Continuatio scylitzae

 To do or to suffer. whence also, with the festival of the archangels approaching, the patriarch departs to the <monastery established by him> outside

 For it was the 24th day of the month, on which the feast of the holy protomartyr thekla is celebrated by christianshe filled the soldiery with much ha

 To be possessed by a terrible barrenness, he said, manuel and maria, who by the grace of god have already become my children, are enough for me. for

 Having thwarted an impious plot. for it was their plan for him to be given over to the deep with his whole family, since he was about to sail across t

 In the west, during the third indiction, when the cities around the ister were governed by the *magistros* basil apokapes and the 114 *magistros* nike

 They came here and were deemed worthy of senatorial and brilliant offices. it was then the sixth year of the reign of doukas, the 3rd indiction, in th

 He had done everything for the empress, who was considered most temperate towards her husband and most exact in raising her children and most capable

 Again proved all things. for not the whole pay, but a partial and moderate amount given to them made the soldiers listless for having received what w

 By the empress, who had proceeded royally with her own children into the greatest and most famous shrine of the wisdom of god. 123 but since the empre

 To attack and utterly overthrow and destroy the roman power. but the emperor, leading an army not such as was fitting for the emperor of the romans, b

 So then, having gathered his forces, he pursued from behind through difficult paths. and approaching sebasteia, he left the military baggage and all t

 Of berroia, having joined with both the arabs and the turks and having gathered a strong force, was considering coming to grips with the emperor and f

 They were taken alive. and the emperor, having returned to the camp after the repulse of the enemy, decided to garrison the acropolis of hierapolis. a

 Having appointed senators and distributed the annual gifts, and not even waiting for the days of pascha, he sailed away to the house of the heria 134

 The war was joined. and on the next day, sitting in public, he handed over the captured enemies to the final sentence, sparing absolutely no one, not

 To accomplish something manly which would have no place to happen in the presence of the emperor, with him personally supervising what was happening

 , since the romans, having been scattered, were pursuing, making a sudden turn they reversed the victory for this reason many were captured, and more

 Of orthodoxy, having distributed on the day before it the annual donative to both the army and the senate, not all of it in gold, but having made up t

 Hurrying to reach iberia, when he also became a spectator of the bodies of those who had fallen with the curopalates manuel comnenus. and from there,

 Bryennios having ordered those around him to hold the reins, basilakios alone was in pursuit, through ignorance of what had been done. but when he app

 The arrival of ambassadors, and some of those closest to the emperor persuade him to cast off the peace, as it was false in its effect and deceptive r

 With many he lay on the ground dishonorably and in great pain, overwhelmed by countless waves of sorrows. on the next day, when the capture of the emp

 Having left him by night, he fled to constantinople, having learned beforehand of the plots being stitched together there. for john the caesar and his

 Of his having been dug out pitilessly and inhumanly. and having been brought on a lowly beast of burden as far as the propontis like a rotting corpse,

 Unbearable and tearful wailing. but while these things were happening thus, divinely sent wrath had seized the east. for since the peace agreements wi

 Being cast down. and when this domestic misfortune was also reported to the emperor and the frank’s arrival astonished everyone, a great despondency a

 Being defeated unsparingly, they do not perceive the divine nemesis. but the romans of old, not acting in this way, achieved those fearful and celebra

 And now he looked toward rebellion. for, not bearing the insatiability of nikephoros and what things he contrived against everyone, with the emperor p

 Hurrying to extinguish this great flame that had flared up. and he sent out with him a noteworthy army, composed of macedonians and romans and franks.

 They wished to remain still of the same mind, but they were considering how to defend themselves against their enemies in every way. and sending strab

 In the meantime perenus was appointed doux of italy, and nicephorus karantenos strategos of brindisi. perenus, therefore, being unable to cross over t

 Tasted, but being deceived and misled by the consul of the philosophers, corrupted the whole world, so to speak. for a severe famine occurred, which p

 Having met him, if indeed he had handled matters skillfully, he would have easily defeated him at the beginning of the revolt. and having arrived at t

 While he was staying, while the proedros alexios komnenos was in command with the soldiers in the capital, having previously given pledges with sure o

 Battle and the army retreats and all strife is driven away, and they began to enslave the romans to themselves.

