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I choose to die. For it is no different from this to lay down the authority I have, and to hand over the cities and the army, and to live out my life in great obscurity in the guise of a private citizen, tucked away in some corner. Yet this is not to be done simply, nor without due consideration, so that it should seem to the Romans and to the other Greeks and barbarians that, acting unjustly and as an oath-breaker and being unable to withstand the war, out of fear I yielded the rule to them, preferring to live without glory over a death with glory. But first, I wish for a decree and a public 2.515 declaration to be made jointly by the church and the senate and all the Romans together, stating that it was not because I was acting unjustly, nor as an oath-breaker, nor convicted of evil towards the children of the emperor, my friend, but for the sake of the common salvation that I withdrew from power and so that the civil wars, by which they are being destroyed, might be ended. Next, to release from their bonds all those held in prisons because of their loyalty to me, and to restore the property of which they were deprived, and to do likewise for the children of the dead. For it would be absurd to be seen by them as the cause of their calamities and misfortunes, but to take no thought for their return to their former state. In addition to these things, also to my companions, both senators and soldiers, and to the others related to me by blood, first, to give assurances through oaths that they will do them no harm, taking vengeance for their loyalty to me, and next, to restore to them as well the money and possessions that have been taken away. In addition to these things, also to deem each one worthy of provision according to his rank. For if I myself were to be emperor, I would have rewarded them worthily for their labors and would not have needed others to provide for them; but since I willingly resign, it is just to leave them both in safety and with abundance for their livelihood. And if these things come to pass, as I demand, I myself will lay down the kingship and the rule, and hand over the cities, and either at holy Athos or in another part of the Roman land—for I do not choose to be an exile in another—2.516 I will live out my whole life in obscurity, dwelling by myself as best I can.” 84. Such things the emperor discussed with Aregos concerning the peace. And he for a long while bowed his head, marveling in silence at the emperor's nobility and was, as it were, astounded at the greatness of what had been said. Then, recovering himself, he said, “That you have left nothing out of either good sense or justice in what you have said, not even the most shameless man would think he could contradict. But as to what was said to him concerning the peace, he wished to know if he had spoken to them alone as friends, or