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
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, and if they should see any barbarian vessel making a sortie, to both pursue it, and to reduce it to ashes with Greek fire. Having planned and concluded these things with precision, he entrusted a company of picked men to the general Nikephoros, whose surname was Pastilas, who, being a brave man, had endured many wars; and very many times he was captured by the Hagarenes, and just as many times he escaped from there; and he displayed many 9 scars from the bronze blows of war on his face and chest. At that time, serving as general of the Thrakesians, having taken command of the company, he was sent to raid and scout the island, with Nikephoros Phokas giving many instructions, to be watchful and vigilant, and not to look towards ease and luxury, so that nothing irreparable might be contrived for them by the enemy; and after raiding the area and accomplishing something noble, to return quickly to the camp. 4. But good things are not by nature wont to remain always unmixed for men, but are intermingled with bad; and misfortunes follow successes, and pains pleasures, not allowing one to enjoy the given prosperity in purity. Such a thing then befell the Romans. For when they landed in the country, and found all kinds of luxury (for the country is blessed, and abounds exceedingly with varieties of beautiful fruits and juices, good for grazing and rich in flocks), although it was necessary, as was proper, to observe the general's instructions, they made light of them and bade them a long farewell, and turned aside to ease and luxury. The barbarians, lying in ambush for them in the most opportune and dense parts of the mountains, having seen their lack of discipline and unguarded state, emerging from the woods and ravines and having drawn up in a phalanx and locked shields, advanced against them. And they, although being very unsteady and reeling from drunkenness, nevertheless went out against the barbarians and 10 strongly resisted. And just as the general Pastilas was fighting vigorously and breaking through the phalanx of the barbarians, the horse on which he was riding, struck in the chest with arrows and spears, collapsed and had expired. But Pastilas, leaping up nimbly from his horse, for a while defended himself with his sword against his attackers, and wrought a great slaughter of the barbarians. But when he had become bloodless and struck down with missiles, he fainted and fell in the space between the armies. When he fell, the Romans turned to flight, and were slaughtered by the barbarians like cattle, so that out of the aforementioned company, very few were saved and returned to the camp. When Nikephoros Phokas learned of this disaster, and having blamed the fallen much for their want of counsel and indolence, and furthermore being wary of the fickle and unstable nature of fortune, he decided to delay no longer and waste time, and thereby give license to the barbarians to set up ambushes and lurking places, and to stand against them in close-formed phalanx; but to finish the war with all strength and all means. 5. As he was thus resolving and deciding (for he was shrewd and energetic, and of all men we know, most capable of conceiving what was advantageous and bringing it to completion, sober and not yielding to pleasures; and moreover skilled at handling opportunities and affairs as needed, and in strength and might, indeed, invincible; for it is said that when a certain champion of the most valiant barbarians once stood against him, Nikephoros, aiming his spear at his chest 11 and thrusting with both hands, the counter-thrust was so violent, that the spear passed right through, and cut through both parts of the breastplate), a thought therefore occurred to him, to go around the city in a circle and to reconnoiter it with precision, so that wherever it might yield he might bring the
