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Isaac the megas doux. And at first he pitied his undeserved misfortune and seemed to sympathize. Then he also reproached his voluntary servitude, and his living lazily and dissolutely with respect to freedom, and not even now, when time, acting well, provided the opportunity to be rid of the long servitude to the megas domestikos, were they thinking of anything befitting noble and free men. And yet while the emperor was alive, it was necessary to be content, since he granted him much influ 2.117 ence and made him in no way less powerful than himself. But now what prevents you, feigning zeal for the boy emperor, from advising the empress, since you are of the family and fitting to be trusted on account of your nobility, to depose him and vote him out of office, on the grounds that he intends to seize the empire and to kill both her and her dearest ones and to rule as a tyrant over the Romans. For surely the things offered to you by him as bait, the governorships of certain cities and administrations of public affairs, so that he might have the greater part, commanding like a master and overpowering all, both greater and lesser, will not be enough for you to be deprived of your freedom. For it has not escaped your notice, being quite clear, that, with him having fallen or been cast out from office, it will be possible for you to do what you choose without fear, having become either the first or immediately after the first of the Romans. You must not shrink from the undertaking by reasoning that you will be speaking falsehoods and slanders. For if up until now no falsehood had yet been spoken by you, this would have some bearing on the matter. But if it has often happened that all of us alike have perjured and lied even for the sake of any chance gain or for none, why must we now fear what has often been dared, when we are about to gain not some small thing, but the rule of the Romans? But if you have decided to distrust me as I advise the better course, it is fitting at least 2.118 to obey your brother, who is older in age and knows better than you how to deal fittingly with changes and innovations in affairs. And I think that for him too the deposition of the megas domestikos is a matter of great concern, as he cannot bear the arrogance of his office and the fact that all are led and carried about by him in the station of slaves. I, therefore, have advised you on what I think is advantageous. But if you yourselves have decided to undertake anything concerning your own good reputation and a distinguished life, it is necessary not to let the opportunity go, so that, when it has passed, we may gain nothing from regret. For with him absent, everything might be accomplished most easily; but if he should return from the campaign, I advise not to dare even to grumble, or there will