 He received the man dishonorably and not as one sent from an emperor, but as from some subordinate general and yet the body of an envoy is considered

 They being of marriageable age. and he chose one of the two, either eudokia, the wife of doukas and later of diogenes, or maria of alania, the wife of

 When it was done, he was brought on a wagon, a pitiful burden and an unfortunate lodging. 184 and while the armies were occupied in the campaign again

 And he was considered burdensome to the more prominent members of the senate, who were stung by the things he pointed out to everyone. but since, as t

Continuatio Scylitzae

CONTINUATION OF THE CHRONOGRAPHIA OF JOHN SKYLITZES So in the manner which has been described Komnenos girded himself for the imperial office, having given an appearance of manliness and proof of martial nobility, and was immediately struck on the imperial coinage as a sword-bearer, not ascribing the whole to God, but to his own strength and experience in war, and as an autocrat he began the actions of his reign, having first adorned with lavish honors those who had joined him in the endeavor and deeming the populace worthy of fitting providence; and he appointed many administrators of the public revenues. And to the patriarch he showed much reverence and honored him as a father, for which reason he also made his nephews distinguished with the highest dignities and offices. And to the Great Church he dedicated the right to manage its own affairs, completely alienating the imperial power from these matters, so that no one was to be appointed by the emperor, neither for the administration nor for the care and protection of the sacred treasures, but everything was to depend on the authority of the patriarch, both the appointment of persons and the management of affairs. And bringing his wife from the fortress of Pimolissa, he proclaimed her augusta sebaste. He honored both his brother John and Katakalon Kekaumenos as kouropalatai, appointing his own brother as Grand Domestic. And considering the necessity of money, without which, according to the orator, nothing is accomplished, because the military 104 had been weakened and utterly debased by the want that possessed the empire and because everyone everywhere was rising up against the Romans, which was to him a matter of dishonor and he considered it more grievous than all else, he became a harsh tax-collector to those who owed public debts. And he was the first to cut the salaries of the offices. He also concerned himself with economy and with acquiring an addition of lands for the empire. Therefore he deprived many private persons of many possessions, disregarding their golden bulls, and he also assailed some of the monasteries and, having taken away many of their possessions through an accounting, leaving what was sufficient for the monks, he assigned the surplus to the public treasury; an act which, to those who view it uncritically and superficially, introduces impiety and lawlessness and is referred to as sacrilege, but which brings no untoward result for those who look at it thoughtfully and spiritually, since it does not lead away from poverty those who have professed it and cuts off Sybaritic and extravagant luxury and does not deprive them of things suitable and necessary for their needs and frees the neighboring farmers from the wickedness and greed of the monks. And would that this had been successfully accomplished by him to the end, not only in the case of monasteries, but in all ecclesiastical matters without exception. So these things were thus managed by the emperor and the queen of cities was in this state. But the patriarch, taking courage from the emperor's insatiable favor, became arrogant even against him, not using requests and exhortations, if ever he needed anything or on behalf of someone, but often failing on account of the continuous and burdensome nature of his requests, he resorted to threats and harsh penances, and if he were not obeyed, threatening him even with deposition from the empire, adding this common and vulgar saying: I built you, oven, 105 and I will destroy you. He also took to wearing crimson-dyed boots, saying that such was the custom of the ancient priesthood and that the high priest ought to use them in the new one as well. For he said that the difference between the priesthood and the empire was nothing or very little; and indeed in more honorable matters it had more and was more worthy of honor. But the emperor, hearing these things being muttered under the breath, hastened the more

