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might have thought, the king, hating his wickedness, after he had enjoyed the generalship for a short time, immediately relieved him of his office, and for a time he went on, entrusted with no public affairs. But when the king died, after beseeching the Grand Domestic many times, although he was disposed of his own accord to do him good, he was entrusted with the service of the *mesazon*, but not with the custody of the imperial funds, although he was destined to have this too a little later, as the Grand Domestic later affirmed. But he, seeing that one of the offices had come to him immediately and with ease as soon as he asked for it, but the other had not, did not proceed to express thanks for what had been provided, so much as to seek revenge for that of which he thought he was being unjustly deprived. And thinking that the queen had entrusted to the Grand Domestic the task of handing both offices over to him, but that he, doing a favor to those who held the other office, was depriving him, he decided it was necessary to openly cause a confrontation, and approaching the queen, while the Grand Domestic was present and conversing, “I believe,” he said, “that not only the office now provided to me, but all the offices that the Romans hold, are bestowed on everyone not by the Grand Domestic, but by you. 2.100 For this reason I think it is fitting that you should receive the thanks for the benefaction. If indeed these things are true, as I think, why, when it had been ordered by you that I have both offices, which I held even while the king was alive, did he himself provide one, depriving me of the other? I beg you to order him to give back the other one as well, or rather, while he is present, that it be entrusted to me by you, so that I may give to you the more fitting thanks for your benefaction.” The Grand Domestic, for his part, said nothing. But the queen, condemning his great ingratitude, “I am quite amazed,” she said, “not seeing the reason from which you were brought to these words. For if, thinking that the Grand Domestic did not possess the same power as before, or that I am at odds with him in some way, you decided you must behave toward him arrogantly and boldly, know that you are very much mistaken about what is proper. But if, knowing he has lost nothing of his power or of his favor toward me, you were then brought to this point of absurdity, I for my part would say these words are not foolishness, but madness. I for my part knew that while the king was alive you were entrusted with both the office of *mesazon* and that of the imperial treasury; except even then, one might say, it was not with the king's consent, but because this man wished it that he yielded. For this reason he was often reproached many times by him, who was carried