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the megas domestikos, having conversed with him sufficiently about these matters, left him 2.105 at home, on the understanding that he would come to him the next day. But he went to Selybria. The next day, when the parakoimomenos arrived, having sent him to Byzantium, with instructions to pay his respects to the empress and then return to him again, he himself went to Didymoteichon and prepared for the campaign to the west. The parakoimomenos, having arrived in Byzantium, first paid his respects to the empress and asked for forgiveness for the offenses he seemed to have committed. Then, approaching the mother of the megas domestikos, who was then in Byzantium for the consolation of the empress, he first acknowledged many thanks to the megas domestikos, not only for the benefactions which he had provided him from the beginning until then, but also for the magnanimity and sympathy which he had shown toward him not just once, but many times, and most recently now when he had offended him out of foolishness. Then he promised that nothing would persuade or compel him to be seen as ungrateful and wicked toward that man, but that he had so convinced himself that not only he, but also his whole family, would be loyal and faithful to him in all things and would maintain their meticulous servitude as to a master. And for the sake of faith and of what was said, he was ready now to offer oaths, those that seemed most firm and dreadful. But she said to him, “To enumerate the benefactions which have come to you from the megas domestikos from the beginning until now—and I will add also the returns made by you to him out of an ungrateful mind, 2.106 and his generosity in granting forgiveness to those who sin against him—is not necessary now, since you are the first to bear witness to them. But there is no need of oaths now, but rather of deeds that confirm the oaths. For faith does not follow words, but rather deeds. Therefore it is fitting for you to show your goodwill toward him by deeds, and not, making a show with words, to be lacking in deeds.” And he, promising to make his goodwill toward him clear to all not only in words but also in deeds, left from there and came to the patriarch. 17. And having greeted him and conversed first about some other matters, he then said, “The goodwill of the megas domestikos toward me you yourself would know, having followed events from the beginning. A little while ago, having offended him through ill-counsel, I nearly was destroyed, had you not interceded and not only persuaded him to let go of his anger at me, but also to provide the command of the fleet against the Persians as an occasion for glory. Whence I rightly confess to owe many thanks not only for my salvation, but also for the honor, and with all zeal and eagerness to plan and to do what is advantageous