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they were secretly fanning the flames against those attached to the grand duke, if he were to be despised, and especially by those of high repute and in office (for when the more critical parts yield to the worse, it is necessary that the rest also be corrupted, unless someone holds them back), then the emperor, sending for them, brings both, and so on the Lord's day, the fourteenth of Maimakterion, having summoned his entourage, with those men also present, he delivered a long public speech, seemingly attacking Nostongos, but for the most part also defending the grand duke to the magnates, saying that he himself had not honored with promotions unworthily or improperly the man who even before seemed great, 433 nor that that man had been honored by him, if he were to be in charge of everything; for he was also most glorious elsewhere and lacked nothing to receive. Finally, he does the deed of the lion-tamer, and frightens the supposed lion with a dog; for he orders at once, and dishonors the secretary by cutting his hair and beard, and as for Nostongos, after attacking him at length in his public speeches, he finally strips him of his dignities and imprisons him. But these things were done in this way. 25. But perhaps it would not be amiss to relate also the events concerning Tripolis, how, being a fortress in the eastern parts, then out of a random and casual pretext this city, which was ancient and a bulwark for Philadelphia, Doukas, both emperor and king, fortified with both arms and annual grain supplies, and from this he confirmed the fate of Philadelphia (which was, as it was rumored, not to be captured from the first floods onward). For these reasons indeed the city gloried and disregarded the attacking Persians. But time measured out the siege, and while many 434 had submitted, the Tripolitans held out for a long time. However, gradually being straitened by the lack of necessities, they were in greatest need of outside help. But since there was no help nearby, they decided through some conspiracies with the Persians to arrange for their needs. Assuredly, then, they made a truce with the Persians for a time, and received grain from them. And the habit of commerce not only made them go out to buy necessities, but also prepared the Persians to enter the city freely to sell. This, having been done many times, puts the idea of its capture into the minds of the Persians, and having conferred with traitors about what was likely, they worked out the plans against the city with firm deadlines. And so, having prepared their burdens on very many pack animals, they hid the army somewhere very near, and at the same time many entered the city. And the merchandise was grain, and each of the beasts of burden carrying a pair of loads brought in with the sacks the sonorous instruments of war, which they strike to start the battle; and instead of a feast, so to speak, 435 the citizens, receiving a scorpion, and hoping for abundance, were at ease. But night was already upon them, and they were unaware, and were buoyed by good expectations while being in dire straits. Then that night was in the midst of the citizens, suspecting nothing, while they, each taking up the sonorous instruments, sounded the cymbals in the manner of war. And for those who were awakened, terror and confusion fell upon them as to where to turn and flee; but they, arriving with wingless speed, dash the gates themselves, with their locks and bars, to the ground, and call upon their own men, who were ready nearby, to come to their aid. And so, on that very night, with one assault, they took possession of the city. And Alisuras, using this especially as a base of operations, made sorties together with the Karmanoi wherever opportunity offered. At that time, therefore, that man, having escaped from the grand duke's men in an orderly flight, slipping into the city, was entirely without fear and altogether arrogant.

