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you might know, easy to be changed towards what has been decided.” At this the patriarch was exceedingly alarmed and especially convinced by the oaths that nothing of what had been said could be a fabrication, and he begged him to advise 2.108 what he ought to do against so great a swarm of evils. But the parakoimomenos, wishing to draw the patriarch still further into his nets, said, “I acknowledge that I owe many thanks for your previous good deeds and am right not only to zealously advise what I think is better and more advantageous, but also to readily give up wealth and servants and family and my very soul, if it is possible to say so, for your sake. And so that I may not seem, standing myself outside the dangers, to be advising you to undertake matters that involve great danger, I wish also to make you a partner of my family and of those dearest to me, by betrothing one of my daughters to your son, so that you may know precisely that I do not wish to be one of those who are simply friendly towards you, but one of those who share in your prosperity when you are doing well and will likewise be destroyed along with you if you are ruined.” And as these things were spoken to the delight of the patriarch, he was all the more persuaded that the parakoimomenos was zealous on his behalf. Having discussed a few things about the marriage alliance—for there was nothing that would cause disagreement, since Apokaukos readily promised everything—and having made agreements about the marriage and, according to the custom of the Romans, having confirmed the deed with medallions, and with the parakoimomenos adding frightful oaths to this, they turned to their deliberations. And the parakoimomenos advised not 2.109 to begin openly a war against the grand domestic starting from their own power. For not only would they alone not be sufficient to be a match for him, but not even if we should win over many other such men as allies. For his power among the Romans is not only apparent to us, but it is not unknown even to the barbarians settled far away. For for a long time now he has been the most powerful of all men among us and all pay close attention to him, some having received many benefits from him and expecting still more, others having been cowed by his power. For which reasons I do not think it is advantageous for us to oppose him openly. For in addition to being unable to accomplish any of what has been decided, we will also destroy ourselves. But it is necessary for us too to provide for ourselves some power as a counterweight to his. And this could not be found from any other source, unless in some way we should make the empress hostile to him. And when this has been done, we will easily stand against him, with many joining our side, on the grounds that they are fighting for the young emperor. And how this might be contrived, your own marvelous intelligence will especially discover; but I myself will also advise. Do not be surprised if, in opposing a powerful enemy, we also make use of falsehood. For one who is attempting to bring down the enemy ought not to consider this, whether he should use falsehood or truth, but should look to one thing alone, to become 2.110 stronger than his adversary; and let all other things go. Therefore, you too, approaching the empress—and you will be credible for persuasion both from your former goodwill and zeal which you showed towards her after the emperor's death, and from seeming to be zealous on her behalf now—accuse him, as not being suspected, but as already openly making the empire his own and as being about to kill her and her children any moment now. And if she should demand proof of what is said, persuade her not to meddle with such things. For she will meet her end before she comes to the proofs, unless, by separating from him, she saves herself and her children. From these things, she, being panic-stricken with fear, as I think, will entrust to us the war against him. And when this has been accomplished, nothing else remains but for him to perish a miserable death, and for you, in addition to escaping the impending danger, also to administer the affairs of the Romans, being the most worthy of all. Wherefore I beg you to be persuaded by my counsel and

