History
And what i have accurately ascertained from those who saw it, these things i will also commit to writing. 2. just now in the month of november, of the
He commanded that the triremes and the other transport ships should all be brought to anchor in a good harbor, and that they should control the sea, a
War. therefore, having gone around and seen that it was by nature difficult to enter and hard to approach for on the one side it had the sea as a saf
They would be frustrated. and having gone out of the camp, and having overrun a part of the country, when he learned from those who had been taken ali
It was easy to attack by assault, being raised to the greatest possible height, and girded with two trenches dug to a corresponding depth), and the de
Having divided his phalanx into three parts by night, he went against the scythians, and falling upon them suddenly, in a brief moment of time he wrou
Meet them, when i give the signal with the trumpets. such was the exhortation that the general delivered and the army shouted 22 and applauded, and w
6. but nikephoros phokas, the colleague of the aforementioned leo (for it is necessary, having summarized the account, to proceed with the history in
The general, having seen this, spurred his horse, quickened his pace, rode in and restrained the soldiers' onslaught, persuading them not to kill the
Having drawn up an irresistible battle-line, went through the land of the hagarenes. to them, having heard of the attack of nikephoros, it did not see
Was dignified by his rank), was hostilely disposed towards nicephorus. 11. he decided, therefore, to attempt a revolution at once but not having at h
, to proclaim him supreme commander, and to entrust the forces of asia to him, so that he might defend and check the assault of the foreigners. for th
He said, if you are persuaded to take up the rule of the east, i shall quickly declare you emperor, and restore you to the imperial thrones. speak wel
For he was gently nursing his little body), then, recovering again, he said, “speak, most brave one, what need is there to consider this?” but he said
I have assumed the imperial office, but compelled by the necessity of you, the army, and you yourselves bear witness for me that i was both shunning s
Before the report of his proclamation could fly abroad, to seize in advance the straits and passages of the sea. for thus he thought that matters woul
Numbering over three thousand, attacked the house of joseph and his collaborators along with the people. and having subjected these to plunder and pil
Especially the monks), they did not allow the man to persist in what he had decided, but urged him both to embrace marriage and not to shun meat-eatin
Makes it flood in a single hour) emboldened by these things, the barbarians mocked the emperor and insolently hurled insults at him, and making sorti
Having fallen upon it, accomplishing nothing noble or vigorous. and he considered the matter an outright disgrace and insult, and an indelible reproac
Having come to the region around tarsus, there he encamped and having pitched a palisade round about, he ordered the crops and the meadows, luxuriant
Having recovered the standards, which, crafted from gold and stones, the tarsians had captured in various battles while routing the roman force, and h
Of the spectacle, turned to flight and ran back to their own houses. and from the pushing and disorderly rush, no little slaughter occurred, with very
To blow favorably upon them, but blowing against them strongly and fiercely, it has sunk their affairs. but the account will now clearly reveal these
To those acting against the divine ordinance, if somehow at least in this way people, being afraid, would abstain from evil deeds, and would cling to
He had taken a fortress, and having crossed mount lebanon transversely, he turned his attention to tripoli, which he saw was fortified and exceptional
Being obliged to drive them away, and to guard the flocks from harm, they, in addition to not driving them away, themselves cut them down and tear the
Having come, and having been befriended by the ruler of the tauroi, and having corrupted him with gifts and bewitched him with persuasive words (for t
Reconciliation and friendship might be secured. the mysians gladly received the embassy, and putting daughters of the royal blood 80 on wagons (for it
They might do. but as they were already considering rushing to their defense, and to stoutly resist the enemy in close combat, as dawn was brightly br
Boasting to all about his brave deeds in wars. 6. having approached the emperor with these words and, 85 as was likely, having bewitched him (for he s
Having lowered from above, one by one they first pulled up all the conspirators, and then john himself. having come up, therefore, beyond all human su
The vengeance for these things, and to those who were slipping he seemed relentless and burdensome, and oppressive to those wishing to lead an indiffe
At the end of the month of december, during the thirteenth indiction of the six thousand four hundred and seventy-eighth year, a throng of select men,