for you, since the same things will bring similar harm and benefit both to me and to you. If, therefore, for many reasons 2.107 I owe you unfeigned and pure goodwill and friendship, I thought it neither just, nor otherwise advantageous for me, having heard most terrible things about you, to conceal them, as some other person might, for whom it would matter little or not at all whether you fare better or worse.” And when the patriarch asked what he had heard about him, he said that the megas domestikos had not heard, but knew most clearly, that he wishes before long to depose you from the throne and install Palamas, who is one of his genuine and most especially cherished friends. And when the patriarch asked again from where he could have, as he asserted, precise knowledge of the matter, he begged him not to be curious about the reasons from which he came to know it. For he could not dare to speak of secrets. But of this one thing he was most clearly convinced, that if his soul were not greatly pained, having precise knowledge of the things being planned against that man, he would not have come and reported it. And while the patriarch was still disbelieving and not accepting the sudden change of the megas domestikos, he affirmed with oaths that nothing of what was said was false, but all was true. And he advised him not to delay, but to deliberate most quickly on the means by which it would be possible to escape the danger. For neither he, as you too would better

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μέγας δομέστικος ἐπὶ τούτοις αὐτῷ καὶ ἱκανῶς προσομιλήσας, αὐτὸν 2.105 μὲν οἴκοι κατελίμπανεν, ὡς ἐς τὴν ὑστεραίαν ἥξοντα πρὸς αὐτόν. ἐκεῖνος δὲ εἰς Σηλυβρίαν ἦλθεν. ἐς τὴν ὑστεραίαν δὲ ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ παρακοιμώμενος ἧκε, πέμψας πρὸς Βυζάντιον, ὡς τῇ βασιλίδι προσκυνήσαντα αὖθις ἐπανήκειν πρὸς αὐτὸν, αὐτὸς εἰς ∆ιδυμότειχον ἐλθὼν, πρὸς τὴν εἰς τὴν ἑσπέραν παρεσκευάζετο στρατείαν. ὁ παρακοιμώμενος δὲ γενόμενος ἐν Βυζαντίῳ, πρῶτα μὲν προσεκύνει βασιλίδα καὶ συγγνώμης ἠξιοῦτο, ἐφ' οἷς ἐδόκει προσκεκρουκέναι. ἔπειτα τῇ μεγάλου δομεστίκου προσελθὼν μητρὶ, ἐν Βυζαντίῳ τότε παραμυθίας ἕνεκα τῆς βασιλίδος οὔσῃ, πρῶτα μὲν πολλὰς ὡμολόγει χάριτας τῷ μεγάλῳ δομεστίκῳ, οὐ μόνων τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν, ὧν ἐξαρχῆς ἄχρι τότε παρέσχετο πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς μεγαλοψυχίας καὶ συμπαθείας, ἣν οὐχ ἅπαξ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλάκις καὶ τὰ τελευταῖα νῦν ἐξ ἀνοίας προσκεκρουκότος ἐνδείξαιτο πρὸς αὐτόν. ἔπειτα ἐπηγγέλλετο, ὡς οὐδὲν ἔσται τὸ πεῖσον ἢ βιασόμενον ἀχάριστον καὶ κακὸν ὀφθῆναι περὶ ἐκεῖνον, ἀλλ' οὕτω πεπεικέναι ἑαυτὸν, ὡς οὐκ αὐτὸν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ γένος ὅλον εὔνουν ἐκείνῳ καὶ πιστὸν εἶναι διὰ πάντων καὶ τὴν δουλείαν ἀκριβῆ τηρῆσον οἷα δὴ δεσπότῃ. πίστεως δὲ καὶ τῶν