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negotiations for a truce having been made through ambassadors, for they did not meet each other in person, they came to an agreement and made a peace treaty, so that Orkhan would be a friend of the emperor and would do no harm to the cities in the east, as many as were still subject to the Romans; then they exchanged gifts with each other, Orkhan sending horses and hunting dogs and tapestries and leopard skins; and the emperor silver drinking cups and fabrics not only of wool, but also of silk, and one of the imperial mantles, which is always held in the highest regard by the satraps of the barbarians and is thought to be a sign of honor and goodwill; at which he himself was then more delighted than at the other things and acknowledged his thanks to the emperor. 1.448 After this, Orkhan departed for his own land, and the emperor, having disembarked and spent seven days in the regions there, for he had not until then seen these places, and having given what grain was in the ships to the Nicomedians, returned with the whole fleet to Byzantium; and without any delay, he immediately held the trial concerning Syrgiannes. And Tzamblakon again made the same accusations as before and provided witnesses for his statements; but Syrgiannes, for his part, likewise brought forward those who would speak for him concerning the matters of his defense; but he seemed to bring forth nothing strong, but rather wandered in his proofs and seemed to be at a loss. The emperor, therefore, and the others of the senate who were present, examined what was said by both sides and tried to search out the truth from the discussion; the Grand Domestic said nothing, but only sat listening to what was being said. And when the council had met three and four times on the same matters, since Syrgiannes saw that the victory was going to Tzamblakon, he thought it necessary to delay the trial and begged the emperor to grant him a further postponement in order to bring other witnesses, who would be able to assist him in escaping conviction. And the emperor readily granted it and ordered him to provide for himself without delay whatever else might seem able to provide him some assistance. But Tzamblakon cried out against the court and made a terrible fuss, if 1.449 Syrgiannes, using the witnesses as an excuse, should escape by flight the punishment for the case. For the postponement could mean nothing else for him; for he had neither more nor better witnesses than those who had been brought forward. And he begged the emperor, if he did not wish to grant the greatest favors to Syrgiannes, that both be cast into prison and guarded while awaiting the arrival of the witnesses. And when the emperor said that Tzamblakon's request was just, "But it is not good," said Syrgiannes, "to be imprisoned randomly and in vain and to suffer, when it is possible for both, having provided guarantors against flight, to enjoy some respite, staying at home." And since this also seemed to be a worthy pledge of security, the emperor dismissed the council, and ordered guarantors to be provided by the litigants. But on the next day, Syrgiannes, having gone to the house of the Grand Domestic, said, "The things said to me in Chalcidice have now reached their conclusion; which, though believed before, have now been shown to be more certain than before by deeds. For during the trial you did not appear to do or say anything contrary to me; but you ought not to have left me so completely helpless when in danger. But now I beg you not to overlook me when I am most in need of assistance; but having granted pardon for past offenses, to help in whatever ways are possible." And he asked him to provide sureties on his behalf, until he could send for and bring the witnesses he needed. And when he promised readily to fulfill what he asked, he departed from there, acknowledging his many thanks to him. But when night 1.450 came, having slipped out of Byzantium as secretly as possible before providing sureties, he crossed over to Galata and hid himself in a safe place. And when it was rumored that Syrgiannes had fled,

