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waiting for an army, he attempted to deceive, until having acquired a strong force, he would wage war against him openly. But the emperor, holding Vatatzes in the highest regard, for the man was worthy of account, not only in intelligence, but also in experience and boldness in battles, and thinking it necessary to show every zeal that Vatatzes not desert to the enemy, for he was aware of the great cowardice and inexperience in battles of the commanders in Byzantium, he again sent Nicephorus Metochites, who was later honored with the dignity of grand logothete, carrying oaths of amnesty, and promising certain other things, which that man said he wished to send and ask of the emperor. But when Metochites clearly learned that Vatatzes had defected from the emperor, for already the Persian army was crossing from Asia at Teristasis, which Vatatzes had summoned for an alliance, having turned back very quickly, he reported the defection to the emperor, and that, now having a Persian alliance, he had begun the war. To the emperor, terrible things seemed to be appearing 2.555 again; for not a few Thracian cities immediately defected with Vatatzes, which his relatives governed, the emperor having entrusted the commands to them; nevertheless, he too of necessity prepared for battle, and sending, he summoned the soldiers from the cities in which they were stationed; and he himself was considering how he should manage affairs concerning the war against Vatatzes, and he was conversing with Nicephorus Metochites, who had been sent as an ambassador to him, while lying on a couch; but having dozed off for a short while, he was overcome by sleep while conversing about Vatatzes. And in his sleep he seemed to see two certain youths, most beautiful in beauty, holding a crimson robe, on which a golden cross was embossed, extending to the four ends. And around the cross was written, also in golden letters: "Jesus Christ conquers." With which the youths, carrying it, covered the emperor. So the emperor saw these things in his sleep, and having awakened, he related them to those present. And it seemed to them and to the emperor that the dream was a messenger of some good; and it was said that at the same hour Vatatzes had been killed by the Persians. For thus it was later reported to the emperor as he was investigating. For Vatatzes, when the Persians were present, did not reveal that he had undertaken a war against the emperor Cantacuzenus; but he said only this, that he would lead them for plunder, thinking that if he led them against the cities under the emperor and showed them scattered people and many 2.556 cattle, the barbarians too, out of a desire for gain, would choose war