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(15) and this made the megas doux Berenguer utterly savage, as it seemed, if, after receiving those men who were nobodies and whose race was second to none, he had exalted them with so many things, partly willingly and partly unwillingly, while he himself, being such a man and leading such men, had hoped to receive not only nothing close to these things, but not even the smallest fraction, from what he heard. Wherefore, from that point on he grew idle and looked to his ships. And since all the emperor's concerns were secondary to the plans which he himself had, it was decided to strike the stern, as the saying goes, and to turn back. And he, having departed from the anchorages near Blachernae, had sailed by the imperial gate, as if wandering and resembling one who fights against his own judgment, holding back the symbols of his office, and also holding back 504 about thirty imperial drinking cups of gold and silver, with which the emperor, sending food, had honored him on the previous day. But the emperor, not believing it at first, nevertheless sent many men to summon him to the festival of the Lights, to celebrate with the senate with the customary insignia. And they summoned him, but he showed them a frequent sneer, so as to even use his *skaramangion* like a pail against the sea in mockery, and sent them away. And then it was clear that he had turned away from the emperor's affairs and was mindful, if not of his home, at least of returning to his friend. And he did these things for three whole days and as many nights, furtively planning his departure, having also sent back the drinking cups. But some of the imperial servants from Monemvasia serving at sea, since he was also holding back their trireme, having hired it, resolved to fall upon him suddenly from their anchorages and both to avenge him for his mockery toward the emperor, and also to recover the ship for themselves. But the emperor, whether because of the oaths, and still hoping for his change of mind, or suspecting that something irreparable would happen, or indeed even out of forbearance, would not allow it. But it seemed nonetheless for the most part 505 that he did not allow it out of forbearance and a pardoning mercy, and while breaking something of strictness beyond right justice; which is indeed more necessary for those who are purely his subjects, but which he in no way hesitated to grant even to his outright opponents, so as, therefore, to wipe away from himself the blame in such matters. But he, anchored at sea all those days, when it was night, having found a favorable wind, seemed like a whole ox going through a forest, and made straight for the Catalans at Gallipoli. Then, indeed, then the emperor knew that he had been openly mocked, and he did not hold what concerned his son-in-law to be securely trustworthy, since he too was heard to be not at rest, but now digging a trench at Gallipoli, now forging iron chains, now slaughtering animals and piling salted meats on the ships, now collecting an infinite amount of grain and preparing hardtack, and in addition to these things, involving himself in affairs greater than his station and being clearly from many signs engaged in the business of rebels, even if he did not wish to show it.

