293

they should persuade the people and the army to revolt, and their affairs might be utterly lost, being ruined. But they were especially suspicious of Komitopoulos and Vatatzes, who had been servants of the emperor Palaiologos, but at that time had been stationed in the suburb outside Didymoteichon by the emperor Kantakouzenos as he was campaigning in the west, each commanding a thousand foot archers; and they had no small power with the people and the rest of the army. 47. For these reasons, then, they were afraid and considered how they should win them over; and at the same time they also considered how they might sound out the others, to see if their minds had not been changed because of what they had heard. It seemed best, therefore, that on the next day, when all had gathered in the palace, in the presence of the empress, Asanes should address the leaders and the army and test the mind of each one. And on the next day, when they were all in the palace, Manuel Asanes, in the presence of the empress, made his speech thus. "Fellow soldiers, you have all heard what was written to you by the parakoimomenos Apokaukos. Now, that the present situation admits of many changes, and that it is easy for even the most prudent and well-considered man to fail from a small cause, and for one who acts recklessly and at random 2.283 to succeed incredibly, you all know from having dealt with many affairs. But not for this reason must one believe everything from the parakoimomenos. For one whose life is always artificial and full of mischief and deceit, and whose speech is false and never contains anything sound, how could anyone believe that the truth has been told now? But even if what was said is true, it is not entirely so, but the events that have occurred are such as to have caused the emperor a small difficulty, which can easily be set right again. Each of you, while until now affairs were carried on by a favorable wind, has had no occasion to display his courage and boldness in dangers, and at the same time his intelligence and the loyalty he has for the emperor and his sons. But now that circumstances have presented the opportunity, it is necessary for all together and for each one individually to show both intelligence and good counsel and to appear alike in deeds, since, if the deeds are absent, words are of no account. So, we will show our deeds later, when it is necessary; but now it is necessary for each man to bring forward his opinion on which course we must take to save both ourselves and the rest of the city. For I do not think the parakoimomenos will remain quiet, but will quickly campaign against us, if indeed what has been said about the emperor is true." So Asanes finished speaking such things. But Komitopoulos, immediately moved by his zeal and loyalty to the emperor, stood up 2.284 and came into the middle and spoke as follows. "I think that none of you who are now present is unaware that, while the blessed emperor was still alive, I was counted among his household and among those who enjoyed much of his goodwill and providence. And I myself, for my part, left nothing undone in showing the proper loyalty of a grateful servant. Yet, because he has departed from mankind, I have not now changed and decided that I must make war on his sons, but I still maintain the same opinion even now. But seeing that the emperor Kantakouzenos has chosen to do what is just and advantageous for the emperor's sons, while the parakoimomenos Apokaukos has contrived many slanders and calumnies against him and has enlisted other more wicked and corrupt men, and has deceived the empress and has instigated this war, which has been the cause of countless evils up to now and will be the cause of many more if God does not extinguish it from above, I have come to hate their wickedness and have judged it more just to support the emperor, as one who is minded to do things that are at once just and advantageous to the emperor's sons and to all the Romans together. But now, as we hear, since he has met with difficult fortunes through the apostasy of his companions and towards the ruler of the Triballi