Continuatio Scylitzae

ΙΩΑΝΝΟΥ ΣΚΥΛΙΤΣΗ ΧΡΟΝΟΓΡΑΦΙΑΣ ΣΥΝΕΧΕΙΑ Τὸν μὲν οὖν τρόπον ὃν εἴρηται τὴν βασιλείαν ὁ Κομνηνὸς ἀναζωσάμενος δόξαντε παρεσχηκὼς ἀνδρείας καὶ πεῖραν πολεμικῆς γενναιότητος, αὐτίκα τῷ βασιλικῷ νομίσματι σπαθηφόρος διαχαράττεται, μὴ τῷ Θεῷ τὸ πᾶν ἐπιγράψας, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἰσχύι καὶ τῇ περὶ πολέμους ἐμπειρίᾳ, καὶ οἷα αὐτοκράτωρ τῶν τῆς βασιλείας ἀπάρχεται πράξεων, φιλοτίμοις πρότερον τοὺς συναραμένους αὐτῷ πρὸς τὸ σπούδασμα κοσμήσας τιμαῖς τό τε δημοτικὸν τῆς προσηκούσης ἀξιώσας προνοίας· καὶ φροντιστὰς δὲ πολλοὺς τῶν δημοσίων ἀπέδειξε συλλόγων. Τῷ δὲ πατριάρχῃ πολύ τι νέμων αἰδοῦς ἴσα καὶ πατέρα ἐτίμα, διὸ καὶ τοὺς αὐτοῦ ἀνεψιοὺς ταῖς πρώταις ἀξίαις καὶ πράξεσι περιβλέπτους ἀποδέδειχε. Τῇ τε Μεγάλῃ Ἐκκλησίᾳ τὸ οἰκονομεῖσθαι δι' αὑτῆς τὰ πράγματα ἀφιεροῖ, ἀλλοτριώσας τούτων παντάπασι τὴν βασιλείαν, ὥστε μηδ' ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκονομίας μήτ' ἐπὶ τῆς τῶν ἱερῶν κειμηλίων προνοίας καὶ προστασίας παρὰ βασιλέως τινὰ προχειρίζεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τῆς τοῦ πατριάρχου ἐξουσίας ἠρτῆσθαι τὸ πᾶν, καὶ τὴν τῶν προσώπων προχείρισιν καὶ τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων διοίκησιν. Ἀγαγόμενος δὲ καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα ἀπὸ τοῦ φρουρίου Πημολίσσης αὐγοῦσταν ἀναγορεύει σεβαστήν. Ἰωάννην δὲ τὸν ἀδελφὸν καὶ Κατακαλὼν τὸν Κεκαυμένον κουροπαλάτας καὶ ἀμφοτέρους τιμᾷ, μέγαν δομέστικον τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἀδελφὸν προβαλλόμενος. Σκοπήσας δὲ τὸ τῶν χρημάτων ἀναγκαῖον, ὧν οὐδὲν ἄνευ κατὰ τὸν ῥήτορα περαίνεται, διὰ τὸ τὰ στρατιωτικὰ 104 ἠσθενηκέναι καὶ τέλεον τεταπεινῶσθαι ἐκ τῆς κατεχούσης ἐνδείας τὴν βασιλείαν καὶ τὸ πανταχόθεν τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἅπαντας κατεπαίρεσθαι, ὁ πρὸς ἀδοξίας αὐτῷ ἦν καὶ πάντων βαρύτερον ἐλογίζετο, βαρὺς ἐχρημάτισε φορολόγος τοῖς χρεωστοῦσι