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he was indignant at the murder of Palaiologos, but he was clearly pleased at the removal of the Zealots. Apokaukos, now having all the authority himself, granted no ordinary freedom of speech to those who supported the emperor's cause, and he himself was openly choosing his side, and of the Zealots, as many as were of any account, he shut up in prison, having sent them to Platamona and the other fortresses which were under his command; and the other rabble he drove out of the city. But he, whether fearing his father, or distrusting his companions, came to the acropolis and stayed there; and of the Thessalonians, as many as had chosen the emperor's side from the beginning, no longer held back, but approached 2.572 him with frankness, especially as he was making them well-disposed and preparing them, for each one to declare what opinion he held about the emperor. And when he knew them all exactly, suddenly changing his mind, he extorted money from the rich, alleging Cantacuzenism. And they, since they were unable to deny it, for they had been convicted by their own selves, paid a specified sum of money in order to be absolved of the charge; but towards the rest he was not harsh, but only seemed to be changing his former opinion about the emperor. But it was not as was suspected, but fearing his father, lest because he had deposed the Zealots and seemed to have chosen the emperor's side, he might be driven from the city, if he should send in anger, or he might even suffer something else terrible, he pretended again to support the empress's cause, so that at the same time he might both make money and avert the anger for those things in which he seemed to have given offense. But when, in the course of time, it was announced to him that his father had been killed in the palace of Constantine by the prisoners, he no longer pretended anything, but openly acted for the emperor's cause and he sent men to him to report that he himself had long since chosen his side, not only because of the fairness of his character and his mildness and because he considered him alone worthy to rule the Romans, but also because he was aware that his father had slandered him much and waged war unjustly, and that he had long wished to defect to him with the protostrator his son-in-law, who held the same and similar 2.573 opinion, but had been prevented by his father who had become suspicious and for this reason had sent him to Thessalonica. But now that the opportunity had presented itself well, he was putting his long-held plans into action with a very fine and wonderful addition. For he was bringing with him Thessalonica, the first city among the Romans after the great one, and making it subject to him, being no small part of the Roman empire. For which reason indeed he had informed him, so that he too might rejoice, as he now possessed so great a