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we have openly taken up war against him on your behalf and have inflicted the greatest harm on him and his family and household. And now we have come to such a state of unanimity, that we would gladly give not only our money, but even our very lives, fighting against him on your behalf. Since, therefore, we have shown such goodwill and zeal toward you, the sovereigns, it would be among the most unjust things for you, abandoning us and considering our safety as nothing, to make a treaty with our greatest enemy for the sake of your own advantage, if indeed any advantage will follow from the peace, and not a harm more terrible than all those that would come from the war. For what you yourself discussed last night concerning peace with him, spoken in the hearing of many, has not escaped our notice either. We, therefore, as if with one mind, have considered him an enemy, as one who is both intending and already doing the most terrible things against you and your children, and, as far as it was in our power, we have neglected nothing that could harm him. But if for some reasons peace is now considered more advantageous, we will not oppose what appears to be beneficial, only 2.206 if the peace is ratified by the common consent of all of us. For things approved by many are least likely to be mistaken. If, then, you yourself are persuaded as we have determined, and you accept our demand as just, all would be for the best. But if you yourself have decided otherwise, at least tell us openly, so that each of us may provide for his own safety as best he can. And we have all entrusted to the patriarch, as to a spiritual father, the opinion which each of us holds concerning the present matters, from whom you will be able to learn our affairs more clearly.” When they had spoken thus, the patriarch at once ordered them to withdraw; and having been left alone with the empress alone, he said, “What malicious demon has persuaded you to consider such things, which are not only unprofitable, but also practically impossible? And using what kind of reasoning did you think that Kantakouzenos could ever have friendly intentions toward you and your children? For he who, having been wronged in no way before, neither by the emperor nor by you, but having enjoyed many good things for a very long time, forgetting all of them in a short while, plotted not only for the throne, but even against your safety, how can he rightly be trusted concerning the future? And this, when not a few things that seemed insulting to him have occurred during the time of the war. And you know that for those accustomed to rule and to be honored by all, such things are especially intolerable. But if, as time is spent, peace with him should seem 2.207 necessary, it is better to act using the opinions of all on what is judged to be commonly