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for the most part his readiness for oaths being greatly guarded against, so that the second ones seemed to be approached safely because of his firm adherence to the previous ones, and these things also acknowledging his friendship for Theuderic. 500 For if one who has sense is to prefer a good reputation from the many, it is both advantageous and reasonable; for it is necessary by all means, as Plato says, not to consider it a small matter to seem good to others or not to seem so. For the many are not so much mistaken in the substance of virtue as they are in judging others, so that even the very wicked distinguish well in their words and opinions the better men from the worse. If, then, the opinion of the many concerning one's actions must be sought after in this way, as Plato thinks, much more so that of the emperor, and this in the confirmation of pledges. For this reason the ruler accepts the request, and begins to bear witness to him also for the uprightness of his judgment, apprehending him, as he said. And this, I think, proceeded necessarily because of the comparison with his predecessor.

13. But the Almogavars and Catalans, falling upon them like a destructive multitude of screeching hail, ravaged every land they held and seized, sparing nothing of all that shows the perpetrator to be an evil-doer and a man of violence, so that the west suffered another barbarian invasion, an unbearable one 501 compared to the former, which had been endurable and even tolerable, that in the east, by comparison, inasmuch as those who experienced that one had already reckoned it as from enemies, and some, escaping the terror, had been made cautious by the fear of others, but this one they did not know how they might even deal with, receiving the attackers as friends, but experiencing them as the most accursed of enemies. and if anyone opposed either these or those equally, the sword was for defense. Having with difficulty accomplished many things, and having nothing more to do (for they were cut off from their impulse to press still further forward; for they suspected that the emperor Michael and the forces around him would immediately attack them, as was likely, or rather from what they were hearing), they decided to pursue matters in another way.

(14) And having gathered by themselves, as if, forsooth, disregarding their leader, they send envoys to the emperor to plead on their behalf, confessing that they had done many terrible things to the country, but out of compulsion, not having their pay, from which they would have been able to feed themselves; but henceforth, upon receiving this, if the emperor willed it, they promised to do nothing harsh nor reckless, but to live by purchasing things justly, and to hold themselves 502 ready to go wherever they might be ordered, to serve faithfully and as good subjects ought. The emperor, having received these messages, did not, of course, even remotely consider giving as much as they asked for, it being difficult in any case and very near to impossible; but to seem to dismiss despotically those who seemed to speak justly would seem altogether disreputable, since he was more able to refute them. Therefore also to those with the Grand Hetaeriarch Doukas (for he had already released him from prison and restored him to his dignity, not having released him otherwise than with the consent and mediation of the then Grand Duke, so that the favor would fall to him). at that time, then, he entrusts to those around him, but also to others who knew, and bags full of letters about those outrages are given. And they amounted, along with what he himself gave out of generosity, to nearly one thousand thousands of nomismata. And indeed proposing these things to the envoys, he also referred the pleaded arguments of the case to the Grand Duke Berenguer, whom he now also used as a counselor, as was natural. When he expressed utter amazement at the expense, he sent them away thus unsuccessful, readily promising to give a very small amount compared to what they were seeking 503 (though it was a great deal in itself), if for the time being they would cross over and serve faithfully; for he did not need all of them, but was doing these things solely for the sake of favor toward his son-in-law.

