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to be of the palace and to withdraw from constant meetings and administrations. So he went down to his house, established near the Cistern of Aspar, which he later converted into a monastery and there laid his dust. Arriving from there each time, he became a participant in the administrations. And Bardas, having shaken off Manuel not by his own doing but through Theoktistos, hastened, seizing the opportunity, to accomplish what he was eager for. Thinking reasonably that Theoktistos was an obstacle, he hastened to get rid of him also, and all the more because he reproached him for his clandestine affair with his own daughter-in-law. And the manner of the undertaking had such a beginning. The emperor Michael had a tutor who was both ill-bred and wicked; the emperor desired to raise this man higher in the imperial dignities, and to place him in a greater honor he beseeched both his mother and Theoktistos. But he did not persuade Theoktistos, who said, "The affairs of the empire must be managed worthily, not unworthily." So Bardas, taking this tutor as a wicked instrument, did not cease to sow certain tares against Theoktistos in the soul of the emperor, now 2.157 saying that public affairs were not being managed well, now that he wishes to marry your mother or one of your sisters to a husband, and to gouge out your eyes, and to drive you from the empire. And frequently whispering these things, he would add that there was need for the wisest and quickest counsel. And as they often came together concerning the same matter and proposed deliberations, they finally decided to get rid of Theoktistos. These things were decided, and such an end was devised to be given to what had been planned: when Theoktistos was about to go out to the Lausiakos after the administration of the reports, the emperor was to follow a little behind, and to cry out only this: "Seize him." So as Theoktistos was leaning forward on his way out and recognized the given signal, he thought to secure his safety by flight. And his flight was toward the Hippodrome in the direction of the Asekreteia; for there at that time was the lodging for the Asekretai. But, one man seized by many, he was forced to remain, as Bardas drew his sword and threatened to strike anyone attempting to hinder or to help. So he was led toward Skyla, to be handed over to a guard for the time being, until they should declare what was to be done about him. Finally, judging it not to be advantageous for themselves for him to live for fear of the Augusta, they sent out one of the Hetaireia to brandish a naked sword at him. He, seeing the man approaching with a sword, ducked under a certain stool, wanting to escape the blow; but struck a fatal blow in the stomach, his entrails having spilled out, he was given over 2.158 to death. And Theoktistos was killed in this manner, and Manuel, having learned of his killing, immediately came to the palace, and as if inspired is said to have said to Bardas, "Having bared your sword for the murder of Theoktistos, arm yourself for daily slaughters." And after the slaughter of Theoktistos, Bardas took upon himself the honor of Kanikleios. But the empress Theodora, when she perceived what had been done, ran with her hair unbound and filled the palace with lamentations, and both her son and her brother she subjected to reproachful words and curses and cursed them to suffer such a death. But they, not bearing her reproaches, and at the same time Bardas also clinging to his purpose, decided to get rid of her also and henceforth to carry out what seemed best without fear and without hindrance. Which she, having detected (for she was able to see and to conjecture), thought it not right to act against them, avoiding murders and the shedding of blood, but she decided to make known to the senate the wealth laid up in the palace, both hindering her son's unrestrained spending and proclaiming her own stewardship. So, having convened the senate and standing within earshot, she delivered the following words. "One thousand and ninety, O fathers, for the