advantageous, than to neglect the others and rashly do what seems best to you. If, therefore, you yourself would assent to their demand, and give some pledge for the future that you will never do anything contrary to what has been promised, they themselves will eagerly strive with you in all things, with both their wealth and their bodies, and they will not spare even their own dear lives, if necessary, so as to give them up for your benefit. But if they perceive that you are planning otherwise, I hesitate to say it, but it is not right to conceal it, that one opinion has been established among them all and they have secured their unanimity with oaths: to kill you and your children, and, holding Byzantium themselves, to take up arms against Kantakouzenos to the utmost of their ability. And if they should be unable to defend themselves, they prefer to surrender the city and serve Alexander, the king of the Mysians, rather than the Latins from Venice or Genoa or to have Kantakouzenos as their master. Since, therefore, their demand is just, and to disregard it threatens not only danger to you and your children, but also upheaval and utter destruction to the entire Roman dominion, where is it just or advantageous, for the sake of expected benefits from the peace, if indeed they will be as we suspect, to choose instead the present and manifest difficulties? But if you have any trust in me, who have chosen what is advantageous for you from the beginning and now advise it no less, by being persuaded by these things, 2.208 rid yourself of the difficulties that already surround you.” To these things

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πόλεμόν τε πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἠράμεθα φανερῶς ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καὶ τὰ μέγιστα αὐτὸν καὶ γένος καὶ οἰκείους ἐκακώσαμεν. καὶ νῦν εἰς τοσοῦτον ὁμονοίας ἥκομεν, ὡς οὐ χρήματα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ψυχὰς αὐτὰς ἡδέως προησόμενοι πολεμοῦντες αὐτῷ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν. ὅτε οὖν ἡμεῖς τοσαύτην εὔνοιαν καὶ προθυμίαν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐνεδειξάμεθα τοὺς βασιλέας, τῶν ἀδικωτάτων ἂν εἴη, καταλιποῦσαν αὐτὴν ἡμᾶς καὶ παρ' οὐδὲν τὴν ἡμετέραν λογισαμένην σωτηρίαν, σπένδεσθαι τῷ πολεμιωτάτῳ τῆς ἰδίας ὠφελείας ἕνεκα, εἴγε καὶ ὠφέλειά τις ἕψεται ἐκ τῆς εἰρήνης, ἀλλὰ μὴ βλάβη δεινοτέρα ἐκ τῶν τοῦ πολέμου γενησομένων ἁπασῶν. ἃ γὰρ αὐτὴ περὶ τῆς πρὸς ἐκεῖνον εἰρήνης τῆς παρελθούσης διειλέχθης νυκτὸς, οὐδ' ἡμᾶς διέλαθεν ἐπὶ πολλῶν εἰρημένα ἀκοαῖς. ἐκεῖνον μὲν οὖν ἡμεῖς, ὡς κατὰ σοῦ καὶ τῶν παίδων τὰ δεινότατα καὶ διανοούμενον καὶ ἤδη πράττοντα, ὥσπερ ἀπὸ μιᾶς γνώμης πολέμιόν τε ἡγησάμεθα καὶ οὐδενὸς, τόγε εἰς ἡμᾶς ἧκον, ἠμελήσαμεν τῶν βλάπτειν δυναμένων. εἰ δ' ἔκ τινων αἰτιῶν ἡ εἰρήνη μᾶλλον συμφέρουσα νομίζεται νυνὶ, οὐδ' ἡμεῖς ἐναντιωσόμεθα πρὸς τὰ φαινόμενα