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for the future, the stipulated pay may be provided to them according to the oaths and agreements, and they will grant me as a very great favor the debts owed for the time before. Besides, I feared lest some delay towards peace should arise because of these things, and that we might seem to be deliberately choosing war. 1.243 And for this reason I thought it necessary to remove every issue and doubt, and to appear burdensome and oppressive to our own people rather than provide a pretext for war.” When the young emperor had said such things, the hierarchs and senators sent from the elder emperor, marveling at the magnanimity of the emperor and that he so strongly chose peace, acknowledged great thanks and joyfully asked to be allowed to return, thinking that as soon as they reported what had been done to the emperor, there would be no obstacle to there being peace. He therefore permitted them to return, just as they had asked. And through them he sent this message as an ambassador to the emperor, his grandfather: “My zeal and eagerness for you to hold the rule of the Romans, God who knows all things knows well, and you yourself would bear witness. For though it was possible, if I had wished, to grieve you and during the previous wars to seize either the whole or the greater part of the empire, I did not willingly wish to, but believing it was right to yield it to you, being my father, as long as you survive, though I was able to hold it, I willingly conceded it; and this, indeed, not without toils and dangers. For since all those fighting with me endured the toils and dangers in warring, but were deprived of the prizes and rewards, because I, at your command, immediately and gladly proceeded to peace and yielded all to you which they themselves had acquired by prevailing in the war, it fell to me to be troubled from both sides. For to persuade them to lay down the 1.244 war was laborious, as they insisted they were speaking justly and demanded to pursue the enemy to the end by the law of war, and to do something against their will was not without fear. For since the majority were campaigning out of friendship and in the hope that their commander would return the favor, if the terms of peace were not made with their consent, it was likely that they, being disheartened, would go over to the enemy, which would not have been without danger for me. But I, for the sake of doing what was friendly to you, both endured the toils in persuading them, with one or two taking my side, and I made light of the suspected dangers, believing that if by my deeds I should be shown to be most well-disposed to you and, in pressing times, to be disposed not hostilely but friendly, you would trust me and end the enmity. But now the situation is seen to be the opposite of what I