Having captured him, confines him to amaseia. having therefore from this secured sufficient safety for himself and for his affairs, and having purged
To make amends for what nikephoros had improperly introduced. for nikephoros, whether wishing to correct divine matters that were being disturbed by s
And having found him not very accurately versed in secular education, but most diligently trained in divine and our own, he anoints him patriarch of a
The bosporus, but to pass by moesia, which belongs to the romans, and has from of old been a part of macedonia. for it is said that the moesians, bein
To make replies. for we trust in christ, the immortal god, that if you do not depart from this land, you will be driven from it by us even against you
A disgrace by the raids of the scythians to send out bilingual men dressed in scythian attire into the homesteads and customs of the enemy, so that t
The romans on the one hand shouted for joy, and were strengthened for valor but the scythians, growing cowardly at the new and strange nature of the
2. the emperor, when he learned of such a revolt, was disturbed, as was likely, and having brought up bishop stephen from abydos with wingless speed,
He saw that murders along with the ensuing conspirators were proceeding harshly and inhumanely, he decided to no longer delay or be slothful, so that
Considering into what fortunes the unholy and blood-guilty john has enclosed my family, having mercilessly slain the emperor and my uncle, who was his
Eye, and to learn that these things were red, just as they had been from of old. phocas, considering this prodigy a second evil omen, and seeing also
Immediately, lest it be some ill-omened thing, and destruction befall the pursuing mysians but learning they were fleeing at full speed, he both purs
The russian minds were lifted up in audacity and boldness. therefore, the emperor, not enduring their overweening arrogance and their blatant insolenc
Being given out, and going under the earth by the inscrutable wisdom of the creator and again from the 130 celtic mountains gushing up, and winding t
Should set a phalanx against us, things will not end well for us, but in dreadful perplexity and helplessness. therefore, having strengthened your spi
Is called drista) lingering with his whole force. but in this way kalokyres escaped, and night coming on stopped the romans from battle. and just on t
And they killed up to one hundred and fifty vigorous men. but the emperor, learning of such an event, quickly mounted his horse and urged his follower
But the rest of the multitude he bound in fetters and shut up in prisons. he himself, having gathered the entire host of the tauro-scythians, numberin
1. and just as day was dawning, the emperor fortified the camp with a strong palisade in this manner. a certain low hill of dorystolon rises at a dist
He was courting them with gifts and toasts, encouraging them to proceed vigorously to the wars. 3. while these matters were in suspense, and the battl
He flees to a divine and great sanctuary, seen as a pitiful supplicant instead of a haughty and boastful tyrant. whom the men of the drungarius dragge
Having drowned. for it is said that, being possessed by greek 150 orgies, they perform sacrifices and libations for the dead in the greek manner, havi
On the next day (it was the sixth day of the week, and the twenty-fourth day of the month of july), when the sun was setting, the tauro-scythians, hav
Was being concluded. 10. but the romans, following the divine man who went before, 155 engage with the enemy, and a fierce battle having commenced, th
With purity. at any rate, having conferred a few things about a truce with the emperor, seated beside the rowing-bench of the skiff, he departed. but
Was crossed over. this is the greatest of the rivers cutting through asia, 161 and one of those that flow from eden, as we have learned from the divin
The emperor, as one who abused the power of his leadership for certain powerful men, and did not direct the affairs of the church as was established b
Having assembled forces, and having meticulously armed them, departing from the reigning city, he advanced through palestine, a prosperous land, flowi
The mainland is enclosed by strongholds, stretching upon a certain steep hill on the other side it is surrounded by the sea, putting forth a well-hav
Before until fire-bearing ships were secretly sent out from byzantium by those in power. which bardas parsakoutenos the magistros was leading, and ha
I would have been destroyed, if some divine providence had not led me out of that very danger, which caused me to ride out with speed, before the ravi
Furthermore, the star rising in the west at the setting of the morning star, which, making its risings in the evening, kept no fixed position at one c
Of the city, but already becoming feeble, and suffering from a deep and intractable panting. and having just come to the royal hearth, he was shown to