city without troubles and wars. And he himself, openly gathering an assembly from the nobles and the army and the other citizens of most account, deliberated openly whether they should go over to the emperor Cantacuzenus, and he himself put forward his own opinion, that it would be more advantageous to be under him than to adhere to the Byzantines, who were not even sufficient for their own defense. And all, as if by a prearranged signal, voted in favor. And George Kokalas, though he himself had undergone many changes of fortune during the time of the war, but had nevertheless rather chosen the emperor's side, he too then voted for the proposal; and likewise also Andreas Palaiologos, who had formerly been with the Zealots and had cooperated with them as much as was possible, but seeming to be moderate and laying claim to virtue and abstaining from murders and plunder, for which reasons also when the other Zealots were being driven out, he himself was thought worthy of being spared, on account of his inherent intelligence 2.574 and the fairness of his character said nothing against the proposal, but voted with them. But he was clearly displeased with what was being done. 4. And when it had been decided by all in common to go over to the emperor, they chose as ambassadors to Manuel Cantacuzenus, the son of the emperor, who was staying in Beroea, Nicholas Cabasilas and Pharmakes. For the emperor had given authority to his son, that if any of the cities should come over and should request to receive some benefactions from him, he should grant, whatever

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ἠγανάκτησε διὰ τὸν Παλαιολόγου φόνον, ἀλλὰ δῆλος ἦν ἡδόμενος ἐπὶ τῷ ἀποσκευάζεσθαι τοὺς Ζηλωτάς. Ἀπόκαυκος δὲ ἤδη πᾶσαν ἔχων τὴν ἀρχὴν αὐτὸς, παῤῥησίας τε μετέδωκεν οὐ τῆς τυχούσης τοῖς τὰ βασιλέως πράττουσι, καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν φανερὸς τὰ ἐκείνου ᾑρημένος, καὶ τῶν Ζηλωτῶν, ὅσοι μὲν ἐν λόγῳ ἦσαν, κατέκλεισεν ἐν δεσμωτηρίῳ, πρὸς Πλαταμῶνα πέμψας καὶ τὰς ἄλλας πολίχνας, ὅσαι ὑπ' αὐτῷ ἐτέλουν· τὸν δὲ ἄλλον συρφετὸν ἐξήλασε τῆς πόλεως. ἐκεῖνος δὲ εἴτε τὸν πατέρα δεδοικὼς, εἴτε τοῖς συνοῦσιν ἀπιστῶν, πρὸς τὴν ἀκρόπολιν ἐλθὼν διῆγε· καὶ Θεσσαλονικέων, ὅσοι τὰ βασιλέως ἐξαρχῆς ᾑροῦντο, οὐκέτι ὑπεστέλλοντο, ἀλλὰ μετὰ παῤῥησίας προσί 2.572 εσαν ἐκείνῳ, καὶ αὐτοῦ ὑποποιουμένου μάλιστα καὶ παρασκευάζοντος, ἣν ἔχει περὶ βασιλέα γνώμην ἕκαστος ἐκφαίνειν. ἐπεὶ δὲ πάντας ᾔδει ἀκριβῶς, μεταβαλὼν ἀθρόον, ἠργυρολόγει τοὺς πλουσίους, Καντακουζηνισμὸν ἐπικαλῶν. οἱ δὲ, ἐπεὶ ἀδύνατοι ἦσαν ἐξαρνεῖσθαι, αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἐξηλέγχθησαν ὑφ' ἑαυτῶν, ῥητὸν ἀργύριον κατέβαλον ἐπὶ τῷ αἰτίας ἀπολύεσθαι· πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ἐπιλοίπους οὐκ ἦν βαρὺς, ἀλλὰ μόνον ἐδόκει τὴν προτέραν περὶ βασιλέα γνώμην μεταβάλλειν. τὸ δὲ οὐκ ἦν, ὥσπερ ὑπωπτεύετο, ἀλλὰ τὸν πατέρα δεδοικὼς, μὴ διὰ τὸ Ζηλωτὰς καθῃρηκέναι καὶ τὰ βασιλέως δοκεῖν ᾑρῆσθαι, ἐξελαύνοιτο τῆς πόλεως, πέμψαντος ἐκείνου πρὸς ὀργὴν, ἢ καὶ δεινόν τι ἕτερον ὑποσταίη, ὑπεκρίνετο αὖθις φρονεῖν τὰ βασιλίδος, ἵν' ἐν ταὐτῷ χρηματίζοιτό τε καὶ παραιτοῖτο τὴν ὀργὴν ὑπὲρ ὧν ἐδόκει προσκεκρουκέναι. ἐπεὶ δὲ μεταξὺ τοῦ χρόνου τριβομένου ἠγγέλλετο αὐτῷ ὁ πατὴρ ἐν τοῖς Κωνσταντίνου βασιλείοις ὑπὸ τῶν δεσμωτῶν ἀνῃρημένος, οὐκέτι ὑπεκρίνετο οὐδὲν, ἀλλὰ φανερῶς τὰ βασιλέως ἔπραττε καὶ πρός τε ἐκεῖνον ἔπεμπε τοὺς μηνύσοντας, ὡς αὐτὸς ἐκ πολλοῦ τὰ ἐκείνου ᾑρημένος, οὐ μόνον διὰ τὴν ἐπιείκειαν τῶν τρόπων καὶ τὴν ἡμερότητα καὶ τὸ μόνον ἄξιον ἡγεῖσθαι Ῥωμαίων βασιλεύειν, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ τῷ πατρὶ πολλὰ συνῄδει σεσυκοφαντηκότι καὶ ἀδίκως πολεμήσαντι, πάλαι μὲν βουληθείη ἀποστῆναι πρὸς αὐτὸν μετὰ πρωτοστράτορος τοῦ γαμβροῦ, τὴν ἴσην καὶ ὁμοίαν καὶ 2.573 ἐκείνου γνώμην ἔχοντος, κωλυθείη δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑπωπτευκότος καὶ διὰ ταύτην τὴν αἰτίαν πρὸς Θεσσαλονίκην πέμψαντος. νυνὶ δὲ τοῦ καιροῦ καλῶς παρασχομένου, τὰ πάλαι κατὰ γνώμην εἰς ἔργον ἄγειν μετὰ πάνυ καλῆς καὶ θαυμασίας τῆς προσθήκης. ἄγειν γὰρ μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ καὶ Θεσσαλονίκην, μετὰ τὴν μεγάλην παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις πρώτην πόλιν, καὶ ὑποχείριον αὐτῷ ποιεῖν, οὐ μικρὸν τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἡγεμονίας μέρος οὖσαν. οὗ δὴ ἕνεκα καὶ αὐτῷ μεμηνυκέναι, ἵνα καὶ αὐτὸς συνήδοιτο, ὡς χωρὶς πραγμάτων καὶ πολέμων τηλικαύτην πόλιν ἔχων. καὶ αὐτὸς ἐκκλησίαν φανερῶς συναγαγὼν ἔκ τε τῶν ἀρίστων καὶ τῆς στρατιᾶς καὶ τῶν ἄλλων πολιτῶν τῶν μάλιστα ἐν λόγῳ, ἐβουλεύετο φανερῶς, εἰ δεῖ βασιλεῖ προσχωρεῖν τῷ Καντακουζηνῷ, καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν οἰκείαν γνώμην προετίθει, ὡς εἴη λυσιτελὲς ὑπ' ἐκείνῳ μᾶλλον εἶναι, ἢ Βυζαντίοις προσέχειν, οὐδὲ ἑαυτοῖς πρὸς ἄμυναν ἐξαρκοῦσι. καὶ πάντες ὥσπερ ἐκ συνθήματος ἐπεψηφίζοντο. Κωκαλᾶς δὲ Γεώργιος, πολλὰς μὲν καὶ αὐτὸς ὑποστὰς μεταβολὰς παρὰ τὸν τοῦ πολέμου χρόνον, ὅμως δὲ τὰ βασιλέως μᾶλλον ᾑρημένος, ἐπεψηφίζετο καὶ αὐτὸς τότε τὴν βουλήν· ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Παλαιολόγος Ἀνδρέας, τοῖς Ζηλωταῖς μὲν πρότερον συνὼν καὶ συμπράττων ὅσα μάλιστα ἐνῆν, μέτριος δὲ εἶναι δοκῶν καὶ ἀρετῆς ἀντιποιεῖσθαι καὶ φόνων ἀπέχεσθαι καὶ ἁρπαγῶν, δι' ἃ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων Ζηλωτῶν ἐλαυνομένων, ἠξιοῦτο φειδοῦς αὐτὸς, διὰ τὴν προσοῦσαν σύνε 2.574 σιν καὶ τὴν ἐπιείκειαν τῶν τρόπων οὐδὲν πρὸς τὴν βουλὴν ἀντεῖπεν, ἀλλὰ συνεπεψηφίζετο. δῆλος δὲ ἦν ἀχθόμενος πρὸς τὰ πραττόμενα. δʹ. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐδέδοκτο πᾶσι κοινῇ προσχωρεῖν τῷ βασιλεῖ, πρεσβευτὰς ᾑροῦντο πρὸς Καντακουζηνὸν Μανουὴλ τὸν βασιλέως υἱὸν ἐν Βεῤῥοίᾳ διατρίβοντα, Νικόλαόν τε τὸν Καβάσιλαν καὶ Φαρμάκην. ἦν γὰρ ἐξουσίαν βασιλεὺς τῷ υἱῷ παρεσχημένος, εἴ τις τῶν πόλεων προσίοι καὶ δέοιτο αὐτοῦ εὐεργεσιῶν τινων τυχεῖν, παρέχειν μὲν ἐκεῖνον, ὅσα