38. How my fellow-ambassadors passed that night**191 I cannot say, but to me life seemed hopeless and I thought it was a matter of minutes before I should be sacrificed like a beast. You see, I knew that everyone was violently angry with me: there could be no escape. I would perish miserably, and all manner of throat-slitting and maiming would be my lot. Above all I was afraid of the new emperor.
Perhaps he would recall the things I had said to him, and how I had persuaded him to remain an ordinary citizen; probably he would subject me to all kinds of vengeance and torture. So, while everyone else had dropped off to sleep, I waited in solitude for my executioners. At the slightest sound of a voice or any noise round about my tent, I was at once petrified with fear, thinking death was at hand.
Emperor’s quarters lighted lamps
When the greater part of the night had passed in this way — I had no idea the time had elapsed — and when the dawn was about to break, I recovered somewhat, for it seemed a lesser evil to die in the light of day. Bending forward a little to peep out of my tent, I saw watch-fires burning and round the emperor’s quarters lighted lamps. There was hurry and bustle everywhere, for the whole army had been ordered to make ready and pack for the journey to the capital. The sun had not yet risen, when, suddenly, Isaac rode out on horseback and we too left camp, not in his immediate entourage, but in the rear.
39. For my part, I expected, after a reasonable distance had been traversed, that he would summon me: I should be commanded to explain why I had given my former advice. When he did send for me, my hopes and fears were exhausted.
To my surprise, however, he spoke in a perfectly straightforward manner; there were no rhetorical propositions, no balanced arguments, no refutations, no artful insinuations or systematic discussion, no attempt to influence my judgment or to lead me astray. Instead, he proceeded to tell me his secret plans and confided in me about the cares he had for the Empire.
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