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the throne. For if nothing else, at least the matter of the translation would have seemed a strong accusation against the one being translated, even in the eyes of others, so that he would be forced to withdraw; but at least for him, having received the high priesthood from such a man as Nicephorus of Ephesus, the great matters would have stood in his way, so that in saying such things, he would be condemning not him so much as himself. And these things led the reigning patriarch, upon receiving the letter from him at that time—since that man, having crossed the Thracian Bosphorus, was disembarking from the ship and at the same time writing such things as would move one to resignation—into unfavorable suspicions and the thought that that man would not dare to write such things and insult his primate, unless he had the license from another source. For the time being, however, putting the matter to the test, he decided to send the letter just as it was to the emperor at once, considering the outcome from there to be the most infallible testimony of the present situation, that if the emperor should be pained by what was written and consider the matter terrible, so as to send and compel the writer to return, in order that he might be judged for having set forth such things against his primate, it would be clear that these things had proceeded without the emperor's knowledge, and that from this the situation was secure; but if, upon learning of it, he should make nothing of what was written, but resolve and postpone it with excuses, as if he would perhaps investigate it at the proper time, or should send instructions in some other way, as if to calm and soothe, then there would be nothing more to learn than that the emperor had had his fill of him and that such things had been written by his counsel. Having put these things in his mind, 389 adding also painful things from messages, that he was greatly grieved, he sends out the one who would deliver the letter. But he, having taken and read it, not only was not pained by what was written, but as if cursing himself, that while being so constrained by the chains of public affairs, he should also be compelled to care about the patriarch, immediately without delay informs him thus: "You yourself have the man in your hands, as the canons allow, and those around you are many who are judges of such matters, and it is permitted for you to investigate these things; do as you wish. For the emperor has no part in these things, but in the affairs and tumults concerning the city, these being many and necessary." Having heard and understood this in response, the patriarch knew the plan and, having no way at all to speak against it—for matters with the emperor were not for him to dispute—he prepared to withdraw from the patriarchate.

21. How Germanus departed from the patriarchate. The month was then Gamelion, and the feast of the Precious Cross was being celebrated, which we also call the Exaltation. On this feast, then, having vested for the last time and having celebrated at once both the Exaltation of the Cross and the divine liturgy, on the same day, in the late afternoon, he withdraws and, coming to his cells in the Mangana built by the sea, he chose to live his life there in quiet. But as dawn was breaking, the emperor, having heard, immediately appears with the senate, with the bishops and with the whole body of the church, and he pretends