and what I have accurately ascertained from those who saw it, these things I will also commit to writing. 2. Just now in the month of November, of the 3rd indiction, in 6 the year 6467, when the aforementioned emperor Constantine had departed this life and passed on to his rest there, the rule to govern the empire is entrusted to his son Romanos, who was already passing the age of youth and being transformed into a grown man; a man in other respects decent, both handsome and affable and of distinguished appearance, and full of all kinds of virtue, both benevolent and good toward all his subjects, but infatuated with youthful pleasures and games, bringing into the royal household, as he ought not to have done, those who incited him to these things. It came into the mind of this emperor Romanos to remove, by the might of the Almighty, the dominion of the Cretan Arabs, which had grown insolent and was breathing murder against the Romans. For indeed, being immoderately puffed up by the recent misfortune which had befallen the Romans, it was plundering especially the coastal regions of the Roman dominion. And how this disaster befell the Romans, I will relate briefly. The emperor Constantine, not tolerating the insolence of the Cretans and 7 their clandestine raids, having gathered a formidable army and having equipped very many fire-bearing triremes, sent them against Crete, intending to take the island at the first assault. but through the cowardice and inexperience of the general, who was a eunuch chamberlain and a worthless fellow raised in the shade hailing from Paphlagonia (his name was Constantine, his surname Gongyles), although he prided himself on the distinguished rank of Patrician, the entire aforesaid army, except for a few men, was cut to pieces by the barbarians and utterly destroyed. 3. The emperor Romanos, being eager to retrieve this defeat, appointed Nikephoros Phokas, who was distinguished among the magistroi and commanded the armies of the East (the Romans call such a command Domestic of the Schools), a man of action and energy, skilled in warfare and of irresistible strength, as commander-in-chief of the war against the Cretans. This Nikephoros, therefore, having assembled the army of Asia by royal command and embarked it on ships, and sailing swiftly, and taking with him very many fire-bearing triremes (the Romans call these dromons), moored at Crete. And when it seemed the time for disembarkation, he showed in practice what experience he had of the deeds of war. For carrying ladders on the transport ships, he extended these to the shore, and transferred the army, both armed and mounted, from the sea to the dry land. The barbarians, astounded by the new and strange 8 sight, remained in place in troops, keeping their shield-wall unbroken, and awaiting the arrival of the Romans against them. But the Roman general Nikephoros, having drawn up the phalanx in three divisions and having made it dense with shields and spears, and having sung the war-paean and having ordered the trophy of the cross to go before, advanced to face the barbarians. And when a terrible battle broke out, and the arrows were coming down like hail, the barbarians were not able to withstand for long the spear-thrusts of the Romans; but turning their backs and breaking their phalanx, they went away to their own fortress as fast as they could run. And the Romans pursuing wrought an untold slaughter of them. Such a favorable outcome the first assault and battle brought to the Romans. And when, as I have said, the barbarians were shut up in their own fortress, the general, having called his forces together, pitched a camp before the city of the Cretans; and the
δὲ καὶ πρὸς τῶν ἰδόντων ἠκρίβωσα, ταῦτα καὶ δώσω γραφῇ. βʹ. Ἄρτι κατὰ τὸν Νοέμβριον μῆνα, τῆς γʹ ἰνδίκτου, ἐν 6 τῷ ϛυξζʹ ἔτει,
τοῦ ῥηθέντος αὐτοκράτορος Κωνσταντίνου τὸν βίον μετηλλαχότος καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἐκεῖσε κατάπαυσιν ἀναλύσαντος, τὴν αὐτοκρατορίαν
διέπειν ἀρχὴν Ῥωμανὸς ὁ ἐκείνου υἱὸς ἐγχειρίζεται, ἤδη τὴν τῶν μειρακίων παραλλάττων ἡλικίαν καὶ πρὸς ἄνδρα τὸν τέλειον μετασκευαζόμενος·
ἀνὴρ τἆλλα μὲν ἐπιεικὴς, εὐπρόσωπός τε καὶ εὐόμιλος καὶ τὴν ὥραν ἀριπρεπὴς, καὶ παντοδαπῆς καλοκαγαθίας ἀνάπλεως, εὐμενής
τε καὶ χρηστὸς πρὸς ἅπαν τὸ ὑπήκοον, ἐπτοημένος δὲ νεωτερικαῖς ἡδυπαθείαις καὶ παιδιαῖς, τοὺς δὲ ἐρεθίζοντας πρὸς ταῦτα κατὰ
τὴν βασίλειον ἑστίαν, ὡς οὐκ ὤφελεν, ἐπαγόμενος. τούτῳ τῷ αὐτοκράτορι Ῥωμανῷ εἰς ἔννοιαν ἧκε, τὴν τῶν Ἀραβιτῶν Κρητῶν δυναστείαν,
τραχηλιῶσαν καὶ κατὰ Ῥωμαίων φονικὸν πνέουσαν , τῇ τοῦ κρείττονος ῥοπῇ ἐκποδὼν ποιήσασθαι. καὶ γὰρ τῷ ἐξ ὑπογυίου τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις
συμβεβηκότι ἀτυχήματι ἀμέτρως γαυρουμένη, τὰ παράκτια τῆς Ῥωμαϊκῆς ἐπικρατείας ἐληΐζετο μάλιστα. ὅπως δὲ τὸ πταῖσμα Ῥωμαίοις
συμβέβηκεν, ἐπιτροχάδην ἐρῶ. Κωνσταντῖνος ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ, μὴ στέγων τὴν τῶν Κρητῶν ὕβριν καὶ 7 τὰς λαθραίους ἐπιδρομὰς, στρατιὰν
ἀξιόμαχον συνειλοχὼς καὶ τριήρεις ἐξαρτύσας πυρφόρους μάλα συχνὰς, κατὰ τῆς Κρήτης ἔστελλεν, ὡς αὐτοβοεὶ τὴν νῆσον αἱρήσων.