δημόσια. Καὶ τὰς τῶν ὀφφικίων δὲ δόσεις αὐτὸς πρῶτος περιέτεμεν. Ἐμέλησε δ' αὐτῷ καὶ φειδωλίας καὶ τοῦ προσθήκην ἀγρῶν τῇ βασιλείᾳ περιποιήσασθαι. ∆ιὸ καὶ πολλὰ μὲν ἰδιωτικὰ πρόσωπα πολλῶν ἀπεστέρησε κτήσεων τὰς χρυσοβούλλους αὐτῶν γραφὰς παριδών, ἐνέσκηψε δὲ καί τισι τῶν φροντιστηρίων καὶ πολλὰς αὐτῶν κτήσεις ἀφελόμενος διὰ λογοποιίας τὸ ἀρκοῦν ἐγκαταλιπὼν τοῖς μονάζουσι, τῷ δημοσίῳ τὸ περισσὸν προσαφώρισε· πρᾶγμα τοῖς μὲν ἀκρίτως σκοποῦσιν ἐκ τοῦ προχείρου ἀσεβείας καὶ παρανομίας εἰσάγον καὶ πρὸς ἱεροσυλίαν ἀναφερόμενον, ἀποτέλεσμα δὲ μηδὲν ἄτοπον φέρον τοῖς ἐμβριθῶς σκοποῦσι καὶ πνευματικῶς, ἅτε <μὴ> ἀκτημοσύνης ἀπάγον τοὺς ταύτην ἐπαγγειλαμένους καὶ τὴν συβαριτικὴν καὶ χλιδῶσαν περικόπτον τρυφὴν καὶ μηδὲ τῶν πρὸς τὴν χρείαν ἐπιτηδείων καὶ ἀναγκαίων ἀποστεροῦν καὶ τοὺς ἀγρογείτονας τῆς ἐκ τῶν μοναχῶν κακότητος καὶ πλεονεξίας ἐλευθεροῦν. Ὃ καὶ εἴθε αὐτῷ εἰς τέλος κατώρθωτο οὐκ ἐπὶ τοῖς σεμνείοις μόνοις, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐκκλησιαστικοῖς πᾶσιν ἁπλῶς. Οὕτω μὲν οὖν ταῦτα τῷ βασιλεῖ ᾠκονόμητο καὶ ἡ βασιλὶς τοῦτον εἶχε τῶν πόλεων. Ὁ δὲ πατριάρχης τῇ τοῦ βασιλέως ἀπλήστῳ εὐνοίᾳ θαρρήσας ἐφρονηματίσατο καὶ κατ' αὐτοῦ, οὐκ αἰτήσεσι καὶ παραινέσεσι χρώμενος, εἴ ποτέ τινος δέοιτο καὶ ὑπέρ τινος, ἀλλὰ πολλάκις ἀποτυγχάνων διὰ τὸ τῶν αἰτήσεων συνεχὲς καὶ φορτικὸν ἀπειλαῖς ἐχρῆτο καὶ ἐπιτιμίοις ἀποτόμοις, καὶ εἴγε μὴ πείθοιτο καὶ τῆς βασιλείας ἔκπτωσιν ἀπειλούμενος, τὸ δημῶδες τοῦτο καὶ κατημαξευμένον ἐπιλέγων: Ἐγὼ σὲ ἔκτισα, φοῦρνε, 105 καὶ ἐγὼ νὰ σὲ χαλάσω. Ἐπεβάλετο δὲ καὶ κοκκοβαφῆ περιβαλέσθαι πέδιλα τῆς παλαιᾶς ἱερωσύνης φάσκων εἶναι τὸ τοιοῦτον ἔθος καὶ δεῖν τούτοις κἀν τῇ νέᾳ κεχρῆσθαι τὸν ἀρχιερέα. Ἱερωσύνης γὰρ καὶ βασιλείας τὸ διαφέρον οὐδὲν ἢ καὶ ὀλίγον ἔλεγεν εἶναι· ἐν δέ γε τοῖς τιμιωτέροις καὶ πλέον ἔχειν καὶ μᾶλλον εἶναι ἐρίτιμον. Ταῦτα δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐνωτιζόμενος ὑπ' ὀδόντα λαλούμενα ἔσπευσε μᾶλλον