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

So then, having gathered his forces, he pursued from behind through difficult paths. And approaching Sebasteia, he left the military baggage and all the infantry somewhere there with his own stepson Andronikos, who was with him, whom he himself had proclaimed emperor and held as a hostage or a co-general, in case he might often appear suddenly and serve the needs of the moment in many ways. But he himself, with the more lightly-armed troops, pursued the enemy from behind through the many very high hills of Tephrike and Argaeus, and hastened to attack the enemy from the flank. Whence also, falling upon them unexpectedly and terrifying them all with the rumor of his presence, he immediately made them turn their backs and rush to flight. Therefore, the slaughter among them was not great, as the emperor's men were exhausted by the difficult terrain, but many were taken captive; but they did not benefit from their own lives, having become the work of the sword. However, all the booty, from man to beast, having been freed, acclaimed the emperor with both voice and wonder; for the deed was considered wonderful even by the enemies themselves, how the emperor of the Romans drove unrestrainedly against them in the manner of a lightly-armed and common soldier. And having rested the army in Sebasteia for only three days, he took the road leading to Syria and through the valleys of Koukousos, arriving at Germanikeia, he invades the theme called Telouch, first having detached a not insignificant phalanx with a colonel and sent it to Melitene both for the defense of the east 128 and to oppose the enemies stationed there, who were commanded by a cunning and warlike man named Apsinalios; for for this reason the emperor entrusted to this man the best of his own army, Franks themselves, bloodthirsty and warlike men. But when the commander did not handle matters ambitiously from fear of failure—for he was distinguished in prudence and cautious about the future—the war became almost double for the emperor, who was deprived of such a force. For when the enemies often challenged them to come out of the city of Melitene, and saw that they did not even notice them, but remained quiet and as if sleeping, they marched through unknown places and brazenly attacked the imperial army unseen. And encountering a very small contingent, which was going out to forage for provisions, they rushed against it. But they, not standing their ground, fled without turning back. And perhaps a not insignificant nor contemptible part of the soldiers would have perished, if the emperor had not appeared quickly to help them and rescued them from their attack. If anyone, therefore, attributes to the generals for the