293

στασιάζειν πείσωσι τὸν δῆμον καὶ τὴν στρατιὰν, καὶ ἀπόληται αὐτοῖς παντάπασι τὰ πράγματα διαφθαρέντα. μάλιστα δὲ ἐν ὑποψίᾳ εἶχον τόν τε Κομιτόπουλον καὶ Βατάτζην, οἱ τῶν Παλαιολόγου μὲν ἦσαν βασιλέως οἰκετῶν, τότε δὲ ὑπὸ Καντακουζηνοῦ βασιλέως εἰς ἑσπέραν ἐκστρατεύοντος ἐπὶ τῆς ἔξω ∆ιδυμοτείχου συνοικίας ἦσαν τεταγμένοι, χιλίων ἕκαστος ἄρχοντες τοξοτῶν πεζῶν· ἦσαν δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὸν δῆμον καὶ τὴν ἄλλην στρατιὰν δυνάμενοι οὐ μικρά. μζʹ. ∆ιὰ ταύτας γοῦν τὰς αἰτίας ἐδεδοίκεσάν τε καὶ ἐσκέπτοντο, ᾗ χρὴ αὐτοὺς ὑποποιήσασθαι· ἅμα δὲ διενοοῦντο καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὡς ἀποπειράσοντες, εἰ διὰ τὰ ἀκουσθέντα μὴ παρετράπησαν τὰς γνώμας. ἐδόκει δὴ οὖν εἰς τὴν ὑστεραίαν πάντων ἐν βασιλείοις συνελθόντων, ἐπὶ τῆς βασιλίδος τὸν Ἀσάνην πρός τε τοὺς ἡγεμόνας καὶ τὴν στρατιὰν λόγον ἀποτεῖναι καὶ ἀποπειρᾷν τῆς ἑκάστου διανοίας. καὶ ἐς τὴν ὑστεραίαν ἐπεὶ ἦσαν ἐν βασιλείοις πάντες, Ἀσάνης ὁ Μανουὴλ ἐπὶ τῆς βασιλίδος οὕτω τὸν λόγον ἐποιήσατο. «ἄνδρες συστρατιῶται, τὰ μὲν ὑπὸ παρακοιμωμένου τοῦ Ἀποκαύκου πάντες ἀκηκόατε γεγραμμένα πρὸς ὑμᾶς. τὰ μὲν οὖν παρόντα πράγματα ὡς πολλὰς ἐπιδέχεται μεταβολὰς, καὶ ῥᾴδιον καὶ ἐκ μικρᾶς αἰτίας καὶ τὸν συνετώτατον καὶ κατεστοχασμένον σφαλῆναι, καὶ τὸν ἀπερισκέπτως καὶ ὡς ἔτυχε φερόμε 2.283 νον καὶ ἄπιστα εὐτυχῆσαι, πάντες ἴστε πολλοῖς ὡμιληκότες πράγμασιν. οὐ μὴν διὰ τοῦτο πάντα χρὴ πιστεύειν παρακοιμωμένῳ. ᾧ γὰρ ὅ,τε βίος ἐπίπλαστος ἀεὶ καὶ σκαιωρίας καὶ ἀπάτης γέμων καὶ ὁ λόγος ἐψευσμένος καὶ οὐδὲν οὐδέποτε ἔχων ὑγιὲς, πῶς ἄν τις πιστεύσειε νυνὶ εἰρῆσθαι τἀληθῆ; εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀληθῆ τὰ εἰρημένα, ἀλλ' οὐ παντάπασιν, ἀλλὰ τοιαῦτα εἶναι τὰ γεγενημένα, οἷα βασιλεῖ μικρὰν δυσχέρειαν παρεσχημένα, ῥᾳδίως πάλιν ἐπανορθωθῆναι. ὑμῶν δὲ ἕκαστος νῦν μὲν ἄχρι τῶν πραγμάτων ἐξουρίων φερομένων οὐδεμίαν ἔσχε πρόφασιν τήν τε εὐψυχίαν καὶ τόλμαν τὴν ἐν τοῖς δεινοῖς καὶ τὴν σύνεσιν ἅμα ἐπιδείξασθαι καὶ τὴν εὔνοιαν, ἣν ἔχει περὶ βασιλέα καὶ τοὺς παῖδας. νυνὶ δὲ ἤδη τῶν πραγμάτων παρασχόντων, καὶ πάντας ὁμοῦ καὶ ἰδίᾳ ἕκαστον καὶ τὴν σύνεσιν καὶ τὴν εὐβουλίαν ἐπιδείκνυσθαι χρεὼν καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἔργοις φαίνεσθαι ὁμοίους, ὡς, ἂν ἀπῶσι τὰ πράγματα, τῶν λόγων οὐδένων ὄντων. τὰ μὲν οὖν ἔργα ὕστερον ἐπιδειξόμεθα, ἡνίκα ἂν δέῃ· νυνὶ δὲ ἀναγκαῖον γνώμην ἕκαστον εἰσάγειν, ᾗ χρὴ τραπομένους, σφᾶς τε αὐτοὺς καὶ τὴν ἄλλην πόλιν διασώζειν. οὐ γὰρ ἡσυχάσειν οἴομαι παρακοιμώμενον, ἀλλὰ ταχέως ἡμῖν ἐπιστρατεύσειν, εἴγε ὄντως ἀληθῆ τὰ περὶ βασιλέως εἴη εἰρημένα.» Ἀσάνης μὲν οὖν τοιαῦτα ἐπαύσατο εἰπών. Κομιτόπουλος δὲ αὐτίκα ὑπὸ προθυμίας καὶ τῆς περὶ βασιλέα εὐνοίας κινηθεὶς, ἀναστὰς 2.284 καὶ παρελθὼν εἰς μέσους, ἔλεξε τοιάδε. «οὐδένα ὑμῶν, ὅσοι πάρεστε νῦν, οἴομαι ἀγνοεῖν, ὡς βασιλέως ἔτι περιόντος τοῦ μακαρίου τοῖς οἰκείοις συνεξηταζόμην καὶ τοῖς πολλῆς παρ' ἐκείνου καὶ τῆς εὐμενείας ἀπολαύουσι καὶ τῆς προνοίας. καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ οὐδὲν ἀπέλιπον, τόγε εἰς ἐμὲ ἧκον, τοῦ μὴ τὴν προσήκουσαν εὔνοιαν εὐγνώμονι δούλῳ ἐπιδείκνυσθαι. οὐ μὴν διὰ τὸ ἐκεῖνον ἐξ ἀνθρώπων γεγονέναι νυνὶ μεταβαλὼν, τοῖς ἐκείνου παισὶ δεῖν ἔγνων πολεμεῖν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ὁμοίαν γνώμην καὶ νῦν ἔτι διατηρῶ. ὁρῶν δὲ βασιλέα μὲν τὸν Καντακουζηνὸν δίκαια καὶ λυσιτελῆ τοῖς παισὶ βασιλέως ᾑρημένον πράττειν, Ἀπόκαυκον δὲ τὸν παρακοιμώμενον πολλὰς κατ' αὐτοῦ διαβολὰς καὶ συκοφαντίας συνεσκευακότα καὶ ἄλλους προσεταιρισάμενον πονηροτέρους ἀνθρώπους καὶ διεφθορότας καὶ βασιλίδα ἐξηπατηκότας καὶ τουτονὶ τὸν πόλεμον τὸν μυρίων αἴτιον κακῶν νῦν τε ἄχρι γεγενημένον καὶ ἔτι πλειόνων ἐσόμενον πολλῷ κεκινηκότας, εἰ μὴ θεὸς ἄνωθεν κατασβέσει, ἐμίσησά τε τὴν πονηρίαν αὐτῶν καὶ βασιλεῖ μᾶλλον ἔκρινα δίκαιον προσέχειν, ὡς δίκαιά τε ἅμα καὶ βασιλέως τοῖς παισὶ συμφέροντα καὶ πᾶσιν ὁμοῦ Ῥωμαίοις διανοουμένῳ. νυνὶ δὲ, ὡς ἀκούομεν, δυσκόλοις τύχαις ἐκείνου χρησαμένου διὰ τῶν συνόντων τὴν ἀποστασίαν καὶ πρὸς τὸν Τριβαλῶν δυνάστην