be nothing to prevent it from being unknown even where on earth you are living. And I will provide strong assurances not simply with words, but also with oaths, that I will present myself most eager for the contests, contributing with money and arms and servants, and that after his deposition I will do all things commanded by you, and throughout my whole life I will remain in the position of a subordinate, never having acted ungratefully towards you in anything.” Having said such things and having additionally secured what he said with oaths, when he had them convinced to do what had been planned, he went to John Gabalas the megas droungarios, who had just arrived from the embassy to the Kral, having been chosen by the megas domes 2.119 tikos, and asked if he had learned anything about him. And when he answered, nothing; “But I,” he said, “have come to you as a messenger of bad news. For the megas domestikos, having changed his former goodwill towards you, has been filled with much bitterness. And it is clear that he will not tolerate it, unless he exacts punishment from you for your betrayal of him. For he himself has heard that you poured many insults upon him, calling him a babbler and a chatterer and mostly a liar and a destroyer and a traitor of the common good. For, having been chosen by him as an ambassador to the ruler of the Triballi, you acted as a false ambassador by taking bribes and betraying the interests of the Romans, you did their bidding and gave them oaths that, while remaining among us, you would be their agent, with all your strength the

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Ἰσαάκιον τὸν μέγαν δοῦκα. καὶ πρῶτα μὲν ᾤκτειρε τῆς παρ' ἀξίαν κακοπραγίας καὶ ἐῴκει συναλγεῖν. ἔπειτα καὶ ὠνείδιζε τὴν ἐθελοδουλείαν, καὶ τὸ πρὸς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ῥᾳθύμως βιοῦν καὶ ἀνειμένως, καὶ μηδὲ νῦν γοῦν, ὅτε καλῶς ποιῶν παρέσχετο ὁ χρόνος τῆς μεγάλου δομεστίκου χρονίου δουλείας ἀπαλλαγῆναι, προσῆκον εὐγενέσι καὶ ἐλευθέροις ἀνδράσι διανοουμένους τι. καίτοι βασιλέως μὲν ζῶντος, στέργειν ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἦν, πολλὴν ἐκείνου τὴν ῥο 2.117 πὴν αὐτῷ χαριζομένου καὶ οὐδαμῶς ἐλάττω ἢ ἐκεῖνος δύνασθαι παρασκευάζοντος. νυνὶ δὲ τί τὸ κωλῦον, ζῆλον ὑπὲρ βασιλέως τοῦ παιδὸς ὑποκριθέντας, συμβουλεύειν βασιλίδι, πρὸς γένους τε ὄντας καὶ προσήκοντας διὰ τὴν εὐγένειαν πιστεύεσθαι, καταλύειν ἐκεῖνον καὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς ἀποχειροτονεῖν, ὡς ἁρπάζειν διανοούμενον τὴν βασιλείαν καὶ αὐτὴν καὶ φίλτατα ἀποκτιννύναι καὶ Ῥωμαίων τυραννεῖν. οὐ γὰρ δήπου γε ἃ προτείνεται ὑμῖν ὥσπερ δέλεαρ ὑπ' ἐκείνου, ἀρχαὶ πόλεών τινων καὶ δημοσίων διοικήσεις, ἵν' ἐκεῖνος τὸ μεῖζον ἔχῃ, ὥσπερ δεσπότης ἐπιτάττων καὶ πάντων καταδυναστεύων καὶ μειζόνων καὶ ἐλαττόνων, τοῦθ' ὑμῖν ἀρκέσει πρὸς τὸ ἀποστερεῖσθαι τῆς ἐλευθερίας. οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδ' ὑμᾶς