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to embrace, if they prefer it above all other things which they think are of special importance to them. I say, therefore, that if they are willing to accept an emperor and co-ruler for the emperor's children, I myself will not meddle in any way concerning the events that have occurred during the war, but will grant them an amnesty for the evils, and will deprive them of none of the things that have been seized, whether they belong to their own households or to their friends or to their relatives. Furthermore 2.512 neither will I take away any of what the empress granted them during the time of the war, neither the honors, if they seem to be undeserved, nor the possessions, whether they were from public funds, or from those belonging to me; but I will approve all things and never bring any harm upon them, in retaliation for the evils of the war. But if this seems to them to be neither just nor tolerable, we will entrust everything to justice. And I will not use any other judges, but the empress herself and the patriarch and the most eminent of the monks and bishops and of the Romans, if any still remain, the best, and indeed also the most prudent men of the various cities. And if I myself am found to be acting unjustly and breaking my oath and plotting against the emperor's children, as these men have accused, let there be no other punishment for the injustice than a dishonorable and inglorious death. But if they themselves shrink from such a condemnation, thinking it cruel to condemn a man to death, I myself against myself, even before the trial takes place, will ratify the vote, so that they, after being convicted for their wrongdoings, may have no complaint about the punishment. But if they are shown to be the complete opposite, not simply, nor at random, but with me producing clear proofs of what is being said—not from those who have chosen our side, lest they seem to be showing me favor, but from those whom they themselves used as collaborators throughout the whole war, and rather with the empress herself and the patriarch for the 2.513 most part bearing witness with me, for they would not be able to deny what they clearly know with me—it is just for those who have slandered and plotted unjustly and become the cause of so many evils for the Romans, to suffer the same things, if they are defeated. But I, just as in other matters, showing a certain magnanimity in these things as well, value it that I should die if I am defeated, but if they are convicted, that they should suffer nothing unpleasant, but only this: to be proved slanderers, and that I after the victory should be publicly proclaimed emperor by the Romans and co-ruler for the emperor's children. But if they are afraid of me coming to the trial wearing the imperial