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Not at all, even though he himself persisted, reminding him at the same time of past events. 9.7.5 For when the emperor was once playing polo in the polo ground in the Great Palace, a certain barbarian man, born of Armenians and Turks, carrying a sword beneath his clothes, when he saw the emperor had reined in his horse and been left behind by his fellow players in order to let his panting horse recover its breath, approached the emperor, at once kneeling and pretending to make a request. But he immediately reined in his horse and, turning around, inquired what his request might be. But he, being a murderer rather than a petitioner, put his hand underneath and, grasping the sword, tried to draw it from the sheath. But it did not follow his hand. Once then and twice trying the sword, while stringing together false requests with his lips, he gave up in despair and, dashing himself to the ground, lay there begging for pardon. But he, turning his reins toward him, asked for what reason he was asking for pardon, and he showed the sword together with its sheath. And at the same time beating his breast and being astounded and shouting, he said: "Now I have known you to be a true servant of God, now I have seen with my own eyes the great God protecting you. For having prepared this sword for your slaughter and having taken it from home, I am present here in order to thrust it into your vitals. But having tried to draw it once and twice and three times, I in no way found it yielding to the force of my hand." 9.7.6 For the emperor, as if he had heard nothing of the sort, stood in the same posture, undaunted; but everyone immediately ran up to him, some to hear what was being said, others astounded at these things. But those more loyally disposed toward the emperor even attempted to tear him to pieces, even though he himself, with a nod and by hand and with frequent rebukes, restrained them from the attempt. What followed this? That murderer immediately obtains a complete pardon and is made a soldier, and not only a pardon, but also the greatest gifts; in addition to these things he also enjoys freedom. So many of these, being troublesome, insisted that that murderer be driven out of the capital; but he would not be persuaded, saying: "Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchmen stay awake in vain. Therefore, it is necessary to pray to God, asking from Him our preservation and protection." 9.7.7 So some were whispering that that man had attempted the murder of the emperor with the knowledge of Diogenes, even though the emperor did not at all lend his ears to these words, but rather was greatly angered at them, bearing with him to such an extent that when the point of the sword reached his very throat, he pretended not to know. But so much for these things; So the Grand Domestic, having reminded him of these things and in no way persuading him, approached and reported to the emperor Diogenes's insistence and that Diogenes was completely denying it, although, as he said, he had been much entreated by him.

9.8.1 He therefore sends for Mouzakes and orders him to come with other armed men, to take this man from the tent of the Grand Domestic and lead him away to his own, and to guard him there with security, without bonds or other mistreatment. And he immediately carried out the order, and taking this man, leads him away to his own tent. But when throughout the whole night by exhorting and advising him not only did he not persuade him, but he also saw him behaving shamelessly toward him, filled with anger, he hastened to attempt what had not been commanded. So, having decided to examine him, and now examining him, since Diogenes, not holding out even against the first application, affirmed that he would confess everything, he immediately releases him from his bonds, and a scribe is then summoned, holding a pen. He was Gregory Kamateros, recently appointed and serving as under-secretary to the emperor. And Diogenes, reporting everything, did not even pass over the murder in silence. 9.8.2 But in the morning Mou

