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the cities and the rule of the Romans, so that they might completely extinguish him, as if fearing that should he return they would rise up again. He, then, thus sent them away in anger. But Makarios, the bishop of Thessalonica, since he perceived that he was attempting the impossible, approached the emperor Kantakouzenos, and first he blamed him for his ingratitude toward the emperor, his friend, because having been so loved and having enjoyed such great benefactions, he had repaid his children with the utmost hostility, plotting for the sake of the empire and intending to kill them. And that God, abhorring the outrageousness of these things, not only did not allow him to bring his plans to completion, but also, exacting penalties for the injustice against the emperor, made him an exile and a wandering vagrant, having the hope of his salvation in others. Then he advised him, if not before, at least now to see what was advantageous, to send an embassy to the empress and become a suppliant of her and the patriarch and the senate, so that they, having deemed him worthy of pardon for what had happened, might make some provision for him, lest he also perish in exile, since no or only some paltry hope remained. But the emperor said, "It is not at all surprising if someone who is drunk and carried away by insensibility were to think the earth, which is firmly fixed, is unstable; nor if someone possessed by melancholy 2.308 were to think that others suffer the same things. And so you, then, having been completely captured by vainglory and love of power and having committed the ultimate treason, it is no wonder if you condemn me for the same things, though I have done nothing of the sort. For you know that, when I wrote to those on Athos who lay claim to virtue and are lovers and workers of the good and begged them repeatedly to go to Byzantium and to discuss peace with the empress and patriarch and what you yourself call the senate, and to persuade them to lay down the war which they have unjustly stirred up against me, who have done no wrong, having fabricated slanders and calumnies, they took you along with the others, as one supposedly laying claim to virtue and willing to risk danger for the sake of the good and the common advantage. But they, acting rightly, both spoke what was necessary with boldness and left undone nothing of what was their duty, and they were not even turned aside by those wishing to corrupt and distort them from the truth, who promised to do them many favors. But they remained in their original reasonings and in their judgment concerning the good and the just; for which reasons they continue to this day to suffer many painful hardships. But you, shamefully defeated by love of power and the glory of the high priesthood, betrayed your fellow ambassadors along with justice and truth; for whom it would be fitting, changing slightly what was said by the divine Paul 2.309 about Demas, to say now also about you, that Makarios has forsaken us, having loved this present world, and has gone to Thessalonica. Remembering these things, and how you now dare much more unholy and unjust things, trying all but to murder with your own hand me who has done you no wrong, in this way paying a worthy favor to those who entrusted you with the high priesthood, staining your hands with innocent blood, you should not condemn me for injustice and ingratitude toward the emperor, as I have done nothing unworthy of my friendship toward him, neither before nor up to now. Therefore, concerning my good will toward the emperor and his children, I shall make no argument to you now, since you are utterly corrupt in your mind and are both speaking and thinking unjust and unlawful things about me, but later, whenever God may wish. But concerning what you have said, that I must become a suppliant of the empress and patriarch, so that they, granting me pardon, might make some provision before I am utterly destroyed, it is opportune to say this: Do not weep for me, daughters of Jerusalem, but for yourselves and for your children.” Thus, then, the emperor answered him with such things. 53. And around the same time envoys also came from Thessaly, calling the emperor and begging him to rule them. For even before they were ready to obey and they preferred his side, rather than