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the more experienced of the physicians to cut off the necrotic part; when this was cut off, the living part, having survived for a short while, died. But the emperor Romanos honored all monks, but especially the monk Sergios, the nephew of the patriarch Photios, who was orderly in his virtues and adorned with all good things, who constantly advised the emperor to take care of his children and not to leave them uneducated, lest he himself suffer the fate of Eli. And in the same indiction they brought down the emperor Romanos from the palace and, taking him to the island of Prote, tonsured him as a monk. But who they were that dragged him from his rule, and in what manner, will be told in what follows. When the emperor Constantine was orphaned at a very young age, and the affairs of state were being administered both by his mother Zoe and by the regents whom we have enumerated before, the *parakoimomenos* Constantine, being very powerful with the empress, and having as his brother-in-law the *magistros* Leo Phokas who was domestic of the schools of the east, and because of this wielding all the reins of the empire however he wished, plotted night and day to transfer the empire to his own brother-in-law, 2.321 having gotten Constantine out of the way. When Theodore, the tutor of the Porphyrogennetos, had perceived this, as has been said above, he made an effort to win over Romanos the elder, who was then *droungarios* of the fleet, and to bring him into the palace, ostensibly to be a guardian and champion of the emperor. But this man, having been promoted and through gradual ascents having become master of the whole imperial power, did not abide by what had been given, but disregarding the oaths he had sworn (for he had bound himself with the most fearsome oaths that he would never have a desire for the empire), proclaimed himself emperor, with the Porphyrogennetos willingly, though with an unwilling spirit (that Homeric expression), placing the diadem upon him; and not only himself but soon after also Christopher his son. And after a little while he also proclaimed his sons Stephen and Constantine. But having been proclaimed emperor, he was not content with the proclamation, nor was he pleased to hold the second place, but having removed the tutor and the others who seemed to be in opposition, he was acclaimed first as autocrat and organized the entire administration of affairs. After him his sons were proclaimed, and last of all Constantine. This Constantine, therefore, having only the appearance and name of empire, but being deprived of its pleasures, constantly longed and prayed to recover his paternal rule, having set aside the interlopers. But this he thought he could not bring to effect in any other way, unless he set the sons at war 2.322 with the father. Now, Christopher had already departed this life, but Stephen and Constantine still remained. He had resolved to make an attempt on them, to see if he might be able to accomplish his objective. And he did not dare to make an attempt on Constantine (for he was of a firmer mind), but he decided to turn his entire scheme and attempt toward Stephen, as he was lighter in judgment and easily swayed to whatever anyone might wish. For this he took as an accomplice and collaborator a certain able man, clever at weaving deceits and contriving plots; this man happened to be Basil, surnamed Peteinos, enrolled in the regiment of the *Hetaireia*, and an intimate and friend of Constantine from youth. He had taken this man as a partner in his plan, and through him he hastened to make Stephen a friend, who was seduced by charming words and led astray from his reason by deceits and contrivances. For Peteinos, having striven in every way to become a friend to Stephen, once he had become a friend, approached him continually, and initiated conversations and offered advice that irritated him and gradually led him away from reason, "Why," he would say, "O emperor, being young and in strength

