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held the city, and the title of emperor of Cantacuzenus was again extinguished, and fear surrounded on all sides those who had chosen his side. and one could see towards the sea frequent beacons being raised and a terrible crash and an indistinct noise being heard and the trumpet sounding through the whole night and summoning the people against the powerful; while they were encamped before the acropolis without commotion and in an orderly manner, yet eager to engage with the people. For they hoped that some part of the people would join them, especially because, with the acropolis being held by them, they had not ignoble hopes that, even if they should seem weaker than their opponents, they would suffer no harm, but would withdraw to the acropolis. In addition to this they also hoped that an allied army would come from Beroea. For as soon as Palaeologus had begun the war, they sent to the emperor’s son, begging either that he himself come with the army, or that he send an alliance. Thus then the night passed, with both sides encamped opposite each other and preparing for 2.578 war. But when it was already day, Apocaucus went down with the army to fight it out; but Kokalas, again going to each side, in appearance was discussing peace, but in truth was provoking them to battle. And having spoken also to the leaders of the companies, he secretly corrupted them and persuaded them not to fight, but when the engagement occurred, to be the first among themselves to start the rout. And when such things had been arranged, he led the people against them, having not yet made it apparent until then that he was at war. But when they were near and were skirmishing, the soldiers said they ought not to fight against their own countrymen, nor kill their kinsmen, but to withdraw to the acropolis, it being possible to save themselves without danger; and at the same time they were withdrawing, and the others followed out of necessity. But when they were at the acropolis, Apocaucus begged them to hold out and defend themselves before the walls, for the place was also suitable for cavalry charges, but the army said they ought not, but to go inside and defend themselves by mounting the walls. But when they were inside, being urged again to mount the walls and defend themselves, they were unwilling, saying they did not know how to fight from walls, nor to kill their kinsmen or be killed, there being no necessity. But Apocaucus with the others, when they perceived the treachery and saw the danger surrounding them, rushed to flee outside the walls. But it happened that the one holding the keys of the acropolis was one of the Zealots, who, when he saw them disagreeing and rushing to flee, understanding what was about to happen, hid 2.579 himself with the keys. And since the two gates of the acropolis were far from each