λυσιτελεῖν, μόνον 2.206 εἰ γνώμῃ κοινῇ πάντων ἡμῶν ἡ εἰρήνη ἐπιψηφισθείη. τὰ γὰρ ὑπὸ πολλῶν δοκιμαζόμενα ἥκιστα ἂν ἁμαρτηθείη. εἰ μὲν οὖν ὥσπερ ἐγνώκαμεν, αὐτή τε πείθῃ καὶ τὴν ἀξίωσιν ἡμῶν ὡς δικαίαν παραδέχῃ, πάντ' ἂν ἔχοι ἄριστα. εἰ δ' ἄρα ἑτέρως ἔγνωκας αὐτὴ, ἀλλ' ἡμῖν γε φράσον φανερῶς, ἵν' ἕκαστος, ὡς ἂν μάλιστα οἷόστε ᾖ, τὴν σωτηρίαν ἐκπορίζῃ ἑαυτῷ. πάντες δὲ οἷα πατρὶ πνευματικῷ τῷ πατριάρχῃ ἣν ἔχει γνώμην ἕκαστος περὶ τὰ παρόντα ἀνεθέμεθα, ἐξ οὗ δυνήσῃ μαθεῖν σαφέστερον τὰ καθ' ἡμᾶς.» οὕτως εἰπόντας, ἐκέλευεν εὐθὺς ὁ πατριάρχης ὑποχωρεῖν· μόνος δὲ πρὸς μόνην τὴν βασιλίδα ὑπολειφθεὶς, «τίς» ἔφασκε «βάσκανος δαίμων τοιαῦτα πέπεικε λογίζεσθαι, οὐκ ἀλυσιτελῆ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀδύνατα σχεδόν; τίσι δὲ χρωμένη λογισμοῖς, Καντακουζηνὸν ᾠήθης φίλα σοί τε καὶ παισὶ δύνασθαί ποτε φρονήσειν; ὃς γὰρ μήθ' ὑπὸ βασιλέως, μήτε σοῦ πρότερον μηδὲν ἀδικηθεὶς, ἀλλὰ πολλῶν ἐπὶ πλεῖστον χρόνον ἀπολαύσας ἀγαθῶν, πάντων ἐπιλελησμένος ἐν βραχεῖ, οὐ περὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ σωτηρίας ἐπεβούλευσε, πῶς ἂν εἴη δίκαιος πιστεύεσθαι περὶ τῶν μελλόντων; καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ὀλίγων παρὰ τὸν τοῦ πολέμου χρόνον τῶν δοκούντων ἐφυβρίστων πρὸς αὐτὸν γεγενημένων. οἶσθα δ', ὡς τοῖς εἰθισμένοις ἄρχειν καὶ τιμᾶσθαι παρὰ πάντων τοιαῦτα μάλιστα οὐκ ἀνεκτά. εἰ δ' ἄρα τοῦ χρόνου τριβομένου, ἡ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον φαίνοιτο 2.207 εἰρήνη ἀναγκαία, βέλτιον ταῖς ἁπάντων χρωμένην γνώμαις πράττειν, ἃ κοινῇ δοκεῖ λυσιτελεῖν, ἢ τῶν ἄλλων ἀμελήσασαν, ἀπερισκέπτως τὰ παριστάμενα ποιεῖν. εἰ μὲν οὖν πρὸς τὴν ἀξίωσιν αὐτῶν ἐπινεύσειας καὶ αὐτὴ, καὶ πρὸς τὸ μέλλον πίστιν τινὰ παράσχοιο, ὡς οὐδὲν οὐδέποτε παρὰ τὰ ὑπεσχημένα δράσεις, καὶ αὐτοί σοι πρὸς πάντα καὶ χρήμασι καὶ σώμασι προθύμως συναγωνιοῦνται, καὶ οὐδ' αὐτῆς, εἰ δέοι, τῆς φίλης φείσονται ζωῆς, ὥστε προΐεσθαι ὑπὲρ τῶν σοὶ λυσιτελούντων. ἂν δ' ἑτέρως αἴσθωνται βουλευομένην, ὀκνῶ μὲν εἰπεῖν, ἀποκρύπτειν δὲ οὐ δίκαιον, ὡς μία πᾶσι παρέστη γνώμη καὶ ὅρκοις τὴν ὁμόνοιαν ἠσφαλίσαντο, σὲ μὲν καὶ παῖδας ἀποκτείνειν, αὐτοὺς δὲ Βυζάντιον κατέχοντας, ὅπλα Καντακουζηνῷ ἀνταίρειν μέχρι παντὸς τοῦ δυνατοῦ. ἂν δ' ἀδυνάτως ἔχωσι πρὸς τὸ ἀμύνεσθαι, μᾶλλον αἱροῦνται Ἀλεξάνδρῳ τῷ Μυσῶν βασιλεῖ δουλεύειν τὴν πόλιν παραδόντας, ἢ τοῖς ἐκ Βενετίας ἢ Γεννούας Λατίνοις ἢ Καντακουζηνῷ δεσπότῃ χρῆσθαι. ὅτε οὖν ἥ τε ἀξίωσις αὐτῶν δικαία, καὶ τὸ παριδεῖν αὐτὴν οὐ κίνδυνον σοί τε μόνον καὶ παισὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσῃ τῇ Ῥωμαίων ἡγεμονίᾳ ἀνάστασιν καὶ φθορὰν τὴν ἐσχάτην ἀπειλεῖ, ποῦ δίκαιον ἢ λυσιτελὲς προσδοκωμένων χάριν ἀγαθῶν, εἴγε καὶ ἔσται ὥσπερ ὑποπτεύομεν, ἐκ τῆς εἰρήνης, τὰ παρόντα καὶ φαινόμενα ἀνθαιρεῖσθαι δυσχερῆ; ἀλλ' εἴ τι πέποιθας ἐμοὶ τὰ σοὶ λυσιτελοῦντα ἐξαρχῆς τε ᾑρημένῳ καὶ νῦν οὐδὲν ἧττον συμβουλεύοντι, τούτοις πει 2.208 θομένη, τῶν ἤδη περιεστηκότων ἀπαλλάττου δυσχερῶν.» πρὸς ταῦτα