robe, or if they are suspicious of me coming to Byzantium with an army, I will remedy these difficulties as well. For I will enter with no more than ten men, and having put aside the imperial insignia, I will change into the dress of a private citizen. For the sake of the common good and for the Romans to be freed from the terrors of the war, whom I love most of all, even if these slanderers defame me in this regard also, claiming that I hate and make war on them and corrupt them, I have decided to endure not only such things, but also things much more grievous, with eagerness; especially since this will not in the least harm my reputation. For if I die defeated, no benefit will remain from having the imperial robe; and if I prove superior to my accusers, 2.514 it will not hurt at all to have set it aside for a short time, being about to take it up again a little later with greater glory and acclamation and with the common vote. For not even when I put it aside each night to go to bed do I feel any annoyance or dishonor. Therefore, I will not make a long speech about my attire now, but I am ready to act as it may please them. But if, utterly overcome by envy and hatred towards me, they consider none of these things to be sufficient, nor accept an emperor on any challenge, but have altogether despaired of this and choose rather to decree destruction than to endure servitude to me, then no account should be taken of them, raving as they are. But for the sake of the common salvation of the others, lest I myself seem to be neglectful out of love for my own life, willingly

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ἀσπάζεσθαι, ἂν τῶν ἄλλων πάντων, ἃ νομίζουσιν αὐτοῖς ἰδίᾳ διαφέρειν, προτιμῶσι. φημὶ τοίνυν, ὡς ἐὰν μὲν ἐθελήσωσι βασιλέα δέχεσθαι καὶ τοῖς παισὶ συνάρχοντα βασιλέως, οὐδ' αὐτὸν πολυπραγμονήσειν μηδὲν περὶ τῶν κατὰ τὸν πόλεμον γεγενημένων, ἀλλ' ἀμνηστίαν τε αὐτοῖς παρέξειν τῶν κακῶν, καὶ τῶν ἡρπασμένων μηδενὸς ἀποστερήσειν, ἄν τε τῶν οἰκείων ὦσιν ἢ τῶν φίλων ἢ τῶν συγγενῶν. ἔτι 2.512 τε οὐδ' ὧν αὐτοῖς ἡ βασιλὶς παρέσχετο κατὰ τὸν τοῦ πολέμου χρόνον, οὔτε τῶν τιμῶν, ἂν δοκῶσι παρ' ἀξίαν, οὔτε τῶν κτήσεων, εἴτε ἐκ τῶν δημοσίων ἦσαν, ἢ τῶν ἐμοὶ προσηκουσῶν· ἀλλὰ πάντα στέργειν καὶ μηδεμίαν αὐτοῖς μηδέποτε βλάβην ἐπάγειν, ἀμυνόμενον τῶν κατὰ τὸν πόλεμον κακῶν. εἰ δὲ τοῦτ' αὐτοῖς μήτε δίκαιον εἶναι φαίνεται, μήτε ἀνεκτὸν, πάντα ἐπιτρέψομεν τῇ δίκῃ. χρήσομαι δὲ οὐχ ἑτέροις δικασταῖς τισιν, ἀλλ' αὐτῇ βασιλίδι καὶ πατριάρχῃ καὶ τῶν τε μοναχῶν καὶ ἐπισκόπων τοῖς λογάσι καὶ τῶν Ῥωμαίων, εἴ τινες ἔτι κατελείφθησαν, τοῖς ἀρίστοις, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἑκασταχοῦ πολιτειῶν τοῖς συνετωτέροις. κἂν μὲν αὐτὸς ἀδικῶν καὶ ἐπιορκῶν καὶ βασιλέως τοῖς παισὶ φαίνωμαι ἐπιβουλεύων, ὥσπερ οὗτοι κατηγόρησαν, μηδεμίαν ἄλλην εἶναι τῆς ἀδικίας τιμωρίαν, ἢ θάνατον ἄτιμον