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every prudent person gives in. But if it is burdensome and oppressive for you to come together with me completely, at least as a second-best option, come to the bridge of the river, so that, having spoken to each other from each side, for me, the fact of having spoken to you, and for you, the fact of not having come near me, which you fear most, might be preserved.” And when, having been persuaded, he came to the bridge, they discussed other things, as many as one might say to a friend, and the megas domestikos accused him concerning the revolt of the cities, as having been most responsible. In response to which he himself also made his defense, that he had done what was advantageous for himself and for the other Acarnanians, freeing them from the slavery of the Romans, and restoring to them the ancestral rule of the Angeloi. Having discussed such things and certain others, the one went to the camp, having promised to come again on the third day, and the other to the city, having refused a second meeting, and they parted. But on the third day the megas domestikos came again to Rhogoi to meet with Kavasilas again. But he, delaying for a short while, since he saw that he was not departing, came out again, and having crossed the bridge, came together with him. 1.515 And for a considerable time the megas domestikos spoke with him, but he was not able to persuade him to submit to the emperor and hand over the city; nevertheless he shook his reasoning from thinking that to be under the emperor was altogether among the forbidden things, nor to consider it more preferable than slavery to die while being besieged. And having taken leave of him and having said beforehand that he would come again after not long, the one departed to the camp, and the other to the city. And after some days, having approached again and spent the whole day with him when he was outside the walls, he persuaded him to submit to the emperor and hand over the city. And when he had him persuaded, he left him again in Rhogoi; but he himself proceeded to the emperor, who was encamped near Arta, to announce that Kavasilas was handing over Rhogoi. And as he was journeying, when he came to a certain spring flowing cold and clear and most pleasant to drink, it seemed they should dismount from their horses and take their midday meal, and having dismounted, they reclined. And after a short while Kavasilas was also seen riding up in haste, and when he was near, before he uttered anything: “I think,” the megas domestikos said, “that since your companions are blaming you and accusing you of great credulity, because you come so heedlessly as you see fit to me, who seems to be an enemy, having no pledge of safety, you, wishing to prove by deeds that you are not acting ignorantly or rashly, but are doing what is necessary, knowing well in whom you trust yourself, have left them 1.516 contemplating