expected. For holding all those things and, what is greatest, truth itself as nothing, but being persuaded by corrupt and lying men who consider not how the common good might be bettered, but how they themselves might privately gain some profit, you chose rather to war against me; and I, although being justified, as one plotted against and treated contrary to truce, to proceed more readily to war, out of both respect for you and an irresistible longing for peace, for a third month now have I sat here supplicating and trying to avert your anger. But now that the hierarchs and the other senators sent by you have come to examine my alleged crimes, I myself was filled with much pleasure, as having found an opportunity for a defense; 1.245 and when an assembly was held, I made a true and just defense concerning those things of which I was accused. What, therefore, I said in response to the accusations, they themselves will come and report; but I again beseech you, emperor, not to overlook us or the other Romans being destroyed on account of our war against each other, but within eight days to consider what must be done and to declare to us what your decision is. If, therefore, with God the giver of peace also consenting, you are more gently disposed toward us and rather choose peace, all will be well; but if the multitude of our sins and your great desire to see us destroyed should prepare you to rush rather to war, and

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εἰς τὸν ἐφεξῆς χρόνον κατὰ τοὺς ὅρκους καὶ τὰς συνθήκας ἡ τεταγμένη μισθοφορὰ παρέχηται αὐτοῖς, τὰ ὀφειλόμενα ἐπὶ τῷ προτοῦ πάνυ φιλοῦντες ἐμοὶ χαριοῦνται χρόνῳ. ἄλλως τε ἔδεισα μή τις καὶ διὰ ταῦτα γένηται ἀναβολὴ πρὸς τὴν εἰρήνην, καὶ δόξωμεν μᾶλλον ἐξεπίτηδες τὸν πόλεμον αἱ 1.243 ρεῖσθαι. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο δεῖν ᾠήθην πᾶν ζήτημα καὶ ἀμφιβολίαν ποιῆσαι ἐκποδὼν, καὶ μᾶλλον τοῖς ἡμετέροις φανῆναι φορτικὸς καὶ ἐπαχθὴς, ἢ πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον αἰτίαν παρασχεῖν.» τοιαῦτα βασιλέως εἰπόντος τοῦ νέου, οἱ παρὰ τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου ἀπεσταλμένοι ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ συγκλητικοὶ θαυμάσαντες τῆς μεγαλοψυχίας τὸν βασιλέα καὶ τοῦ σφόδρα οὕτω τὴν εἰρήνην αἱρεῖσθαι, χάριν ὁμολογήσαντες πολλὴν, χαίροντες ᾐτοῦντο τὴν ἐπάνοδον ἐπιτραπῆναι, νομίζοντες, ὡς ἅμα τῷ τὰ πεπραγμένα ἀπαγγεῖλαι βασιλεῖ κώλυμα οὐδὲν ἔσται τῇ εἰρήνῃ ὥστε εἶναι. ἐκείνοις μὲν οὖν ὥσπερ ᾐτοῦντο ἐπέτρεπεν ἐπανελθεῖν. δι' αὐτῶν δὲ πρὸς βασιλέα τὸν πάππον ἐπρεσβεύετο τοιάδε· «τὴν μὲν ἐμὴν πρὸς τὸ σὲ τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἔχειν ἡγεμονίαν σπουδήν τε καὶ προθυμίαν θεός τε οἶδε καλῶς ὁ πάντα εἰδὼς, καὶ αὐτὸς ἂν ἐπιμαρτυρήσαις. ἐνὸν γὰρ, εἴγε ἐβουλόμην, σὲ λυπεῖν καὶ κατὰ τοὺς προτέρους πολέμους ἢ συμπάσης ἢ τῆς πλείονος ἀρχῆς