away into anger against you, 2.101 saying that he was doing things that were not profitable by deeming you worthy of greater things than was proper. And when, having been chosen admiral, you were again thrown out of office, neither while the king was alive, nor by me after his death were you promoted to any office. But now this man, first having been moved of his own accord, entrusted to you the office you mentioned, and then, reporting it later, he persuaded me as well to approve what had been decided. Therefore it was fitting to acknowledge with thanks his benefaction and not to behave with bold insolence.” Thus, then, the queen spoke to the *parakoimomenos*. 10. And the Grand Domestic, himself unable to bear the ingratitude, “It was necessary,” he said, “for so long a time to be for you a teacher of the good things that have come from me. But since you willingly desire to be wicked, when it was necessary to express much thanks, you chose to say the opposite, now I too take away from you the office which I provided, and from this day on, let you have no concern for any public affairs.” So he said such things. And Apokaukos inquired of the queen if such things were also her opinion. And when she said she approved of what had been said, the Grand Domestic again forbade him any office, and he rose and took up the administration of other affairs. And as many as were present in the palace, knowing of the *parakoimomenos*'s dispute with the Grand Domestic, and how he had been driven out of every office by him in anger, condemned his great ingratitude and 2.102 madness. And as he was going out of the palace, although previously many were accustomed to follow him

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διανοηθείη, βασιλεὺς μὲν μισήσας τὴν πονηρίαν, μικρὰ τῆς στρατηγίας ἀπολαύσαντα παρέλυσεν εὐθέως τῆς ἀρχῆς, καὶ διήγαγεν ἐπὶ καιρὸν μηδὲν ἐγκεχειρισμένος τῶν κοινῶν. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐτελεύτησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς, πολλὰ τοῦ μεγάλου δεηθεὶς δομεστίκου, καίτοι καὶ οἴκοθεν ὡρμημένου ποιεῖν αὐτὸν εὖ, τὴν μὲν τοῦ μεσάζειν ὑπηρεσίαν ἐνεχειρίσθη, τὴν δὲ τῶν βασιλικῶν χρημάτων φυλακὴν οὐκέτι, καίτοι γε ἔμελλε μικρὸν ὕστερον καὶ ταύτην, ὡς ὁ μέγας ὕστερον δομέστικος διεβεβαιοῦτο. ὁ δὲ τὴν μὲν τῶν ἀρχῶν ἰδὼν εὐθέως καὶ μετὰ ῥᾳστώνης αὐτῷ προσγενομένην ἅμα τῷ αἰτῆσαι, τὴν ἑτέραν δὲ οὐκέτι, οὐ τῶν παρεσχημένων ἕνεκα ἐπῄει μᾶλλον χάριτας ὁμολογεῖν, ἢ ἀμύνεσθαι, ὧν ἀδίκως ᾤετο ἀποστερεῖσθαι. νομίσας δὲ καὶ βασιλίδα μὲν ἐπιτετραφέναι τῷ μεγάλῳ δομεστίκῳ ἀμφοτέρας ἐκείνῳ ἐγχειρίζειν τὰς ἀρχὰς, τὸν δὲ χαριζόμενον τοῖς τὴν ἑτέραν ἔχουσιν ἀποστερεῖν ἐκεῖνον, ἔγνω δεῖν προσκρούειν φανερῶς καὶ βασιλίδι προσελθὼν, παρόντος ἐκείνου καὶ διαλεγομένου, «ἐγὼ νομίζω,» εἶπεν «οὐ μόνον τὴν ἐμοὶ παρεσχημένην νῦν ἀρχὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσας, ὅσας