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of those wishing and being grateful for his rule, and especially because he was afraid, lest from this a pretext for sedition and civil war might arise, from which, as was likely, he saw that the Roman dominion would be destroyed, and thinking it more grievous than any death to provide the cause of these terrible things himself; for this reason, not even while the emperor was still 2.25 alive, although he had begged him many times, did he wish to become emperor, for he had considered even before laying aside the command and living the rest of his life in quiet, as I said, considering anything whatever more tolerable than to become the cause of ruin for the Romans himself. But when, during the assembly, Choumnos had spoken to him insolently and rashly—for he thought that the speech was directed especially to him, who was both considered and was the first of all the Romans at that time—no one rebuked him, nor did anyone blame his untimely frankness, believing such a thing to be the beginning of civil strife, he was moved more quickly than he wished to renounce his rule. 3. Therefore, after the assembly, on the next day, since both he and the patriarch were present in the palace, he used him as a messenger to the empress and made such things known to her through him, that if a choice had been offered to him from God—and he himself would be a witness to the truth of what was being said—between the emperor being among the living and himself choosing death instead of him, with all his votes and with all eagerness and zeal he would have chosen to die himself so that the other might live. But since it seemed best in this way to him who weighs out for each the measures of both life and death, it was fitting to acknowledge to him thanks for his wise providence concerning us, and for each of them to consider what would be both proper and advantageous for himself. And so, having considered this for myself, 2.26 it seemed necessary to abstain from affairs, and to spend the rest of my life in tranquility, as I am able, living by myself. Having decided thus, I now make it clear to you.” But when the patriarch asked the reason why it occurred to him to say such things to the empress, he said that even before he had been turning over such thoughts and thought it necessary to withdraw from affairs. “But what persuaded me more quickly to reveal my counsel,” he said, “was nothing other than that on the previous day, during the assembly, when Choumnos spoke out of turn and foolishly, saying ‘if it is revealed to the last, let the first be silent,’ neither the empress nor you yourself were indignant at his shamelessness, nor did he pay the penalty for his foolish loquacity, but you remained quiet at his words, as if nothing unusual had been said.” But the patriarch