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μάλα τὸ πλεῖστον φυ λαττομένου τὸ πρὸς τοὺς ὅρκους ἕτοιμον, ὥστε καὶ ἀσφαλεῖς προσίστασθαι τοὺς δευτέρους δοκεῖν διὰ τὸ στερρῶς τῶν φθα σάντων ἀντέχεσθαι, ὁμολογοῦντος καὶ ταῦτα τὴν πρὸς τὸν Θευ 500 δερίχον φιλίαν. εἰ γὰρ τὴν πρὸς τῶν πολλῶν εὐδοξίαν τῷ νοῦν ἔχοντι προτιμᾶν, προύργου καὶ τὸν εὐλόγων· χρὴ γὰρ πάντως, ὡς Πλάτων λέγει, οὐ περὶ σμικροῦ ποιεῖσθαι τὸ δοκεῖν ἀγαθοὺς εἶναι τοῖς ἄλλοις ἢ μὴ δοκεῖν. οὐ γὰρ ὅσον οὐσίας ἀρετῆς ἀπε σφαλμένοι τυγχάνουσιν οἱ πολλοί, τοσοῦτον καὶ τοῦ κρίνειν τοὺς ἄλλους, ὥστε καὶ τοὺς σφόδρα κακοὺς εὖ τοῖς λόγοις καὶ ταῖς δόξαις διαιρεῖν τοὺς ἀμείνους τῶν ἀνδρῶν καὶ τοὺς χείρονας. εἰ γοῦν τὴν παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν δόξαν ἐπὶ τοῖς πρακτέοις οὕτω δεῖ θηρᾶσθαι, ὡς δοκεῖ Πλάτωνι, πολλῷ γε μᾶλλον τὴν πρὸς βα σιλέως, καὶ ταῦτ' ἐπὶ πίστεων ἐμπεδώσεσι. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ δέ χεται μὲν ὁ κρατῶν τὴν ἀξίωσιν, ἄρχεται δὲ μαρτυρεῖν ἐκείνῳ καὶ τὴν περὶ τὴν γνώμην εὐθύτητα, καταλαμβάνων ἐκεῖνον, ὡς ἔλεγε. τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἀναγκαίως προύβαινεν, οἶμαι, διὰ τὴν πρὸς τὸν προηγησάμενον σύγκρισιν.

13. Οἱ μέντοι γε Ἀμογάβαροί τε καὶ Κατελάνοι, καθά περ τι πλῆθος χαλάζης τετρυγὸς ὀλέθριον εἰσπεσόντες, πᾶσαν ἐκάκουν ἣν ἐπέσχον καὶ ἧς ἐπελάβοντο, οὐδενὸς φειδόμενοι τῶν ὅσα δείκνυσι τὸν εἰργασμένον κακοῦργον καὶ βίαιον, ὡς ἄλλην τινὰ βαρβαρικὴν καταδρομὴν πάσχειν τὴν δύσιν, ἀνύποιστόν τινα 501 παρὰ τὴν προτέραν οἰστὴν οὖσαν καί γε φερτήν, τὴν ἐπ' ἀνα τολῆς, κατὰ σύγκρισιν, ὅσον ἐκείνην μὲν ὡς παρ' ἐχθρῶν οἱ πειρώμενοι λογιζόμενοι ἔφθασαν καί τινες τὸ δεινὸν προφυγόντες, τῷ τῶν ἄλλων φόβῳ σωφρονισθέντες, ταύτην δὲ οὐκ εἶχον ὅπως ἂν καὶ διάθοιντο, δεχόμενοι μὲν ὡς φίλους τοὺς ἐπιόντας, πει ρώμενοι δὲ ὡς παλαμναιοτάτων τούτων ἐχθρῶν. ἐπ' ἴσης δὲ καὶ τούτοις κἀκείνοις ἤν τις ἀντιβαίνοι, τὸ ξίφος εἰς ἄμυναν ἦν. μό λις πόλλ' ἄττα διαπραξάμενοι, καὶ μηδὲν πλέον ἔχοντες πράττειν (τῆς γὰρ ἐς τὰ πρόσω καὶ ἔτι ὁρμῆς ἀνεκόπτοντο· τὸν γὰρ βα σιλέα Μιχαὴλ καὶ τὰς περὶ τοῦτον δυνάμεις ὡς αὐτίκα καταδρα μουμένας αὐτῶν ἐκ τοῦ εἰκότος, ἢ καὶ ἐξ ὧν ἤκουον μᾶλλον, ὑπώπτευον) ἔγνωσαν ἄλλως μετελθεῖν τὰ πράγματα.