if he wanted it to be reported also to those in Byzantium, if somehow it might come about that they too, having considered what was necessary, might deliver the Romans from some of their great calamities. The emperor ordered him to report it and to do it before all else. And so that what had been said might seem more firm and trustworthy, he ordered it to be written down, and when everything he had discussed had been written, he signed it with red signatures and ordered a golden seal to be appended, a sign that he would keep what was written firmly and without doubt. And Aregos, when he had the letters in his hands, acknowledging many thanks to the emperor, as one who had received the greatest benefits, and being now about to depart, begged the emperor to lead away the army. For the peace would require not a few days for deliberation. But the army could not remain quiet, but would attack and destroy 2.517 everything. If, then, he himself were to sit here awaiting the reply, there would be a danger that after the peace nothing would be left, concerning which the peace would seem to have been made. The emperor said he was eager to do this and anything greater he might ask, and he promised that on the third day from then, when the whole army was in the same place—for it had been scattered for plunder—he would break camp. So then Aregos, having taken leave of the emperor and holding the letters, departed. And having arrived at the palace, he presented the letters to the patriarch and the grand duke, and discussed the peace with

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αἱροῦμαι ἀποθνήσκειν. οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀποδέει τούτου τὸ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀποθέμενον, ὅσην ἔχω, καὶ τὰς πόλεις παραδόντα καὶ τὴν στρατιὰν, αὐτὸν ἐν ἰδιώτου σχήματι ἀφανείᾳ πολλῇ συζῇν ἐν γωνίᾳ παραβύσαντά τινι. πλὴν οὐχ ἁπλῶς καὶ τοῦτο οὐδὲ λόγου τοῦ προσήκοντος ἐκτὸς, ὡς δοκεῖν τοῖς τε Ῥωμαίοις καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις Ἕλλησι καὶ βαρβάροις, ὅτι ἀδικῶν καὶ ἐπιορκῶν καὶ μὴ δυνάμενος ἀντέχειν πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον, δείσας παρεχώρησα τῆς ἀρχῆς αὐτοῖς, τὸ ζῇν ἀκλεῶς τῆς μετ' εὐκλείας προτιμήσας τελευτῆς· ἀλλὰ πρῶτον μὲν ψήφισμα βούλομαι γενέσθαι καὶ πρόγραμ 2.515 μα κοινὸν τῆς τε ἐκκλησίας καὶ συγκλήτου καὶ συμπάντων κοινῇ Ῥωμαίων, ὡς οὐκ ἀδικῶν, οὐδὲ ἐπιορκῶν, οὐδὲ κακὸς περὶ τοὺς βασιλέως τοῦ φίλου παῖδας ἐλεγχθεὶς, ἀλλὰ τοῦ κοινῇ τῆς σωτηρίας ἕνεκα ἀπέστην τῆς ἀρχῆς καὶ τοῦ λελύσθαι τοὺς ἐμφυλίους, ὑφ' ὧν διαφθείρονται, πολέμους. ἔπειτα τοὺς ἐν δεσμωτηρίοις πάντας διὰ τὴν εἰς ἐμὲ κατεχομένους εὔνοιαν ἀφεῖναι τῶν δεσμῶν, καὶ τὴν οὐσίαν ἀποδοῦναι, ὅσης ἀπεστέρησαν, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας τῶν ἀποθανόντων ποιεῖν ὁμοίως. ἄτοπον γὰρ τῶν μὲν συμφορῶν καὶ τῶν δυστυχημάτων αἴτιον αὐτοῖς ὀφθῆναι, πρὸς δὲ τὸ πρὸς τὴν ἀρχαίαν μηδὲν φροντίσαι