to be grieved and demands and threatens to use force, if he is not heeded, and lacks nothing of eagerness and will for not bringing him back again; but he was in every way playing the Cretan with a Cretan. And so that man for his part pretended to be unaware and did not hesitate to give thanks for the good will and to say he would recognize it in the future, but that he himself was worn out by old age and infirmity and was exceedingly glad to offer his resignation from the throne of Constantinople, which he in turn asked both the emperor and the bishops present to accept, at the same time producing and showing the letter. For he would not take up the leadership for the future, whatever might happen, even if the emperor himself should compel him. 391 Then, therefore, the ruler, having openly in his hands what he had wanted in secret, ceased from compelling him again, showing the demeanor of one who has given up, but chose instead to praise and honor him. And at first he asked him his opinions about a patriarch, soothing the matter of his own resignation by deeming him worthy to be a counselor about another who was to be appointed. Then also father

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τὸν θρόνον. Εἰ γὰρ μή τι ἄλλο, ἀλλ' οὖν τὸ τῆς μεταθέσεως ἂν καὶ παρ' ἄλλοις ὡς ἔγκλημα τῷ μετατιθεμένῳ ἰσχυρὸν ἐδόκει, ὥστε καὶ ἐκχωρεῖν ἀναγκάζεσθαι· ἀλλ' οὖν ἐκείνῳ, παρὰ τοιούτου τοῦ ἀπ' Ἐφέσου Νικηφόρου τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνην λαβόντι, προσίστατο ἂν τὰ μεγάλα, ὡς οὐ μᾶλλον ἐκεῖνον καταδικάζειν ἢ ἑαυτόν, τοιαῦτα λέγοντι. Ἃ δὴ καὶ τὸν πατριαρχοῦντα, τότε λαβόντα τὰ παρ' ἐκείνου γράμματα, ἐπειδὴ τὸν Θρᾳκικὸν ἐκεῖνος περαιωθεὶς Βόσπορον, ἅμ' ἀπέβαινε τῆς νεὼς καὶ ἅμα τοιαῦτ' ἄττα κινητικὰ πρὸς παραίτησιν ἔγραφεν, εἰς οὐκ ἀγαθὰς ὑπονοίας ἐνῆγε καὶ ὡς οὐκ ἂν ἐκεῖνος τολμῴη τοιαῦτα γράφειν καὶ τὸν πρῶτον αὐτοῦ καθυβρίζειν, εἰ μή γε ἄλλοθεν εἶχε τὸ ἐγχωροῦν. Τέως δὲ πείρᾳ τὸ πρᾶγμα διδούς, παραυτὰ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα πέμπειν ὡς εἶχεν ἔγνω τὸ γράμμα, μαρτύριον τὸ ἐκεῖθεν ἐκβησόμενον τῶν παρόντων θέμενος ἀψευδέστατον, ὡς, εἰ μὲν ἐπαλγήσει τοῖς γραφεῖσιν ὁ βασιλεὺς κἀν δεινῷ θήσει τὸ πρᾶγμα, ὥστε καὶ ἀποστέλλειν καὶ ὑποστρέφειν κατα ναγκάζειν τὸν γράψαντα, ἐφ' ᾧπερ κριθείη, τοιαῦτα πρὸς τὸν πρῶτον ἐκθέμενος, δῆλον εἶναι ὡς, οὐκ εἰδότος τοῦ βασιλέως, προέβη ταῦτα καὶ ἀσφαλῶς ἔχειν ἐντεῦθεν εἶναι τῆς καταστάσεως· εἰ δὲ μαθὼν παρ' οὐδὲν θήσει τὰ γεγραμμένα, ἀλλὰ προφάσεσιν ἐπιλύει καὶ ἀναρτᾷ, ὡς κατὰ καιρὸν ἴσως ζητήσων, ἢ καὶ ἄλλως πως ἐπιστείλειεν, ὡς δῆθεν καταπαύων καὶ ἡμερῶν, τοὐντεῦθεν μὴ εἶναι πλέον εἰς τὸ μαθεῖν ὡς ὁ βασιλεὺς περὶ αὐτὸν ἡψικόρησε καὶ βουλῇ τούτου τὰ τοιαῦτα γέγραπται. Ταῦτ' ἐν νῷ θέμενος, 389 προσθεὶς ἐκ μηνυμάτων καὶ ἀλγεινά, ὡς λυποῖτο τὰ πλεῖστα, ἐκπέμπει τὸν τὸ γράμμα διακομίσοντα. Ὁ δέ, λαβών τε καὶ ἀναγνούς, οὐχ ὅπως τοῖς γεγραμμένοις ἐπήλγησεν, ἀλλ' οἷον ἑαυτὸν ἐπαλαστήσας, εἰ οὕτω ταῖς τῶν κοινῶν σειραῖς συσφιγγόμενος, καὶ περὶ τοῦ πατριάρχου φροντίζειν ἐπαναγκάζοιτο, αὐτίκα μηδὲν μελλήσας μηνύει ὡς· «Ἐν χερσὶν αὐτὸς ἔχεις τὸν ἄνδρα, οὕτω τῶν κανόνων διδόντων, καὶ οἱ περὶ σὲ πολλοὶ τῶν τοιούτων κριταί, καί σοι τὰ περὶ τούτων ζητεῖν ἐφειμένον, ποίει ὡς βούλει· βασιλεῖ γὰρ οὐ μετὸν τούτων, ἀλλὰ πραγμάτων καὶ θορύβων τῶν κατ' αὐτήν, πολλῶν ὄντων καὶ ταῦτα καὶ ἀναγκαίων.» Ταῦτ' ἀντιμαθὼν ἀκούσας, ὁ πατριάρχης ἔγνω τὴν σκέψιν καί, ἀντιλέγειν ὅλως οὐκ ἔχωνμηδὲ γὰρ ἐριστὰ τὰ πρὸς βασιλέα εἶναι ἐκείνῳ, ἐξίστασθαι τοῦ πατριαρχείου παρεσκευάζετο.

