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...rium. Nicephorus, patrician and general logothete, reigned for 8 years and 9 days. The next day, taking some of the patricians, he went up to the empress who was under guard, and feigning kindness, he comforted her, saying, "I will provide for all your comfort, if you will disclose your treasures to me." But she, with a wise mind, said to the man who yesterday was a perjured slave and today a tyrant, "As for me, O man, I consider God the one who raised me to this empire, and I attribute my own deposition to my sins; but in all these things may the name of the Lord be blessed. Moreover, you are not ignorant of the plots reported against you, and if I had been persuaded by them, I could have put you to death without hindrance. But, partly persuaded by your oaths and partly sparing you, I disregarded all of them, entrusting you to God, through whom kings reign and rulers hold power. And now I bow down to you as a pious emperor, appointed by God, and I ask you to have pity on my weakness and allow me to go to the house of Eleutherius, built by me, for the consolation of my incomparable misfortune." And he said, "If you wish this to happen for you, swear to me 2.31 not to hide any of the treasures, and I will provide every care for you." 2.31 And she swore to him, revealing also great wealth. But he, having obtained what he desired, immediately exiled her to Prinkipo, to the monastery she herself had built. And seeing that all those in authority were grieved for her because of his greed, fearing that the people, remembering her benefactions, might proclaim her again, though a very harsh winter was setting in, he did not pity her, but exiled her to Mitylene, ordering her to be kept under guard. On the 9th of the month of August, she died from grief and despondency on that same Lesbos. The emperor transferred her body to the monastery of Prinkipo, which she herself had built; for being exceedingly pious and a lover of virtue, she had established many hostels for strangers, homes for the aged, and monasteries, and had accomplished tax reductions and many other things.

But as for her son Constantine, moved more by greed than by pity, he took him as his companion at table, thinking that he would reveal some hidden wealth to him. And he, being treated kindly by him, with levity of mind showed him the treasure in the hemicycle, which is now called the Sigma, reconstructed with upright marble slabs. And having taken this, he neglected him likewise as he had his mother. And Niketas Triphyllios, rewarding him worthily of his own mind, as one who had helped him to seize the empire, he killed with poison, paying him back his due well indeed. 2.32 And Bardanios, being strategos of the East, was considering in his own mind to seize the empire. While staying in Philomelion, he communicated his plan to a certain monk who was deemed worthy of foreknowledge, having with him Leo the Armenian as a confidant. But when this Bardanios heard from the monk that he would suffer the removal of his property and the blinding of his eyes if he should dare this, he returned with grief. But when those serving him brought him his horses, the monk, gazing at them, calls Bardanios back as he was about to return. And he, expecting the monk was about to say something pleasing to him, heard from him, "Let you have no thought concerning the empire. For whether willingly or not, you will not dare this. But if you attempt this, you will suffer the loss of your eyes, as I said, and of your property. But those who brought your horses, of these the first and the second will wear the diadem, and the third, having been proclaimed, will quickly perish, not obtaining what he desires." Bardanios therefore revealed his thoughts to Leo and Michael and Thomas, saying the following: "You, O Leo, will reign, and Thomas will be acclaimed, and you will be killed by Michael (for so the monk told me), with only Michael being preserved in the

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τήριον. Νικηφόρος πατρίκιος καὶ γενικὸς λογοθέτης ἐβασίλευσεν ἔτη ηʹ ἡμέρας θʹ. τῇ ἐπαύριον δὲ παραλαβών τινας τῶν πατρικίων ἀνῆλθε πρὸς τὴν βασίλισσαν φρουρουμένην, καὶ χρηστότητα ὑπο κριθεὶς παρηγόρει αὐτὴν λέγων "πᾶσάν σου ἀνάπαυσιν ποιήσω, εἰ τοὺς θησαυρούς σου καταμηνύσεις μοι." ἡ δὲ συνετῷ τῷ φρο νήματι πρὸς τὸν χθὲς μὲν δοῦλον ἐπίορκον σήμερον δὲ τύραννον ἔφη "ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ ἄνθρωπε, θεὸν ἡγοῦμαι τὸν ὑψώσαντά με εἰς ταύτην τὴν βασιλείαν, ταῖς δ' ἐμαῖς ἁμαρτίαις τὴν καθαίρεσιν ἐμαυτῆς προσάπτω· ἐν πᾶσι δὲ τούτοις εἴη τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου εὐλο γημένον. οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀγνοεῖς τὰς κατὰ σοῦ μηνυθείσας ἐπιβουλάς, αἷς εἰ συνυπήχθην, ἀκωλύτως εἶχον τοῦ ἀνελεῖν σε. ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν τοῖς σοῖς ὅρκοις πειθομένη τὸ δὲ φειδομένη σου πάντα παρελογι σάμην, τῷ θεῷ ἀποδιδοῦσά σε, δι' οὗ βασιλεῖς βασιλεύουσι καὶ δυνάσται κατεξουσιάζουσι. καὶ τὰ νῦν ὡς εὐσεβῆ σε καὶ ἐκ θεοῦ προβληθέντα βασιλέα προσκυνῶ, καὶ αἰτοῦμαι φείσασθαί μου τῆς ἀσθενείας καὶ συγχωρῆσαί με εἰς τὸν ὑπ' ἐμοῦ κτισθέντα τὸν Ἐλευθερίου οἶκον, εἰς ψυχαγωγίαν τῆς ἀσυγκρίτου μου συμφο ρᾶς." ὁ δὲ ἔφη "καὶ εἰ τοῦτο θέλεις σοι γενέσθαι, ὄμοσόν μοι 2.31 μὴ ἀποκρύψαι τι τῶν θησαυρῶν, καὶ πᾶσάν σου θεραπείαν ποιῶ." 2.31 ἡ δὲ ὤμοσεν αὐτῷ, ὑποδείξασα καὶ πλοῦτον πολύν. ὁ δὲ τοῦ ποθουμένου τυχὼν παρευθὺ ἐξώρισεν αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ Πριγκήπῳ, εἰς ὃ αὐτὴ ᾠκοδόμησε μοναστήριον. ἰδὼν δὲ πάντας τοὺς ἐν τέλει λυπουμένους ἐπ' αὐτῇ διὰ τὴν ἀπληστίαν αὐτοῦ, φοβηθεὶς μή ποτε οἱ λαοὶ μεμνημένοι τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν αὐτῆς μέλλωσι πάλιν αὐ τὴν ἀναγορεύειν, χειμῶνος ἐπικειμένου βαρυτάτου οὐκ ᾤκτειρεν αὐτήν, ἀλλ' ἐξώρισεν εἰς Μιτυλήνην, φρουρεῖσθαι αὐτὴν προσ τάξας. τῇ δὲ θʹ τοῦ Αὐγούστου μηνὸς ἐκ λύπης καὶ ἀθυμίας ἐτελεύτησεν ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ Λέσβῳ. μετεκόμισε δὲ τὸ σῶμα αὐτῆς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐν τῇ μονῇ τῆς Πριγκήπου, ἣν αὐτὴ ᾠκοδόμησε· σφό δρα γὰρ εὐσεβὴς καὶ φιλάρετος οὖσα πολλὰ ξενοδοχεῖα καὶ γηρω κομεῖα καὶ μοναστήρια κατεσκεύασε, καὶ φόρων κουφισμοὺς καὶ ἄλλα πλεῖστα κατωρθώσατο.