τύχην ἐπανελθεῖν. πρὸς τούτοις δὲ καὶ τοῖς συνοῦσι, καὶ συγκλητικοῖς καὶ στρατιώταις, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῖς προσήκουσιν ἐμοὶ καθ' αἷμα, πρῶτον μὲν πίστεις δι' ὅρκων δοῦναι, ὡς οὐδὲν κακώσουσιν, ἀμυνόμενοι τῆς εἰς ἐμὲ εὐνοίας, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ τούτοις ἀποδοῦναι, ἃ ἀφῄρηνται καὶ χρήματα καὶ κτήσεις. πρὸς τούτοις δὲ καὶ προνοίας ἕκαστον ἀξιῶσαι πρὸς ἀξίαν. εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἔμελλον εἶναι βασιλεὺς αὐτὸς, ἀξίως ἂν τῶν πόνων ἠμειψάμην καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἐκείνων ἐδεήθην προνοεῖν αὐτῶν· ἐπεὶ δ' ἑκὼν εἶναι παραιτοῦμαι, δίκαιον αὐτοὺς ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ τε ὁμοῦ καὶ εὐπορίᾳ τῶν πρὸς τὸν βίον ἀπολιπεῖν. κἂν ταῦτα γένηται, ὥσπερ ἀξιῶ, τὴν βασιλείαν ἀποθέμενος αὐτὸς καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν, καὶ τὰς πόλεις παραδοὺς, ἢ πρὸς Ἄθῳ τῷ ἱερῷ ἢ πρὸς ἑτέρῳ μέρει τῆς Ῥωμαίων γῆς, οὐ γὰρ αἱροῦμαι ὑπερόριος εἶναι ἐφ' ἑτέρας, 2.516 ἀφανείᾳ συζήσω τὸν πάντα βίον κατ' ἐμαυτὸν διάγων, ὅπως ἂν οἷός τε ὦ.» πδʹ. Τοιαῦτα μὲν βασιλεὺς πρὸς τὸν Ἀρῆγον διειλέχθη περὶ τῆς εἰρήνης. ἐκεῖνος δὲ μέχρι πολλοῦ κάτω νεύων, ἐθαύμαζε σιγῇ τὴν καλοκαγαθίαν βασιλέως καὶ ὥσπερ ἐξεπέπληκτο πρὸς τὸ μέγεθος τῶν εἰρημένων. ἔπειτα ἀνενεγκὼν, «ὡς μὲν οὐδὲν ἐνέλιπες» εἶπεν «οὔτε εὐγνωμοσύνης, οὔτε δικαιοσύνης ἐν τοῖς εἰρημένοις, οὐδὲ τὸν σφόδρα ἀναισχυντοῦντα οἴεσθαι δυνήσεσθαι ἀντειπεῖν. ἃ δὲ αὐτῷ περὶ τῆς εἰρήνης εἴρηται εἰδέναι βούλεσθαι, εἰ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὡς ἐπιτηδείους μόνον διειλέχθη, ἢ εἰ βούλοιτο μηνύεσθαι καὶ τοῖς ἐν Βυζαντίῳ, εἴ πως γένοιτο κἀκείνους τῶν δεόντων σκεψαμένους τι τῶν μεγάλων συμφορῶν Ῥωμαίους ἀπαλλάττειν. βασιλεὺς δὲ ἀπαγγέλλειν τε ἐκέλευε καὶ προὔργου παντός. ἵνα δὲ μᾶλλον βέβαια δοκῇ τὰ εἰρημένα καὶ πιστὰ, ἐκέλευε καὶ γράφειν, καὶ ἐπεὶ γεγραμμένα ἦσαν πάντα, ὅσα διειλέχθη, ἐρυθραῖς ὑπεσημαίνετο ὑπογραφαῖς καὶ σφραγῖδα χρυσῆν ἐκέλευεν αἰωρεῖν, δεῖγμα τοῦ φυλάξειν τὰ ἐγγεγραμμένα βεβαίως καὶ ἀναμφιβόλως. Ἀρῆγος δὲ ἐπεὶ τὰ γράμματα εἶχεν ἐν χερσὶ, πολλὰς βασιλεῖ χάριτας ὁμολογῶν, ὡς τὰ μέγιστα εὐηργετημένος, καὶ μέλλων ἤδη ἀπιέναι, ἐδεῖτο βασιλέως ἀπαγαγεῖν τὴν στρατιάν. τὴν μὲν γὰρ εἰρήνην οὐκ ὀλίγων ἡμερῶν δεήσεσθαι πρὸς διάσκεψιν. τὴν στρατιὰν δὲ ἠρεμεῖν μὴ δύνασθαι, ἀλλὰ πάντα ἐπιέναι καὶ διαφθεί 2.517 ρειν. εἰ δὴ αὐτὸς τὴν ἀπολογίαν περιμένων ἐνταῦθα καθεδεῖται, κινδυνεύσει μετὰ τὴν εἰρήνην ὑπολείπεσθαι οὐδὲν, περὶ οὗ ἂν δόξειε γενέσθαι ἡ εἰρήνη. βασιλεὺς δὲ τοῦτό τε καὶ εἴ τι μεῖζον ἕτερον αὐτοῦ αἰτοῦντος πρόθυμος εἶναι ἔφασκε ποιεῖν, καὶ ἐπηγγέλλετο, ὡς ἐς τρίτην ἐξ ἐκείνης, πάσης γενομένης ἐν ταὐτῷ τῆς στρατιᾶς, διεσκέδαστο γὰρ ἐπὶ τὴν λείαν, ἀναστήσων τὸ στρατόπεδον. οὕτω μὲν οὖν Ἀρῆγος βασιλεῖ συνταξάμενος, ἔχων καὶ τὰ γράμματα, ἀπεχώρει. καὶ γενόμενος ἐν βασιλείοις, τά τε γράμματα παρείχετο πατριάρχῃ καὶ μεγάλῳ δουκὶ, καὶ περὶ εἰρήνης διειλέχθη πρὸς