τοῦτο κατάδηλον λέληθεν ὂν, ὡς, ἐκείνου πεσόντος ἢ ἐκβεβλημένου τῆς ἀρχῆς, ὑμῖν ἐξέσται πράττειν ἃ αἱρεῖσθε ἀδεῶς, ἢ πρώτους γεγενημένους ἢ μετὰ τοὺς πρώτους εὐθὺς Ῥωμαίων. οὐ χρὴ δὲ πρὸς τὴν ἐπιχείρησιν ἀναδύεσθαι λογιζομένους, ὡς ψεύδη καὶ συκοφαντίας ἐρεῖτε. εἰ μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν οὐδέπω μέχρι νῦν ψεῦδος εἴρητο ὑμῖν, ἦν ἄν τι τοῦτο πρὸς τὸν λόγον. εἰ δὲ πολλάκις ἡμῖν ἅπασιν ὁμοίως καὶ τοῦ τυχόντος κέρδους ἕνεκα ἢ οὐδενὸς καὶ ἐπιορκεῖν καὶ ψεύδεσθαι συνέβη, τί δεῖ τὰ πολλάκις τετολμημένα ὀῤῥωδεῖν νυνὶ, οὐ μικρά τινα, ἀλλὰ τὴν Ῥωμαίων μέλλοντας ἀρχὴν κερδαίνειν; εἰ δ' ἀπιστεῖν ἐμοὶ κεκρίκατε τὰ βελτίω συμβουλεύοντι, ἀλλὰ 2.118 τῷ γε ἀδελφῷ πείθεσθαι προσήκει, πρεσβυτέρῳ τε τὴν ἡλικίαν ὄντι καὶ μᾶλλον ὑμῶν εἰδότι μεταβολαῖς τε καὶ καινοτομίας πραγμάτων χρῆσθαι προσηκόντως. οἴομαι δὲ κἀκείνῳ περισπούδαστον τὴν μεγάλου δομεστίκου κατάλυσιν εἶναι, οὐ φέροντι τὸν ὄγκον τῆς ἀρχῆς καὶ τὸ πάντας ἐν ἀνδραπόδων ἄγεσθαι καὶ φέρεσθαι ὑπ' ἐκείνου μοίρᾳ. ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν ἃ συμφέρειν νομίζω, συμβεβούλευκα ὑμῖν. αὐτοὶ δ' εἴτι περὶ εὐδοξίας ὑμῶν αὐτῶν καὶ βίου περιφανείας κεκρίκατε ἐπιχειρεῖν, μὴ προΐεσθαι ἀναγκαῖον τὸν καιρὸν, ἵνα μὴ, παρελθόντος, οὐδὲν ὠφελώμεθα ἐκ τῆς μεταμελείας. ἐκείνου γὰρ ἀπόντος, ῥᾷστα πᾶν κατορθωθείη· ἂν δ' ἐκ τῆς στρατείας ἐπανέλθῃ, οὐδὲ γρύζειν παραινῶ τολμᾷν, ἢ οὐδὲν ἔσται τὸ κωλῦσον, τὸ μηδ' ὅπῃ γῆς διάγετε ἀγνοεῖσθαι. ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ λόγοις ἀπλῶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅρκοις παρέξομαι πίστεις ἰσχυρὰς τοῦ πρός τε τοὺς ἀγῶνας προθυμότατον παρασχέσθαι ἑαυτὸν, καὶ χρήμασι καὶ ὅπλοις καὶ οἰκέταις συναιρόμενον, καὶ μετὰ τὴν κατάλυσιν ἐκείνου πάντα ποιήσειν τὰ προστεταγμένα ὑφ' ὑμῶν, καὶ παρὰ πάντα τὸν βίον ἐν ὑπηκόου μοίρᾳ τελέσειν, μηδὲν μηδέποτε πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀγνωμονήσας.» τοιαῦτα εἰπὼν καὶ προσέτι γε ὅρκοις ἀσφαλισάμενος τὰ εἰρημένα, ἐπεὶ κἀκείνους εἶχε πεπεισμένους πρὸς τὸ πράττειν τὰ βεβουλευμένα, πρὸς Γαβαλᾶν Ἰωάννην τὸν μέγαν δρουγγάριον ἐλθὼν, ὃς ἦν ἐκ τῆς πρὸς Κράλην πρεσβείας ἄρτι ἥκων, ὑπὸ τοῦ μεγάλου δομε 2.119 στίκου ᾑρημένος, εἴ τι πύθοιτο ἠρώτα περὶ ἑαυτοῦ. τοῦ δὲ ἀποκριναμένου, μηδέν· «ἀλλ' ἐγώ σοι» εἶπεν «ἥκω ἄγγελος κακῶν. ὁ γὰρ μέγας δομέστικος τὴν προτέραν εὐμένειαν τὴν πρὸς σὲ μεταβαλὼν, πολλῆς ἀναπέπλησται πικρίας. καὶ δῆλός ἐστιν οὐκ ἀνεξόμενος, εἰ μὴ δίκας λήψεται παρὰ σοῦ τῆς προδοσίας τῆς εἰς αὐτόν. αὐτὸς γὰρ αὐτοῦ ἀκηκοέναι λοιδορίας σοῦ καταχέοντος πολλὰς, φλύαρον καὶ λάλον ἀποκαλοῦντος καὶ ψευδόμενον ὡς τὰ πολλὰ καὶ φθορέα καὶ προδότην τῶν κοινῶν. ᾑρημένος γὰρ ὑπ' ἐκείνου πρὸς τὸν ἄρχοντα τῶν Τριβαλῶν πρεσβευτὴς, παραπρεσβεύσειας δωροδοκήσας καὶ τὰ Ῥωμαίων καταπροδοὺς, τὰ ἐκείνων πράξειας καὶ ὅρκους ἐκείνοις παρασχοίης, ὡς μένων παρ' ἡμῖν, πρόξενος ἐκείνοις εἴης, παντὶ σθένει τὰ