Κωνσταντῖνον δὲ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς, φιλαργυρίᾳ μᾶλλον ἀγόμενος ἢ οἴκτῳ, προσελάβετο συνέστιον αὐτῷ, οἰόμενος πλοῦτον ἐγκεκρυμμένον φανερῶσαι αὐτῷ. ὁ δὲ φιλοφρονούμενος ὑπ' αὐτοῦ κουφότητι γνώμης ὑπέδειξεν αὐτῷ τὸν ἐν τῷ ἡμικυκλίῳ, ὃ νῦν λέγεται σίγμα, θησαυρὸν ἀνακτισθέντα δι' ὀρθομαρμαρώσεως. καὶ τοῦτον ἀφελόμενος καὶ αὐτὸν ὁμοίως τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ παρεῖδε. Νικήταν τε τὸν Τριφύλλιον ἀξίως τῆς ἑαυτοῦ γνώμης ἀμειβόμενος, ὡς συναγωνισθέντα αὐτῷ εἰς τὸ κατασχεῖν τὴν βασιλείαν, φαρμάκῳ ἀνεῖλεν, εὖ γε τῆς ἀξίας ἀντα ποδιδούς. 2.32 Βαρδάνιος δὲ τῆς ἀνατολῆς στρατηγὸς ὢν ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἐφρόν τιζε τῆς βασιλείας ἐπιλαβέσθαι. τὴν διατριβὴν δὲ ἐν τῷ Φιλομι λίῳ ποιούμενος μοναχῷ τινὶ τῶν προγνώσεως ἠξιωμένων τὰ τῆς βουλῆς ἀνακοινοῦται, συνίστορα ἔχων Λέοντα τὸν Ἀρμένιον. ἀκούσας δὲ οὗτος ὁ Βαρδάνιος παρὰ τοῦ μοναχοῦ τὴν τῆς αὐτοῦ περιουσίας ἀφαίρεσιν καὶ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τὴν πήρωσιν, εἰ τοῦτο κατατολμήσειεν ὑποστήσεσθαι, μετὰ λύπης ὑπέστρεψεν. ὡς δὲ τοὺς ἵππους αὐτῷ προσεκόμισαν οἱ τούτῳ ἐξυπηρετούμενοι, τού τοις ὁ μοναχὸς ἐνατενίσας ὑπονοστεῖν προσφωνεῖ τὸν Βαρδάνιον. ὁ δὲ προσδοκήσας τι τῶν αὐτῷ καταθυμίων μέλλειν εἰπεῖν τὸν μοναχόν, ἤκουσε παρ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ "μηδέν σοι πεφροντισμένον ἔστω περὶ τῆς βασιλείας. κἄντε γὰρ ἑκοντὶ κἄντε μή, μὴ τοῦτο κατα τολμήσεις. εἰ τοῦτο δὲ πειραθῇς, τῶν σῶν ὀμμάτων, ὡς ἔφην, καὶ τῆς ὑπάρξεως ὑποστήσῃ τὴν ἀλλοτρίωσιν. οἱ δὲ τοὺς ἵππους σου κομίσαντες, τούτων ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ δεύτερος διαδηματοφορήσουσι, καὶ ὁ τρίτος ἀναγορευθεὶς ταχέως ἀπολεῖται, μὴ τυχὼν ὧν ἐφίε ται." ὁ τοίνυν Βαρδάνιος τὰ τοῦ λογισμοῦ αὐτῷ τε τῷ Λέοντι καὶ Μιχαὴλ καὶ Θωμᾷ παρεδήλου, φάσκων τοιάδε "σὺ μὲν ὦ Λέον βασιλεύσας, καὶ ὁ Θωμᾶς ἀναρρηθείς, παρὰ Μιχαὴλ φο νευθήσεσθε (οὕτω γὰρ ὁ μοναχὸς ἐξεῖπέ μοι), μόνου τοῦ Μιχαὴλ διαφυλαχθησομένου ἐν τῇ