most part the outcomes, whether they turn out for the better or for the worse, he does not in any way miss the correct and true judgment; and it has been well said as a maxim by the ancients that it is better for a lion to command deer than for a deer to command lions. But the emperor, having thus been saved and having saved the camp, encamped with his whole army before the territory of Chalep. And before dismounting from his horse, he sent out both the Scythians and not a few of the Romans to plunder the country. Which indeed also happened; and a multitude of men and women and many animals was brought in. And from there, going through the enemy's country, on the third day he arrived at Hierapolis. And the military force there, though it gave the impression of an attack, did not dare to come to blows with the Romans 129, but with some skirmishes and sallies they discharged their duty of war, that is, both the Arabs and the Turks and their exarch Amertikes, who traced his lineage to a royal family in Persia. Having seized Hierapolis with earthworks and siege engines and military assaults, and having released the foreign part of the military forces naked and unarmed on agreed terms, with the magister Peter Libellisios mediating in all things, a man thoroughly practiced in both Assyrian and Greek learning, being an offspring and native of the city of Antioch and one of those who held the first rank in it <...>. But the emir of Chalep, that is, of the

Ἀμέλει τοι καὶ τὰς δυνάμεις ἀνειλφὼς δι' ἀτραπῶν δυσβάτων ἀπὸ ῥυτῆρος κατόπιν ἤλαυνε. Πλησιάσας δὲ τῇ Σεβαστείᾳ τὴν μὲν στρατιωτικὴν ἀποσκευὴν καὶ τὸ πεζὸν ἅπαν αὐτοῦ που ἀφίησι μετὰ τοῦ ἰδίου προγονοῦ Ἀνδρονίκου συνόντος αὐτῷ, ὃν αὐτὸς βασιλέα χειροτονήσας ὡς ἐνέχυρον εἶχεν ἢ συστράτηγον, εἴ πῃ πολλάκις παρήκων ἐκ τοῦ αἰφνιδίου πολυτρόπως τῷ χρεὼν λειτουργήσειεν. Αὐτὸς δὲ μετὰ τῶν εὐζωνοτέρων ὄπισθεν ἐδίωκε τῶν ἐχθρῶν διὰ πολλῶν ὑψηλοτάτων βουνῶν τῆς Τεφρικῆς καὶ τῆς Ἀργαοῦ καὶ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἐπιτεθῆναι ἐκ τοῦ ἐγκαρσίου ἠπείγετο. Ὅθεν καὶ ἀδόκητος αὐτοῖς ἐπεισπεσὼν καὶ τῇ φήμῃ τῆς αὑτοῦ παρουσίας πάντας ἐκδειματώσας αὐτίκα νῶτα δεδωκέναι ποιεῖ καὶ πρὸς φυγὴν ὁρμῆσαι. Φόνος μὲν οὖν αὐτῶν οὐκ ἐγένετο πολὺς προκατειργασμένων τῶν τοῦ βασιλέως ταῖς ἀνοδίαις, ζωγρίαι δὲ πολλοὶ ἑάλωσαν· τῆς δὲ ἰδίας ζωῆς οὐκ ἀπώναντο μαχαίρας ἔργον γενόμενοι. Ἡ λεία μέντοι πᾶσα ἀπὸ ἀνθρώπου ἕως κτήνους ἐλευθερωθεῖσα τὸν βασιλέα καὶ γλώσσῃ καὶ θαύματι ἐπευφήμησαν· θαυμαστὸν γὰρ καὶ αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἐναντίοις τὸ πραχθὲν ἐλογίζετο, πῶς ὁ βασιλεὺς Ῥωμαίων ἀκρατῶς κατ' αὐτῶν ἤλασε τρόπον εὐζώνου καὶ μονοζώνου στρατιώτου. Τρισὶ δὲ μόναις ἡμέραις ἐν Σεβαστείᾳ διαναπαύσας τὸ στράτευμα τῆς πρὸς Συρίαν ἀγούσης ἥψατο καὶ διὰ τῶν τῆς Κουκουσοῦ αὐλώνων εἰς Γερμανίκειαν καταστὰς εἰς τὸ θέμα τὸ καλούμενον Τελοὺχ εἰσβάλλει, πρότερον ἀποτεμόμενος φάλαγγα οὐκ ὀλίγην μετὰ συνταγματάρχου καὶ εἰς Μελιτηνὴν ἐκπέμψας ἐπὶ φυλακῇ τε τῆς ἑῴας 128 καὶ ἀντιπτώσει τῶν ἐκεῖσε προσεδρευόντων ἐχθρῶν, ὧν ἦρχεν ἀνὴρ πανοῦργος καὶ μάχιμος ὀνόματι Ἀψινάλιος· διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τοὺς κρείττονας τοῦ οἰκείου στρατοῦ τουτωὶ παραδέδωκε καὶ Φράγκους αὐτούς, ἄνδρας αἱμοχαρεῖς καὶ πολεμικούς. Μὴ χρησαμένου δὲ τοῦ προάγοντος φιλοτίμως τοῖς πράγμασι δέει τῆς ἀποτυχίας ἦν γὰρ διαφέρων φρονήσει καὶ εὐλαβῶς ἔχων περὶ τοῦ μέλλοντος διπλοῦς μικροῦ ὁ πόλεμος τῷ βασιλεῖ ἐπεγένετο στερισκομένῳ τοιαύτης δυνάμεως. Πολλάκις γὰρ προσκαλουμένων τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐξιέναι τοῦ τῶν Μελιτηνῶν ἄστεως, ὡς εἶδον μηδ' ἐπαισθανομένους αὐτῶν, ἀλλ' ἠρεμοῦντας καὶ οἷον ὑπνώττοντας, διὰ τόπων ἀδήλων βαδίσαντες ἀσυμφανῶς τοῦ βασιλικοῦ κατατολμῶσι στρατεύματος. Ἐντυχόντες δὲ μοίρᾳ τινὶ ἐλαχίστῃ, δι' ἀγορὰν σιτίων ἐξιούσῃ, ὥρμησαν κατ' αὐτῆς. Ἐκεῖνοι δὲ μὴ ὑποστάντες ἔφυγον ἀμεταστρεπτί. Καὶ τάχα ἂν ἀπώλετο μέρος στρατιωτῶν οὐκ ἐλάχιστον οὐδ' εὐκαταφρόνητον, εἰ μὴ ταχὺς αὐτοῖς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπιφανεὶς ἐπεβοήθησε καὶ τῆς αὐτῶν ἐφόδου ἐξείλετο. Εἴ τις τοίνυν τοῖς στρατηγοῖς ἐπιγράφει ὡς ἐπίπαν τὰ τῶν ἐκβάσεων, εἴτ' ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον εἴτ' ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον συνάγοιντο, οὐ διαμαρτάνει πάντῃ τοῦ ὀρθοῦ καὶ τῆς ἀληθοῦς διαγνώσεως· καὶ καλῶς τοῖς παλαιοῖς ἐγνωμολόγηται βέλτιον λέοντα ἄρχειν ἐλάφων ἤπερ λεόντων ἔλαφον. Ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν βασιλεὺς οὕτω διασωθεὶς καὶ διασώσας τὸ στρατόπεδον πρὸ τῆς τοῦ Χάλεπ χώρας πανστρατιᾷ κατεσκήνωσε. Πρὸ τοῦ καταβῆναι δὲ τοῦ ἵππου τούς τε Σκύθας καὶ τῶν Ῥωμαίων οὐκ ὀλίγους εἰς προνομὴν τῆς χώρας ἀφίησιν. Ὃ δὴ καὶ γέγονε· καὶ ἤχθη πλῆθος ἀνδρῶν τε καὶ γυναικῶν καὶ ζῴων πολλῶν. Ἐκεῖθεν δὲ διὰ τῆς πολεμίας ἰὼν τριταῖος ἀφικνεῖται εἰς τὴν Ἱεράπολιν. ∆όκησιν δὲ παρασχὸν τὸ ἐκεῖσε στρατιωτικὸν ἐπιθέσεως εἰς χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν Ῥωμαίοις 129 οὐκ ἐθάρρησεν , ἀκροβολισμοῖς δέ τισι καὶ προπηδήσεσι τὸν πόλεμον ἀφωσιώσαντο, οἵ τε Ἄραβες δηλαδὴ καὶ οἱ Τοῦρκοι καὶ ὁ τούτων ἔξαρχος Ἀμερτικῆς, εἰς γένος βασιλικὸν ἐν τῇ Περσίδι ἀναφερόμενος. Κατασχὼν μὲν τὴν Ἱεράπολιν χώμασι καὶ τειχομαχίαις καὶ στρατιωτικαῖς ἐπεξελεύσεσι, τὸ ἐπείσακτον δὲ τῶν στρατιωτικῶν δυνάμεων ἐπὶ συμφώνοις γυμνοὺς καὶ ἀόπλους ἀφείς, μεσάζοντος ἐν πᾶσι τοῦ μαγίστρου Πέτρου τοῦ Λιβελλισίου, ἀνδρὸς τήν τε τῶν Ἀσσυρίων καὶ τὴν τῶν Ἑλλήνων παιδείαν ἄκρως ἐξησκημένου, θρέμματος καὶ γεννήματος ὄντος τῆς Ἀντιοχέων πόλεως καὶ τῶν τὰ πρῶτα ἐν αὐτῇ διενεγκόντων ἑνὸς <...>. Ὁ δὲ ἀμηρᾶς τοῦ Χάλεπ, ἤτοι τῆς