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as leader, did not accept it, especially since his wife was also urging him to do this. But he, having sent an army, as large as he thought would be sufficient for the siege of those in Didymoteichon, ordered them to keep watch, having encamped nearby, on the pretense of helping against the Romans who were besieging, but in truth, so that they themselves might besiege more closely. Which indeed was accomplished according to his plan. For while the Romans were making frequent raids, but withdrawing very quickly, those in Didymoteichon, finding themselves secure, plundered the cities throughout Thrace both by night and by day and from their robbery and plunder they made their means of living. But when the Mysians came and pressed continuously for many days, their affairs came into a very tight spot, with everyone now in danger of perishing from famine. For the Mysians were likewise preventing the Romans from attacking those in Di 2.339 dymoteichon, and preventing them from leaving the city. For if any went out for plunder, as they were accustomed—for this was their most necessary means of living—the Mysians, encountering them (and it was by no means possible to escape their notice, since they took great forethought and care in this), would strip them of their horses and weapons and send them back to the city naked. And if those from Didymoteichon reported those who did these things to the leaders of the army, they insisted they knew nothing, and that those who dared such things were not from their army, but were Romans, themselves wandering about for plunder. And they ordered them to go around the camp, in case any identifying mark could be taken from the stolen goods, and they threatened to inflict the ultimate punishments, if they should catch any such person. But the goods were nowhere to be found; for they themselves had previously sent those who had done such things off to Mysia. In this way, then, they put those in Didymoteichon into a very tight spot; for they were greatly pressed by want. But Empress Irene, now perceiving the danger, ordered them to depart from the city, as it no longer needed their aid, enough having now been provided; for which she confessed great thanks not only to their king, but to them as well. But they said that they would by no means depart, but would remain there continually to help. For thus had it been ordered for them by their king. But such a defense cast much confusion and terror into those in Didymoteichon. For destruction now seemed to them 2.340 in no way lacking. But the city's high priest, seeing them now shaken and giving in to the excess of misfortune, came into their midst, and encouraged them and did not allow them to lose heart, saying that all things here are done according to the