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might himself also come to their aid. And when the emperor heard what was reported from the emperor his grandson, he ordered Pepagomenos to tell him to put his own affairs in order, and not to wish to be a teacher to others out of ambition. For he himself was no less experienced in affairs, 1.298 than he himself thought he was. And immediately he set a guard on the palace and kept it under secure watch, and he did all that his grandson advised. 58. The young emperor, sending John Rountzerios as an ambassador to Michael the emperor of the Mysians, said that he had heard that he was encamped within the borders of the Roman empire; but he did not know what the reason for his arrival was. If, then, having broken the oaths and the treaties with him, he wished to start a war, he wanted to know, so that he himself might prepare likewise; but if the expedition was for some other reason, he should not be ignorant of it. Nevertheless, he took his coming uninvited as proof of his moving against him, and his sending an allied force of three thousand soldiers with Ivan to the Byzantines, who were enemies, was the act of one openly making war on him. And he wondered at him, if, having learned that he was staying near Byzantium, he had sent so many soldiers to ally with his enemies; or was he unaware that he would not use an army against men who knew how to fight, but, by ordering the farmers, would make their return more impossible for them than from the gates of Hades. So the emperor conveyed such messages through his embassy. And Michael, when he learned that the emperor had arrived at Byzantium and was encamped not far from his own army, was greatly disturbed on account of his own soldiers, and saw no hope of safety for them unless he could quickly persuade the emperor that he had not broken the treaties with him, and 1.299 that the army had not come to Byzantium to make war on him, but for some other reason. And immediately bringing out before the ambassador the holy relics he had on his person, and handing over the cross that was among them, he said, “Take this to the emperor, and say that I swear by him who was crucified in the flesh upon it for our sake, that I have neither broken the treaties with him, nor have I sent the army against him. Therefore I also beg that they suffer no harm. But as to the fact that I have sent not one of the precious reliquaries, of which I have many as you see, but this cross made of humble material—for it was of bronze—do not be surprised; for it is famed among all the Mysians for its miracles, many of which were performed in my father's lifetime, and many are now performed by it in my time; therefore I sent it as being more trustworthy for belief. And if he should catch me deceiving or lying, let him take this and come against me, as he will conquer