Eventhesincerityofhismoralandreligiousvirtueswassuspectedbythepersonswhohadpassedtheirlivesinhisfamiliarconfidence。Inhislasthours，whenhewaspressedbyhiswifeIrenetoalterthesuccession，heraisedhishead，andbreathedapiousejaculationonthevanityofthisworld。Theindignantreplyoftheempressmaybeinscribedasanepitaphonhistomb，\"Youdie，asyouhavelived—AHypocrite!\"
ItwasthewishofIrenetosupplanttheeldestofhersurvivingsons，infavorofherdaughtertheprincessAnnewhosephilosophywouldnothaverefusedtheweightofadiadem。Buttheorderofmalesuccessionwasassertedbythefriendsoftheircountry；thelawfulheirdrewtheroyalsignetfromthefingerofhisinsensibleorconsciousfatherandtheempireobeyedthemasterofthepalace。AnnaComnenawasstimulatedbyambitionandrevengetoconspireagainstthelifeofherbrother，andwhenthedesignwaspreventedbythefearsorscruplesofherhusband，shepassionatelyexclaimedthatnaturehadmistakenthetwosexes，andhadendowedBryenniuswiththesoulofawoman。ThetwosonsofAlexius，JohnandIsaac，maintainedthefraternalconcord，thehereditaryvirtueoftheirrace，andtheyoungerbrotherwascontentwiththetitleofSebastocrator，whichapproachedthedignity，withoutsharingthepower，oftheemperor。Inthesamepersontheclaimsofprimogenitureandmeritwerefortunatelyunited；hisswarthycomplexion，harshfeatures，anddiminutivestature，hadsuggestedtheironicalsurnameofCalo—Johannes，orJohntheHandsome，whichhisgratefulsubjectsmoreseriouslyappliedtothebeautiesofhismind。Afterthediscoveryofhertreason，thelifeandfortuneofAnnewerejustlyforfeitedtothelaws。Herlifewassparedbytheclemencyoftheemperor；buthevisitedthepompandtreasuresofherpalace，andbestowedtherichconfiscationonthemostdeservingofhisfriends。ThatrespectablefriendAxuch，aslaveofTurkishextraction，presumedtodeclinethegift，andtointercedeforthecriminal:hisgenerousmasterapplaudedandimitatedthevirtueofhisfavorite，andthereproachorcomplaintofaninjuredbrotherwastheonlychastisementoftheguiltyprincess。Afterthisexampleofclemency，theremainderofhisreignwasneverdisturbedbyconspiracyorrebellion:fearedbyhisnobles，belovedbyhispeople，Johnwasneverreducedtothepainfulnecessityofpunishing，orevenofpardoning，hispersonalenemies。Duringhisgovernmentoftwenty—fiveyears，thepenaltyofdeathwasabolishedintheRomanempire，alawofmercymostdelightfultothehumanetheorist，butofwhichthepractice，inalargeandviciouscommunity，isseldomconsistentwiththepublicsafety。
Severetohimself，indulgenttoothers，chaste，frugal，abstemious，thephilosophicMarcuswouldnothavedisdainedtheartlessvirtuesofhissuccessor，derivedfromhisheart，andnotborrowedfromtheschools。HedespisedandmoderatedthestatelymagnificenceoftheByzantinecourt，sooppressivetothepeople，socontemptibletotheeyeofreason。Undersuchaprince，innocencehadnothingtofear，andmerithadeverythingtohope；
and，withoutassumingthetyrannicofficeofacensor，heintroducedagradualthoughvisiblereformationinthepublicandprivatemannersofConstantinople。Theonlydefectofthisaccomplishedcharacterwasthefrailtyofnobleminds，theloveofarmsandmilitaryglory。YetthefrequentexpeditionsofJohntheHandsomemaybejustified，atleastintheirprinciple，bythenecessityofrepellingtheTurksfromtheHellespontandtheBosphorus。ThesultanofIconiumwasconfinedtohiscapital，theBarbariansweredriventothemountains，andthemaritimeprovincesofAsiaenjoyedthetransientblessingsoftheirdeliverance。FromConstantinopletoAntiochandAleppo，herepeatedlymarchedattheheadofavictoriousarmy，andinthesiegesandbattlesofthisholywar，hisLatinallieswereastonishedbythesuperiorspiritandprowessofaGreek。Ashebegantoindulgetheambitioushopeofrestoringtheancientlimitsoftheempire，asherevolvedinhismind，theEuphratesandTigris，thedominionofSyria，andtheconquestofJerusalem，thethreadofhislifeandofthepublicfelicitywasbrokenbyasingularaccident。HehuntedthewildboarinthevalleyofAnazarbus，andhadfixedhisjavelininthebodyofthefuriousanimal；butinthestruggleapoisonedarrowdroppedfromhisquiver，andaslightwoundinhishand，whichproducedamortification，wasfataltothebestandgreatestoftheComnenianprinces。
ChapterXLVIII:SuccessionAndCharactersOfTheGreekEmperors。