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Report to your emperor that, while I, embracing peace, have previously often sent embassies to you concerning it; since you have given no reasonable response, trusting in thepower of the cross, which you yourself gave me as a guarantee never to break the treaty, I will march against you.” So the emperor said such things. The ambassadors, as quickly as they could, having arrived before their own emperor, reported the words of the emperor, and that the army, being so large and so well-armed, was already on the road towards them. And Michael, having previously not thought that the Romans would endure coming to blows with them, but then seeing them already rushing towards battle, and having learned how great was their multitude and preparation, decided it was not necessary to place himself in open danger in enemy territory. And having sent the ambassadors again to the emperor as quickly as they could, he promised to hand over the fortress of Bucelus and to keep the peace for the future, and he begged the emperor to lead the army back to its own camp. But the emperor, seeing that the withdrawal was happening for them under favorable circumstances and that the victory was being gained without bloodshed, gladly withdrew to the camp. For the fact that previously Michael was not persuaded by words and by the judgment of what is good and just to return Bucelus, but now, with the Roman army already drawn up for battle, that he did not withstand their attack, but even before the engagement was defeated in spir 1.328 it and, fearing, declined the battle, was an open admission of being defeated by the Romans 1.328. And for this reason it also seemed best to the emperor to take advantage of the opportunity and not to be contentious beyond what was fitting. For in former times, when the elder emperor Andronicus was ruling, since the Mysians had made many invasions into Roman territory, and since no one went out against them, but the emperor resolved the disputes with them by embassies and persuasive words, they thought that the Roman emperors would no longer even be able to look at them, as if they were invincible. But then Michael, seeing the emperor already advancing with a large and good army, did not have the same opinions, but decided it was necessary to retreat. For such is the whole barbarian race, charging uncontrollably and pressing on with great impetus against those who do not stand their ground, but not themselves counter-attacking those who are not terrified but remain in the fight. The Roman army, however, thinking they were all but being deprived of the spoils from the enemy, were annoyed that they did not engage with the Mysians; so much eagerness for the battle had seized everyone. Nevertheless, when the peace treaties had been made, Michael returned Bucelus to the emperor, and on the next day, meeting on horseback, they renewed their friendship, and for the Romans and Mysians war was no longer stirred up, but they kept the peace from then on. And having agreed with each other that in the future they would meet at the same place wherever it seemed best, the one returned to Mysia, 1.329 and the emperor to Byzantium, and the army was disbanded to their cities. 