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γενομένων περὶ σπονδῶν διὰ τῶν πρέσβεων, οὐ γὰρ αὐτοὶ συνῆλθόν γε ἀλλήλοις, συνέβησάν τε καὶ ἔθεντο σπονδὰς εἰρηνικὰς, ὥστε Ὀρχάνην βασιλέως εἶναι φίλον καὶ τὰς κατὰ τὴν ἕω πόλεις, ὅσαι ἔτι ἦσαν ὑπήκοοι Ῥωμαίοις, ἀδικεῖν μηδέν· ἔπειτα ἀλλήλους ἠμείβοντο δώροις, Ὀρχάνης μὲν ἵππους πέμψας καὶ κύνας θηρευτικὰς τάπητάς τε καὶ παρδάλεων δοράς· βασιλεὺς δὲ ἐκπώματά τε ἀργυρᾶ καὶ ὑφάσματα οὐκ ἐξ ἐρίων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ Σηρικὰ, καὶ τῶν βασιλικῶν ἐπιβλημάτων ἓν, ὃ περὶ πλείστου παρὰ τοῖς βαρβάρων σατράπαις ἄγεται ἀεὶ καὶ τιμῆς εἶναι δοκεῖ τεκμήριον καὶ εὐμενείας· ἐφ' ᾧ τότε καὶ αὐτὸς ὑπερήσθη τε τῶν ἄλλων μᾶλλον καὶ χάριτας ὡμολόγει βασιλεῖ. 1.448 μετὰ τοῦτο Ὀρχάνης μὲν ἐπανέζευξεν εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν, βασιλεὺς δὲ ἀπόβασιν ποιησάμενος καὶ ἐφ' ἡμέραις ἑπτὰ περὶ τὰ ἐκεῖσε χωρία διατρίψας, οὔπω γὰρ ἄχρι τότε ταῦτα ἦν ἑωρακὼς, καὶ τὸν σῖτον ὅσος ταῖς ναυσὶν ἐνῆν, Νικομηδεῦσι παρασχὼν, ἅμα παντὶ τῷ στόλῳ εἰς Βυζάντιον ἐπανῆκε· καὶ μηδὲν ἀναβαλλόμενος εὐθὺς τὴν περὶ τοῦ Συργιάννη δίκην ἐποιεῖτο. καὶ Τζαμπλάκων μὲν ὅσα καὶ πρότερον αὖθις κατηγόρει καὶ μάρτυρας παρείχετο τῶν λεγομένων· Συργιάννης δὲ καὶ αὐτὸ μὲν ἐκ τοῦ ὁμοίου παρεισῆγε τοὺς συνεροῦντας αὐτῷ περὶ ὧν ἀπελογεῖτο· ἐδόκει δὲ οὐδὲν προφέρειν ἰσχυρὸν, ἀλλ' ἐπλανᾶτο περὶ τὰς ἀποδείξεις καὶ ἀδύνατος ἐδόκει εἶναι. βασιλεὺς μὲν οὖν καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι παρόντες τῶν συγκλητικῶν ἐβασάνιζόν τε τὰ λεγόμενα παρ' ἑκατέρων καὶ ἐπειρῶντο ἀπὸ τῆς συζητήσεως τἀληθῆ ἀνερευνᾷν· ὁ μέγας δομέστικος ἐφθέγγετο οὐδὲν, ἀλλὰ καθῆστο μόνον ἀκροώμενος τῶν λεγομένων. τρὶς δὲ καὶ τετράκις γενομένου συλλόγου περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν, ἐπεὶ ὁ Συργιάννης συνεώρα τὴν νίκην πρὸς Τζαμπλάκωνα χωροῦσαν, ἐδόκει δεῖν διακρούσασθαι τὴν δίκην καὶ ἐδεῖτο βασιλέως προθεσμίαν αὐτῷ ἔτι παρασχεῖν ἐπὶ τῷ μάρτυρας ἑτέρους ἀγαγεῖν, οἳ δυνήσονται αὐτῷ συνάρασθαι πρὸς τὸ διαφυγεῖν τὴν καταδίκην. βασιλεὺς δὲ παρέσχετο προθύμως καὶ ὅ,τι ἂν ἕτερον δοκοίη δυνάμενον αὐτῷ ἐπικουρίαν παρασχεῖν τινα μηδὲν ἀναβαλλόμενον κελεύσας ἐκπορίζειν ἑαυτῷ. Τζαμπλάκων δὲ κατεβόα τοῦ δικαστηρίου καὶ δεινὰ ἐποιεῖτο, εἰ 1.449 προφάσει χρώμενος τοῖς μάρτυσι Συργιάννης διαφύγοι τὴν ἐπὶ τῇ δίκῃ τιμωρίαν διαδράς. οὐ γὰρ ἄλλο τι δύνασθαι αὐτῷ τὴν προθεσμίαν· μάρτυρας γὰρ αὐτῷ οὔτε πλείους οὔτε βελτίους εἶναι τῶν παρηνεγμένων. ἐδεῖτό τε βασιλέως, εἰ μὴ πλεῖστα βούλοιτο χαρίζεσθαι Συργιάννῃ, δεσμωτηρίῳ ἀμφοτέρους ἐμβληθέντας φρουρεῖσθαι τὴν ἄφιξιν τῶν μαρτύρων περιμένοντας. δίκαια δὲ φάσκοντος βασιλέως τὸν Τζαμπλάκωνα ἀξιοῦν, «Ἀλλ' οὐ καλὸν» εἶπεν ὁ Συργιάννης «εἰκῇ καὶ μάτην εἱργομένους ταλαιπωρεῖσθαι, ἐξὸν ἐγγυητὰς παρασχομένους ἀμφοτέρους τοῦ μὴ ἀποδρᾶναι ἀναπαύλης ἀπολαύειν, οἴκοι διατρίβοντας.» ὡς δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ἀσφαλείας ἐνέχυρον ἄξιον ἐδόκει εἶναι, τὸν σύλλογον μὲν διέλυσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς, τοὺς ἐγγυητὰς δὲ ἐκέλευε παρέχειν τοῖς δικαζομένοις. ἐς τὴν ὑστεραίαν δὲ ὁ Συργιάννης γενόμενος ἐν τῇ τοῦ μεγάλου δομεστίκου οἰκίᾳ «Τὰ μὲν ἐν τῇ Χαλκιδικῇ» ἔφη «εἰρημένα πρὸς ἐμὲ πέρας ἤδη ἔσχεν· ἃ καὶ πρότερον πιστευόμενα, νῦν μᾶλλον ἢ πρότερον ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων βέβαια ἐφάνη. πρὸς οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς δίκης ἐναντία πράττων ἢ φθεγγόμενος ἐμοὶ ἐφάνης· ἔδει δὲ μηδ' οὕτω παντάπασι κινδυνεύοντα ἀβοήθητον καταλιπεῖν. νυνὶ δὲ μάλιστα ἀναγκαίως ἐπικουρίας δεομένῳ μὴ περιϊδεῖν παρακαλῶ· ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τοῖς πρότερον ἡμαρτημένοις συγγνώμην παρασχόντα, βοηθεῖν τὰ δυνατά. ᾐτεῖτο τε ἐγγύας παρασχεῖν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, ἄχρις ἂν πέμψας ὧν δέοιτο μάρτυρας ἀγάγοι. ἐπαγγειλαμένου δὲ προθύμως ἃ ᾐτεῖτο ἐκπληρώσειν, ἐκεῖθεν μὲν πολλὰς αὐτῷ χάριτας ἀνεχώρησεν ὁμολογῶν. ἐπιγενομέ 1.450 νης δὲ νυκτὸς, ἐκ Βυζαντίου ὡς μάλιστα ἐνῆν λαθὼν πρὶν ἐγγύας παρασχεῖν, εἰς Γαλατᾶν ἐπεραιώθη καὶ κατέκρυψεν ἑαυτὸν ἐν ἀσφαλεῖ. ἐπεὶ δὲ διεθρυλλήθη ἀποδεδρακέναι Συργιάννην,