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εἰδείης, εὔκολος μεταβάλλεσθαι πρὸς τὰ βεβουλευμένα.» ἐπὶ τούτοις δὲ ὁ πατριάρχης σφόδρα θορυβηθεὶς καὶ μάλιστα ὑπὸ τῶν ὅρκων πεπεισμένος, ὡς οὐδὲν ἂν εἴη πλάσμα τῶν εἰρημένων, ἐδεῖτο βου 2.108 λεύσασθαί οἱ, ὅ,τι δέοι πράττειν πρὸς τοσοῦτον ἑσμὸν κακῶν. ὁ παρακοιμώμενος δ' ἔτι μᾶλλον τὸν πατριάρχην εἴσω δικτύων ἄγειν βουληθεὶς «καὶ τῶν προτέρων μὲν» ἔφασκεν «εὐεργεσιῶν πολλάς τε χάριτας ὀφείλειν ὁμολογῶ καὶ δίκαιος εἶναι οὐ μόνον, ἅ μοι δοκῶ βελτίω καὶ λυσιτελῆ βουλεύεσθαι προθύμως, ἀλλὰ καὶ χρήματα καὶ οἰκέτας καὶ συγγένειαν καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτὴν, εἰ οἷόν τε εἰπεῖν, προΐεσθαι ἑτοίμως ὑπὲρ σοῦ. ὡς ἂν δὲ μὴ δοκῶ, τῶν κινδύνων ἔξω καθεστὼς αὐτὸς, σὲ παραινεῖν πολὺν τὸν κίνδυνον ἔχουσι πράγμασιν ἐπιχειρεῖν, καὶ συγγενείας καὶ τῶν φιλτάτων ἐμοὶ ποιῆσαι βούλομαι κοινωνὸν, τῶν θυγατέρων μίαν τῷ σῷ υἱῷ κατεγγυήσας, ἵν' εἰδείης ἀκριβῶς, ὡς οὐ τῶν ἁπλῶς φιλίως πρὸς σὲ διακειμένων εἶναι βούλομαι, ἀλλὰ τῶν σοί τε καλῶς πράττοντι τῆς εὐετηρίας κοινωνούντων καὶ ἀπολλυμένῳ συνδιαφθαρησομένων ὁμοίως.» ὡς δὲ καὶ ταῦτα ἀσμένῳ τῷ πατριάρχῃ εἰρημένα ἦν, καὶ μᾶλλον ἐπείθετο σπουδάζειν τὸν παρακοιμώμενον ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ. ὀλίγα περὶ τοῦ κήδους διαλεχθέντες, οὐ γὰρ ἦν τι τὸ διαφωνίαν παρασκευάσον, πάντα ἑτοίμως Ἀποκαύκου ἐπαγγελλομένου, συμβάσεις τε θέμενοι περὶ τοῦ γάμου καὶ κατὰ τὸ Ῥωμαίων ἔθος δι' ἐγκολπίων ἐμπεδώσαντες τὴν πρᾶξιν, τοῦ παρακοιμωμένου δὲ καὶ ὅρκους προσθέντος φρικώδεις ἐπὶ τούτῳ, ἐτράποντο πρὸς τὸ βουλεύεσθαι. συνεβούλευέ τε ὁ παρακοιμώμενος μὴ 2.109 ἐκ τῆς οἰκείας δυνάμεως ὁρμωμένους πρὸς τὸν μέγαν δομέστικον πόλεμον ἄρασθαι προφανῶς. μὴ γὰρ ὅτι γε εἰς ἀντιπάλων μοῖραν οὐκ ἐξαρκέσειν μόνους πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἀλλ' οὐδ' εἰ πολλοὺς ἑτέρους προσεταιρισαίμεθα τοιούτους. ἡ γὰρ ἐν Ῥωμαίοις ἰσχὺς ἐκείνου οὐχ ἡμῖν γε μόνον φανερὰ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς πόῤῥω κατῳκισμένοις βαρβάροις οὐκ ἀγνοεῖται. πολὺν γὰρ ἤδη χρόνον πάντων ὁ δυνατώτατός ἐστι τῶν παρ' ἡμῖν καὶ πάντες αὐτῷ προσέχουσιν ἀκριβῶς, οἱ μὲν παρ' αὐτοῦ πολλῶν τυχόντες εὐεργεσιῶν καὶ ἔτι πλείω προσδοκῶντες, οἱ δὲ κατεπτηχότες τὴν ἐκείνου δύναμιν. δι' ἃ οὐκ οἴομαι πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἐκ τοῦ προφανοῦς ἀντικαθίστασθαι λυσιτελεῖν ἡμῖν. πρὸς γὰρ τῷ μηδὲν ἀνύσαι δυνηθῆναι τῶν βεβουλευμένων, καὶ προσαπολοῦμεν ἑαυτούς. ἀλλά τινα καὶ ἡμᾶς δύναμιν δέον ἐκπορίζειν ἑαυτοῖς ἀντίῤῥοπον πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνου. αὕτη δὲ οὐχ ἑτέρωθέν ποθεν ἂν ἐξευρεθείη, εἰ μὴ τρόπῳ δή τινι βασιλίδα ἐκπολεμώσαιμεν ἐκείνῳ. τούτου δὲ γεγενημένου, ῥᾳδίως ἀντικαταστησόμεθα, πολλῶν ἡμῖν συναιρομένων, ὡς ὑπὲρ τοῦ νέου βασιλέως πολεμοῦσι. τοῦτο δ' ὅπως ἂν συσκευασθείη, μάλιστα μὲν καὶ ἡ σὴ σύνεσις θαυμασία οὖσα ἐξευρήσει· συμβουλεύσω δὲ καὶ αὐτός. μὴ θαυμάσῃς δὲ, εἰ πρὸς ἰσχυρὸν ἐχθρὸν ἀντικαθιστάμενοι· χρησόμεθα καὶ ψεύδει. τῷ γὰρ ἐπιχειροῦντι τὸν πολέμιον καθαιρεῖν, οὐ τοῦτο χρὴ σκοπεῖν, εἰ ψεύδει χρήσαιτο ἢ ἀληθείᾳ, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἓν ἀποβλέπειν μόνον, τὸ τοῦ πολεμοῦντος γενέσθαι 2.110 κρείττω· τὰ δ' ἄλλα πάντα χαίρειν ἐᾷν. τοιγαροῦν καὶ σὺ τῇ βασιλίδι προσελθὼν, ἀξιόχρεως δ' ἔσῃ πρὸς πειθὼ ἔκ τε τῆς προτέρας, ἧς ἐνεδείξω πρὸς αὐτὴν, εὐνοίας καὶ σπουδῆς μετὰ τὴν βασιλέως τελευτὴν, καὶ τοῦ νῦν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς δοκεῖν σπουδάζειν, ἐκείνου κατηγόρησον, ὡς οὐχ ὑποπτευομένου, ἀλλ' ἤδη φανερῶς τὴν βασιλείαν ἰδίαν ποιουμένου καὶ ὅσον οὐδέπω μέλλοντος αὐτὴν καὶ τέκνα ἀποκτείνειν. ἂν δ' ἀπόδειξιν τῶν λεγομένων ἀπαιτῇ, μὴ τοιαῦτα πεῖσον πολυπραγμονεῖν. φθάσειν γὰρ τελευτήσασαν πρὶν εἰς τοὺς ἐλέγχους ἥκειν, εἰ μὴ ἐκείνου διαστᾶσα, ἑαυτὴν διασώζοι καὶ τὰ τέκνα. ἐκ τούτων δὲ ἐκείνην, ὥσπερ οἴομαι, ὑπὸ δέους καταπλαγεῖσαν, τὸν πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἡμῖν πόλεμον ἐπιτρέψειν. τούτου δὲ κατορθωθέντος, οὐδὲν ἄλλο λείπεται, ἢ ἐκεῖνον μὲν ἀπολέσθαι κακὸν κακῶς, σὲ δὲ πρὸς τῷ τὸν ἐπηρτημένον κίνδυνον διαφυγεῖν, καὶ τὰ Ῥωμαίων πράγματα διοικεῖν, πάντων μάλιστα ἀξιώτατον ὄντα. διό σου δέομαι πεισθῆναι συμβουλεύοντι ἐμοὶ καὶ