against the emperor. But this turned out contrary to what he thought. For when he came to Garella, and was permitting the great plunder of people and cattle that was seen, the Persians asked if the land was not under the emperor Cantacuzenus. And when he revealed the secret and advised them to mind their own business but to fill themselves with the captives, the barbarians, indignant at the deceit, that he had led them against the emperor without their knowledge, and being displeased on his account, they immediately kill Vatatzes, and having enslaved the other Romans who were with him, and his son, they withdrew homeward, having done no harm to the cities that were under the emperor. Vatatzes, therefore, paid such a penalty for his folly. But the cities which had previously defected with him, even after his death did not submit to the emperor, but held out, fighting for a long time. And from those cities, the garrison holding Empyrion, seizing their commander, named Archontitzes, handed over both him and the fortress to the empress. And having received immunity, they returned to their homes. And John Apocaucus, the brother of the grand duke, attacking by night, took Rhegium by treachery, and drove out the emperor's garrison. But the emperor, since the army had already been assembled for the war against Vatatzes, thought it necessary to attack the Byzantines; and with him followed 2.557 Hierax, leading the company from Tzernomianon, and Paraspondylus; whom the emperor ordered

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περιμένων στρατιὰν, φενακίζειν ἐπεχείρει, ἄχρις οὗ δύναμιν κτησάμενος βεβαίαν, πολεμήσει πρὸς ἐκεῖνον φανερῶς. βασιλεὺς δὲ ποιούμενος περὶ πλείστου Βατάτζην ἔχειν, ἦν γὰρ λόγου ἄξιος ὁ ἀνὴρ, οὐ συνέσει μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐμπειρίᾳ καὶ τόλμῃ τῇ κατὰ τὰς μάχας, καὶ πᾶσαν σπουδὴν ἐπιδείκνυσθαι δεῖν οἰόμενος τοῦ μὴ Βατάτζην πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους ἀποστῆναι, τοῖς γὰρ ἐν Βυζαντίῳ οὖσιν ἄρχουσι πολλὴν συνῄδει ἀτολμίαν καὶ ἀπειρίαν κατὰ τὰς μάχας, Νικηφόρον ἔπεμπεν αὖθις τὸν Μετοχίτην, ὃς τὴν μεγάλου λογοθέτου ὕστερον τετίμητο ἀξίαν, ὅρκους κομίζοντα ἀμνηστίας, καὶ ἕτερα ἄττα ἐπαγγελλόμενον, ἃ ἐκεῖνος ἔφασκε βούλεσθαι πέμψας αἰτεῖν πρὸς βασιλέα. Μετοχίτης δὲ ἐπεὶ σαφῶς ἔγνω Βατάτζην ἀποστάντα βασιλέως, ἤδη γὰρ καὶ ἡ Περσικὴ στρατιὰ κατὰ τὴν Τηρίστασιν διέβαινεν ἐκ τῆς Ἀσίας, ἣν Βατάτζης ἐπὶ συμμαχίᾳ μετεπέμπετο, τάχιστα ἀναστρέψας, ἀπήγγελλε τὴν ἀποστασίαν βασιλεῖ, καὶ ὡς ἤδη καὶ συμμαχίαν ἔχων Περσικὴν, τοῦ πολέμου ἅψαιτο. βασιλεῖ δὲ ἐδόκει μὲν αὖθις ἀναφαί 2.555 νεσθαι δεινά· συναπέστησαν γὰρ αὐτίκα Βατάτζῃ καὶ πόλεις οὐκ ὀλίγαι Θρᾳκικαὶ, ὧν οἱ ἐκείνου ἦρχον συγγενεῖς, βασιλέως ἐγκεχειρικότος τὰς ἀρχάς· ὅμως ἀναγκαίως καὶ αὐτὸς