other, Apocaucus with the others went to the one leading out of the walls. But when it was locked, they tried to break it down; but the populace of the acropolis, for it is like a small city and has its own inhabitants, did not allow them to escape, having brought the people against them, but told them to remain inside and with them defend themselves against the attackers. And while these things were being done, the people set fire to the gates of the acropolis that were toward the city, since no one was defending them. But Strategius, the one holding the keys—for so he was named—came and opened them, and the people poured in, and immediately they slaughtered two of the citizens at the gates, then they turned to the plundering of arms and horses. For Apocaucus and the others, seeing that they were captured, since it was not possible to flee, dismounting from their horses and taking off their arms were hiding themselves, but few escaped notice, and they stripped the majority and left them naked. But Kokalas and Palaeologus were protecting the soldiers and ordered not to strip them; and at the same time, finding their horses, they provided them to each one, rewarding them for the betrayal, and at the same time because they had previously given them oaths that they would suffer no harm if they betrayed the others. Thus then the party of the emperor Cantacuzenus, having been betrayed by the army, was completely defeated. But Kokalas and Palaeologus were driving the people out of the acropolis; for already

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πόλιν εἶχε, καὶ ἡ μὲν βασιλέως τοῦ Καντακουζηνοῦ προσηγορία αὖθις ἀπεσβέννυτο, φόβος δὲ περιειστήκει πανταχόθεν τοὺς τἀκείνου ᾑρημένους. καὶ ἦν ὁρᾷν πρὸς μὲν τὴν θάλασσαν φρυκτούς τε συχνοὺς ἀνισχομένους καὶ πάταγον δεινὸν καὶ θροῦν ἄσημον ἐξακουόμενον καὶ τὴν σάλπιγγα διὰ πάσης τῆς νυκτὸς βοῶσαν καὶ συγκαλουμένην τὸν δῆμον ἐπὶ τοὺς δυνατούς· ἐκείνους δὲ πρὸ τῆς ἀκροπόλεως ἐστρατοπεδευμένους ἀθορύβως μὲν καὶ τεταγμένως, προθύμους δὲ ὅμως συμπλέκεσθαι τῷ δήμῳ ὄντας. ἤλπιζον γάρ τι καὶ μέρος αὐτοῖς συνέσεσθαι τοῦ δήμου, ἄλλως θ' ὅτι, καὶ τῆς ἄκρας ὑπ' αὐτῶν κατεχομένης, ἐλπίδας εἶχον οὐκ ἀγεννεῖς, εἰ καὶ ἥττους φαίνοιντο τῶν ἀντιτεταγμένων, οὐδὲν πείσεσθαι δεινὸν, ἀλλ' ἀναχωρήσειν πρὸς τὴν ἄκραν. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ ἐκ Βεῤῥοίας ἥξειν ἤλπισαν συμμαχήσουσαν στρατιάν. ἅμα γὰρ τῷ Παλαιολόγον ἦρχθαι τοῦ πολέμου, πρὸς τὸν βασιλέως οὗτοι πέμψαντες υἱὸν, ἢ αὐτὸν ἥκειν ἐδέοντο μετὰ τῆς στρατιᾶς, ἢ πέμπειν συμμαχίαν. οὕτω μὲν οὖν διῆλθεν ἡ νὺξ, ἀμφοτέρων ἀλλήλοις ἀντιστρατοπεδευομένων καὶ παρασκευαζομένων πρὸς 2.578 τὸν πόλεμον. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἡμέρα ἤδη ἦν, Ἀπόκαυκος μὲν μετὰ τῆς στρατιᾶς κατέβαινε διαγωνισόμενος· Κωκαλᾶς δὲ αὖθις πρὸς ἑκατέρους ἐπιφοιτῶν τὸ δοκεῖν μὲν περὶ εἰρήνης διελέγετο, τῇ δ' ἀληθείᾳ παρώξυνε πρὸς μάχην. διαλεχθεὶς δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἡγεμόσι τῶν λόχων, κρύφα διέφθειρε καὶ κατέπειθε μὴ μάχεσθαι, ἀλλὰ γενομένης συμβολῆς, πρώτους καθ' αὑτοὺς θέσθαι τὴν τροπήν. ἐπεὶ δὲ τοιαῦτα ᾠκονόμητο, τὸν δῆμον αὐτοῖς ἐπῆγεν, ἄχρι τότε μήπω φανερὸς γεγενημένος ὅτι πολεμεῖ. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐγγὺς ἦσαν καὶ ἠκροβολίζοντο, οἱ στρατιῶται οὐκ ἔφασαν δεῖν πρὸς ὁμοφύλους μάχεσθαι, οὐδὲ τοὺς οἰκείους ἀποκτείνειν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν ἄκραν ἀναχωρεῖν, ἐνὸν ἀκινδύνως σώζεσθαι· καὶ ἅμα ἀνεχώρουν, συνείποντο δὲ ἀνάγκῃ καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐγένοντο πρὸς τῇ ἄκρᾳ, Ἀπόκαυκος μὲν ἐδεῖτο πρὸ τῶν τειχῶν ἀμύνεσθαι καρτεροῦντας, ἦν γὰρ καὶ τὸ χωρίον ἐπιτηδείως ἔχον πρὸς ἱππηλασίας, ἡ στρατιὰ δὲ οὐκ ἔφασαν δεῖν, ἀλλ' ἔνδον εἰσιέναι καὶ ἀμύνεσθαι ἀναβάντας ἀπὸ τῶν τειχῶν. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἔνδον ἦσαν, παρακαλούμενοι αὖθις ἐπὶ τὰ τείχη ἀναβαίνειν καὶ ἀμύνεσθαι οὐκ ἠθέλησαν, μὴ εἰδέναι φάσκοντες τειχομαχεῖν, μηδὲ κτείνειν τοὺς οἰκείους ἢ κτείνεσθαι, ἀνάγκης μηδεμιᾶς ὑπούσης. Ἀπόκαυκος δὲ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων, ἐπεὶ τὴν προδοσίαν κατενόουν καὶ τὸν κίνδυνον περιεστηκότα συνεώρων, ὥρμηντο φεύγειν ἔξω τειχῶν. συνέβη δὲ τὸν τὰ κλεῖθρα τῆς ἄκρας κατέχοντα τῶν Ζηλωτῶν ἕνα εἶναι, ὃς ἐπεὶ διχοστατοῦντας εἶδε καὶ ὡρμημένους φεύγειν, συνεὶς τὸ μέλλον, ἀπεκρύ 2.579 πτετο τὰ κλεῖθρα ἔχων. πολὺ δὲ τῶν πυλῶν ἑκατέρων τῆς ἄκρας ἀλλήλων διεχουσῶν, Ἀπόκαυκος μὲν μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐχώρουν ἐπὶ τὴν ἐξάγουσαν τῶν τειχῶν. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἦν κεκλεισμένη, ἐπεχείρουν διακόπτειν· ὁ δῆμος δὲ ὁ τῆς ἄκρας, πόλει γάρ τινι ἔοικε μικρᾷ καὶ οἰκήτορας ἰδίους ἔχει, οὐκ εἴων διαδιδράσκειν ἐπαγαγόντας αὐτοῖς τὸν δῆμον, ἀλλ' ἔνδον μένοντας ἀμύνεσθαι τοὺς ἐπιόντας μετ' αὐτῶν. ἐν ᾧ δὲ ταῦτα ἐτελεῖτο, ὁ δῆμος πῦρ ἐνίεσαν ταῖς πύλαις τῆς ἄκρας ταῖς πρὸς τῇ πόλει, ἐπεὶ μηδεὶς ἠμύνετο. Στρατήγιος δὲ ὁ τὰ κλεῖθρα ἔχων οὕτω γὰρ ὠνόμαστο, ἤνοιγεν ἐλθὼν, καὶ ὁ δῆμος εἰσεχεῖτο, καὶ αὐτίκα μὲν πρὸς ταῖς πύλαις δύο τῶν πολιτῶν ἀπέσφαξαν, ἔπειτα πρὸς ἁρπαγὴν ἐτράποντο ὅπλων τε καὶ ἵππων. Ἀπόκαυκος γὰρ καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι, ὅτι ἑάλωσαν ἰδόντες, ἐπεὶ μὴ φεύγειν ἦν, τῶν ἵππων ἀποβαίνοντες καὶ ἀποδυόμενοι τὰ ὅπλα κατεκρύπτοντο, ἐλάνθανον δὲ ὀλίγοι, τοὺς πλείους δὲ ἀποδύοντες κατέλειπον γυμνούς. Κωκαλᾶς δὲ καὶ Παλαιολόγος περιεποιοῦντο τοὺς στρατιώτας καὶ ἐκέλευον μὴ ἀποδύειν· ἅμα δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἵππους εὑρίσκοντες παρείχοντο ἑκάστῳ, ἀμειβόμενοι τῆς προδοσίας, ἅμα δ' ὅτι καὶ ὅρκους αὐτοῖς πρότερον παρείχοντο, ὡς οὐδὲν πείσονται δεινὸν, ἂν τοὺς ἄλλους προδιδῶσιν. οὕτω μὲν οὖν τὸ Καντακουζηνοῦ τοῦ βασιλέως μέρος προδοθὲν ὑπὸ τῆς στρατιᾶς ἡττᾶτο κατὰ κράτος. Κωκαλᾶς δὲ καὶ Παλαιολόγος τὸν μὲν δῆμον ἐξήλαυνον τῆς ἄκρας· ἤδη γὰρ