(16) For at the same time the emperor was both testing him and also trying to win him over, sending the megas archon, who was Maroules, he summoned both him and his 506 sister, proposing the procession for the festival of the Lights. But she feigned illness and being unable, while he openly refused and paid no heed to the summons, but brought up the matter of the Catalans and demanded their wages, lest he himself also, he said, should suffer the evils from them. The emperor heard this, and again sent back asking him to take not as much as he sought, but what was sufficient, and to cross over to the east. But as he also wrapped himself in excuses all around, and that he did not wish to winter in the west, being in want of provisions there, thereupon the emperor, averting the conspiracy of those men which he suspected, refrained from summoning him again (for he knew he would not persuade him), but him, known from plausible signs to hold the care of his own interests of more account than the imperial commands, sending many men, he attempted to win him over to himself, proposing the imperial rank of Caesar, and handing over the entire land of the east except for the illustrious cities, and autokrator

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(15) τὸν δὲ Μπυριγέριον μέγαν δοῦκα καὶ λίαν ἐντεῦθεν ἐκθη ριοῖ, ὡς ἔδοξεν, εἰ οὐδένας μὲν ἐκείνους καὶ ὑπὲρ μηδένα τὸ γέ νος γεγονότας δεξάμενος τοσούτοις ἤγαλλε, τοῦτο μὲν ἑκὼν τοῦτο δ' ἄκων, αὐτὸς δὲ τοιοῦτος ὢν καὶ τοιούτους ἄγων μὴ ὅτι γε μηδ' ἐγγὺς τούτων, μηδὲ τὸ πολλοστὸν σχεῖν ἠλπίκει ἐξ ὧν ἤκουεν. ὅθεν καὶ ἀπεντεῦθεν ἐρραστωνεύθη καὶ πρὸς τὰς ναῦς ἔβλεψε. καὶ ὥς οἱ τὰ μὲν τοῦ βασιλέως ὕστερα πάντ' ἦσαν τῶν βουλευμάτων ὧν αὐτὸς εἶχε, κρούσασθαι δή, τὸ τοῦ λόγου, πρύμναν καὶ ὑποστρέφειν ἔγνωστο. κἀκεῖνος μὲν ἀπάρας τῶν κατὰ τὰς Βλαχέρνας ὅρμων ἐπὶ τῆς πύλης τῆς βασιλικῆς ἐπε πλεύκει, ἀλύων οἷον καὶ τῷ γνωσιμαχοῦντι παρεοικώς, παρα κατέχων μὲν τὰ τοῦ ἀξιώματος σύμβολα, παρακατέχων δὲ καὶ 504 βασιλικὰ χρυσᾶ τε καὶ ἀργυρᾶ ἐκπώματα περί που τριάκοντα, οἷς δὴ τῇ προτεραίᾳ βασιλεὺς ἐδέσματα πέμπων ἐγέραιρε. βασι λεὺς δὲ οὐκ εὐθὺς πιστεύσας, ὅμως συχνοὺς ἀποστέλλων ἐπὶ τὴν ἑορτὴν τῶν φώτων ἐκάλει, μετὰ τῶν συνήθων παρασήμων τῇ γερουσίᾳ συνεορτάσοντα. καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐκάλουν, ὁ δὲ συχνὸν μυκτῆρα σφίσιν ἐμφαίνων, ὡς καὶ οἷον κάδδῳ τῷ σκαραμαγκίῳ κατὰ θαλάσσης ἐπὶ γέλωτι χρᾶσθαι, ἀπέπεμπε. καὶ τότε δῆλος ἦν τὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ἀποστραφεὶς καί