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οὐδαμῶς, κἂν αὐτὸς ἐνέκειτο ἀναμιμνήσκων ἅμα καὶ τῶν ὄπισθεν. 9.7.5 Σφαιρίζοντι γάρ ποτε τῷ αὐτοκρά τορι κατὰ τὸ ἐν τῷ μεγάλῳ παλατίῳ ἱππηλάσιον ἀνήρ τις βάρβαρος ἐξ Ἀρμενίων καὶ Τούρκων φὺς ξίφος ἔσωθεν τῶν ἀμφίων φέρων, ἐπὰν τὸν αὐτοκράτορα τῶν συσφαιρι ζόντων ἀνασειράσαντα τὸν χαλινὸν ἀπολειφθέντα ἐθεάσατο ἐφ' ᾧ πνευστιῶντα τὸν ἵππον ἀναψῦξαι, πρόσεισι μὲν τῷ αὐτοκράτορι γονυπετῶν ἅμα καὶ αἰτεῖσθαι ὑποκρινόμενος. Ὁ δὲ ἀνασειράζει τὸν ἵππον εὐθὺς καὶ ἐπιστραφεὶς ἐπυν θάνετο τί ἂν τὸ αἰτούμενον εἴη. Ὁ δὲ φονεὺς μᾶλλον ἢ προσαίτης ὢν τὴν χεῖρα ὑποβαλὼν καὶ τοῦ ξίφους ἁψά μενος εἷλκε τοῦ κουλεοῦ. Τὸ δ' οὐ συνείπετο τῇ χειρί. Ἅπαξ οὖν καὶ δὶς τοῦ μὲν ξίφους ἀποπειρώμενος, τοῖς δὲ χείλεσι ψευδεῖς αἰτήσεις συνείρων ἀπογνοὺς καὶ προσου δίσας ἑαυτὸν τῇ γῇ ἔκειτο συγγνώμην ἐξαιτούμενος. Ὁ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν στρέψας τὸν χαλινὸν ἠρώτα ὅτου χάριν συγ γνώμην αἰτεῖ, καὶ ὃς τὸ ξίφος σὺν αὐτῷ κουλεῷ ἐδείκνυ. Στερνοτυπῶν δ' ἅμα καὶ ἐκθαμβούμενος καὶ βοῶν ἔλεγε· «Νῦν σε δοῦλον τοῦ Θεοῦ γνήσιον ἔγνωκα, νῦν τὸν μέγαν Θεὸν σκέποντά σε ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς τεθέαμαι. Ἐπὶ τῇ σφαγῇ γὰρ τῇ σῇ τουτὶ τὸ ξίφος κατασκευάσας καὶ λαβὼν οἴκο θεν ἐνταῦθα πάρειμι ἐφ' ᾧ κατὰ τῶν σῶν ὠθῆσαι σπλάγ χνων. Ἅπαξ δὲ καὶ δὶς καὶ τρὶς τοῦτο σπασάμενος οὐδα μῶς ὑπεῖκον ἔσχον τῇ βίᾳ τῆς ἐμῆς χειρός.» 9.7.6 Ὁ μὲν γὰρ βασιλεὺς καθαπερεὶ μηδέν τι τοιοῦτον ἀκηκοὼς ἐπὶ ταὐτοῦ σχήματος θαρσαλέος εἱστήκει· συνέδραμον δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν παραχρῆμα ἅπαντες, οἱ μὲν ἀκροασόμενοι τῶν λεγο μένων, οἱ δὲ ἐκθαμβούμενοι ἐπὶ τούτοις. Οἱ δὲ εὐνούστε ρον πρὸς τὸν αὐτοκράτορα διακείμενοι καὶ διασπαράττειν αὐτὸν ἐπεχείρουν, κἂν αὐτὸς νεύματί τε καὶ χειρὶ καὶ συχνοῖς ἐμβριμήμασιν ἀπεῖργε τῆς ἐγχειρήσεως. Τί τὸ ἐπὶ τούτοις; Παντελοῦς ἀφέσεως ὁ φονεὺς ἐκεῖνος παρα χρῆμα τυγχάνει στρατιώτης, οὐκ ἀφέσεως δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ μεγίστων δωρεῶν· ἐπὶ τούτοις καὶ ἐλευθερίας παρα πολαύει. Πολλοὶ μὲν οὖν τούτων καὶ ὀχλοῦντες ἐνέκειντο τῆς βασιλευούσης ἀπελαθῆναι τὸν φονέα ἐκεῖνον· ὁ δ' οὐκ ἐπείθετο λέγων· «Ἐὰν μὴ Κύριος φυλάξῃ πόλιν, εἰς μάτην ἠγρύπνησαν οἱ φυλάσσοντες. Λοιπὸν Θεῷ ἐπεύχεσθαι δεῖ τὴν ἡμετέραν ἐκεῖθεν ἐξαιτουμένους διαμονὴν καὶ φρου ράν.» 9.7.7 Ὑπεψιθύριζον οὖν τινες μετὰ τῆς τοῦ ∆ιογέ νους γνώμης τῷ τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος φόνῳ ἐπικεχειρηκέναι τὸν ἄνδρα ἐκεῖνον, κἂν ὁ βασιλεὺς οὐδ' ὅλως ὑπεῖχε τού τοις τοῖς λόγοις τὰ ὦτα, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἐβαρυμηνία κατ' αὐτῶν, τοσοῦτον αὐτοῦ ἀνεχόμενος ὡς μέχρις αὐτοῦ λαι μοῦ τῆς ἀκωκῆς τοῦ ξίφους φθανούσης τὸν ἀγνοοῦντα ὑποκρίνεσθαι. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν οὕτω· Τούτων οὖν ἀναμ νήσας αὐτὸν ὁ μέγας δομέστικος καὶ μηδαμῶς πείθων προσελθὼν ἀπαγγέλλει τῷ βασιλεῖ τὴν τοῦ ∆ιογένους ἔνστασιν καὶ ὅτι ἔξαρνος παντάπασιν ὁ ∆ιογένης ἐστί, καίτοι πολλὰ παρακληθεὶς παρ' αὐτοῦ, ὡς ἔλεγε.

9.8.1 Μεταπέμπεται τοίνυν τὸν Μουζάκην καὶ ἐπι σκήπτει ἔνοπλον μεθ' ἑτέρων παραγενόμενον ἀναλαβέσθαι τοῦτον τῆς τοῦ μεγάλου δομεστίκου σκηνῆς καὶ εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν ἀπαγαγεῖν κἀκεῖσε μετὰ ἀσφαλείας τηρεῖν δεσμῶν ἄτερ καὶ ἑτέρας κακώσεως. Ὁ δ' εὐθὺς τὸ κελευσθὲν ἐπλήρου, καὶ παραλαβὼν τοῦτον εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν ἀπάγει σκη νήν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ δι' ὅλης νυκτὸς παρακαλῶν αὐτὸν καὶ ξυμ βουλεύων οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἔπειθεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀναισχύντως αὐτῷ προσφερόμενον ἑώρα, θυμοῦ πλησθεὶς καὶ ὃ μὴ προσ τέτακτο ἐπιχειρεῖν ἠπείγετο. ∆οκιμάσας οὖν ἐτάσαι αὐτόν, ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἐτάζων, ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ πρὸς τὴν πρώτην προσβολὴν ὁ ∆ιογένης ἀντισχὼν ἅπαντα ἀνομολογῆσαι διε βεβαιοῦτο, τῶν μὲν δεσμῶν λύει παραχρῆμα, καὶ γραφεὺς τηνικαῦτα προκαλεῖται γραφίδα κατέχων. Γρηγόριος δὲ ἦν ὁ Καματηρὸς νεωστὶ προσληφθεὶς καὶ ὑπογραμματεύων τῷ αὐτοκράτορι. Καὶ ὁ ∆ιογένης ἅπαντα ἀπαγγέλλων οὐδὲ τὸν φόνον παρεσιώπα. 9.8.2 Ἀναλαβόμενος δὲ πρωΐας ὁ Μου