will of God, and that such outrages are permitted by him, so that your love for the emperor might be tested; who will come in a little while and will repay everyone with fitting benefactions. For do not suppose that he does not reign according to the will of God. For he himself knew this most clearly. For, he said, being in doubt in the beginning about him, whether he had come to this station not by good pleasure, but rather by the concession of God, persuaded by his own desire and impulse, and fearing that he himself might also perish along with them, being with those who had planned contrary to God, he applied himself to prayers and supplications to call upon the divine, so that he might be taught about him, if He were not angered about what was happening. And it was revealed to him by the Spirit that Kantakouzenos's reign was rather by good pleasure. And being persuaded by this and putting aside all doubt, he remained in Didymoteichon, assisting in what was possible according to the will of God. For no one could accuse him of needing anything from the emperor in this present life. For neither before, nor until now, has he needed any such thing from anyone. And he advised them now to stand nobly against the onsets of terrible things, as they would not last for long, but a little later would be resolved, 2.341 God having looked upon them favorably. For the Mysians besieging them, who under the guise of friendship had brought on the present want, within the next seven days at most

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ἡγούμενος, οὐ παρεδέξατο, μάλιστα εἰς τοῦτο ἐναγούσης καὶ τῆς γυναικός. ἐκεῖνος δὲ καὶ στρατιὰν πέμψας, ὅσην ᾤετο ἀρκεῖν τοῖς ἐν ∆ιδυμοτείχῳ πρὸς πολιορκίαν, ἐκέλευσε φυλάττειν παραστρατοπεδευσαμένους, πρόφασιν μὲν, ὡς βοηθήσοντας ἐπὶ Ῥωμαίους τοὺς πολιορκοῦντας, τῇ δ' ἀληθείᾳ, ἵν' αὐτοὶ μᾶλλον ἀκριβέστερον πολιορκοῖεν. ὅπερ δὴ καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἐκείνου γνώμην ἐτελεῖτο. τῶν γὰρ Ῥωμαίων συχνὰς μὲν ποιουμένων τὰς καταδρομὰς, τάχιστα δὲ ἀναχωρούντων, ἀδείας οἱ ἐν ∆ιδυμοτείχῳ τυγχάνοντες, τὰς κατὰ Θρᾴκην ἐληΐζοντο πόλεις καὶ νύκτωρ καὶ μεθ' ἡμέραν καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἁρπαγῆς καὶ λεηλασίας ἐποιοῦντο τὰς τοῦ βίου ἀφορμάς. τῶν Μυσῶν δὲ ἐπελθόντων καὶ συνεχῶς ἐπικειμένων ἐφ' ἡμέραις πλείσταις, εἰς στενὸν κομιδῇ περιέστη τὰ πράγματα αὐτοῖς, πάντων ἤδη κινδυνευόντων ὑπὸ τοῦ λιμοῦ διαφθαρῆναι. Μυσοὶ γὰρ ὁμοίως Ῥωμαίους τε ἐκώλυον τοῖς ἐν ∆ι 2.339 δυμοτείχῳ ἐπιέναι καὶ αὐτοὺς τῆς πόλεως μὴ ἐξιέναι. εἰ γάρ τινες ἐξίοιεν ἐφ' ἁρπαγὴν, ὥσπερ εἰώθεσαν, οὗτος γὰρ ἦν αὐτοῖς ἀναγκαιότατος πόρος πρὸς τὸ ζῇν, προστυγχάνοντες οἱ Μυσοὶ, πάντως δὲ οὐκ ἐνῆν διαλαθεῖν πολλὴν πρόνοιαν τούτου καὶ φροντίδα ποιουμένους, ἵππους τε ἀπεστέρουν καὶ ὅπλα καὶ γυμνοὺς ἠφίεσαν ἐπανήκειν πρὸς τὴν πόλιν. εἰ δὲ προσαγγέλοιεν τοὺς ταῦτα πράττοντας οἱ ἐκ ∆ιδυμοτείχου πρὸς τῆς στρατιᾶς τοὺς ἡγουμένους, οἱ δὲ μηδὲν εἰδέναι διετείνοντο, μηδὲ τῆς σφετέρας εἶναι στρατιᾶς τοὺς τολμῶντας τὰ τοιαῦτα, ἀλλὰ Ῥωμαίους, καὶ αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ λῃστείᾳ περιιόντας· ἐκέλευόν τε τὸ στρατόπεδον περιιέναι, εἴ τι γένοιτο γνώρισμα λαβεῖν ἐκ τῶν ἀπολομένων, καὶ τὰ ἔσχατα ἠπείλουν διαθήσειν, εἴ τινα τοιοῦτον λάβοιεν. τὰ δὲ ἦσαν οὐδαμοῦ· πρότερον γὰρ ἐξέπεμπον αὐτοὶ πρὸς Μυσίαν τοὺς τοιαῦτα εἰργασμένους. τοῦτον μὲν οὖν τὸν τρόπον ἐν στενῷ κατέστησαν κομιδῇ τοὺς ἐν ∆ιδυμοτείχῳ· πάνυ γὰρ ὑπὸ ἐνδείας ἐπιέσθησαν. συνορῶσα δὲ ἤδη τὸν κίνδυνον ἡ βασιλὶς Εἰρήνη, ἀπανίστασθαι ἐκέλευε τῆς πόλεως, ὡς οὐκέτι δεομένης τῆς παρ' αὐτῶν ἐπικουρίας, ἀρκούσης ἤδη γεγενημένης· δι' ἣν οὐ βασιλεῖ μόνον τῷ αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοῖς χάριν ὁμολογεῖν πολλήν. οἱ δὲ οὐδενὶ τρόπῳ ἔφασαν ἀναστήσεσθαι, ἀλλὰ διηνεκῶς αὐτόθι μενεῖν ἐπικουροῦντας. οὕτω γὰρ αὐτοῖς εἶναι προστεταγμένον παρὰ βασιλέως τοῦ σφετέρου. ἡ τοιαύτη δὲ ἀπολογία πολλὴν ἐνέβαλε ταραχὴν καὶ πτοίαν τοῖς ἐν ∆ιδυμοτείχῳ. ἤδη γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἐφαίνετο ὁ 2.340 ὄλεθρος ἐλλείπων κατ' οὐδέν. ὁ δὲ τῆς πόλεως ἀρχιερεὺς ὁρῶν ἤδη κλονουμένους καὶ πρὸς τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τῆς δυσπραγίας ἐνδιδόντας, παρελθὼν εἰς μέσους, παρεθάῤῥυνε καὶ οὐκ εἴα καταπίπτειν, κατὰ γνώμην θεῷ πάντα τὰ τῇδε πράττεσθαι εἰπὼν, καὶ τὰς τοιαύτας ἐπηρείας ὑπ' ἐκείνου παραχωρεῖσθαι, ἵνα τὸ πρὸς βασιλέα φίλτρον ὑμῶν δοκιμασθῇ· ὃς ἥξει τε μετὰ μικρὸν καὶ πάντας ἀμείψεται ταῖς προσηκούσαις εὐεργεσίαις. μηδὲ γὰρ οἴεσθε ἐκεῖνον μὴ κατὰ γνώμην βασιλεύειν θεῷ. τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτὸς σαφέστατα εἰδέναι. ἀμφισβητῶν γὰρ, ἔφασκεν, ἐν ἀρχῇ περὶ ἐκείνου, εἰ μὴ κατ' εὐδοκίαν, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον κατὰ παραχώρησιν θεοῦ εἰς τοῦτο ἦλθε σχήματος ἰδίᾳ πειθόμενος ἐπιθυμίᾳ καὶ ὁρμῇ, καὶ δεδοικὼς μὴ καὶ αὐτὸς συναπόλοιτο, τοῖς θεῷ συνὼν βουλευσαμένοις ἐναντία, εὐχαῖς προσανέχειν καὶ δεήσεσι τὸ θεῖον ἐκκαλεῖσθαι, ὥστε διδαχθῆναι περὶ αὐτοῦ, εἰ μὴ ὀργίζοιτο περὶ τῶν γινομένων. ἐκκαλυφθῆναι δὲ αὐτῷ παρὰ τοῦ πνεύματος, ὅτι κατ' εὐδοκίαν μᾶλλον εἴη τὸ βασιλεύειν Καντακουζηνόν. ᾧ καὶ πεισθέντα καὶ πᾶσαν ἀμφιβολίαν ἀποθέμενον ἐν ∆ιδυμοτείχῳ μένειν τῇ βουλήσει τοῦ θεοῦ συναιρόμενον τὰ δυνατά. οὐ γὰρ ἄν τις αὐτοῦ κατηγοροίη, ὅτι τῶν ἐν τῷ παρόντι βίῳ τινὸς δέοιτο παρὰ βασιλέως. οὔτε γὰρ πρότερον, οὔτε μέχρι νῦν τοιούτου τινὸς παρά τινος ἐδεήθη. καὶ αὐτοῖς παραινεῖν νυνὶ γενναίως ἵστασθαι πρὸς τῶν δεινῶν τὰς ἐπαγωγὰς, ὡς οὐ μέχρι πολλοῦ τινος ἐσομένας, ἀλλ' ὀλίγῳ ὕστερον λυθη 2.341 σομένας, ἵλεων αὐτοῖς ἐπιβλέψαντος θεοῦ. τοὺς γὰρ πολιορκοῦντας τούτοις Μυσοὺς, ἐν προσχήματι φιλίας καὶ τὴν παροῦσαν ἔνδειαν ἐπαγαγόντας, ἐν ἑπτὰ ταῖς ἐσομέναις μάλιστα ἡμέραις