But he, choosing to face extreme danger for his father's own safety, turned back and thrust himself into the midst of the enemy and having struck down many of them with his sword, when he came near the Caesar, he was no longer restrainable, nor did he seem like a mortal man, but both immortal and without flesh. For being struck by spears, he was fearless, and shattering some of these, and thrusting aside others, he tried to get to where his father was liable to be captured; but the enemy, seeing his irresistible attack, all ran together, and some with lances, others with spears struck both his horse and him, until the horse, weighed down by its wounds, fell to the ground with its rider. Then therefore the barbarians, surrounding him, tried to take off his helmet and to cut off the noble man's head with a sword, but the Caesar, pushing through those holding him, came up at a run and fell upon his noble son who was already growing weak from the multitude of his wounds and made known to them who he was and thus rescued his son from the imminent danger. 2.16 Such was the end of the battle between the Romans and the apostate Celts that was joined near the bridge of the Sangarios. But the barbarian, elated by the victory, went around the cities near the Sangarios and made them all his own; and having come to Bithynia, where the Caesar's palace was and a sufficiently strong fort had been built above, he encamped in the plains there near the foothills of Sophon, considering how for himself he might woo the affairs of the Roman empire; for he held the Caesar in honor and, seeing that his son, the noble Andronikos, was in a bad way from his wounds, he deemed him worthy of all care. The Caesar, at any rate, seeing his son suffering thus, was grieved and distressed, and asked Urselius to send him away to the queen of cities; and he was persuaded and having asked for hostages, his older sons, and having indeed taken them, he sent him home, but while he was deemed worthy of the proper treatment, the other, having imprisoned his sons, kept them by the fort. Here something was done by the tutors of the young men worthy of memory. There often came to them a certain one of the local farmers; and they, having befriended him, asked if he himself knew the roads leading to Nicomedia, and having learned that he knew them precisely so that even at night and off the beaten track he was able to pass between mountains and go to Nicomedia, they devised a plan both clever and daring: to lead both boys secretly out of the gate of the stronghold, at whatever time the guards were dozing at night, and to achieve the safety of the boys by flight. Therefore they decided to take the farmer as a guide for the road and persuaded him with promises of money. Therefore having watched for a dark and moonless night and having stolen the key of the gate, they left the farmer outside the stronghold, having instructed him not to go far from the gate, and they, being inside, were watching the guards. And when they were all now fast asleep, the tutor of the elder of the boys, the most graceful Michael—the tutor's name was Leontakios, a eunuch and a most sensible man—both woke the boy and announced the plan, having first opened the gate. He therefore led him out immediately and urged the other of the tutors to hasten both the waking and the departure of the other. And he did indeed hurry, but was unfortunate nonetheless. For while he was going down, a