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παλατίου γενέσθαι καὶ τῶν συνεχῶν ἀποστῆναι ὁμιλιῶν τε καὶ διοικήσεων. κάτεισι γοῦν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ, ἱδρυμένον κατὰ τὴν κινστέρναν τὴν Ἄσπαρος, ὃν καὶ εἰς σεμνεῖον ὕστερον μετεσκεύασε καὶ τὸν χοῦν ἐκεῖσε κατέθετο. ἐκεῖθεν ἑκά στοτε ἀφικνούμενος κοινωνὸς ἐγίνετο τῶν διοικήσεων. ἀποσεισά μενος δὲ ὁ Βάρδας τὸν Μανουὴλ οὐ δι' αὐτοῦ ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦ Θεο κτίστου, ἔσπευδε καιροῦ δραξάμενος ἀνύσαι τὸ σπουδαζόμενον. ἐμπόδιον δ' ἔχειν τὸν Θεόκτιστον εἰκότως οἰόμενος, ἔσπευδε καὶ αὐτὸν ποιήσασθαι ἐκποδών, τὸ πλέον δ' ὅτι ὠνείδιζεν αὐτὸν διὰ τὴν πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν νύμφην λαθραίαν ὁμιλίαν. ὁ δὲ τρόπος τῆς ἐγχειρήσεως εἴληφε τοιαύτην ἀρχήν. ὑπῆρχε τῷ βασιλεῖ Μιχαὴλ παιδαγωγὸς ἀνάγωγός τε καὶ πονηρός· τοῦτον τῶν βασι λικῶν ἀξιωμάτων ἀνωτέρω ἀναγαγεῖν ἠξίου ὁ βασιλεύς, καὶ εἰς μείζονα στῆσαι τιμὴν τήν τε μητέρα παρεκάλει καὶ τὸν Θεόκτιστον. οὐκ ἔπειθε δὲ τὸν Θεόκτιστον, "ἐπαξίως" λέγοντα "ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀνα ξίως τὰ τῆς βασιλείας χρὴ διοικεῖσθαι." τοῦτον οὖν τὸν παιδα γωγὸν ὄργανον ὁ Βάρδας λαβὼν πονηρὸν οὐκ ἐπαύετο ζιζάνιά τινα κατὰ τοῦ Θεοκτίστου τῇ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐνσπείρειν ψυχῇ, νῦν μὲν 2.157 λέγων ὡς οὐ καλῶς οἰκονομεῖται τὰ κοινά, νῦν δὲ ὡς βούλεται τὴν μητέρα σου ἀνδρὶ συναρμόσαι ἢ μίαν τῶν σῶν ἀδελφῶν, καὶ τοὺς σοὺς ἐξορύξαι ὀφθαλμούς, καὶ τῆς βασιλείας ἐξεῶσαι. ταῦτα δὲ πυκνῶς ἐνηχῶν προσετίθει ὡς συνετωτάτης δεῖ καὶ ταχίστης βουλῆς. ὡς δὲ πολλάκις περὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ συνήρχοντο πράγματος καὶ σκέψεις προυτίθεσαν, ἔγνωσαν τελευταῖον τὸν Θεόκτιστον ποιήσασθαι ἐκποδών. ἐδέδοκτο ταῦτα, καὶ πέρας ἐτυπώθη τοιοῦτον δοθῆναι τοῖς βουλευθεῖσιν, ἐν τῷ μέλλειν πρὸς τὸν Λαυσιακὸν ἐξέρχεσθαι τὸν Θεόκτιστον μετὰ τὴν τῶν ἀναφορῶν διοίκησιν ἐπακολουθῆσαι μικρὸν τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ τοῦτο μόνον ἀνακραγεῖν "ἄρατε αὐτόν." ὡς οὖν ὁ Θεόκτιστος προέκυπτεν ἐξιὼν τό τε δοθὲν σύνθημα ἔγνω, φυγῇ τὴν σωτηρίαν πραγμα τεύσασθαι ᾠήθη. ἡ φυγὴ δὲ γέγονεν αὐτῷ πρὸς τὸν ἱππόδρομον κατὰ τὰ ἀσηκρητεῖα· ἐκεῖσε γὰρ τότε τοῖς ἀσηκρήταις ἦν καταγώ γιον. ἀλλ' ὑπὸ πολλῶν ὁ εἷς συλληφθεὶς μένειν κατηναγκάζετο, σπασαμένου τοῦ Βάρδα ξίφος καὶ παίσειν ἐπαπειλοῦντος τὸν κω λύσειν ἢ βοηθήσειν ἐπιχειρήσοντα. ἤγετο μὲν οὖν πρὸς τὰ Σκῦλα, φρουρᾷ τέως παραδοθησόμενος, μέχρις ἂν τὰ κατ' αὐτὸν ἀποφή νωνται. τέλος μὴ συμφέρον εἶναι κρίναντες αὑτοῖς τὸ ζῆν αὐτὸν δέει τῆς Αὐγούστης, ἐκπέμπουσί τινα τῶν τῆς ἑταιρείας γυμνὸν ἐπισεῖσαι τὸ ξίφος αὐτῷ. οὗτος ξιφήρη τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐπιόντα ἰδὼν ὑπέδυ σκάμνον τινὰ τὴν πληγὴν βουλόμενος ἐκφυγεῖν· ἀλλὰ καιρίαν κατὰ γαστέρα πληγεὶς τῶν ἐγκάτων ἐκχυθέντων αὐτῷ 2.158 παρεδόθη θανάτῳ. καὶ ὁ μὲν Θεόκτιστος ἀνῃρέθη τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον, τὴν δὲ ἀναίρεσιν αὐτοῦ πυθόμενος ὁ Μανουὴλ εὐθὺς ἧκε πρὸς τὰ βασίλεια, καὶ ὥσπερ ἐνθουσιάσας εἰπεῖν λέγεται πρὸς τὸν Βάρδαν ξίφος γυμνώσας εἰς Θεοκτίστου φόνον, ὅπλιζε σαυτὸν εἰς σφαγὰς καθ' ἡμέραν. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν τοῦ Θεοκτίστου σφαγὴν ὁ Βάρδας τὴν τοῦ κανικλείου τιμὴν εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἀνελάμβανεν. ἡ βασιλὶς δὲ Θεοδώρα ὡς ᾔσθετο τῶν πεπραγμένων, λυσίκομός τις ἔθει καὶ ὀδυρμῶν ἐπλήρου τὰ βασίλεια, ἀμφοτέρους τε τόν τε υἱὸν καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν λόγοις ὀνειδιστικοῖς καὶ ἀραῖς ὑπέβαλλε καὶ τοιοῦτον θάνατον ὑποσχεῖν κατηρᾶτο. οἱ δὲ τοὺς ὀνειδισμοὺς ταύτης μὴ φέροντες, ἅμα δὲ καὶ ὁ Βάρδας τῶν κατὰ σκοπὸν ἐχόμενος, ἔγνωσαν καὶ ταύτην ποιήσασθαι ἐκποδὼν καὶ λοιπὸν ἀδεῶς καὶ ἀνεμποδίστως τὸ δοκοῦν διαπράττεσθαι. ὅπερ ἐκείνη καταφωράσασα (καὶ γὰρ ἦν ἰδεῖν καὶ στοχάσασθαι δυνατὴ) ἀντιπράττειν μὲν οὐκ ᾤετο δεῖν, φόνους καὶ χύσεις αἱμάτων ἐκφεύγουσα, τὸν δ' ἐναποκεί μενον τοῖς ἀνακτόροις πλοῦτον ἔκρινε τῇ συγκλήτῳ ποιήσασθαι φανερόν, τοῦ τε υἱοῦ τὴν ἀκρατῆ δαπάνην κωλύουσα καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν οἰκονομίαν κηρύττουσα. τὴν σύγκλητον οὖν ἐκκλησιάσασα καὶ εἰς ἐπήκοον στᾶσα τοιούτους ἀπέδοτο λόγους. "χίλια μέν, ὦ πατέρες, πρὸς τοῖς ἐννενήκοντα τῷ