26. But the general in overall command, realizing that he was pursuing what was unattainable, turned back and attacked the fortress of Koulas, where he also allowed many to be hanged, having charged them with crimes. this 436 but to the fortress of Phournoi. and they indeed him

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τῷ μεγάλῳ δουκὶ προσκειμένους ὑπέσμυ χον, εἰ καταφρονοῖτο, καὶ μάλιστα παρὰ τῶν δοκούντων καὶ ἐν ἀξίαις (τοῖς γὰρ καιριωτέροις μέρεσιν, ὅταν ἐνδῷ πρὸς τὸ χεῖρον, ἀνάγκη συνδιεστράφθαι καὶ τὰ λοιπά, ἢν μή τις ἐπίσχῃ), τότε βασιλεὺς πέμψας ἄγει καὶ ἀμφοτέρους, καὶ δὴ ἡμέρᾳ κυριωνύ μῳ, Μαιμακτηριῶνος τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ, τοὺς περὶ αὐτὸν παραστησάμενος, παρόντων κἀκείνων, πολὺν μὲν λόγον παρέ τεινε δημηγορῶν, τῷ μὲν δοκεῖν καθαπτόμενος τοῦ Νοστόγγου, τὸ δὲ πλεῖστον καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ μεγάλου δουκὸς πρὸς τοὺς μεγιστᾶ νας ἀπολογούμενος, ὡς μηδὲν ἀναξίως κἀκ τοῦ παρείκοντος μήτ' 433 αὐτὸν προβιβασμοῖς τιμῆσαι τὸν καὶ πρὸ τοῦ μέγαν δοκοῦντα, μήτ' ἐκεῖνον παρ' αὐτοῦ τιμηθῆναι, εἰ ἐπὶ τῶν ὅλων γένοιτο· εἶναι γὰρ καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ οὐχ ἥκιστα ἔνδοξον καὶ οὐδὲν ὅ τι λαβεῖν μὴ ἔχοντα. τέλος τὸ τοῦ λεοντοκόμου ποιεῖ, καὶ κυνὶ τὸν ὡς δῆθεν λέοντα ἐκδεδίττεσθαι· προστάττει γὰρ αὐτίκα, καὶ τὸν μὲν γραμματέα ἐξατιμοῖ κουρᾷ τριχῶν καὶ γενείου, τὸν δὲ Νο στόγγον τὰ πολλὰ καθαψάμενος ἐν δημηγορίαις τέλος ἀξιωμά των ψιλοῖ καὶ ἐγκλείει. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν ἐπράττετο τῇδε. 25. Οὐ χεῖρον δ' ἴσως καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὴν Τρίπολιν διελ θεῖν, ὅπως ἐν τοῖς μέρεσι τοῖς κατ' ἀνατολὴν φρούριον οὖσα, ἔπειτα ἐκ τῆς εἰκαίας καὶ τῆς τυχούσης προφάσεως ταύτην ἀρ χαίαν οὖσαν καὶ Φιλαδελφείας προβεβλημένην ὁ ∆ούκας καὶ βα σιλεὺς καὶ ὅπλοις καὶ σιταρκίαις ἐπετείοις ὠχύρου, καὶ τὸ τῆς Φιλαδελφείας μόρσιμον (τὸ δ' ἦν ἐκ πρώτης κατακλυσμῶν καὶ εἰσέπειτα μηδὲν ἁλῶναι, ὡς ἐφημίζετο) πιστὸν ἐντεῦθεν καθίστα. διά τοι ταῦτα καὶ ἐκυδροῦτο τὸ πόλισμα, καὶ τῶν ἐπιτιθεμένων ἠλόγει Περσῶν. ἀλλὰ χρόνος τὴν πολιορκίαν ἐμέτρει, καὶ τῶν 434 πολλῶν ὑποκλιθέντων εἰς μακρὰν ἀντεῖχον οἱ Τριπολῖται. πλὴν καὶ κατ' ὀλίγον τῇ τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐνδείᾳ στενοχωρούμενοι καὶ τῆς ἔξωθεν ἐπικουρίας ἐς τὰ μάλιστα ἔχρῃζον. ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ ἐγγύ θεν οὐκ ἦν ἀρωγή, ἔγνωσάν τισι συνωμοσίαις ταῖς πρὸς τοὺς Πέρσας τὰ τῆς ἀνάγκης διευθετεῖν. ἀμέλει τοι καὶ πρὸς καιρὸν ἐσπένδοντο Πέρσαις, καὶ σῖτον ἐκεῖθεν ἐλάμβανον. καὶ ὁ συνε θισμὸς τῆς ἐμπορίας μὴ μόνον ἐκείνους ἐξερχομένους ὠνεῖσθαι τὰ ἀναγκαῖα ἐποίει, ἀλλὰ καὶ Πέρσας εἰσερχομένους ἀνέδην τὴν πόλιν ἀπεμπολεῖν παρεσκεύαζε. τοῦτο πολλάκις πραχθὲν ἔν νοιαν εἰσάγει Πέρσαις ἁλώσεως, καὶ προδόταις κοινολογησάμενοι τὰ εἰκότα ἐν προθεσμίαις πισταῖς τὰ κατὰ τῆς πόλεως ἐξειργά ζοντο. καὶ δὴ σάγμασι πλείστοις τὰ τῶν φορτίων ἐπισκευασάμε νοι, τὸ μὲν στράτευμα ἔγγιστά που ἐνεκρυφίαζον, ἅμα δὲ πολ λοὶ τὴν πόλιν εἰσῄεσαν. σῖτος δ' ἡ ἐμπορία ἦν, καὶ ἕκαστος τῶν κανθώνων ζυγάδα φέρων τῶν φορτωμάτων τὰ κατὰ τὸν πό λεμον ἠχεῖα, οἷς ἐκεῖνοι κροτοῦντες τὴν μάχην ἀνάπτουσιν, ἐν τὸς συνεπῆγον τῶν σάκκων· καὶ ἀντὶ πιποῦς, τὸ τοῦ λόγου, 435 σκορπίον οἱ πολῖται δεξάμενοι, ταῖς εὐθηνίαις ἐλπιδοκοπούμενοι ἐν ἀνέσει ἦσαν. νὺξ δ' ἤδη περὶ αὐτοὺς ἦν, καὶ ἠγνόουν, καὶ ταῖς ἀγαθαῖς προσδοκίαις ᾐώρηντο ἐν κακοῖς ἀναγκαίοις ὄντες. ἐντεῦθεν καὶ νὺξ μὲν ἐκείνη ἐμμέσον μηδὲν ὑπειδομένοις τοῖς πο λίταις, οἱ δ' ἀναλαβόντες ἕκαστος τὰ ἠχεῖα πολέμου τρόπον ἀνε κυμβάλιζον. καὶ τοῖς μὲν διυπνισθεῖσιν ἔκπληξις ἐμπίπτει καὶ ἀπορία τοῦ πῇ τραπῆναι καὶ ἐκφυγεῖν· οἱ δ' ἐπιστάντες ἀπτέρῳ τάχει ταῖς πύλαις αὐταῖς κλεισὶ καὶ ὀχεῦσι τῇ γῇ προσαράττουσι, καὶ ἐγγύθεν τοὺς σφετέρους ἑτοίμους ὄντας συμμαχήσοντας προσκαλοῦνται. καὶ οὕτως αὐτῆς νυκτὸς ἐκ μιᾶς ἐκείνοις ὁρμῆς τὸ πόλισμα παρεστήσαντο. ᾧ δὴ καὶ Ἀλισύρας ὁρμητηρίῳ ἐς τὰ μάλιστα χρώμενος, τὰς συνάμα Καρμανοῖς ἐκδρομὰς ὅπου παρείκοι ἐποίουν. τότε τοιγαροῦν ἐκεῖνος μὲν εὐκόσμῳ φυγῇ τῶν ἀμφὶ τὸν μέγαν ἀπαλλάξας δοῦκα, τὸ πόλισμα ὑποδύς, ὅλος ἐν ἀφοβίαις ἦν καὶ ὑπερηφάνει τὸ σύμπαν.

26. Ὁ δὲ τῶν ὅλων ἀφηγούμενος στρατηγὸς ἀκίχητα γνοὺς διώκων, ὑποστρέψας προσβάλλει τῷ τοῦ Κουλᾶ φρουρίῳ, ἔνθα καὶ ἀπαγχονίζειν ἐφίησι πλείστους αἰτίαις περιβαλών. τοῦτο 436 δὲ φρουρίῳ τοῖς Φούρνοις. καὶ οἱ μὲν αὐτὸν