(14) καὶ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς γεγονότες, ὡς δῆθεν καὶ τοῦ ἄγοντος κατολιγω ροῦντες, ἀποστόλους πρὸς βασιλέα πέμπουσι τὰ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν πρεσβεύσοντας, πολλὰ μὲν καὶ δεινὰ πρᾶξαι ὁμολογοῦντες τὴν χώραν, πλὴν ἐκ βίας, μὴ τὰς μισθοφορίας ἔχοντες, ἐξ ὧν εἶχον ἂν τρέφεσθαι· τοὐντεῦθεν δὲ ταύτας λαβόντας, εἰ βασιλεὺς θέ λοι, ἀπηνὲς μηδὲν μηδ' ἀτάσθαλον πράττειν, ἀλλ' ὠνουμένους δικαίου δόματος διαζῆν ὑπισχνοῦντο, ἑαυτοὺς δὲ παρέχειν ἑτοί 502 μους, ὅπου ἄρα καὶ προσταχθεῖεν ἰέναι, πιστῶς καὶ ὡς ἐχρῆν ἀγαθοῖς ὑπηκόοις δουλεύσοντας. ταῦτα βασιλεὺς δεξάμενος τὰ μηνύματα τὸ μὲν ὅσαπερ ᾔτουν διδόναι, οὐδ' ἴκταρ βάλλων, οὔ μενουν ἐδοκίμαζε, δυσχερὲς ὂν καὶ ἄλλως καὶ τῶν ἀδυνάτων ἔγ γιστα· δοκεῖν δ' ἀποπέμπειν δεσποτικῶς δικαίως δοκοῦντας λέ γειν ἠδόξει τὸ σύμπαν, οἷός τ' ὢν μᾶλλον ἐλέγχειν. τῷ τοι καὶ τοῖς περὶ τὸν μέγαν ἑταιρειάρχην τὸν ∆ούκαν ἤδη γὰρ αὐτὸν καὶ τῶν εἱρκτοσυνῶν ἀνεὶς ἐπὶ τῆς ἀξίας καὶ αὖθις εἶχεν, οὐκ ἄλλως ἀνεὶς εἰ μὴ τοῦ τότε μεγάλου δουκὸς θέλοντός τε καὶ μεσι τεύοντος, ὡς ἐπ' αὐτῷ πίπτειν τὴν χάριν. τότε τοίνυν τοῖς περὶ ἐκεῖνον ἐφίησιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ λοιποῖς οἵπερ ᾔδεσαν, καὶ σφάκε λοι πλήρεις γραμμάτων τῶν ἀτασθαλιῶν ἐκείνων δίδονται. συνε ποσοῦντο δέ, μεθ' ὧν καὶ αὐτὸς κατὰ φιλοτιμίαν ἐδίδου, εἰς χιλίας χιλιοστύας νομισμάτων ἐγγύς. ἃ δὴ καὶ προτείνων τοῖς ἀπεσταλμένοις τῷ Μπυριγερίῳ μεγάλῳ δουκί, ἤδη καὶ συμβούλῳ γ' ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς χρώμενος, προσανετίθει τὰ τῆς κρίσεως δικαιολο γούμενα. τούτου ὑπερθαυμάσαντος τὴν δαπάνην, ἐκείνους μὲν οὕτως ἀπράκτους ἀποπέμπει, ὀλίγιστόν τι δοῦναι πρὸς ὅπερ ἐζή 503 τουν, πολὺ κατ' αὐτὸ ὄν, ἑτοίμως καθυπισχνούμενος, ἂν τέως περῷεν καὶ ἐκδουλεύοιεν· μηδὲ γὰρ πάντων χρῄζειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταῦτα ποιεῖν τῆς πρὸς τὸν γαμβρὸν μόνης ἕνεκα χάριτος.