λεγομένων ἕνεκα νυνὶ ἕτοιμος εἶναι ὅρκους παρασχέσθαι, τοὺς μάλιστα δοκοῦντας βεβαιοτάτους καὶ φρικώδεις εἶναι. ἡ δ' ἔφασκεν αὐτῷ «τὸ μὲν τὰς εὐεργεσίας καταλέγειν, αἳ παρὰ μεγάλου δομεστίκου ἐξαρχῆς ἄχρι νῦν γεγένηνται σοὶ, προσθήσω δ' ὅτι καὶ τὰς ἐξ ἀχαρίστου γνώμης 2.106 παρὰ σοῦ γεγενημένας πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἀμοιβὰς, καὶ τὴν ἐκείνου περὶ τὸ συγγνώμην τοῖς εἰς αὐτὸν ἁμαρτάνουσι παρέχειν φιλοτιμίαν, οὐκ ἀναγκαῖον νῦν, σοῦ προτέρου μαρτυροῦντος. ὅρκων δὲ οὐ χρεία νῦν, ἀλλ' ἔργων μᾶλλον τοὺς ὅρκους βεβαιούντων. οὐ γὰρ τοῖς λόγοις ἡ πίστις, τοῖς ἔργοις δὲ μᾶλλον ἐπακολουθεῖ. διὸ καὶ σὲ προσῆκον ἔργοις ἐπιδείκνυσθαι τὴν εὔνοιαν τὴν πρὸς ἐκεῖνον, καὶ μὴ λόγοις ἐπιδεικνύμενον, τοῖς ἔργοις ὑστερεῖν.» ὁ δὲ οὐ λόγοις μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔργοις ἐπαγγειλάμενυς τὴν πρὸς ἐκεῖνον εὔνοιαν ποιήσειν πᾶσι φανερὰν, ἐκεῖθεν ἐξελθὼν ἧκεν ὡς πατριάρχην. ιζʹ. Προσαγορεύσας τε αὐτὸν καὶ περί τινων ἑτέρων προδιαλεχθεὶς, ἔπειτα «τὴν μὲν εἰς ἐμὲ τοῦ μεγάλου δομεστίκου» ἔφασκεν «εὐμένειαν καὶ αὐτὸς ἂν εἰδείης, ἄνωθεν τοῖς πράγμασι παρηκολουθηκώς. ὀλίγῳ δὲ πρότερον ἐξ ἀβουλίας αὐτῷ προσκεκρουκὼς, ὀλίγου ἐδέησα διαφθαρῆναι, εἰ μὴ σὺ δεηθεὶς, οὐ μόνον ἔπεισας ἀφεῖναί μοι τὴν ὀργὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρόφασιν εὐδοξίας τὴν τοῦ κατὰ Περσῶν στόλου παρασχεῖν ἀρχήν. ὅθεν οὐ σῶστρα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς τιμῆς πολλὰς ὀφείλειν τὰς εὐχαριστίας εἶναι δίκαιος ὁμολογῶ καὶ πάσῃ σπουδῇ καὶ προθυμίᾳ τὰ σοὶ λυσιτελοῦντα καὶ βουλεύεσθαι καὶ πράττειν, ὡς τῶν αὐτῶν καὶ τὴν βλάβην καὶ τὴν ὠφέλειαν ὁμοίαν ἐμοί τε καὶ σοὶ οἰσόντων. εἰ τοίνυν ἐκ πολλῶν 2.107 σοι τὴν εὔνοιαν καὶ τὴν φιλίαν ἄδολον καὶ καθαρὰν ὀφείλω, οὔτε δίκαιον ᾠήθην, οὔτ' ἄλλως ἐμοὶ λυσιτελὲς, δεινότατα πεπυσμένῳ περὶ σοῦ συγκρύπτειν, ὥσπερ ἄν τις ἄλλος, ᾧ βέλτιον ἢ χεῖρον ὀλίγα ἢ οὐδὲν μελήσει διακεῖσθαί σε.» ἐρομένου δὲ τοῦ πατριάρχου, ὅ,τι ἂν πύθοιτο περὶ αὐτοῦ, τὸν μέγαν ἔφασκε δομέστικον οὐκ ἀκηκοέναι, ἀλλὰ σαφέστατα εἰδέναι, ὅτι βούλοιτο οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν σὲ καταγαγὼν τοῦ θρόνου, Παλαμᾶν ἐγκαθιδρύειν, φίλον ὄντα τῶν γνησίων καὶ μάλιστα περισπούδαστον αὐτῷ. αὖθις δὲ τοῦ πατριάρχου ἐπανερομένου, ὅθεν ἂν σχοίη τὴν τοῦ πράγματος, ὥσπερ ἰσχυρίζεται, κατάληψιν ἀκριβῆ, τὰς μὲν αἰτίας ὅθεν ἐξεγένετο μαθεῖν, ἐδεῖτο μὴ πολυπραγμονεῖν. οὐ γὰρ ἀποῤῥήτων δύνασθαι κατατολμᾷν. ἓν δὲ τοῦτο σαφέστατα πεπεῖσθαι, ὡς εἰ μὴ πάνυ τὴν ψυχὴν ἤλγει, τῶν κατ' ἐκείνου μελετωμένων ἀκριβῆ τὴν γνῶσιν ἐσχηκὼς, οὐκ ἂν ἀπήγγελλεν ἐλθών. ἔτι δὲ τοῦ πατριάρχου ἀπιστοῦντος καὶ τὴν ἀθρόαν τοῦ μεγάλου δομεστίκου μεταβολὴν μὴ παραδεχομένου, ὅρκοις ἐκεῖνος διεβεβαιοῦτο, μηδὲν εἶναι ψευδὲς τῶν εἰρημένων, ἀλλὰ πάντα ἀληθῆ. παρῄνει τε μὴ μέλλειν, ἀλλὰ τάχιστα βουλεύεσθαι, ἐξ ὧν τὸν κίνδυνον ἐξέσται διαφυγεῖν. οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος, ὡς καὶ σὺ βέλτιον ἂν