κρατεῖν, οὐκ ἠθέλησα ἑκὼν, ἀλλὰ σοὶ νομίζων εἶναι δίκαιον ἐξίστασθαι ταύτης ὄντι πατρὶ, ἕως ἂν περιῇς, δυνάμενος κατασχεῖν, παρεχώρησα ἑκὼν εἶναι· καὶ τοῦτό γε οὐκ ἄνευ πόνων καὶ κινδύνων. τῶν γὰρ σὺν ἐμοὶ πολεμουμένων πάντων τοὺς μὲν πόνους καὶ τοὺς κινδύνους ἐν τῷ πολεμεῖν ὑφισταμένων, τῶν ἄθλων δὲ καὶ τῶν γερῶν ἀποστερουμένων, διὰ τὸ ἐμὲ, σοῦ προστάττοντος, εὐθὺς ἄσμενον χωρεῖν πρὸς τὴν εἰρήνην καὶ πάντων σοι παραχωρεῖν, ὧν ἐκτήσαντο αὐτοὶ κρατοῦντες ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ, ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἐμοὶ συνέβαινε τὸ θορυβεῖσθαι. τό, τε γὰρ πείθειν καταθέσθαι τὸν 1.244 πόλεμον, ἐπίπονον ἦν, αὐτῶν δίκαια λέγειν ἰσχυριζομένων καὶ μέχρι παντὸς ἐπεξιέναι τοὺς πολεμοῦντας ἀξιούντων πολέμου νόμῳ, τό, τε ἀκόντων αὐτῶν τι ποιεῖν, οὐκ ἀδεές. φιλίᾳ γὰρ ξυστρατευόντων τῶν πλειόνων καὶ ἐλπίδι τοῦ ἄρξαντα ἀντευποιήσειν, εἰ μὴ γνώμῃ αὐτῶν ἐπράττετο τὰ τῆς εἰρήνης, εἰκὸς ἦν αὐτοὺς περικακήσαντας χωρεῖν πρὸς τοὺς ἐναντίους, ὅπερ ἀκινδύνως οὐκ ἂν ἐπράττετο ἐμοί. ἐγὼ δὲ τοῦ τὰ φίλα ἕνεκα πράττειν σοὶ τούς τε πόνους ὑφιστάμην ἐν τῷ πείθειν, ἑνός τινος ἢ καὶ δύο συναιρομένων, καὶ τῶν ὑφορωμένων κινδύνων κατεφρόνουν, νομίζων, ἂν αὐτοῖς ἔργοις ἀποδειχθῶ εὔνους ἐς τὰ μάλιστά σοι καὶ ἐν τοῖς κατεπείγουσι καιροῖς οὐ πολεμίως, ἀλλὰ φιλίως διακείμενος, θαῤῥῆσαι ἂν ἐμοὶ καὶ τὴν ἔχθραν καταλῦσαι. τὸ δ' ἐναντίως ἔχον νῦν ἢ προσεδόκων αὐτὸς ὁρᾶται. πάντα γὰρ ἐκεῖνα καὶ, τὸ μέγιστον, αὐτὴν ἀλήθειαν θέμενος ἐν οὐδενὶ, ἀνθρώποις δὲ διεφθορόσι καὶ ψευδομένοις καὶ μηδὲν ἐξ ὧν ἂν τὰ κοινὰ βέλτιον σχοίη, ἀλλ' ἐξ ὧν ἂν ἰδίᾳ τι ὠφεληθεῖεν αὐτοὶ, σκοποῦσι πεισθεὶς, εἵλου μᾶλλον πολεμεῖν ἐμοί· ἐγὼ δὲ καίτοι δίκαιος ὢν οἷα προεπιβουλευόμενος καὶ παρασπονδούμενος, ἑτοιμότερον πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον χωρεῖν, αἰδοῖ τε τῇ περί σε καὶ πόθῳ ἀσχέτῳ τῷ πρὸς τὴν εἰρήνην τρίτον ἤδη μῆνα κάθημαι ἐνταῦθ' ἱκετεύων καὶ παραιτούμενος τὴν σὴν ὀργήν. νυνὶ δὲ τῶν ὑπό σου ἀρχιερέων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων συγκλητικῶν ἀπεσταλμένων ἐπὶ τὸ τὰ ἐγκλήματα τὰ ἐμὰ ἐξετάσαι ἡκόντων, αὐτὸς μὲν πολλῆς ἐνεπλήσθην ἡδονῆς, ὡς καιρὸν ἀπολογίας εὑρη 1.245 κώς· ἐκκλησίας δὲ γενομένης, τὴν ἀπολογίαν ἐφ' οἷς ἐνεκαλούμην ἀληθῆ καὶ δικαίαν ἐποιησάμην. ἃ μὲν οὖν εἶπον πρὸς τὰ ἐγκλήματα, αὐτοὶ ἐλθόντες ἀπαγγελοῦσιν· ἐγὼ δ' αὖθίς σου δέομαι, βασιλεῦ, μήθ' ἡμᾶς μήτε τοὺς ἄλλους περιϊδεῖν Ῥωμαίους διὰ τὸν πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἡμῶν πόλεμον φθειρομένους, ἀλλ' ἐν ἡμέραις ὀκτὼ τά τε δέοντα σκέψασθαι καὶ ἡμῖν ὡς ἔχεις γνώμης δηλῶσαι. ἂν μὲν οὖν, καὶ θεοῦ τοῦ χορηγοῦ τῆς εἰρήνης συνευδοκοῦντος, πρᾳότερον ἡμῖν διατεθῇς καὶ μᾶλλον ἕλοιο τὴν εἰρήνην, πανταχόθεν ἂν ἔχοι καλῶς· ἂν δ' ἡ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἁμαρτημάτων πληθὺς καὶ τὸ μάλιστα βούλεσθαι διαφθαρέντας ἡμᾶς ἰδεῖν πρὸς τὸ πολεμεῖν μᾶλλον παρασκευάσωσιν ὁρμῆσαι, καὶ