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considering that it was especially fitting at such times, not for the sake of luxury and pleasure, but so that no pretext for sedition and disorder might arise among the masses, since all were now accurately persuaded that they were subject to an emperor and would pay the penalty for their lawlessness, should they attempt to rebel. And he advised her to dismiss their arguments and for them to proceed to the task, as it was both expedient and just. But she asked him not to meddle, but to let it be for now because of the opinions of the many, and to do it a little later, when it would be possible also to escape the slanders. The grand domestic said nothing in reply to the empress's objection; but he was annoyed that she was persuaded not by him and his better counsel, but by others who advised what was inexpedient. That matter was thus prevented. But a little later it was reported that Sarchanes, the satrap of Lydia, and Giaxes were preparing to cross to Thrace to plunder the Romans with ships. The grand domestic was not neglectful, but immediately ordered as many triremes as he thought would be sufficient to be manned for war against the barbarians. He ordered the treasurers to provide the expense for the triremes from public funds, while he himself provided the rest from his own resources. And when they were manned, he appointed 2.66 as general over them the parakoimomenos Apokaukos, and having given him all necessary instructions and ordered him to take care of the departure for the future, he himself sent an embassy to Orchanes, the satrap of eastern Bithynia, concerning peace. For it did not seem right to him, as he was about to campaign in the west, to leave some war for the Romans behind him. And when the peace with him was also concluded, he himself prepared for the expedition. For the army was already assembling at Didymoteichon and the city of Adrianople, by his order. On the day he was to leave Byzantium, taking the patriarch alone with him and going to the church of the myrrh-gushing martyr Demetrius in the palace, "You are not unaware," he said, "of the words that passed between me and the empress. For not only were you present at what was said by both of us, but you yourself were the messenger of what had been said privately to each of us before. And it is not at all absurd or surprising if at that time it occurred to the empress to say such things about me, perhaps thinking that I would accomplish some great things, but now in the face of the facts, with matters not turning out according to her hopes, some regret for what has happened has entered her mind. If, therefore, as I said, being displeased at some of the things that have happened, she no longer wishes to abide by what has been decided, I demand that she say so plainly and not conceal it out of shame. For I am most ready, as before, to renounce the office. But if