γε τριήρεις καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς φορτίδας εἰς εὐλίμενον ἐπίνειον ἀθρόας ἐλλιμενίζειν διεκελεύσατο, θαλασσοκρατεῖν τε, καὶ εἴ που
βαρβαρικὸν ὁρῷεν πορθμεῖον ἔκπλουν ποιούμενον, τοῦτό τε ἐκδιώκειν, καὶ τῷ ὑγρῷ πυρὶ ἐκτεφροῦν. ταῦτα ἐς τὸ ἀκριβὲς βουλευσάμενός
τε καὶ συμπεράνας, σπεῖραν λογάδων ἀνδρῶν τῷ στρατηγῷ Νικηφόρῳ, ᾧ τὸ ἐπίκλην Παστιλᾶς, ἐγχειρίζει, ὃς γενναῖος ὢν πολλοὺς
ἀνέτλη πολέμους· καὶ πλειστάκις μὲν ἥλω πρὸς τῶν Ἀγαρηνῶν, τοσαυτάκις δὲ ἐκεῖθεν διέδρα· καὶ πολλὰς 9 οὐλὰς ἐκ τῶν κατὰ πόλεμον
χαλκοτυπιῶν ἐπὶ τοῦ προσώπου καὶ τῶν στέρνων προὐβάλλετο. τότε δὲ στρατηγὸς τῶν Θρᾳκησίων τελῶν, τὴν σπεῖραν παρειληφώς, ἐπὶ
καταδρομὴν καὶ κατασκοπὴν τῆς νήσου ἐστέλλετο, πολλὰ τοῦ Νικηφόρου Φωκᾶ ἐπισκήψαντος, γρηγορεῖν τε καὶ νήφειν, καὶ μὴ πρὸς
ῥᾳστώνην καὶ τρυφὴν ἀπιδεῖν, ὡς μή τι ἀνήκεστον πρὸς τῶν ἐναντίων αὐτοῖς καττυθῇ· καταδραμόντας δὲ τὸν χῶρον καὶ γενναῖόν
τι δεδρακότας, ἐπὶ τὸ στρατόπεδον θᾶττον παλινοστεῖν. δʹ. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ οὐκ ἀκραιφνῆ τἀγαθὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις πέφυκε παραμένειν ἀεὶ,
ἀλλὰ τοῖς κακοῖς ἀναμέμικται· καὶ παρέπεται τοῖς μὲν εὐτυχήμασι συμφοραὶ, ἀνῖαι δὲ ἡδοναῖς, μὴ ἐῶσαι καθαρᾶς τῆς δεδομένης
εὐετηρίας ἀπόνασθαι. ὁποῖον δὴ καὶ τότε Ῥωμαίοις συμβέβηκεν. ἐπεὶ γὰρ τῇ χώρᾳ προσέβαλον, καὶ τρυφὴν παντοδαπὴν εὗρον (εὐδαίμων
γὰρ ἡ χώρα, καὶ ὡραίων καρπῶν καὶ χυμῶν ἰδέαις ἐπιεικῶς περιβρίθουσα, εὔβοτός τε καὶ εὔμηλος), δέον τὰς ἐπισκήψεις τοῦ στρατηγοῦ,
ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς, διατηρεῖν, οἱ δὲ παρὰ φαῦλον θέμενοι καὶ πολλὰ χαίρειν ταύταις εἰπόντες, ἐπὶ ῥᾳστώνην ἀπέκλιναν καὶ τρυφήν. τούτων
οἱ βάρβαροι, τοῖς ἐπικαιροτάτοις καὶ ἀμφιλαφέσι τῶν ὀρῶν ἐλλοχῶντες, τὸ ἀκόλαστον τεθεαμένοι καὶ ἀφύλακτον, τῶν δρυμῶν καὶ
χηραμῶν ὑπεκδύντες καὶ ἐς φάλαγγα παραταξάμενοι καὶ συνασπίσαντες, κατ' αὐτῶν ἐχώρουν. οἱ δὲ, καίπερ ἀκροσφαλεῖς τῇ μέθῃ τελοῦντες
καὶ ἀκροχάλικες, ὅμως τοῖς βαρβάροις ἀντεπῄεσαν καὶ 10 ῥωμαλέως ἀντικαθίσταντο. ἄρτι δὲ τοῦ στρατηγοῦ Παστιλᾶ εὐρώστως διαγωνιζομένου,
καὶ τὴν τῶν βαρβάρων διακόπτοντος φάλαγγα, ὁ ἵππος, εἰς ὃν ἐπωχεῖτο, βέλεσι καὶ δορατίοις τὰ στέρνα τυπεὶς, ὀκλάσας διαπεφωνήκει.
ὁ δὲ Παστιλᾶς εὐπετῶς τοῦ ἵππου ἀναθορῶν, μέχρι μέν τινος τῷ φασγάνῳ τοὺς ἐπιόντας ἠμύνετο, καὶ πολὺν τῶν βαρβάρων φόνον εἰργάσατο.
Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἔξαιμός τε καὶ καταβελὴς ἐγεγόνει, λειποθυμήσας παρὰ τὸ μεταίχμιον ἔπεσε. τούτου πεσόντος εἰς φυγὴν οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι ἀπέκλιναν,
καὶ πρὸς τῶν βαρβάρων δίκην βοσκημάτων ἐναπεσφάττοντο, ὡς ἐκ τῆς εἰρημένης σπείρας ὀλιγοστοὺς ἀνασεσῶσθαι εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον.
τοῦτο τὸ πάθος ὁ Νικηφόρος Φωκᾶς αἰσθόμενος καὶ πολλὰ τῆς ἀβουλίας καὶ ῥᾳθυμίας τοὺς πεσόντας μεμψάμενος, ἔτι τε τὸ παλίντροπον
κατευλαβηθεὶς τῆς τύχης καὶ ἄστατον, ἔγνω μηκέτι διαμέλλειν καὶ τὸν καιρὸν κατατρίβειν, κἀντεῦθεν ἄδειαν ἐνιέναι τοῖς βαρβάροις,
ἐνέδρας καὶ λόχους τίθεσθαι , καὶ εἰς φάλαγγα συστάδην ἀντικαθίστασθαι· ἀλλὰ παντὶ σθένει καὶ πάσαις μηχαναῖς διανύτειν τὸν
πόλεμον. εʹ. Οὕτω διαλύοντι τούτῳ καὶ γνωματεύοντι (ἦν γὰρ ἀγχίνους τε καὶ δραστήριος, ἐννοῆσαί τε τὸ ξυνοῖσον καὶ εἰς πέρας
ἀγαγεῖν πάντων, ὧν ἴσμεν, ἐπηβολώτατος, σώφρων τε καὶ μὴ εἴκων ἡδοναῖς· καὶ προσέτι δεινὸς τοὺς καιροὺς καὶ τὰ πράγματα εἰς
δέον μεταχειρίσασθαι, τὴν μέντοι ἰσχὺν καὶ ῥώμην ἀκαταγώνιστος· λέγεται γὰρ πρωταγωνιστοῦ τινος τῶν ἀλκιμωτάτων βαρβάρων ἀντικαταστάντος
αὐτῷ ποτε, τὸ δόρυ κατὰ τῶν στέρ 11 νων τὸν Νικηφόρον ἰθύναντα καὶ ἀμφοτέραις ὠσάμενον, οὕτω γενέσθαι σφοδρὰν τὴν ἀντέρεισιν,
ὡς καὶ διαμπερὲς τὸ δόρυ διελθεῖν, καὶ ἄμφω διατεμεῖν τὰ μέρη τοῦ θώρακος), ἔννοια γοῦν ἐπῆλθεν αὐτῷ, κύκλῳ τὸ ἄστυ περιελθεῖν
καὶ ἐς τὸ ἀκριβὲς τοῦτο κατασκοπῆσαι, ἵνα ὅποι παρείκοι προσαγάγῃ τὸν