and destroy with its alliance. And that these things are not a pretext nor a specious excuse, I will immediately send the man who will lead the army out of the land of the Romans.” And immediately he provided the ambassador with swift horses from those kept by him, ordering him to complete the journey as quickly as possible, before the emperor could harm the army. And he sent out one of his servants with the ambassador, carrying a letter ordering Ivan to lead the army away, and a feather singed with fire; for this among the Mysians is a sign of speed. And when they arrived 1.300 before the emperor, bringing the cross and reporting all that Michael had said in his defense, the emperor sent the letter of their own emperor and the feather to Ivan and the Mysians. And when they saw them, they immediately withdrew homeward. But these things ended thus; but the emperor, in the days when the embassies to the Mysians were taking place, was preparing ladders and whatever else was necessary for the attack on Byzantium. And when everything was procured, Kamaris went to Byzantium and reported to his companions. And having waited for a night according to a signal, on which they themselves were to be on guard at the walls, on the first day of the week, on which the feast of the descent of the Holy Spirit is celebrated, Kamaris came again to the emperor and summoned him to the task. And when the divine liturgy had been celebrated, and also the evening hymns, having set out from the

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ἐπιβοηθοίη καὶ αὐτός. ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἃ μηνύοιτο παρὰ βασιλέως τοῦ ἐγγόνου, τῷ Πεπαγωμένῳ μὲν ἐκέλευεν ἀπαγγέλλειν αὐτῷ τὰ ἴδια εὖ τίθεσθαι, καὶ μὴ ἑτέροις ὑπὸ φιλοτιμίας εἶναι βούλεσθαι διδάσκαλον. οὐχ ἧσσον γὰρ αὐτὸς εἶναι ἔμπειρος πραγμάτων, 1.298 ἢ ἑαυτὸν οἴεται αὐτός. αὐτίκα δὲ τοῖς βασιλείοις ἐπέστησε φρουρὰν καὶ εἶχε διὰ φυλακῆς ἀσφαλοῦς, καὶ πάντα ἔπραττεν ὅσα ὁ ἔγγονος παρῄνει. νηʹ. Βασιλεὺς δὲ ὁ νέος πρὸς Μιχαὴλ τὸν βασιλέα Μυσῶν τὸν Ῥουντζέριον Ἰωάννην πέμψας πρεσβευτὴν, ἀκηκοέναι ἔφασκεν, αὐτὸν ἐν ὁρίοις τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἡγεμονίας στρατοπεδεύειν· ἀγνοεῖν μέντοι τὴν ἄφιξιν αὐτοῦ ὅ, τι εἴη. εἰ μὲν οὖν λύσας τοὺς ὅρκους καὶ τὰς σπονδὰς τὰς πρὸς αὐτὸν, πόλεμον ἄρασθαι βούλεται, μαθεῖν ἐθέλειν, ὅπως καὶ αὐτὸς παρασκευάζοιτο ἐκ τοῦ ὁμοίου· εἰ δέ του ἑτέρου ἕνεκα ἡ ἐκστρατεία εἴη, μὴ ἀγνοεῖν. ὅμως μέντοι γε τό, τε ἄκλητον ἥκειν τεκμήριον ποιεῖσθαι τοῦ κατ' αὐτοῦ χωρεῖν, καὶ τὸ Βυζαντίοις συμμαχίαν ἅμα Ἰβάνῃ ἐς τρισχιλίους στρατιώτας πέμψαι οὖσι πολεμίοις, φανερῶς αὐτῷ πολεμοῦντος εἶναι. θαυμάζειν δὲ αὐτοῦ, εἰ πυθόμενος περὶ Βυζάντιον διατρίβοντος αὐτοῦ, τοσούτους πέμψειε στρατιώτας συμμαχήσοντας τοῖς πολεμίοις· ἢ ἀγνοεῖν ὡς οὐ στρατεύματι χρήσεται πρὸς αὐτοὺς εἰδόσι πολεμεῖν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς γεωργοῖς