace. And when Constans heard these things, he was very grieved, and says to the Chersonites: "And what benefit is your alliance to me now, because of which I made a pact to give them so much gold?" The Chersonites say to him: "Do not be grieved, lord, and if you wish, we will dissolve the pact concerning the payment." Constans says to them: "And how is that possible?" The Chersonites say to him: "You yourself declare to Sauromates that: 'The pacts already made between us have been confirmed; therefore, since by your fault I also incurred many expenses and losses with the army from Rome to here, you also give these to me, and I will give back to you all your families and your city.'" And Constans, having become overjoyed, announced these things to Sauromates. But Sauromates, having heard and being greatly grieved, announces to Constans, saying that: "I do not wish to give anything at all, nor to receive, but only send the Chersonites to me, so that I may depart from here." The Chersonites say to Constans: "Do not release us until you get back all the captives." Then Constans announces to Sauromates, saying that: "Send to me all the captives you have, and I will release the Chersonites." But Sauromates, having heard these things, unwilling and not wishing it, released all the captives he had, down to the last one. Constans, therefore, having received all those who had been taken as booty, keeping two of the Chersonite envoys with him, sent the others to Sauromates, which Sauromates, having received them, sent them ahead from the country of the Lazoi with his own men to hand over to them both the Bosporus and their families. But Sauromates himself made the journey with his nation in order so that †all together† the Chersonites would hand over the families and he could depart. And the Chersonites, having received their own envoys in the Bosporus, and having learned everything that had been done by Constans and Sauromates, handed over to the man of Sauromates both the Bosporus and the forts of the Maeotis and all the families unharmed, and took possession of Cherson in peace. And Constans, after Sauromates departed from the Roman territories, himself set out for Rome, and reported to the emperor all the things done by the Chersonites, bringing forward also their two envoys, whom the emperor, seeing and receiving kindly and giving the greatest thanks, said to them: "What do you want me to grant to you and to your city in return for such goodwill and alliance?" And they said to the emperor that: "We, lord, want nothing else, except we ask only for this, that pledges of freedom and tax-exemption be granted to us by your authority." And the emperor, gladly yielding to their request, generously granted them such pledges of freedom and tax-exemption, sending them away with very many gifts towards Cherson, as they were genuine subjects of the Roman empire. And Constans, having himself also been greatly received by the emperor Diocletian, as one who had fought bravely in the war of the Sauromatae and had become distinguished and glorious, after a short time was appointed to the Roman Empire, as Diocletian had returned to Nicomedia. And when Constans died, in Rome reigned Constantine, his son, and coming