γε μεμνημένος, εἰ καὶ μὴ τῶν οἴκοι, ἀλλ' οὖν τῆς πρὸς τὸν φίλον ὑποστροφῆς. κἀκεῖνος μὲν ταῦτα ἡμέραις ὅλαις τρισὶ καὶ νυξὶν ἴσαις, παρυποκλέπτων τὴν ἔκπλευσιν, ἀνταποστείλας καὶ τὰ ἐκπώματα· τῶν τινὲς δὲ Μονεμβασιωτῶν βασιλικῶν κατὰ θάλατταν δουλευτῶν, ἐπεὶ καὶ σφῶν τριήρη παρακατεῖχεν ἐκεῖνος μισθώσας, ὥρμων ἐπεισπεσεῖν ἐξαίφνης καὶ τοῦτο μὲν ἐκεῖνον τῆς πρὸς βασιλέα χλεύης ἀμύνα σθαι, τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἑαυτοῖς σφίσι τὴν ναῦν ἀνασώσασθαι. βα σιλεὺς δέ, εἴτε διὰ τοὺς ὅρκους, καὶ ἔτι ἐλπίζων τὴν ἐκείνου με ταβολήν, εἴτε καί τι τῶν ἀνηκέστων ὑπονοῶν συμβήσεσθαι, εἴτε μὴν καὶ κατ' ἐπιείκειαν, οὐκ ἐφίει. ἐδόκει δ' ὅμως τὸ πλεῖστον 505 μὴ ἐφιέναι κατὰ τὸ ἐπιεικές τε καὶ σύγγνωμον τοῦ τ' ἐλέου καὶ ἀκριβοῦς τι παρὰ δίκην τὴν ὀρθὴν παραθραύων· ὃ δὴ τοῖς κα θαρῶς ὑπηκόοις καὶ μᾶλλον χρεών, ὁ δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἀκριβῶς ἀντι πάλοις ἀπονέμειν οὔμενουν οὐ κατώκνει, ὡς ἂν οὖν ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ ἀποτριβόμενος τὸ ἐπίμωμον ἐπὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις. ὁ δὲ πάσας ἡμέ ρας ἐκείνας θαλασσαυλῶν, ἐπεὶ νὺξ ἦν, τυχὼν ἐπιφόρου τοῦ πνεύματος, ὅλος βοῦς ἀν' ὕλαν ἐφαίνετο βαίνων, καὶ τῶν κατὰ τὴν Καλλίου Κατελάνων εὐθὺ ἵετο. Τότε δὴ τότε καὶ βασιλεὺς ἔγνω προφανῶς χλευασθείς, καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὸν γαμβρὸν ἀσφαλῶς οὐκ εἶχε πιστά, ἐπεὶ μηδὲ ἐκεῖνος ἠρεμῶν ἠκούετο, ἀλλὰ νῦν μὲν τὴν Καλλίου ταφρεύων, νῦν δὲ σιδηρᾶ δεσμὰ κόπτων, νῦν δ' ἱερεύων ζῶα καὶ ταρίχη κρεῶν ταῖς ναυσὶν ἐνσωρεύων, νῦν ἄπειρον πλῆθος σίτου συλλέγων καὶ μάζας ἐνσκευαζόμενος, κἀπὶ τούτοις μεγαλειότερον τῶν πραγμάτων ἐχό μενος καὶ δῆλος ὢν ἐκ πολλῶν τὰ τῶν ἀποστατῶν μεταχειριζόμε νος, κἂν οὐκ ἠβούλετο δείκνυσθαι.

(16) καὶ γὰρ ἅμα μὲν βα σιλεὺς δοκιμάζων ἐκεῖνον ἅμα δὲ καὶ ὑποποιούμενος, τὸν μέγαν ἄρχοντα πέμπων, ὃς ἦν ὁ Μαρούλης, ὡς μὲν ἐκεῖνον ὡς δὲ τὴν 506 αὐταδέλφην μετεκαλεῖτο, τὴν κατὰ τὰ φῶτα προτείνων προέλευ σιν. ἀλλ' ἡ μὲν ἐσκήπτετο νόσον καὶ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι, ὁ δὲ προ φανῶς ἀπέλεγε καὶ ἠφροντίστει πρὸς τὴν μετάκλησιν, τὰ τῶν Κα τελάνων δὲ προύτεινε καὶ τὰς μισθοφορίας ἀπῄτει, μή πως ἐπαύ ροι καὶ αὐτός, λέγων, τῶν ἀπ' ἐκείνων κακῶν. ταῦτ' ἤκουε βασιλεύς, καὶ αὖθις ἀντέπεμπεν ἀξιῶν λαβόντα οὐχ ὅσον ἐζήτει, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἱκανόν, ἐκπερᾶν κατ' ἀνατολήν. ὡς δὲ καὶ προφάσεις κύκλῳ περιεβάλλετο, καὶ ὡς οὐ διαχειμεριοῦν κατὰ δύσιν βού λοιτο, ἀπορῶν αὐτοῦ τῶν ἐπιτηδείων, ἐντεῦθεν βασιλεὺς τὴν ἐκείνων ἐπισύστασιν ἣν ὑπώπτευεν ἐκτρεπόμενος, τοῦ μὲν καλεῖν καὶ αὖθις ἀπέσχετο (ᾔδει γὰρ οὐ πείσων), αὐτὸν δ' ἐκ τῶν εἰ κότων ἐγνωσμένον τὴν τῶν ἰδίων θεραπείαν τῶν βασιλικῶν ἐντο λῶν περὶ πλείστου ποιούμενον, συχνοὺς πέμπων, προσποιεῖν ἑαυτῷ ἐπειρᾶτο, προτεινόμενος μὲν βασιλικὸν ἀξίωμα τὸ τοῦ Καίσαρος, παραδιδοὺς δὲ καὶ πᾶσαν χώραν ἀνατολῆς πλὴν τῶν περιφανῶν πολισμάτων, καὶ αὐτοκράτορα