she has decided to abide by the decrees to the end and to keep the 2.67 oaths which she swore, I myself will not neglect to do everything that may be advantageous to her and her children and in common to the Romans." But when the patriarch found fault with the untimeliness of his words and said that it was not fitting for him either to think or to say such things; for the empress thought nothing of the sort about him, but believed the emperor to be among the living and the Roman empire to be administered as if by him, remembering your words which you spoke to her when you made the agreements;" "Therefore," said the grand domestic, "concerning her one must be persuaded thus, just as you yourself insist. But concerning you, what is one to think? Will you abide by the agreements, or rather the oaths, which you made to me?" And he, immediately rising again, said, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for both before and now I will abide by what I have said and I will neglect none of your rights; but I will resist with all my strength, not only repaying a benefactor with good deeds, but also caring for a spiritual son." Upon this the grand domestic acknowledged many thanks to him and, taking his leave, left the patriarch and came to the empress. And as soon as she saw him, she said she acknowledged many thanks to him, because what he had previously promised in words, he now proved true in deeds, sparing not his body, but for the common

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λογιζομένων, μάλιστα προσήκειν ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις καιροῖς, οὐ τρυφῆς ἕνεκα καὶ ἡδονῆς, ἀλλὰ τοῦ μηδεμίαν πρόφασιν στάσεως καὶ ταραχῆς ἐγγενέσθαι τοῖς πολλοῖς, πάντων ἤδη πεπεισμένων ἀκριβῶς, ὡς ὑπὸ βασιλέα τελοῦσι καὶ δίκας δώσουσι τῆς παρανοίας, ἂν ἐπιχειρῶσι στασιάζειν. παρῄνει τε αὐτῇ, τοὺς μὲν ἐκείνων λόγους χαίρειν ἐᾷν, αὐτοὺς δὲ χωρεῖν ἐπὶ τὸ ἔργον, ὡς ἅμα λυσιτελὲς καὶ δίκαιον ὄν. ἡ δὲ μὴ πολυπραγμονεῖν ἐδεῖτο, ἀλλὰ νῦν μὲν ἐᾷν διὰ τὰς δόξας τῶν πολλῶν, ὀλίγῳ δὲ ὕστερον ποιεῖν, ἡνίκα ἂν ἐξῇ καὶ τὰς λοιδορίας διαφεύγειν. ὁ μέγας δὲ δομέστικος πρὸς μὲν τῆς βασιλίδος τὴν ἔνστασιν οὐδὲν ἀντεῖπεν· ἤχθετο δὲ, ὅτι οὐκ αὐτῷ τὰ βελτίω, ἀλλ' ἑτέροις ἀλυσιτελῆ βουλευομένοις πείθοιτο. ἐκεῖνο μὲν οὕτως ἐκωλύθη. μικρῷ δὲ ὕστερον ἠγγέλλετο, ὡς Σαρχάνης ὁ Λυδίας σατράπης καὶ Γιαξὴς πρὸς Θρᾴκην περαιοῦσθαι παρασκευάζονται, ναυσὶ ληϊσόμενοι Ῥωμαίους. ὁ μέγας δὲ δομέστικος οὐκ ἠμέλει, ἀλλ' αὐτίκα τριήρεις, ὅσας ἐξαρκέσειν ᾤετο, πρὸς πόλεμον τοῖς βαρβάροις ἐκέλευε πληροῦν. τὴν δὲ δαπάνην τῶν τριήρεων, τὴν μὲν ἐκ τῶν δημοσίων τοῖς ταμίαις ἐκέλευε παρέχειν, τὴν δ' ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων παρείχετο αὐτός. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐπεπλήρωντο, ταῖς μὲν ἐπέστησε 2.66 στρατηγὸν τὸν παρακοιμώμενον Ἀπόκαυκον, καὶ ὅσα ἔδει ἐντειλάμενος καὶ τοῦ λοιποῦ κελεύσας αὐτῷ μέλειν τὸν ἀπόπλουν, αὐτὸς Ὀρχάνῃ, τῷ τῆς κατὰ Βιθυνίαν ἑῴας σατράπῃ, διεπρεσβεύετο περὶ εἰρήνης. οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐδόκει δεῖν αὐτῷ πρὸς ἑσπέραν μέλλοντι στρατεύειν, πόλεμόν τινα Ῥωμαίοις ὀπίσω καταλιπεῖν. ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ ἡ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον εἰρήνη τέλος εἶχεν, αὐτὸς μὲν πρὸς τὴν ἔξοδον παρεσκευάζετο. ἤδη γὰρ καὶ ἡ στρατιὰ κατὰ ∆ιδυμότειχον καὶ τὴν Ἀδριανοῦ πόλιν, αὐτοῦ κελεύοντος, συνελέγοντο. ἐν ᾗ δὲ ἔμελλεν ἡμέρᾳ Βυζαντίου ἐξιέναι, τὸν πατριάρχην μόνος μόνον παραλαβὼν καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἐν βασιλείοις τοῦ μυροβλύτου ∆ημητρίου τοῦ μάρτυρος γενόμενος ναὸν, «τοὺς μὲν ἐμοῦ τε μεταξὺ καὶ βασιλίδος» ἔφη «γεγενημένους λόγους οὐκ ἀγνοεῖς. οὐ γὰρ μόνον παρῆς τοῖς παρ' ἀμφοτέρων λεγομένοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν πρότερον ἰδίᾳ ἡμῶν ἑκάστῳ εἰρημένων αὐτὸς ἦσθα μηνυτής. οὐδὲν δὲ παράλογον ἢ θαυμαστὸν, εἰ τότε μὲν περὶ ἐμοῦ τοιαῦτα ἐπῄει τῇ βασιλίδι λέγειν, ἴσως οἰομένῃ μεγάλα τινὰ καταπράξεσθαι ἐμὲ, νυνὶ δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων, μὴ κατ' ἐλπίδας αὐτῇ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκβαινόντων, μεταμέλειά τις εἰσῆλθε τῶν γεγενημένων. εἰ μὲν οὖν, ὅπερ ἔφην, πρός τι τῶν γινομένων ἀηδῶς διατεθεῖσα, τὰ δεδογμένα μηκέτι στέργειν ἐθέλει, διαῤῥήδην λέγειν ἀξιῶ καὶ μὴ συγκαλύπτειν ὑπ' αἰδοῦς. ἐγὼ γὰρ ὥσπερ καὶ πρότερον ἑτοιμότατα ἔχω παραιτεῖσθαι τὴν ἀρχήν. εἰ δ' ἐκείνη διὰ τέλους ἔγνωκε στέργειν τὰ ἐψηφισμένα καὶ τοὺς 2.67 ὅρκους, οὓς ὀμώμοκε, τηρεῖν, οὐδ' αὐτὸς ἀμελήσω τοῦ μὴ πάντα πράττειν, ὅσα ἂν αὐτῇ τε καὶ παισὶ καὶ κοινῇ λυσιτελῇ Ῥωμαίοις.» τοῦ πατριάρχου δὲ πρὸς τὴν ἀκαιρίαν τῶν λόγων μεμψαμένου καὶ μὴ τοιαῦτα προσήκειν αὐτὸν μήτε διανοεῖσθαι φαμένου, μήτε λέγειν· βασιλίδα γὰρ μηδὲν περὶ αὐτοῦ λογίζεσθαι τοιοῦτον, ἀλλὰ βασιλέα οἴεσθαι ἐν ζῶσιν εἶναι καὶ τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἡγεμονίαν ὥσπερ ὑπ' ἐκείνου διοικεῖσθαι, τῶν σῶν μεμνημένην λόγων, ὧν διεξῄεις πρὸς αὐτὴν, ἡνίκα ἐποιεῖσθε τὰς συμβάσεις·» «οὐκοῦν» ὁ μέγας δομέστικος ἔφη «περὶ μὲν ἐκείνης οὕτω δεῖ πεπεῖσθαι, ὥσπερ αὐτὸς διϊσχυρίζῃ. περὶ δὲ σοῦ τί ποτε ἔξεστι νομίζειν; ἆρ' ἐμμενεῖς ταῖς ὁμολογίαις, μᾶλλον δὲ τοῖς ὅρκοις, οὓς ἐποιήσω πρὸς ἐμέ;» ὁ δ' αὐτίκα πάλιν ἀναστὰς, «εὐλογητὸς» εἶπεν «ὁ θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅτι καὶ πρότερον καὶ νῦν οἷσπερ εἶπον ἐμμενῶ καὶ οὐδενὸς ἀμελήσω τῶν σῶν δικαίων· ἀλλ' ἀνθέξομαι παντὶ σθένει, οὐ μόνον ὡς εὐεργέτην ἀμειβόμενος ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς υἱοῦ κηδόμενος πνευματικοῦ.» ἐπὶ τούτοις δὲ αὐτῷ πολλὰς ὁ μέγας δομέστικος χάριτας ὁμολογήσας καὶ συνταξάμενος, καταλιπὼν τὸν πατριάρχην, ἧκεν ὡς βασιλίδα. ἡ δ' εὐθὺς ὡς εἶδε, χάριτας ἔφασκεν ὁμολογεῖν αὐτῷ πολλὰς, ὅτι ἃ πρότερον ἐπηγγέλλετο λόγοις, νῦν ἀποδείκνυσιν ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων ἀληθῆ, μήτε σώματος φειδόμενος, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τῶν κοινῇ