καὶ ἀκλεᾶ. εἰ δ' αὐτοὶ τὴν τοιαύτην καταδίκην παραιτοῦνται, ἀπηνὲς εἶναι νομίζοντες ἀνθρώπου θάνατον καταψηφίζεσθαι, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς κατ' ἐμαυτοῦ, καὶ πρὶν γενέσθαι τὴν δίκην, κυρώσω τὴν ψῆφον, ἵν' αὐτοὶ μετὰ τὸ τοῖς ἀδικήμασιν ἁλῶναι μηδεμίαν περὶ τῆς τιμωρίας μέμψιν ἔχωσιν. ἂν δ' αὐτοὶ τἀναντία πάντα φαίνωνται, οὐχ ἁπλῶς, οὐδὲ εἰκῇ, ἀλλὰ τῶν λεγομένων μαρτυρίας ἐναργεῖς ἐμοῦ παράγοντος, οὐ παρὰ τῶν ᾑρημένων τὰ ἡμέτερα, ἵνα μὴ χαρίζεσθαι ἐμοὶ δοκῶσιν, ἀλλ' οἷς αὐτοὶ συνεργσῖς παρὰ πάντα τὸν πόλεμον ἐχρῶντο, μᾶλλον δὲ αὐτῆς βασιλίδος καὶ πατριάρχου τοῖς 2.513 πλείοσιν ἐμοὶ συμμαρτυρούντων, οὐ γὰρ ἂν δύναιντο ἔξαρνοι γίνεσθαι πρὸς ἃ ἐμοὶ συνίσασι σαφῶς, δίκαιον μὲν τοὺς σεσυκοφαντηκότας καὶ ἐπιβουλεύσαντας ἀδίκως καὶ τοσούτων κακῶν αἰτίους Ῥωμαίοις γενομένους, τὰ ἴσα πάσχειν, ἂν ἡττῶνται. ἐγὼ δὲ ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις, κἀν τούτοις φιλοτιμίαν τινὰ ἐπιδεικνύμενος, ἐμὲ μὲν ἡττώμενον τιμῶμαι ἀποθνήσκειν, ἂν δ' αὐτοὶ ἁλίσκωνται, μηδὲν ὑπομένειν ἀηδὲς, ἀλλ' αὐτὸ τοῦτο μόνον συκοφάνται ἀποδείκνυσθαι, ἐμὲ δὲ μετὰ τὴν νίκην βασιλέα κοινῇ ἀνακηρύττεσθαι ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων καὶ συνάρχοντα βασιλέως τοῖς παισίν. εἰ δὲ τὸ βασιλικὴν ἐσθῆτα ἔχοντα δεδοίκασι πρὸς τὴν δίκην ἀπαντᾷν, ἢ τὸ στρατιὰν ἔχοντα ὑποπτεύουσιν εἰς Βυζάντιον ἐλθεῖν, ἐγὼ καὶ ταύτας ἰάσομαι τὰς ἀπορίας. οὐ πλείους γὰρ ἔχων εἰσελεύσομαι τῶν δέκα, τά τε βασιλικὰ ἐπίσημα ἀποθέμενος ἰδιωτικὴν μεταμφιάσομαι σκευήν. τοῦ κοινῇ γὰρ ἕνεκα λυσιτελοῦντος καὶ τοῦ Ῥωμαίους τῶν ἐκ τοῦ πολέμου δεινῶν ἀπαλλαγῆναι, οὓς ἐγὼ μάλιστα φιλῶ, κἂν οἱ συκοφάνται οὗτοι καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο διαβάλλωσι, μισεῖν φάσκοντες καὶ πολεμεῖν αὐτοῖς καὶ διαφθείρειν, οὐ μόνον τοιαῦτα, καὶ ἐπαχθέστερα δὲ πολλῷ προθύμως ὑπομένειν ἔγνωκα· ἄλλως θ' ὅτι οὐδὲ πρὸς τὴν εὐδοξίαν ἐμοὶ τοῦτο οὐδ' ὀλίγα λυμανεῖται. ἂν μὲν γὰρ ἡττώμενος ἀποθνήσκω, οὐδεμία ὄνησις ἐκ τοῦ βασιλικὴν ἐσθῆτα ἔχειν περιέσται· ἂν δὲ τῶν κατηγορούντων 2.514 κρείττων φαίνωμαι, οὐδὲν λυπήσει τὸ ἀποθέσθαι πρὸς βραχὺ, μέλλοντα ὀλίγῳ ὕστερον αὖθις ἀναλαμβάνειν μετὰ πλείονος τῆς δόξης καὶ τῆς εὐφημίας καὶ τῆς ψήφου τῆς κοινῆς. οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ νυκτὸς ἑκάστης ἀποτιθέμενος ἐπὶ τῷ κατακλίνεσθαι, οὔτ' ἀνίας, οὔτε ἀδοξίας αἰσθάνομαί τινος. διόπερ οὐδὲ νῦν περὶ τῆς σκευῆς μακρὸν ποιήσομαι τὸν λόγον, ἀλλ' ὡς ἂν αὐτοῖς ἀρέσκῃ πράττειν ἕτοιμος ἐγώ. εἰ δὲ καθάπαξ ἁλόντες τῷ φθόνῳ καὶ τῷ ἔχθει τῷ πρὸς ἐμὲ, τούτων μὲν οὐδὲν ἡγοῦνται ἐξαρκεῖν, οὐδὲ ἐπ' οὐδεμιᾷ προκλήσει βασιλέα δέχονται, ἀλλὰ καθάπαξ ἀπεγνώκασι πρὸς τοῦτο καὶ πάντων μᾶλλον ἀπώλειαν καταψηφίζεσθαι αἱροῦνται, ἢ ἐμοὶ δουλεύειν ὑπομένειν, ἐκείνων μὲν οὐδένα λόγον ἐχρῆν ποιεῖσθαι οὕτω μαινομένων. τῆς δὲ κοινῆς τῶν ἄλλων σωτηρίας ἕνεκα, ἵνα μὴ δοκῶ καταπροΐεσθαι φιλοψυχῶν αὐτὸς, ἑκοντὶ