καʹ. Ὅπως ἐξῆλθε τοῦ πατριαρχείου ὁ Γερμανός. Μὴν μὲν ἐφειστήκει τότε γαμηλιών, ἤγετο δὲ ἡ τοῦ Τιμίου Σταυροῦ ἑορτή, ἣν καὶ Ὕψωσιν ὀνομάζομεν. Ἐν ταύτῃ γοῦν τὰ ὕστατα στολισάμενος καὶ τελέσας ἅμα μὲν τὴν Ὕψωσιν τοῦ σταυροῦ, ἅμα δὲ καὶ τὴν θείαν ἱερουργίαν, τῆς αὐτῆς ἡμέρας, ὀψίας δείλης, ἀποχωρεῖ καί, πρὸς τὰ ἐν τοῖς Μαγγάνοις αὐτοῦ κελλία τὰ πρὸς θάλασσαν ᾠκοδομημένα ἐλθών, ἡσύχως διάγειν ἐκεῖ τὸν βίον ᾑρεῖτο. Ἀλλ' ἅμα ἕῳ φωσκούσῃ καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀκούσας εὐθὺς ἐφίσταται ἅμα μὲν συγκλήτῳ, ἅμα δ' ἀρχιερεῦσι καὶ παντὶ τῷ τῆς ἐκκλησίας πληρώματι, καὶ τὸν λυπούμενον προσποιεῖται καὶ ἀξιοῖ καὶ ἀπειλεῖ προσβιάζεσθαι, ἢν μή γε ἀκούοι, καὶ οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει προθυμίας τε καὶ θελήσεως τοῦ μὴ ἀνάγειν καὶ πάλιν αὐτόν· πρὸς Κρῆτα δ' ἐκρήτιζε πάντως. Ταῦτ' ἄρα κἀκεῖνος τὸν μὲν ἀγνοοῦντα προσεποιεῖτο καὶ χάριν τῆς εὐμενείας λέγειν καὶ εἰς τὸ ἑξῆς εἰδήσειν οὐκ ὤκνει, αὐτὸν δ' εἶναι γήρᾳ κατειργασμένον καὶ ἀσθενείᾳ καὶ πρὸς τὸ διδόναι καὶ παραίτησιν τοῦ τῆς Κωνσταντινουπόλεως θρόνου καὶ λίαν ἀσμένως ἔχοντα, ἣν καὶ δέχεσθαι ἀντηξίου καὶ βασιλέα καὶ τοὺς παρόντας ἀρχιερεῖς, ἅμ' ἐκβαλὼν καὶ δεικνὺς τὸ γράμμα· μηδὲ γὰρ ἂν τοῦ λοιποῦ, κἂν εἴ τι συμβαίη, τὴν προστασίαν λαμβάνειν, κἂν αὐτὸς ἀναγκάζοι ὁ βασιλεύς. 391 Τότε τοιγαροῦν ὁ κρατῶν, ἔχων ἐν χερσὶ φανερῶς ὃ ἐν ἀδήλῳ ἠβούλετο, τοῦ μὲν αὐτὸν καὶ πάλιν προσαναγκάζειν ἀνῆκε, σχῆμα δεικνὺς ἀπειπόντος, τὸ δ' ἀγάλλειν ἄλλως καὶ τιμᾶν ᾑρεῖτο. Καὶ τὰ πρῶτα μὲν τὰ δοκοῦντά οἱ περὶ πατριάρχου ἐκεῖνον ἠρώτα, τῷ σύμβουλον ἀξιοῦσθαι ἐπ' ἄλλῳ προ στησομένῳ ἐξημερῶν τὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ παραιτήσεως. Εἶτα καὶ τὸ πατέρα