κελεύσας, ἀδυνατωτέραν θήσουσι τὴν ἐπάνοδον αὐτοῖς ἢ ἐξ ᾅδου πυλῶν. βασιλεὺς μὲν οὖν τοιαῦτα ἐπρεσβεύετο. Μιχαὴλ δὲ ἐπεὶ τόν τε βασιλέα ἐπύθετο πρὸς τὸ Βυζάντιον ἀφιγμένον καὶ τῆς αὐτοῦ στρατιᾶς οὐ μακρὰν ἐστρατοπεδευμένον, ἐθορυβήθη τε σφοδρῶς τῶν σφετέρων ἕνεκα στρατιωτῶν, καὶ σωτηρίας αὐτοῖς ἐλπίδα οὐδεμίαν συνεώρα, εἰ μὴ τάχιστα πείσειε βασιλέα, ὅτι τε οὐ λύσειε τὰς σπονδὰς τὰς πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ 1.299 τὴν στρατιὰν οὐκ αὐτῷ πολεμησείουσαν, ἀλλ' ἑτέρου του ἕνεκα εἰς Βυζάντιον ἐλθεῖν. αὐτίκα τε ἃ εἶχεν ἐν τοῖς κόλποις ἅγια ἐξενεγκὼν ἐπὶ τοῦ πρεσβευτοῦ, καὶ ὃς ἦν ἐν αὐτοῖς σταυρὸν ἐγχειρίσας, «τοῦτ'« ἔφη «κομίσας πρὸς βασιλέα, ὀμνύειν ἐμὲ εἰς τὸν ἐν αὐτῷ παγέντα σαρκὶ δι' ἡμᾶς εἰπὲ, ὡς οὔτε λέλυκα τὰς σπονδὰς τὰς πρὸς αὐτὸν, οὔτε κατ' αὐτοῦ πέπομφα τὴν στρατιάν. διὸ καὶ δέομαι μὴ κακῶς αὐτοὺς παθεῖν. ὅτι δὲ οὐ τῶν πολυτελῶν ἐγκολπίων, πολλῶν ἐμοὶ παρόντων ὡς ὁρᾷς, ἀλλὰ τουτονὶ τὸν σταυρὸν ἐξ εὐτελοῦς πεποιημένον ὕλης ἦν γὰρ χαλκοῦς πέπομφα, μὴ θαυμάσῃ· ἐπὶ θαύμασι γὰρ παρὰ πᾶσι διαβεβόηται Μυσοῖς, ἃ πολλὰ μὲν καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐμοῦ περιόντος ἔτι πατρὸς, πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἐπ' ἐμοῦ παρ' αὐτοῦ τελεῖται νυνί· ὡς οὖν μᾶλλον ἀξιόχρεων εἰς πίστιν ἔπεμψα αὐτόν. κἄν με φωράσῃ ἀπατῶντα ἢ ψευδόμενον, ἐμοὶ τοῦτον λαβὼν ἐπιέτω, ὡς αὐτοῦ συμμαχοῦντος νικήσων καὶ διαφθερῶν. ὅτι δὲ οὐ σκῆψις ταῦτα οὐδὲ πρόφασις εὐπρεπὴς, τὸν ἀπάξοντα τὴν στρατιὰν ἐκ τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐξαυτῆς ἀποστελῶ.» καὶ αὐτίκα τῷ μὲν πρεσβευτῇ παρεῖχεν ἵππους τῶν τρεφομένων ταχυδρόμων παρ' αὐτῷ, κελεύσας ὡς τάχιστα ἀνύειν τὴν ὁδὸν, πρὶν φθάσῃ κακώσας ὁ βασιλεὺς τὴν στρατιάν. καὶ τῶν οἰκετῶν αὐτοῦ συνεξέπεμψεν ἕνα τῷ πρεσβευτῇ γράμματα ἔχοντα, κελεύοντα Ἰβάνῃ ἀπάγειν τὴν στρατιὰν, καὶ πτερὸν πυρὶ περιπεφλεγμένον· τοῦτο γὰρ παρὰ Μυσοῖς ταχυτῆτος σημεῖον. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀφί 1.300 κοντο πρὸς βασιλέα τόν τε σταυρὸν φέροντες καὶ ἀπαγγέλλοντες ὅσα ἀπολογήσοιτο ὁ Μιχαὴλ, βασιλεὺς μὲν πρὸς Ἰβάνην καὶ τοὺς Μυσοὺς τὰ τοῦ σφετέρου βασιλέως γράμματα πέπομφε καὶ τὸ πτερόν. οἱ δὲ ἰδόντες ἀνεχώρησαν εὐθὺς ἐπ' οἴκου. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν εἰς τοῦτο ἐτελεύτα· βασιλεὺς δὲ ἐν αἷς ἡμέραις αἱ πρεσβεῖαι ἐγίνοντο πρὸς τοὺς Μυσοὺς, κλίμακάς τε καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα ἐπιτήδεια ἦν πρὸς τὴν ἐπιχείρησιν παρεσκευάζετο Βυζαντίου. καὶ ἐπειδὴ πάντα ἐπεπόριστο, εἰς Βυζάντιον ὁ Κάμαρις ἐλθὼν, ἀπήγγελλε τοῖς ἑταίροις. καὶ νύκτα τηρήσαντες ἀπὸ συνθήματος, ἐν ᾗ τῶν τειχῶν αὐτοὶ ἔμελλον ἔσεσθαι ἐν φυλακῇ, ἡμέρᾳ πρώτῃ τῆς ἑβδομάδος, καθ' ἣν ἡ τῆς τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος καθόδου τελεῖται ἑορτὴ, πρὸς βασιλέα αὖθις ὁ Κάμαρις ἐλθὼν ἐκάλει πρὸς τὸ ἔργον. τελεσθείσης δὲ τῆς θείας μυσταγωγίας, ἔτι δὲ καὶ τῶν ὕμνων τῶν ἑσπερινῶν, ἄραντες ἐκ τοῦ