ἀλλ' ἀνανδρίᾳ καὶ ἀπειρίᾳ τοῦ στρατηγοῦ, τομίου θαλαμηπόλου τελοῦντος, καὶ ἀνδραρίου σκιατραφοῦς ἐκ τῆς τῶν Παφλαγόνων ὡρμημένου
(Κωνσταντῖνος ὄνομα τούτῳ, Γογγύλης ἐπίκλησις), εἰ καὶ τῷ τῶν Πατρικίων ἀριπρεπεῖ ἀξιώματι ἐσεμνύνετο, ἅπασα ἡ λεχθεῖσα στρατιὰ,
πλὴν ὀλίγων ἀνδρῶν , κατεκόπη πρὸς τῶν βαρβάρων καὶ παραπώλετο. γʹ. Ταύτην τὴν ἧτταν ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ Ῥωμανὸς ἀνακαλέσασθαι προθυμούμενος,
Νικηφόρον τὸν Φωκᾶν, τοῖς μαγίστροις ἐνδιαπρέποντα καὶ τῶν τῆς Ἀνατολῆς στρατευμάτων κατάρχοντα (∆ομέστικον τῶν σχολῶν Ῥωμαῖοι
ἀρχὴν τὴν τοιαύτην ἐπιφημίζουσιν), ἄνδρα ῥέκτην τε καὶ δραστήριον, ἀγαθόν τε τὰ πολεμικὰ καὶ τὴν ἰσχὺν ἀνυπόστατον , αὐτοκράτορα
στρατηγὸν τῆς πρὸς τοὺς Κρῆτας μάχης κεχειροτόνηκεν. οὗτος τοίνυν ὁ Νικηφόρος, τὴν τῆς Ἀσίας στρατιὰν τῷ βασιλικῷ συνειλοχὼς
κελεύσματι καὶ ναυσὶν ἐμβιβάσας, καὶ ταχυπλοήσας, πυρφόρους τε τριήρεις πλείστας ἐπαγόμενος (δρόμονας ταύτας Ῥωμαῖοι καλοῦσι),
τῇ Κρήτῃ προσώρμισεν. ἐπεὶ δὲ τῆς ἀποβάσεως ἐδόκει καιρὸς, ἔδειξε πρακτικῶς, ἣν εἶχεν ἐμπειρίαν ἔργων πολεμικῶν. κλίμακας
γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν πορθμείων ἐπιφερόμενος, ταύτας ἐπὶ τὴν ἠϊόνα προσυφαπλῶν, τὴν στρατιὰν ἔνοπλόν τε καὶ ἔφιππον ἀπὸ τῆς ὑγρᾶς ἐπὶ
τὴν ξηρὰν μετεβίβαζε. τῷ δὲ καινῷ καὶ ἀλλοκότῳ 8 τοῦ ὁράματος καταπλαγέντες οἱ βάρβαροι κατὰ χώραν ἔμενον ἰλαδὸν, ἀδιάσπαστον
συντηροῦντες τὸν συνασπισμὸν, καὶ τὴν τῶν Ῥωμαίων ὡς αὐτοὺς ἄφιξιν προσδεχόμενοι. ὁ δὲ τῶν Ῥωμαίων στρατηγὸς Νικηφόρος, τριχῇ
τὴν φάλαγγα διατάξας, ἀσπίσι τε καὶ δόρασι ταύτην καταπυκνώσας, καὶ τὸ ἐνυάλιον παιωνίσας, τὸ δὲ σταυρικὸν ἐγκελευσάμενος
προπορεύεσθαι τρόπαιον, ἀντιμέτωπος τοῖς βαρβάροις ἐπῄει. δεινῆς δὲ μάχης ἀναῤῥαγείσης, καὶ δίκην χαλάζης τῶν βελῶν καταφερομένων,
οὐκ ἔμελλον ἐπὶ πολὺ διακαρτερεῖν οἱ βάρβαροι τὸν τῶν Ῥωμαίων δορατισμόν· ἀλλὰ τὰ νῶτα στρέψαντες καὶ τὴν φάλαγγα διαλύσαντες,
ὡς εἶχον δρόμων, πρὸς τὸ σφῶν ἀπῄεσαν ἔρυμα. οἱ δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι ἐφεπόμενοι, ἀμύθητον τούτων φόνον εἰργάσαντο. τοιοῦτον μὲν ἡ πρώτη
προσβολὴ καὶ διαμάχη πέρας αἴσιον τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις ἀπηνέγκατο. ἐπεὶ δὲ, ᾗπέρ μοι εἴρηται, τῷ σφετέρῳ τειχίσματι οἱ βάρβαροι συνεκλείσθησαν,
τὰς δυνάμεις συγκαλέσας ὁ στρατηγὸς, χάρακα πρὸ τοῦ ἄστεος ἐπήξατο τῶν Κρητῶν· τὰς δέ