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λέγει αὐτοῖς· "Ἐπειδὴ κοπωμένοι ἐστέ, θέλω ὑμᾶς ὀλίγας ἡμέρας ἀναπαῆναι, καὶ εἶθ' οὕτως πάντα τὰ ὑφ' ὑμῶν λεχθέντα ποιήσω· *** ἐντεῦθεν ἀπέλθατε πρὸς τοὺς Ῥώμης, καὶ μάθετε παρ' αὐτῶν καὶ πείθεσθε, ὅτι ἀληθεύω ὑμῖν καὶ οὐ ψεύδομαι." Τῶν δὲ Χερσωνιτῶν ἀπελθόντων πρὸς Κώνσταν μετὰ καὶ πρέσβεων τοῦ Σαυρομάτου, ἐπύθοντο τὰ μεταξὺ αὐτῶν γενόμενα, ἀνήγγειλαν δὲ τῷ Κώνστᾳ καὶ πάντα τὰ ὑπ' αὐτῶν κατὰ τὴν Βοσποριανῶν καὶ τὴν Μαιώτιδα λίμνην γενόμενα, καὶ τό, πῶς τὰς φαμιλίας Σαυρομάτου παρέλαβον, καὶ ὅτι τῇ ἀνάγκῃ ταύτῃ εἰς εἰρήνην ἦλθεν ὁ Σαυρόματος. Ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα ὁ Κώνστας πάνυ ἐλυπήθη, καὶ λέγει τοῖς Χερσωνίταις· "Καὶ τί μοι τὸ ὄφελος λοιπὸν τῆς ὑμετέρας συμμαχίας, ἀφ' ἧς ἐγὼ ἐποίησα πάκτα δοῦναι αὐτοῖς χρυσίον τοσοῦτον;" Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ Χερσωνῖται· "Μὴ λυπηθῇς, δέσποτα, καὶ ἐὰν θέλῃς, ἡμεῖς ἀναλύομεν τὸ περὶ τῆς δόσεως πάκτον". Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Κώνστας· "Καὶ πῶς δυνατόν;" Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ Χερσωνῖται· "∆ήλωσον καὶ αὐτὸς τῷ Σαυρομάτῳ, ὅτι· "Τὰ μὲν ἤδη μεταξὺ ἡμῶν γενόμενα πάκτα κεκράτηνται· ἐπεὶ οὖν τῇ αἰτίᾳ τῇ σῇ κἀγὼ ἀναλώματα καὶ ζημίας πολλὰς ἐποίησα σὺν τῷ στρατῷ ἀπὸ Ῥώμης ἕως τῶν ὧδε, δός μοι καὶ σὺ ταῦτα, κἀγώ σοι ἀποδίδωμι τὰς φαμιλίας σου πάσας καὶ τὴν πόλιν σου."" Περιχαρὴς δὲ γενόμενος ὁ Κώνστας ἐμήνυσεν ταῦτα τῷ Σαυρομάτῳ, Ὁ δὲ Σαυρόματος ἀκούσας καὶ λυπηθεὶς σφόδρα, μηνύει τῷ Κώνστᾳ λέγων, ὅτι· "Οὐ θέλω δοῦναι τίποτ' οὖν, οὐδὲ λαβεῖν, ἀλλὰ μόνον ἀπόστειλόν μοι τοὺς Χερσωνίτας, ἵνα τῶν ἐντεῦθεν ἀναχωρήσω." Λέγουσιν οἱ Χερσωνῖται τῷ Κώνστᾳ· "Μὴ ἀπολύσῃς ἡμᾶς, ἕως ἂν πάντας τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους ἀπολάβῃς." Τότε μηνύει ὁ Κώνστας τῷ Σαυρομάτῳ λέγων, ὅτι· "Ἀπόστειλόν μοι πάντας, οὓς ἔχεις, αἰχμαλώτους, καὶ ἀπολύω τοὺς Χερσωνίτας." Ὁ δὲ Σαυρόματος ταῦτα ἀκούσας, ἄκων καὶ μὴ βουλόμενος ἀπέλυσεν ἅπαντας, οὓς εἶχεν, αἰχμαλώτους ἕως ἑνός. Ἀπολαβὼν οὖν ὁ Κώνστας ἅπαντας τοὺς πραιδευθέντας, δύο τῶν Χερσωνιτῶν πρέσβεις κατασχὼν παρ' ἑαυτῷ, τοὺς ἄλλους ἀπέστειλεν πρὸς τὸν Σαυρόματον, ὅστις Σαυρόματος παραλαβὼν αὐτοὺς προαπέστειλεν ἐκ τῆς τῶν Λαζῶν χώρας μετὰ καὶ τῶν ἰδίων ἀνθρώπων πρὸς τὸ παραδοῦναι αὐτοὺς τήν τε Βόσπορον καὶ τὰς φαμιλίας αὐτῶν. Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Σαυρόματος τὴν πορείαν μετὰ τοῦ ἔθνους αὐτοῦ ἐν καταστάσει ἐποιεῖτο πρὸς τὸ †ἀθροίλους† τοὺς Χερσωνίτας παραδοῦναι τὰς φαμιλίας καὶ ἀναχωρῆσαι. Οἱ δὲ Χερσωνῖται τοὺς οἰκείους πρέσβεις ὑποδεξάμενοι ἐν τῇ Βοσπόρῳ, καὶ μεμαθηκότες τὰ γενόμενα ἅπαντα ὑπὸ Κώνσταντος καὶ τοῦ Σαυρομάτου, παρέδωκαν τοῦ Σαυρομάτου ἄνθρωπον τήν τε Βόσπορον καὶ τὰ τῆς Μαιώτιδος καστέλλια καὶ τὰς φαμιλίας πάσας ἀβλαβεῖς, καὶ κατέλαβον ἐν εἰρήνῃ τὴν Χερσωνιτῶν. Ὁ δὲ Κώνστας, ἀναχωρήσαντος τοῦ Σαυρομάτου ἐκ τῶν Ῥωμαϊκῶν τόπων, καὶ αὐτὸς ἀνέζευξεν ἐπὶ τὴν Ῥώμην, καὶ ἀνήγγειλεν πάντα τῷ βασιλεῖ τὰ ὑπὸ τῶν Χερσωνιτῶν γενόμενα, προσαγαγὼν καὶ τοὺς δύο αὐτῶν πρέσβεις, οὕστινας ἰδὼν ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ φιλοφρόνως ἀποδεξάμενος καὶ τὰ μέγιστα εὐχαριστήσας, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· "Τί θέλετε παράσχω ὑμῖν τε καὶ τῇ πόλει ὑμῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς τοιαύτης εὐνοίας τε καὶ συμμαχίας;" Οἱ δὲ εἶπον τῷ βασιλεῖ, ὅτι· "Ἡμεῖς, δέσποτα, οὐδὲν ἕτερον θέλομεν, εἰ μήτι γε τοῦτο μόνον αἰτοῦμεν, ἐφ' ᾧ τε δεξιὰς ἐλευθερίας καὶ ἀτελείας παρασχέσθαι ἡμῖν ὑπὸ τοῦ κράτους ὑμῶν." Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἀσμένως ὑποκύψας τῇ αἰτήσει αὐτῶν, ἀφθόνως παρέσχεν αὐτοῖς τὰς τοιαύτας τῆς ἐλευθερίας τε καὶ ἀτελείας δεξιάς, ἀποστείλας αὐτοὺς μετὰ καὶ δώρων πλείστων κατὰ τὴν Χερσωνιτῶν, ὡς γνησίους ὄντας αὐτοὺς ὑπηκόους τῆς Ῥωμαίων βασιλείας. Ὁ δὲ Κώνστας μεγάλως καὶ αὐτὸς ὑποδεχθεὶς παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ∆ιοκλητιανοῦ, ὡς ἀνδρείως παραταξάμενος κατὰ τὸν τῶν Σαυρομάτων πόλεμον καὶ περιφανὴς καὶ ἔνδοξος γενόμενος, μετ' ὀλίγον τινὰ χρόνον τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἀνεδείχθη βασιλείας, ∆ιοκλητιανοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν Νικομήδειαν ἐπαναγαγόντος. Κώνστα δὲ τελευτήσαντος, ἐν Ῥώμῃ ἐβασίλευσεν Κωνσταντῖνος, ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐρχομένου