Georgius Pachymeres, Chronicle II

the concession of ecclesiastical matters made in church by whomever at a late hour, having been left there somewhere from the transaction, it happened to lie. But it had become completely useless and decayed, so as not even to bear the image of bread, let alone to appear as bread and somehow, but some form of black crumbs of theriac or some other such preparation. Therefore, seeing this, a trembling immediately seized the priest, and he pondered what he should do (for he was not able to unite that into communion with the recently consecrated elements). And the matter seemed dreadful, not so much in what it had suffered as in what it appeared to be, since the means of setting it right were impossible. Therefore it was also put on public display, and what was to be done was sought with the greatest possible reverence. But that which was and seemed and was fitting, the remaining part of the change did not allow to happen, and so, hesitating to receive communion, the priest did not accept it. And it was not otherwise possible to offer the gifts to God without having partaken of them. And on the one hand 80 fear, and on the other perplexity, divided the onlookers, not knowing what they should do. Fear, at least, constrained their opinions, leading them to one and the same counsel: that the priest, whatever he might suffer, should receive what had appeared. But since he considered that thing not at all approachable, not even with the tips of his lips, so to speak, perplexity, taking courage, devised a plan falling far short of what was worthy, but otherwise necessary beyond anything else one might ever conceive. It is likely, therefore, that God cared for those precious and sacred things, and He certainly did care, but at that time the place consecrated from of old for such things, which is indeed called the holy oven, piously receives what was piously cast into it. But so much for these things.

29. At that time also a cloud of Scythians from near the Ister, having been gathered together, I know not from where nor from what cause, numbering about ten thousand, passed through the land of the Bulgarians and having plundered many of the surrounding regions, came to be at the outer mountain pass. And indeed it was expected that it would sally forth and make the famed land of the Mysians in Macedonia and Thrace its prey. But at that time the kouropalates Oumbertopoulos happened to be holding the area around Mesembria in the manner of a ruler and general, a man delighting in goodness and adorned with good counsel; who, having suddenly engaged, trusting 81 in the emperor's piety, leading a few against many, had gained the advantage, so that some became the work of the sword, while others were drowned in the river flowing by there. And a few out of many, having escaped, not even knowing where on earth they were going, rushing through the difficult terrain, fled as fast as their feet could carry them, having just learned for the first time that an ill-advised multitude is overcome by good counsel rather than by bravery. When the emperor learned these things, he first glorified the divine assistance, and then, greatly admiring the man, he honored him with many gifts, increasing his distinction, welcoming him not only with changes of garments but also with gold and horses, upon which he also bestowed the honor of megas papias as a prize for virtue and a worthy trophy.

30. But the emperor, having come to the city, did not at all neglect those who were separated from the church, but skillfully managed their concord. Wherefore sending, and at times also summoning them, he was frequently showing that he was concerned with their affairs, which admitted of no excuse, and all the more because he learned that certain wonders were taking place, such as to frighten even the very confident. For next to the celebrated temple of the Wisdom of God, in a certain public dwelling, an icon of the Theotokos was painted on a wall, 82 and for many days the icon wept tears, pouring streams from its eyes, so that the outflow was even collected with sponges. And when the emperor himself came, both for veneration and to see what was happening, and the house had been securely sealed by his command, the same things happened again as before. And again in the Charsianon district, blood gushed forth copiously from the icon of George, who shines brightly among the martyrs. Seeing these things, the ruler, being fearful, to tell the truth, about such things and devout,