ἄρχουσι Ῥωμαῖοι, οὐ παρὰ μεγάλου δομεστίκου, παρὰ σοῦ 2.100 δὲ χορηγεῖσθαι πᾶσι. διὸ καὶ οἴομαι προσήκειν σοὶ τὰς τῆς εὐεργεσίας χάριτας εἰδέναι. εἰ δὴ ταῦτα οὕτως, ὥσπερ οἴομαι, ἔστιν ἀληθῆ, ἀνθ' ὅτου, παρὰ σοῦ προστεταγμένον ἀμφοτέρας ἔχειν τὰς ἀρχὰς, ὧν καὶ περιόντος ἦρχον βασιλέως, τὴν ἑτέραν παρέσχετο αὐτὸς, τῆς μιᾶς ἀποστερήσας, δέομαί σου καὶ τὴν ἑτέραν αὐτῷ προστάξαι ἀποδοῦναι, μᾶλλον δὲ, καὶ αὐτοῦ παρόντος, παρὰ σοῦ ἐγχειρισθῆναι, ἵνα σοι καὶ μᾶλλον προσηκούσας τὰς εὐχαριστίας τῆς εὐεργεσίας ἀποδῶ.» ὁ μέγας μὲν οὖν δομέστικος ἐφθέγξατο οὐδέν. ἡ βασιλὶς δ' αὐτοῦ πολλὴν καταγνοῦσα τὴν ἀχαριστίαν, «πάνυ θαυμάζειν» εἶπεν «ἐπέρχεταί μοι, τὴν αἰτίαν, ἐξ ἧς εἰς τούτους προήχθης τοὺς λόγους, οὐ συνορώσῃ. εἰ μὲν γὰρ οἰόμενος, μὴ τὴν ὁμοίαν δύναμιν τὸν μέγαν δομέστικον, ἥνπερ καὶ πρότερον, κεκτῆσθαι, ἢ ἐμέ τι διαφέρεσθαι πρὸς αὐτὸν, δεῖν ἔγνως αὐθαδῶς αὐτῷ προσφέρεσθαι καὶ θρασέως, ἴσθι πάνυ τοῦ προσήκοντος ἁμαρτών. εἰ δ' οὐδὲν ἀποβεβληκότα καὶ τῆς δυνάμεως καὶ τῆς εὐνοίας τῆς εἰς ἐμὲ εἰδὼς, ἔπειτα εἰς τοῦτο προήχθης ἀτοπίας, οὐκ ἀσυνεσίας, ἀλλὰ παραπληξίας φαίην ἂν ἔγωγε τοὺς λόγους τουτουσί. ἐγὼ δέ σε περιόντος μὲν ᾔδειν βασιλέως τήν τε τοῦ μεσάζειν ἐγκεχειρισμένον καὶ τοῦ βασιλικοῦ ταμιείου τὴν ἀρχήν· πλὴν καὶ τότε, εἴποι τις ἂν, οὐχ ἑκόντος βασιλέως, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ βούλεσθαι τοῦτον παραχωροῦντος. διὸ καὶ πολλὰ πολλάκις ὠνειδίζετο παρ' ἐκείνου, κατὰ σοῦ 2.101 ἐκφερομένου πρὸς ὀργὴν, ὡς οὐ λυσιτελοῦντα πράττων σὲ μειζόνων ἢ προσῆκεν ἀξιῶν. ἐπεὶ δὲ ναύαρχος αἱρεθεὶς αὖθις ἐξεβλήθης τῆς ἀρχῆς, οὔτε βασιλέως ζῶντος, οὔτε μετὰ τὴν ἐκείνου τελευτὴν ὑπ' ἐμοῦ πρὸς ἀρχήν τινα προήχθης. νῦν δ' οὗτος οἴκοθεν πρότερον ὁρμηθεὶς, ἣν ἔφης, ἐνεχείρισεν ἀρχὴν, ἔπειθ' ὕστερον ἀπαγγείλας, ἔπεισε κἀμὲ στέργειν τὰ ἐψηφισμένα. διὸ προσῆκε τῆς εὐεργεσίας χάριτας ὁμολογεῖν καὶ μὴ θρασέως ἀπαυθαδίζεσθαι.» οὕτω μὲν οὖν ἡ βασιλὶς πρὸς τὸν παρακοιμώμενον ἐφθέγξατο. ιʹ. Ὁ μέγας δὲ δομέστικος τὴν ἀγνωμοσύνην καὶ αὐτὸς οὐκ ἐνεγκὼν, «ἔδει μὲν» εἶπε «τὸν τοσοῦτον χρόνον διδάσκαλόν σοι τῶν ὑπηργμένων ἀγαθῶν γενέσθαι παρ' ἐμοῦ. ἐπεὶ δ' ἑκοντὶ κακὸς ἐθέλων εἶναι, δέον πολλὰς χάριτας ὁμολογεῖν, σὺ δὲ τἀναντία προείλου λέγειν, ἤδη σου κἀγὼ τὴν ἀρχὴν, ἣν παρεσχόμην, ἀφαιρῶ, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης μηδενός σοι μελέτω τῶν κοινῶν.» ὁ μὲν οὖν τοιαῦτα εἶπεν. Ἀπόκαυκος δὲ τῆς βασιλίδος ἐπυνθάνετο, εἰ καὶ αὐτῇ τοιαῦτα συνδοκοίη. τῆς δὲ τὰ εἰρημένα στέργειν εἰπούσης, ὁ μέγας δομέστικος αὖθις πᾶσαν ἀπαγορεύσας ἀρχὴν ἐκείνῳ, ἀνέστη καὶ διοικήσεως ἑτέρων εἴχετο πραγμάτων. ὅσοι δὲ παρῆσαν ἐν βασιλείοις, τὴν παρακοιμωμένου γνόντες πρὸς τὸν μέγαν δομέστικον ἀντιλογίαν, καὶ ὡς ὑπ' ἐκείνου πρὸς ὀργὴν πάσης ἀρχῆς ἀπελαθείη, πολλὴν μὲν ἐκείνου καὶ ἀγνωμοσύνην καὶ 2.102 παράνοιαν κατέγνωσαν. ἐξιόντι δὲ τῶν βασιλείων, καίτοι πρότερον εἰωθότες ἕπεσθαι πολλοὶ