παρεσκευάζετο πρὸς μάχην, καὶ πέμψας μετεκαλεῖτο τοὺς στρατιώτας ἐκ τῶν πόλεων, αἷς ἦσαν ἐγκαθιδρυμένοι· αὐτὸς δὲ ἐσκέπτετο, ᾗ χρὴ διαθέσθαι τὰ κατὰ τὸν πρὸς Βατάτζην πόλεμον, καὶ τῷ πεπρεσβευκότι πρὸς ἐκεῖνον διελέγετο Νικηφόρῳ τῷ Μετοχίτῃ ἐπὶ κλίνης ἀνακείμενος· νυστάξας δὲ ἐπὶ μικρὸν, ὕπνῳ κατελήφθη μεταξὺ διαλεγόμενος περὶ Βατάτζη. ἐδόκει δὲ ὁρᾷν κατὰ τοὺς ὕπνους νεανίσκους δύο τινὰς καλλίστους κάλλει, πέπλον φοινικοῦν ἔχειν, ᾧ χρυσοῦς ἐντετύπωτο σταυρὸς ἐπὶ τὰ τέσσαρα διήκων ἄκρα. ἐγέγραπτο δὲ καὶ περὶ τὸν σταυρὸν γράμμασι καὶ αὐτοῖς χρυσοῖς· «Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς νικᾷ.» ᾧ φέροντες οἱ νεανίσκοι περιεκάλυπτον τὸν βασιλέα. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἑώρα κατὰ τοὺς ὕπνους, καὶ ἔξυπνος γενόμενος διηγεῖτο τοῖς παροῦσιν. ἐδόκει δὲ αὐτοῖς τε καὶ βασιλεῖ, ἀγαθοῦ τινος τὸν ὄνειρον εἶναι μηνυτήν· ἐλέγετο δὲ, ὡς τῆς αὐτῆς ὥρας Βατάτζης ἀνῄρητο ὑπὸ Περσῶν. οὕτω γὰρ ἐξετάζοντι ἐμηνύετο ὕστερον τῷ βασιλεῖ. ὁ γὰρ Βατάτζης, ἐπεὶ οἱ Πέρσαι παρῆσαν, ὅτι μὲν πρὸς Καντακουζηνὸν τὸν βασιλέα πόλεμον ἀνῄρητο, οὐκ ἐδήλου· τοῦτο δὲ μόνον ἔφασκεν, ὡς ἡγήσοιτο ἐπὶ λεηλασίᾳ, οἰόμενος, εἰ ἐπαγάγοι ταῖς ὑπὸ βασιλέα πόλεσι καὶ ἐπιδείξοι διεσκεδασμένους ἀνθρώπους καὶ βοσκήματα 2.556 πολλὰ, ἐπιθυμίᾳ κέρδους αἱρήσεσθαι καὶ τοὺς βαρβάρους τὸν πρὸς βασιλέα πόλεμον. τοῦτο δ' ἐναντίως ἀπέβαινεν ἢ ἐκεῖνος ᾤετο. ὡς γὰρ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ Γαρέλλαν, καὶ ἐπέτρεπε τὴν λείαν πολλὴν ὁρωμένην ἀνθρώπων ὁμοῦ καὶ βοσκημάτων, οἱ Πέρσαι μὲν ἠρώτων, εἰ μὴ ὑπὸ Καντακουζηνὸν τὸν βασιλέα ἡ χώρα εἴη. τοῦ δὲ ἐξειπόντος τὸ ἀπόῤῥητον καὶ παραινοῦντος πολυπραγμονεῖν μηδὲν, ἀλλ' ἐμπίπλασθαι τῶν ἀνδραπόδων, οἱ βάρβαροι ἀγανακτήσαντες πρὸς τὴν ἀπάτην, ὅτι μηδὲν εἰδότας ἐπὶ βασιλέα ἤγαγε, καὶ δυσχεράναντες ὑπὲρ ἐκείνου, Βατάτζην μὲν ἀποκτείνουσιν αὐτίκα, τοὺς ἄλλους δὲ Ῥωμαίους, ὅσοι συνῆσαν, ἐξανδραποδίσαντες καὶ τὸν υἱὸν, ἀνεχώρησαν ἐπ' οἴκου, μηδὲν ταῖς ὑπὸ βασιλέα πόλεσι τελούσαις λυμηνάμενοι. Βατάτζης μὲν οὖν τοιαύτην ἔδωκε δίκην τῆς ἀγνωμοσύνης. αἱ δὲ συναποστᾶσαι πρότερον ἐκείνῳ πόλεις καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἐκείνου τελευτὴν οὐ προσεχώρησαν τῷ βασιλεῖ, ἀλλὰ μέχρι πολλοῦ ἐπολέμησαν ἀντέχουσαι. ἐξ ἐκείνων δὲ τῶν πόλεων καὶ ἡ τὸν Ἐμπυρίτην ὄντες κατέχουσα φρουρὰ, τὸν ἄρχοντα συλλαβόντες σφῶν Ἀρχοντίτζην προσαγορευόμενον, αὐτόν τε παρέδοσαν βασιλίδι καὶ τὸ φρούριον. καὶ τυχόντες ἀδείας εἰς τὰς οἰκίας ἐπανῆλθον. Ἰωάννης τε Ἀπόκαυκος ὁ τοῦ μεγάλου δουκὸς ἀδελφὸς νυκτὸς ἐπελθὼν τὸ Ῥήγιον εἷλε προδοσίᾳ, καὶ τὴν βασιλέως ἐξήλασε φρουράν. βασιλεὺς δὲ, ἐπεὶ ἡ στρατιὰ διὰ τὸν πρὸς Βατάτζην πόλεμον ἤδη ἠθροισμένη ἦν, ἐδόκει δεῖν Βυζαντίοις ἐπελθεῖν· συνείποντο 2.557 δὲ αὐτῷ Ἱέραξ τε τὸν ἐκ Τζερνομιάνου λόχον ἄγων, καὶ Παρασπόνδυλος· ᾧ προσέταττεν ὁ βασιλεὺς