foolish things, and have come to us, whom you have judged to be more trustworthy than the others.” And he said that, if he himself had not arrived first after the words spoken there, he would not easily believe that no messenger of those words had come. For these very things having been said by us to one another, I left them and have come to you; and you would know what is better for me to do, either to come to the emperor with you, or to remain here, until you yourself command. For I, know this well, would never have submitted to the emperor, but, just as I said to him, I would rather have chosen to die than to become subject to him; but I confess to have been defeated by far by your friendship, and for this reason to have entrusted both myself and my citizens, so that it is permitted to do concerning us whatever is according to your judgment.” And the megas domestikos, having acknowledged great thanks to him for his goodwill toward him, commanded him to go again to Rhogoi, on the grounds that on the next day he himself would arrive with the imperial gifts and would take possession of both him and the others. And he, having been persuaded, returned again to Rhogoi. And from there the megas domestikos, having gone to the emperor and having announced concerning Kavasilas and Rhogoi that they had submitted, and having been entrusted by him to do for them whatever might be just and advantageous for the sake of benefaction, on the next day, having come again to Rhogoi, he was received by the people of Rhogoi who handed over the city, and he himself provided the emperor's benefactions to each according to his worth; 1.517 and taking along with him

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ἡττώμενος πᾶς τις σωφρονῶν. εἰ δέ σοι φορτικὸν καὶ ἐπαχθὲς τὸ τελείως ἐμοὶ συνελθεῖν, ἀλλὰ τό γε δεύτερον, παρὰ τὴν γέφυραν ἐλθὲ τοῦ ποταμοῦ, ὡς ἂν ἐξ ἑκατέρου μέρους ὁμιλήσαντες ἀλλήλοις, ἐμοί τε τὸ σοὶ ὡμιληκέναι, καὶ σοὶ τὸ μὴ ἐγγὺς ἐμοῦ γενέσθαι, ὃ μάλιστα δέδοικας, περισώζοιτο.» ἐπεὶ δὲ ἧκε παρὰ τὴν γέφυραν πεισθεὶς, ἄλλα τε διειλέχθησαν ὅσα τις ἂν εἴποι πρὸς ἄνδρα φίλον, καὶ περὶ τῆς ἀποστασίας τῶν πόλεων ὁ μέγας δομέστικος αὐτοῦ κατηγόρει ὡς αἰτιωτάτου μάλιστα γεγενημένου. ἐφ' οἷς ἀπελογεῖτο καὶ αὐτὸς ὡς λυσιτελοῦντα δράσειεν ἑαυτῷ τε καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις Ἀκαρνάσι τῆς δουλείας αὐτοὺς ἐλευθερῶν Ῥωμαίων, καὶ τὴν πάτριον αὐτοῖς τῶν Ἀγγέλων ἀρχὴν ἐπανασώζων. Τοιαῦτα καὶ ἕτερά τινα διαλεχθέντες, ὁ μὲν εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον, ἐς τρίτην ἡμέραν αὖθις ἥξειν ἐπαγγειλάμενος, ὁ δ' εἰς τὴν πόλιν, τὴν δευτέραν συντυχίαν ἀπειπάμενος, διελύοντο. ἐς τρίτην δὲ ἡμέραν ὁ μέγας δομέστικος αὖθις ἦλθεν εἰς Ῥωγὼ ἐπὶ τῷ Καβασίλᾳ αὖθις συγγενέσθαι. ὁ δ' ἀναβαλλόμενος ἐπὶ μικρὸν, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἀφιστάμενον ἑώρα, ἐξελθὼν καὶ αὖθις, τήν τε γέφυραν διαβὰς, εἰς ἓν αὐτῷ συν 1.515 ῆλθεν. ἐφ' ἱκανόν τε ὁ μέγας δομέστικος αὐτῷ διαλεχθεὶς, πεῖσαι μὲν οὐκ ἴσχυσε προσχωρῆσαι βασιλεῖ καὶ τὴν πόλιν παραδοῦναι· ὅμως δὲ διέσεισεν αὐτοῦ τοὺς λογισμοὺς τοῦ μὴ τῶν ἀπηγορευμένων παντάπασι τὸ ὑπὸ βασιλέα οἴεσθαι τελεῖν, μηδ' αἱρετώτερον ἡγεῖσθαι τῆς δουλείας τὸ ἀποθνήσκειν πολιορκουμένους. συνταξάμενος δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ αὖθις ἥξειν προειπὼν μετ' οὐ πολὺ, ὁ μὲν εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον, ὁ δὲ εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἀνεχώρησαν. μεθ' ἡμέρας δέ τινας καὶ αὖθις προσελθὼν καὶ συνδιημερεύσας αὐτῷ ἔξω γενομένῳ τῶν τειχῶν, ἔπεισε προσχωρῆσαι βασιλεῖ καὶ τὴν πόλιν παραδοῦναι. ἐπεὶ δὲ εἶχε πεπεισμένον, αὐτὸν μὲν ἐν Ῥωγοῖ κατέλιπεν αὖθις· αὐτὸς δὲ πρὸς βασιλέα παρὰ τὴν Ἄρταν ἐστρατοπεδευμένῳ ὅτι παραδιδοίη Καβασίλας Ῥωγὼ ἀπαγγελῶν ἐχώρει. ὁδεύοντι δὲ αὐτῷ, ἐπεὶ ἐγένετο κατά τινα πηγὴν ψυχρὸν ἅμα ῥέουσαν καὶ διειδὲς καὶ ἥδιστον πιεῖν, ἐδόκει δεῖν τῶν ἵππων ἀποβάντας, ἄριστον ἑλέσθαι, καὶ ἀποβάντες κατεκλίνοντο. μετὰ μικρὸν δὲ καὶ ὁ Καβασίλας σπουδῇ ὡρᾶτο προσελαύνων, καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἐγγὺς ἦν, πρίν τι φθέγξασθαι αὐτόν· «οἴομαι» ὁ μέγας δομέστικος εἶπε «σοὶ τῶν ἑταίρων μεμφομένων καὶ πολλὴν κατηγορούντων εὐκολίαν ὅτι πρὸς ἐμὲ πολέμιον δοκοῦντα εἶναι, μηδὲν ἔχων ἐνέχυρον ἀσφαλείας, ἀπερισκέπτως οὕτω τὸ δοκοῦν φοιτᾷς, βουληθεὶς ἔργοις ἀποδεῖξαι ὡς οὐκ ἀμαθῶς οὐδὲ θρασέως, ἀλλ' εὖ εἰδὼς ᾧτινι πιστεύεις σεαυτὸν, τὰ δέοντα ποιεῖς, ἐκείνους μὲν καταλιπεῖν 1.516 ἀνόητα ἐνθυμουμένους, παρ' ἡμᾶς δὲ ἥκειν, οὓς κέκρικας τῶν ἄλλων μᾶλλον πιστοτέρους.» ὁ δ', εἰ μὴ πρῶτος, ἔφασκεν, αὐτὸς ἀφῖκτο μετὰ τοὺς ἐκεῖ ῥηθέντας λόγους, οὐ πιστεῦσαι ἂν ῥᾳδίως μή τινα τῶν λόγων ἐκείνων ἄγγελον ἐλθεῖν. τούτων γὰρ αὐτῶν ἡμῖν πρὸς ἀλλήλους εἰρημένων, καταλιπὼν αὐτοὺς, ἥκω παρὰ σέ· αὐτὸς δ' ἂν εἰδείης ὅ,τι πράττειν βέλτιον ἐμὲ, καὶ ἢ πρὸς βασιλέα ἥκειν ἅμα σοὶ, ἢ ἐνταῦθα μένειν, ἄχρις ἂν αὐτὸς κελεύῃς. ἐγὼ γὰρ, εὖ ἴσθι, βασιλεῖ μὲν οὐκ ἄν ποτε προσεχώρησα, ἀλλ', ὅπερ ἔφην πρὸς ἐκεῖνον, μᾶλλον ἂν ἀποθανεῖν εἱλόμην, ἢ ἐκείνῳ ὑποχείριος γενέσθαι· τῆς σῆς δὲ φιλίας ἡττῆσθαι παρὰ πολὺ ὁμολογῶ, καὶ τούτου γε ἕνεκα ἐμαυτόν τε καὶ πολίτας ἐγκεχειρικέναι τοὺς ἐμοὺς, ὥσθ' ἅ σοι κατὰ γνώμην, ἐξεῖναι πράττειν περὶ ἡμᾶς.» Ὁ μέγας δὲ δομέστικος πολλὴν αὐτῷ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν εὐνοίας χάριν ὁμολογήσας, εἰς Ῥωγὼ ἐκέλευεν αὖθις ἐπιέναι, ὡς τὴν ὑστεραίαν αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῶν βασιλικῶν ἀφιξομένου δωρεῶν καὶ αὐτόν τε καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους παραληψομένου. ὁ δὲ πεισθεὶς αὖθις ἐπανῆλθεν εἰς Ῥωγώ. ἐκεῖθεν δὲ ὁ μέγας δομέστικος εἰς βασιλέα ἐλθὼν καὶ περὶ Καβασίλα καὶ Ῥωγοῦς ὡς προσεχώρησαν ἀπαγγείλας, ἐπιτραπείς τε παρ' ἐκείνου ὅσα ἂν ᾖ δίκαια καὶ συμφέροντα εὐποιΐας ἕνεκα πράσσειν πρὸς αὐτοὺς, εἰς τὴν ὑστεραίαν αὖθις εἰς Ῥωγὼ ἐλθὼν, εἰσεδέχθη τε παρὰ τῶν Ῥωγίων τὴν πόλιν παραδόντων, καὶ αὐτὸς ἑκάστῳ κατ' ἀξίαν τὰς βασιλέως παρέσχετο εὐεργεσίας· 1.517 συμπαραλαβών τε