d career could he be
prevented from overturning the cherished plans of her heart.

In spite of his irregular life, however, Michael manifested a strong
will of his own, and, as the time of the attainment of his majority
approached, he came to an open quarrel with his mother. He had fallen
violently in love with Eudocia, the daughter of Inger, of the powerful
family of Martinakes, and Theodora and her ministers saw in an alliance
with this house the probability of a potent opposition to their own
political influence. Theodora realized that she must in some manner
prevent this marriage, and she exerted her maternal influence so
strongly that she compelled the lad of sixteen to marry another lady
named Eudocia, the daughter of Dekapolitas--thus repeating the
unfortunate policy of Irene on a similar occasion. The young roue,
however, balked in his purpose to make Eudocia Ingerina his wife,
straightway made her his mistress, and thus brought public disgrace on
the court life of the day. His marriage also incensed him against the
regency; and at the first opportunity, he asserted his majority,
sanctioned the murder of the prime minister Theoktistus, and grew weary
of the presence of his mother.

He succeeded in dismissing his mother and sisters from the palace, and
even attempted to persuade the patriarch to give them the veil. With the
hope of regaining her power over her son, Theodora formed a plot to
assassinate her brother Bardas; but the plot was discovered, and Michael
compelled her to retire to the monastery of Gastria, the usual residence
of the ladies of the imperial family who were secluded from the world.
Yet, the empress-mother never descended to the baseness of Irene, so as
to seek the injury of her ungrateful son.

Meanwhile, Michael selected as his boon companion the courtier Basil,
who had begun his career as a groom in the stables of some nobleman of
the court. The two gave their time to debauchery and lust; and as a
token of his favor, Michael compelled Basil to marry his discarded
mistress, Eudocia Ingerina.

In the solitude of the cloister, Theodora deplored the ingratitude, the
vices, and the inevitable ruin of her worthless son, and, repenting of
her earlier folly in neglecting his bringing up, endeavored to make
amends for the mistake of her past life. Finally, after the death of her
brother, Theodora regained some of her maternal influence and was
permitted to reside at the palace of Saint Mamas, w