said, “If some other cause led to such words, you would know. But if, provoked by this alone, being carried away by anger toward both me and the empress, you have decided to withdraw from the administration of public affairs, you are doing neither what is just nor what is fitting for yourself. For I insist that I did not hear these words at all; and I think it right to be believed by you. And I think the empress will say the same as I. For she would not have borne it in silence, if she had happened to hear the words and had thought they were spoken to you. Therefore I also beg 2.27 you to refrain from these words to the empress, as they will be no small addition to our troubles.” But he did not desist, but ordered him to report it, saying that for now it was only that speech which had caused the disturbance, but perhaps he also had some other unbearable things in his soul. At once, therefore, the patriarch did what was ordered and reported to the empress all that the Grand Domestic had said to him. But she, receiving into her ears words beyond her hope and expectation, was grieved at what was said, and was astonished at what had persuaded the Grand Domestic both to think such things and to say them to her. Nevertheless, collecting herself, she sent word back to him that such words were not at all fitting for him, nor were they worthy of his mind, nor of the friendship for the emperor, which you have kept guileless and pure for one another from childhood until this present time. For which reason I am not able to be persuaded, as on account of a madman

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βουλομένων καὶ χάριν εἰδότων τῆς ἀρχῆς, ἄλλως τε καὶ δεδοικὼς, μὴ καὶ πρόφασις ἐκ τούτου στάσεως ἀναφυῇ καὶ πολέμου ἐμφυλίου, ἐξ ὧν ὡς εἰκὸς διαφθαρησομένην συνεώρα τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἡγεμονίαν, καὶ παντὸς οἰόμενος θανάτου ἐπαχθέστερον τὴν αἰτίαν τῶν δεινῶν παρασχεῖν αὐτός· διὸ οὐδὲ βασιλέως ἔτι 2.25 περιόντος, καίτοι πολλὰ πολλάκις παρακεκληκότος, ἠθέλησε γενέσθαι βασιλεὺς, ἐσκέπτετο μὲν καὶ πρότερον τὴν ἡγεμονίαν ἀποθέσθαι καὶ ἀπραγμοσύνῃ τὸν ἐπίλοιπον βίον ζῇν, ὅπερ ἔφην, τοῦ φθορᾶς αὐτὸς αἴτιος Ῥωμαίοις καταστῆναι πᾶν ὁτιοῦν ἀνεκτότερον νομίζων. ὡς δὲ καὶ κατὰ τὸν σύλλογον αὐθαδῶς καὶ θρασέως τοῦ Χούμνου πρὸς αὐτὸν διειλεγμένου, μάλιστα γὰρ πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν λόγον ἀποτείνεσθαι ᾠήθη, πάντων τῶν τότε Ῥωμαίων καὶ νομιζόμενον καὶ ὄντα πρῶτον, οὐδεὶς ἐπετίμησεν, οὐδὲ ἐμέμψατο τῆς ἀκαίρου παῤῥησίας, ὥσπερ ἀρχὴν νομίσας στάσεως ἐμφυλίου τὸ τοιοῦτον, θᾶττον ἢ ἐβούλετο ὥρμητο ἀπαγορεύειν τὴν ἀρχήν. γʹ. Μετὰ γοῦν τὸν σύλλογον εἰς τὴν ὑστεραίαν ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτὸς καὶ πατριάρχης παρῆσαν ἐν βασιλείοις, πρὸς βασιλίδα ἐχρῆτο μηνυτῇ καὶ τοιαῦτα αὐτῇ ἐδήλου δι' αὐτοῦ, ὡς, εἴπερ ἦν αἵρεσις αὐτῷ προτεθῆναι ἐκ θεοῦ, αὐτὸς δ' ἂν εἴη τῶν λεγομένων μάρτυς, ὡς ἀληθῆ, βασιλέα μὲν ἐν ζῶσιν εἶναι, αὐτὸν δ' ἐκείνου τὸν θάνατον ἀνθελέσθαι, ἁπάσαις ψήφοις καὶ πάσῃ σπουδῇ καὶ προθυμίᾳ προείλετο ἂν αὐτὸς ἀποθανεῖν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἐκεῖνον ζῇν. ἐπεὶ δὲ τῷ μέτρα καὶ ζωῆς καὶ τελευτῆς ἑκάστῳ ταλαντεύοντι τοῦτον ἔδοξε τὸν τρόπον, ἐκείνῳ μὲν ὁμολογεῖν προσῆκον χάριτας τῆς περὶ ἡμᾶς σοφῆς οἰκονομίας, αὐτοὺς δὲ ἕκαστον ὅ,τι ἂν εἴη αὐτῷ τε προσῆκον καὶ λυσιτελὲς σκοπεῖν. ὃ δὴ κἀμοὶ σκεψαμένῳ περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ, 2.26 ἔδοξε δεῖν τῶν μὲν πραγμάτων ἀποσχέσθαι· συνεῖναι δὲ τὸν ἐπίλοιπον ἀπραγμοσύνῃ βίον, ὅπως ἂν δύνωμαι, διάγοντα κατ' ἐμαυτόν. οὕτω δὴ δόξαν, ἤδη καὶ σοὶ κατάδηλον ποιῶ.» τοῦ πατριάρχου δὲ πυνθανομένου τὴν αἰτίαν, δι' ἣν αὐτῷ τοιαῦτα πρὸς τὴν βασιλίδα παρέστη λέγειν, καὶ πρότερον μὲν ἔφασκε τοὺς τοιούτους στρέφειν λογισμοὺς καὶ ἀναγκαῖον οἴεσθαι ἀφίστασθαι τῶν πραγμάτων. ὃ δέ με τάχιον ἀνέπεισε τὴν βουλὴν ἀνακαλύπτειν, οὐδὲν ἕτερον εἶναι, ἢ ὅτι τῇ προτεραίᾳ κατὰ τὸν σύλλογον ἀκαίρως τοῦ Χούμνου καὶ ἀνοήτως παῤῥησιασαμένου καὶ ἐὰν τῷ ἐσχάτῳ ἀποκαλυφθῇ, σιγάτω ὁ πρῶτος φαμένου, οὔθ' ἡ βασιλὶς οὔτ' αὐτὸς ἠγανακτήσατε πρὸς τὴν ἀναισχυντίαν, οὐδὲ δίκην ἔδωκε τῆς ἀνοήτου γλωσσαλγίας, ἀλλ' ἐφησυχάσατε τοῖς λεγομένοις, ὥσπερ εἰρημένου μηδενὸς καινοῦ.» ὁ πατριάρχης δὲ «εἰ μὲν καί τις ἄλλη πρὸς τοὺς τοιούτους» ἔλεγε «λόγους ἤγαγεν αἰτία, αὐτὸς ἂν εἰδείης. εἰ δ' αὐτοῦ τούτου ἕνεκα μόνου παροξυνθεὶς, ὀργῇ φερόμενος πρὸς ἐμέ τε καὶ τὴν βασιλίδα, ἀφίστασθαι τῆς διοικήσεως ἔγνως τῶν κοινῶν, οὔτε δίκαια ποιεῖς, οὔτε προσήκοντα σαυτῷ. ἐγώ τε γὰρ ἰσχυρίζομαι τουτωνὶ τῶν λόγων μὴ ἀκηκοέναι παντελῶς· καὶ δίκαιος εἶναι ἀξιῶ πιστεύεσθαι παρὰ σοί· οἴομαι δὲ καὶ τὴν βασιλίδα τὰ ἴσα ἐμοὶ ἐρεῖν. οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν ἤνεγκε σιγῇ, εἰ ἀκοῦσαί τε συνέβαινε τῶν λόγων καὶ πρὸς σὲ εἰρῆσθαι οἰηθῆναι. διό σου καὶ δέο 2.27 μαι τῶν πρὸς τὴν βασιλίδα λόγων ἀποσχέσθαι, οὐ φαύλην τινὰ ἐσομένων ἐπιθήκην τῶν κακῶν. ὁ δ' οὐκ ἀνίη, ἀλλ' ἐκέλευεν ἀπαγγέλλειν, νῦν μὲν, φάσκων, τὸν λόγον μόνον ἐκεῖνον τὸν ποιήσαντα τὴν ταραχὴν, ἴσως δέ τινα καὶ ἄλλα ἔχειν ἀνέκφορα ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ. αὐτίκα μὲν οὖν ὁ πατριάρχης ἐποίει τὰ κεκελευσμένα καὶ τῇ βασιλίδι ἀπήγγειλεν, ὅσα ὁ μέγας δομέστικος πρὸς αὐτὸν διαλεχθείη. ἡ δὲ ἐλπίδος τε ἔξω καὶ πέρα προσδοκίας λόγους ταῖς ἀκοαῖς εἰσδεξαμένη, ἠνιᾶτο μὲν ἐπὶ τοῖς λεγομένοις, ἐξεπέπληκτο δὲ, ὅ,τι τὸ τὸν μέγαν δομέστικον πεῖσαν, τοιαῦτά τε ἐνθυμηθῆναι καὶ πρὸς αὐτὴν εἰπεῖν. ὅμως ἑαυτὴν ἀναλαβοῦσα, ἀντεμήνυεν αὐτῷ, μὴ παντάπασιν αὐτῷ προσήκειν τοὺς τοιούτους λόγους, οὐδὲ τῆς αὐτοῦ διανοίας ἀξίους εἶναι, οὐδὲ τῆς πρὸς βασιλέα φιλίας, ἣν ἐκ παίδων ἄχρι καὶ εἰς τόδε χρόνου ἀλλήλοις διετηρήσατε ἄδολον καὶ καθαράν. διὸ οὐδὲ πείθεσθαι οἷά τε εἰμὶ, ὡς παραφρονοῦντος ἕνεκα ἀνθρώπου