4. And while Syrgiannes was being guarded in prison in chains by the elder emperor Andronicus, as we have already said, since the young emperor, having taken Byzantium, was now in control of the entire empire, the Grand Domestic, remembering Syrgiannes and having come to him in the prison, since he saw the other hardship from the prison and especially that from the chains oppressing him, begged the emperor first, that he be released from the chains; and then, that he be allowed to live with his wife and children in the tower called of Anemas, away from the prison in which he was being guarded; and he achieved this by asking. He was still, however, being guarded; but during their return from Thrace to Byzantium the Grand Domestic again begged the emperor, that Syrgiannes be released completely from his confinement. But the emperor, pausing for a little, said that he had now been very much grieved by him, and he added the reasons, saying that he had thoughts unworthy of his friendship towards him. For so much of his friendship for him remained, that if for any reason whatsoever he considered his own people

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ἀπαγγείλατε βασιλεῖ τῷ ὑμετέρῳ, ὡς, ἐγὼ μὲν ἀσπαζόμενος τὴν εἰρήνην πρότερον πολλάκις διεπρεσβευσάμην πρός σε περὶ αὐτῆς· σοῦ δὲ οὐδὲν ἐπιεικὲς ἀποκρινομένου, τῇ τοῦ σταυροῦ δυνάμει θαῤῥῶν, ὃν αὐτὸς ἐγγυητὴν ἐμοὶ παρέσχου τοῦ μηδέποτε παρασπονδῆσαι, βαδιοῦμαι ἐπὶ σέ.» βασιλεὺς μὲν οὖν τοιαῦτα εἶπεν. οἱ πρέσβεις δὲ ᾗ τάχους εἶχον, πρὸς βασιλέα ἀφιγμένοι τὸν ἑαυτῶν, τούς τε λόγους ἀπήγγελλον βασιλέως, καὶ ὡς ἡ στρατιὰ τοσαύτη τε οὖσα καὶ οὕτως ὡπλισμένη ἐν ὁδῷ εἰσιν ἤδη τῇ πρὸς αὐτούς. Μιχαὴλ δὲ πρότερον μὲν οὐκ ἂν οἰόμενος εἰς χεῖρας αὐτοῖς ἰέναι Ῥωμαίους ὑπομεῖναι, τότε δὲ ἤδη ὁρῶν αὐτοὺς ὡρμημένους πρὸς τὴν μάχην, τό, τε πλῆθος καὶ τὴν παρασκευὴν πυθόμενος ὅση ἦν, οὐκ ἔγνω δεῖν ἐν πολεμίᾳ εἰς προῦπτον κίνδυνον καθιστᾷν ἑαυτόν. καὶ πέμψας πάλιν τοὺς πρέσβεις ᾗ ἐδύναντο τάχιστα πρὸς βασιλέα, τό, τε πόλισμα Βουκέλου ἐπηγγέλλετο παραδώσειν καὶ εἰρήνην ἄξειν τοῦ λοιποῦ, καὶ ἐδεῖτο βασιλέως εἰς τὸ οἰκεῖον στρατόπεδον ἀπαγαγεῖν τὴν στρατιάν. βασιλεὺς δὲ ὁρῶν αὐτοῖς ἐν καλῷ τῷ σχήματι τὴν ἀναχώρησιν γινομένην καὶ τὴν νίκην ἀναιμωτὶ προσγινομένην, ἄσμενος ἀνεχώρησε πρὸς τὸ στρατόπεδον. τό, τε γὰρ πρότερον μὴ λόγοις καὶ τῇ τοῦ καλοῦ καὶ δικαίου κρίσει τὸν Μιχαὴλ πεισθῆναι τὸ Βουκέλου ἀποδοῦναι, ἀλλὰ νῦν καὶ τὸ, ἤδη πρὸς μάχην παρατεταγμένης τῆς Ῥωμαίων στρατιᾶς, τὴν ἔφοδον αὐτῶν οὐχ ὑπομεῖναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸ τῆς συμβολῆς ἡττῆσθαι ταῖς γνώ 1.328 μαις καὶ δείσαντας ἀπαγορεῦσαι τὴν μάχην, τὸ Ῥωμαίων 1.328 ἡττῆσθαι φανερῶς ὁμολογούντων ἦν. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ βασιλεῖ ἐδόκει χρῆσθαι τῷ καιρῷ καὶ μὴ πέρα τοῦ προσήκοντος φιλονεικεῖν. ἐν γὰρ τοῖς προτέροις χρόνοις, Ἀνδρονίκου τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου βασιλέως ἄρχοντος, πολλὰς ἐς τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἐσβολὰς τῶν Μυσῶν ποιησαμένων, ἐπεὶ οὐδεὶς αὐτοῖς ἀντεπεξῆλθεν, ἀλλὰ πρεσβείαις καὶ λόγοις πιθανοῖς διελύετο τὰς πρὸς αὐτοὺς διαφορὰς ὁ βασιλεὺς, ᾤοντο ὥς τισιν ἀμάχοις μηδὲ προσβλέπειν ἔτι δυνήσεσθαι τοὺς Ῥωμαίων βασιλέας. τότε δὲ ὁ Μιχαὴλ ὁρῶν ἤδη βασιλέα ἐπιόντα πολλῇ τε καὶ ἀγαθῇ τῇ στρατιᾷ, οὐ τὰς αὐτὰς εἶχε γνώμας, ἀλλ' ἐδόκει δεῖν ὑποχωρεῖν. τοιοῦτον γὰρ τὸ βαρβαρικὸν ἅπαν, τοῖς τε οὐχ ὑπομένουσιν ἐπελαῦνον ἀκρατῶς καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς ἐπικείμενον ὁρμῆς, καὶ τοῖς μὴ ἐκπληττομένοις, ἀλλὰ μένουσιν ἐν τῷ πολεμεῖν, οὐκ αὐτοὶ ἀντεπιόντες. ἡ μέντοι στρατιὰ Ῥωμαίων μονονουχὶ τὰ ἀπὸ τῶν πολεμίων σκῦλα οἰόμενοι ἀποστερεῖσθαι, ἠνιῶντο, ὅτι μὴ συνέβαλον Μυσοῖς· τοσαύτη προθυμία κατέσχε πάντας πρὸς τὴν μάχην. ὅμως τῶν περὶ τῆς εἰρήνης συνθηκῶν γεγενημένων, τό, τε Βουκέλου ἀπέδωκεν ὁ Μιχαὴλ πρὸς βασιλέα, καὶ ἔφιπποι εἰς τὴν ὑστεραίαν ἑνωθέντες, τήν τε φιλίαν ἀνενεώσαντο, καὶ Ῥωμαίοις καὶ Μυσοῖς οὐκέτι πόλεμος ἐκινήθη, ἀλλ' εἰρήνην ἦγον τοῦ λοιποῦ. συνθέμενοι δὲ ἀλλήλοις ὡς εἰς τοὐπιὸν ἐν ταὐτῷ γενήσονται ὅποι ἂν δοκῇ, ὁ μὲν εἰς Μυσίαν, 1.329 βασιλεὺς δὲ εἰς Βυζάντιον ἐπανῆκον, καὶ ἡ στρατιὰ διελύθησαν κατὰ πόλεις. δʹ. Τοῦ Συργιάννη δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου βασιλέως Ἀνδρονίκου, καθάπερ ἔφθημεν εἰπόντες, ἐν δεσμωτηρίῳ φρουρουμένου ὑπὸ κλοιοῖς, ἐπεὶ ὁ νέος βασιλεὺς Βυζάντιον ἑλὼν τῆς ἁπάσης ἀρχῆς ἤδη ἐγκρατὴς ἦν, ὁ μέγας δομέστικος Συργιάννη μνησθεὶς καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ δεσμωτήριον ἐλθὼν, ἐπεὶ τήν τε ἄλλην ἀπὸ τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου κακοπάθειαν καὶ μάλιστα τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν κλοιῶν πιέζουσαν αὐτὸν ἑώρα, βασιλέως ἐδεήθη πρῶτα μὲν ἀφεθῆναι τῶν κλοιῶν· ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου, ἐν ᾧ ἐφρουρεῖτο, εἰς τὸν τοῦ Ἀνεμᾶ καλούμενον πύργον γυναικὶ καὶ τέκνοις συνδιάγειν· καὶ κατεπράξατο αἰτήσας. ἔτι μέντοι ἐφρουρεῖτο· κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἐκ Θρᾴκης πρὸς Βυζάντιον ἐπάνοδον αὐτῶν αὖθις βασιλέως ὁ μέγας δομέστικος ἐδεῖτο, τελέως τῆς εἱρκτῆς ἀπολυθῆναι Συργιάννην. μικρὸν δὲ ἐπισχὼν ὁ βασιλεὺς, λελυπῆσθαι ἔλεγε καὶ πάνυ παρ' αὐτοῦ νυνὶ, καὶ τὰς αἰτίας προσετίθει, ἀναξίας φάσκων τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν φιλίας τὰς διανοίας ἔχειν αὐτόν. τοσοῦτον γὰρ αὐτῷ περιεῖναι τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν φιλίας, ὥστ' εἰ καθ' ἡντιναοῦν αἰτίαν οἰκείους ἔδοξεν