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ἐμπειρότεροι τῶν ἰατρῶν ἀποτεμεῖν τὸ νε κρωθὲν μέρος· οὗ τμηθέντος τὸ ζῶν ἐπιβεβιωκὸς μικρὸν ἐτελεύ τησεν. Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς Ῥωμανὸς καὶ πάντας μὲν ἐτίμα τοὺς μονα χούς, διαφερόντως δὲ τὸν μοναχὸν Σέργιον τὸν ἀνεψιὸν Φωτίου τοῦ πατριάρχου, ἀρεταῖς ὄντα κατάκοσμον καὶ πᾶσι κοσμούμενον τοῖς καλοῖς, ὃς διὰ παντὸς παρῄνει τῷ βασιλεῖ τῶν παίδων ἐπι μελεῖσθαι καὶ μὴ ἀπαιδεύτους τούτους ἐᾶν, μή πως καὶ αὐτὸς πάθῃ τὸ τοῦ Ἠλεί. τῇ δὲ αὐτῇ ἰνδικτιῶνι κατήγαγον τὸν βασι λέα Ῥωμανὸν τοῦ παλατίου καὶ εἰς τὴν Πρώτην ἀγαγόντες νῆσον ἀπέκειραν μοναχόν. τίνες δὲ οἱ τοῦτον κατασπάσαντες τῆς ἀρχῆς, καὶ τίνα τρόπον, ἐν τοῖς ἐπαγομένοις λελέξεται. Κωνσταντίνου τοῦ βασιλέως ἐν κομιδῇ νέᾳ τῇ ἡλικίᾳ ἀπορ φανισθέντος, καὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ὑπό τε τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ Ζωῆς καὶ τῶν ἐπιτρόπων οὓς ἔμπροσθεν ἠριθμησάμεθα διοικουμένων, ὁ παρακοιμώμενος Κωνσταντῖνος μεγάλα παρὰ τῇ βασιλίδι δυνά μενος, ἐπ' ἀδελφῇ τε γαμβρὸν ἔχων τὸν μάγιστρον Λέοντα τὸν Φωκᾶν δομέστικον ὄντα τῶν σχολῶν τῆς ἀνατολῆς, καὶ παρὰ τοῦτο τὰς ἡνίας ἁπάσας τῆς βασιλείας ὅπῃ καὶ βούλοιτο περιφέ ρων, νύκτωρ καὶ μεθ' ἡμέραν ἐμελέτα εἰς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ γαμβρὸν 2.321 τὴν βασιλείαν μετενεγκεῖν, τὸν Κωνσταντῖνον ἐκποδὼν ποιησάμε νος. ὅπερ συννενοηκὼς ὁ τοῦ πορφυρογεννήτου παιδαγωγὸς Θεό δωρος, ὡς ἄνωθεν εἴρηται, σπουδὴν ἔθετο τὸν πρεσβύτερον Ῥω μανὸν δρουγγάριον τηνικαῦτα τῶν πλωΐμων ὑπάρχοντα οἰκειώσα σθαι καὶ τοῖς ἀνακτόροις εἰσαγαγεῖν ὡς τάχα φύλακα καὶ πρόμα χον τοῦ βασιλέως ἐσόμενον. οὑτοσὶ δ' ἀναχθεὶς καὶ ταῖς κατὰ μικρὸν ἀνόδοις τῆς πάσης δυναστείας γενόμενος ἐγκρατὴς οὐκ ἐνέ μεινε τοῖς δοθεῖσιν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς δεδομένους ἀθετήσας ὅρκους (ἦν γὰρ φρικωδεστάταις ὁρκωμοσίαις ἑαυτὸν καταδεσμήσας μὴ ἄν ποτε βασιλείας ἔφεσιν ἐσχηκέναι) ἑαυτόν τε ἀνηγόρευσε βασιλέα, ἑκουσίως τοῦ πορφυρογεννήτου ἀέκοντί γε θυμῷ (τοῦτο δὴ τὸ Ὁμηρικὸν) περιθέντος αὐτῷ τὸ διάδημα, καὶ οὐ μόνον ἑαυτὸν ἀλλ' ἤδη μετὰ μικρὸν καὶ Χριστοφόρον τὸν υἱόν. διαλιπὼν δ' ὀλίγον καὶ Στέφανον καὶ Κωνσταντῖνον ἀνηγόρευσε τοὺς υἱεῖς. βασιλεὺς δὲ ἀναρρηθεὶς οὐκ ἠγάπησε τῇ ἀναρρήσει, οὐδὲ τὴν δευ τέραν χώραν ἔχειν ἠσμένισεν, ἀλλ' ἐκ μέσου τὸν παιδαγωγὸν θέ μενος καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς τοὺς ὅσοι ἐδόκουν προσίστασθαι, πρῶτός τε αὐτοκράτωρ ἀνευφημεῖτο καὶ τὴν πᾶσαν τῶν πραγμάτων διε κόσμει διοίκησιν. μετ' αὐτὸν δὲ ἀνηγορεύοντο οἱ υἱεῖς, καὶ τε λευταῖος πάντων ὁ Κωνσταντῖνος. οὗτος τοίνυν ὁ Κωνσταντῖνος σχῆμα μόνον καὶ ὄνομα τῆς βασιλείας ἔχων, τῶν δὲ ἡδέων ταύτης ἐστερημένος, διὰ παντὸς ἐγλίχετο καὶ ἐπηύχετο τὴν πατρῴαν ἐπανασώσασθαι ἀρχήν, τοὺς ἐπεισάκτους ἐκποδὼν θέμενος. τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἄλλως ᾤετο ἀγαγεῖν εἰς ἔργον, εἰ μὴ τοὺς υἱοὺς ἐκπολεμώ 2.322 σει τῷ πατρί. ὁ μὲν οὖν Χριστοφόρος ἔφθασε τὸν βίον ἀπολιπεῖν, περιῆσαν δ' ἔτι Στέφανος καὶ Κωνσταντῖνος. τούτων ἐγνώκει ἀποπειραθῆναι, μή πως δυνηθῇ ἐκπληρῶσαι τὸ σπουδαζόμενον. καὶ τοῦ μὲν Κωνσταντίνου (ἦν γὰρ οὗτος στερεωτέρας φρενὸς) ἀποπειραθῆναι οὐκ ἐτόλμησε, τρέψαι δὲ τὴν πᾶσαν μηχανὴν καὶ ἀπόπειραν ἔκρινε πρὸς τὸν Στέφανον, κουφότερόν τε ὄντα τὸν λο γισμὸν καὶ ῥᾳδίως μεταφερόμενον πρὸς ὅ τις καὶ βούλοιτο. λαμ βάνει πρὸς τοῦτο συλλήπτορα καὶ συνεργὸν εὐφυῆ τινὰ ἄνδρα καὶ δόλους πλέξαι καὶ μηχανορραφῆσαι δεινόν· Βασίλειος οὗτος ἐτύ γχανεν, ὁ Πετεινὸς τὴν προσηγορίαν, ἐν τῷ τάγματι τῆς ἑται ρείας κατειλεγμένος, καὶ συνήθης καὶ φίλος ἐξέτι νέων ὑπάρχων τῷ Κωνσταντίνῳ. τοῦτον κοινωνὸν προσειλήφει τοῦ σκέμματος, καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ φίλον θέσθαι κατηπείχθη τὸν Στέφανον, λόγοις αἱ μυλίοις ὑποκλαπέντα καὶ ἀπάταις καὶ μηχαναῖς παρενηνεγμένον τοῦ λογισμοῦ. πάντα γὰρ τρόπον σπουδάσας ὁ Πετεινὸς τῷ Στεφάνῳ φιλιωθῆναι, ἐπειδὴ πεφιλίωτο, προσῄει τε συνεχῶς, καὶ λόγους ἐκίνει καὶ προσῆγε συμβουλὰς ὑποκνιζούσας αὐτὸν καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν ἀπαγούσας τοῦ λογισμοῦ, "ἵνα τί" λέγων, "ὦ βασιλεῦ, νέος ὢν ἰσχύϊ τε