τὴν ἐπ' ἐκκλησίας τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν παρ' οἱωνδηποτοῦν ὀψὲ τῆς ὥρας γεγονυῖαν συγ χώρησιν, ἐκεῖσέ που ἀφεθεῖσαν τῆς πράξεως κεῖσθαι συνέβαινεν. ἡ δ' ἠχρείωτο πάμπαν καὶ σέσηπτο, ὡς μηδ' εἰκόνα φέρειν ἄρ του, μὴ ὅτι γ' ἄρτον καὶ ἀμηγέπη φαίνεσθαι, ἀλλά τινα τύπον θρυμμάτων μελάνων θηριακῆς ἤ τινος ἄλλου τοιούτου σκευάσμα τος. τρόμος οὖν ἰδόντα παραυτίκα λαμβάνει τὸν ἱερέα, καὶ ὅ τι πράξοι (οὐδὲ γὰρ ἦν ἐκεῖνον ἑνοῦν εἰς κατάληψιν τοῖς προσ φάτοις) διενοεῖτο. καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα φοβερὸν ἔδοξεν, οὐ παθὸν τόσον ὅσον φανέν, ἐπείπερ τὰ τῆς εὐθετήσεως ἠμηχάνηται. τοίνυν καὶ εἰς κοινὴν θέαν προυτέθη, καὶ τὸ ποιητέον μεθ' ὅτι πλείστης ἐζητεῖτο τῆς εὐλαβείας. ἀλλ' ὃ ἦν καὶ ἐδόκει καὶ πρέ πον ἦν, τὸ περιὸν τῆς παραλλαγῆς οὐκ ἐδίδου γίνεσθαι, καὶ δὴ πρὸς τὴν μετάληψιν ὀκνῶν ὁ ἱερεὺς οὐ προσίετο. θεῷ δ' ἀνα φέρειν ἄλλως οὐκ ἦν μὴ μεταλαβόντα τὰ δῶρα. καὶ ἔνθεν μὲν 80 φόβος ἐκεῖθεν δ' ἀπορία τοὺς θεωμένους διεμεριζέτην, οὐκ ἔχον τας ὅ τι καὶ πράξοιεν. ὁ γοῦν φόβος τὰς σφῶν γνώμας συνέ στελλε πρὸς μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ἄγων βουλήν, τὸ τὸν ἱερέα, κἂν ὅ τι καὶ πάθοι, προσήσεσθαι τὸ φαινόμενον. τοῦ δὲ μηδ' ὅλως προσιτὸν ἐκεῖνο νομίζοντος μηδ' ἄκροις ὡς εἰπεῖν χείλεσι τὸ παράπαν, ἡ ἀπορία παρατολμήσασα ἐσχεδίαζε μηχανὴν πολὺ μὲν τῶν ἀξίων ἀποδέουσαν, ἀναγκαίαν δ' ἄλλως ὑπὲρ πᾶν ἕτερον ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐννοήσειέ τις πώποτε. θεῷ μὲν οὖν ἄρα τῶν τιμίων καὶ ἱερῶν ἐκείνων μέλειν εἰκός, καὶ ἔμελε πάντως, ἐκεῖνον δὲ τότε ὁ τοῖς τοιούτοις ἀφιερώμενος τόπος ἐκ παλαιοῦ, ὃς δὴ καὶ ἱπνὸς ἅγιος λέγεται, ὁσίως ἐπιρριφέντα ὁσίως δέχεται. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν ἐς τοσοῦτον.

29. Τότε δὲ καὶ νέφος Σκυθῶν παριστρίων ἐπισυναχθέν, οὐκ οἶδ' ἔκποθεν καὶ ἐκ ποίας τῆς ἀφορμῆς, εἰς δέκα σχεδὸν χιλιάδας ποσούμενον, διελθὸν τὴν Βουλγάρων γῆν καὶ τῶν πέριξ πολλὰ ληϊσάμενον κατὰ τὸν ἔξω ζυγὸν γίνεται. καὶ δὴ προσδό κιμον ἦν ἐκδραμούμενον καὶ τὰ τῆς Μακεδονίας καὶ Θρᾴκης λείαν ποιῆσον τὴν τῶν Μυσῶν ὑμνουμένην. ἔτυχε δὲ τότε τὰ ἀμφὶ τὴν Μεσέμβρειαν κατέχων ἄρχοντος τρόπον καὶ στρατηγοῦ ὁ κουροπαλάτης Οὐμπερτόπουλος, ἀνὴρ ἀγαθωσύνῃ χαίρων καὶ εὐβουλίᾳ κοσμούμενος· ὃς δὴ καὶ συμπλακεὶς ἐξαίφνης, θαρρή 81 σας τῇ τοῦ βασιλέως θεοσεβείᾳ, ὀλίγους ἐπάγων πολλοῖς τοῦ προτερήματος ἐγεγόνει, ὡς τοὺς μὲν ἔργον μαχαίρας γεγονέναι, τοὺς δὲ καὶ ἀποπνιγῆναι κατὰ τὸν ἐκεῖ παραρρέοντα ποταμόν. ὀλίγοι δ' ἐκ πολλῶν διαδράντες, μηδ' ὅπῃ γῆς χωροῖεν εἰδότες, τὰς δυσχωρίας διεκπαίοντες, ᾗ ποδῶν εἶχον ἔφευγον, ἄρτι πρῶ τον μαθόντες ὡς ἄβουλον πλῆθος εὐβουλία μᾶλλον ἢ ἀνδρεία καταγωνίζεται. ταῦτα μαθὼν ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ πρῶτον μὲν δο ξάσας τὴν θείαν ἀντίληψιν, εἶτα δὲ καὶ ὑπερθαυμάσας τὸν ἄν δρα πολλοῖς δωρεῖται, ὀφέλλων τὴν ἐκείνου τιμήν, οὐκ ἀλλα γαῖς μόνον ἱματίων ἀλλὰ χρυσῷ καὶ ἵπποις αὐτὸν δεξιούμενος, ἐφ' οἷς καὶ τὴν τοῦ μεγάλου παπίου δωρεῖται τιμὴν ὡς ἆθλον ἀρετῆς καὶ τρόπαιον ἄξιον.

30. Βασιλεὺς δ' ἐπιστὰς τῇ πόλει οὐ καθάπαξ ἠφίει τοὺς σχιζομένους τῆς ἐκκλησίας, ἀλλὰ τρόπῳ μετεχείριζε τὴν ἐκείνων ὁμόνοιαν. ὅθεν πέμπων, ἔστι δ' οὗ καὶ προσκαλούμε νος, πολὺς ἦν δεικνύων διὰ φροντίδος ἔχων τὰ ἐκείνων μὴ δεχο μένης παραίτησιν, καὶ μᾶλλον ὅτι τέρατ' ἄττα τελούμενα κατε μάνθανεν, οἷά τ' ὄντα καὶ τὸν λίαν θαρροῦντα δεδίττεσθαι. ἐχόμενα γὰρ τοῦ περιπύστου νεὼ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ σοφίας, ἔν τινι δημοτικῷ οἰκήματι, ἐν τοίχῳ τῆς θεοτόκου εἰκὼν καθιστόρητο, 82 καὶ ἡ εἰκὼν ἐπὶ πολλαῖς ἡμέραις ἐδακρυρρόει, ἀμάρας ἐξ ὀφθαλ μῶν χέουσα, ὥστε καὶ σπόγγοις τὸ ἐκρέον συνάγεσθαι. ἐλθόν τος δὲ καὶ αὐτοῦ βασιλέως, ἅμα μὲν κατὰ προσκύνησιν ἅμα δὲ καὶ κατὰ θέαν τῶν τελουμένων, καὶ προσταγὲν ἀσφαλισθέντος τοῦ οἴκου βεβαίως, τὰ αὐτὰ ἦν καὶ πάλιν τοῖς πρότερον. καὶ αὖθις ἐν τοῖς Χαρσίου αἷμα τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ λαμπρὸν ἐν μάρτυσι λάμποντος Γεωργίου δαψιλῶς ἀνέβλυζε. ταῦθ' ὁρῶν κρατῶν δειδήμων ὤν, ὡς τὸ ἀληθὲς εἰπεῖν, περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα καὶ εὐλα βής,