certain noise happened around the ladder, and the guards, having heard the noise, leaped up and were questioning who was going; but he, anticipating them, stood the boy up as if pouring out urine, but nonetheless they were searching more curiously and were asking about Michael. Therefore the tutor who remained inside, having given up hope and fearing lest the one who had already escaped be caught, used a louder voice in his responses; and perceiving the commotion, those who were outside, both the tutor and the guide for the road, ran as fast as they were able, carrying the boy on their shoulders in turns, for he was very young. So they were fleeing, while the guards were asking for lights and were going up to the house where the

ὁ δὲ τῆς ἰδίας σωτηρίας τοῦ πατρὸς ὑπερκινδυνεῦσαι προελόμενος ὑπέστρεψεν καὶ εἰς μέσον ἑαυτὸν τῶν πολεμίων ὠθεῖ καὶ πολλοὺς τούτων τῷ ξίφει καταβαλών, ἐπειδὴ πλησίον τοῦ καίσαρος γέγονεν, οὐκέτι καθεκτὸς ἦν, οὐδὲ ἐῴκει ἀνδρί γε θνητῷ, ἀλλ' ἀθανάτῳ τε καὶ ἀσάρκῳ. Βαλλόμενος γὰρ τοῖς δόρασιν ἄτρεστος ἦν καὶ τὰ μὲν τούτων συγκόπτων, τὰ δὲ διωθούμενος ἐπειρᾶτο γενέσθαι ἔνθα οἱ ὁ πατὴρ ἁλώσιμος ἦν· οἱ δὲ πολέμιοι τὴν ἀνυπόστατον ὁρῶντες ὁρμὴν συνέθεον ἅπαντες, καὶ οἱ μὲν τοῖς ξυστοῖς, οἱ δὲ τοῖς δόρασιν ἵππον τε καὶ αὐτὸν ἔβαλλον, ἕως ὁ ἵππος βαρυνθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν τραυμάτων εἰς γῆν σὺν τῷ ἐπιβάτῃ κατέπιπτε. Τότε οὖν οἱ βάρβαροι περιστάντες αὐτὸν τὴν περικεφαλαίαν περιελεῖν ἐπειρῶντο καὶ ξίφει τὴν τοῦ γενναίου ἀνδρὸς κεφαλὴν ἐκτεμεῖν, ἀλλ' ὁ καῖσαρ διασχὼν τοὺς κατέχοντας ἔπεισί τε δρομαῖος καὶ προσπίπτει τῷ γενναίῳ παιδὶ ὀλιγοδρανέοντι ἤδη ὑπὸ τοῦ τῶν τραυμάτων πλήθους καὶ γνωρίζει τούτοις ὅστις ἐστὶ καὶ οὕτω τὸν παῖδα τοῦ παρὰ πόδας κινδύνου ῥύεται. 2.16 Τοιοῦτον ἔσχε τὸ τέλος ἡ μεταξὺ Ῥωμαίων τε καὶ Κελτῶν τῶν ἀποστατῶν συναφθεῖσα περὶ τὴν τοῦ Σαγγαρίου γέφυραν μάχη. Ὁ δὲ βάρβαρος ἐπαρθεὶς τῇ νίκῃ περιῄει τὰς Παρασαγγαρίους πόλεις καὶ πάσας ὑφ' ἑαυτὸν ἐποιεῖτο· γενόμενος δὲ περὶ Βιθυνίαν, ἵναπερ τὰ βασίλεια τοῦ καίσαρος ἦν καὶ φρούριον ἱκανῶς ἐρυμνὸν ᾠκοδόμητο ἄνωθεν, περὶ τοὺς τοῦ Σόφωνος πρόποδας ἐν τοῖς ἐκεῖσε πεδίοις ηὐλίζετο, σκεπτόμενος ὅπως ἂν ἑαυτῷ τὰ τῆς βασιλείας Ῥωμαίων μνηστεύσηται πράγματα· τόν τε γὰρ καίσαρα διὰ τιμῆς εἶχε καὶ τὸν τούτου υἱὸν τὸν γενναῖον Ἀνδρόνικον ὁρῶν κακῶς ἔχοντα ὑπὸ τῶν τραυμάτων πάσης ἐπιμελείας ἠξίου. Ὁ γοῦν καῖσαρ οὕτω πάσχοντα θεώμενος τὸν υἱὸν ἠνιᾶτο καὶ ἤσχαλλε καὶ τὸν Οὐρσέλιον ᾔτησε τοῦτον πρὸς τὴν βασιλίδα ἐξαποστεῖλαι τῶν πόλεων· ὁ δὲ ἐπείθετό τε καὶ ὁμήρους αἰτήσας τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τῶν τούτου υἱέων καὶ δὴ λαβὼν ἐξέπεμψε τοῦτον οἴκαδε, ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν θεραπείας ἠξιοῦτο τῆς προσηκούσης, ὁ δὲ τοὺς παῖδας τούτου καθείρξας ἐτήρει παρὰ τὸ φρούριον. Ἐνταῦθα δέδραστό τι παρὰ τῶν παιδαγωγῶν τῶν νέων ἄξιον μνήμης. Ἐφοίτα πολλάκις πρὸς αὐτοὺς τῶν ἐγχωρίων τις ἀγροτῶν· οἱ δ' ἐκεῖνον οἰκειωσάμενοι ἠρώτων εἰ τὰς πρὸς Νικομήδειαν φερούσας ὁδοὺς αὐτὸς ἐπίσταται καὶ μαθόντες ὡς εἰδοίη ταύτας ἀκριβῶς ὡς καὶ νύκτωρ καὶ ἔξω τρίβου μεταξὺ διελθεῖν ὄρη δύνασθαι καὶ φοιτῆσαι πρὸς Νικομήδειαν, βουλὴν βουλεύονται συνετὴν ἅμα καὶ τολμηρὰν ἄμφω τοὺς παῖδας λαθραίως τῆς πύλης ἐξαγαγεῖν τοῦ ἐρύματος, ὁπηνίκα οἱ φύλακες νυκτὸς καθυπνώττουσι, καὶ δρασμῷ τὴν τῶν παίδων πραγματεύσασθαι σωτηρίαν. Ὁδηγὸν οὖν ἀξιοῦσι λαβεῖν τὸν ἀγρότην τῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ πείθουσι χρημάτων ὑποσχέσεσι. Νύκτα οὖν παρατηρήσαντες ἀφεγγῆ καὶ ἀσέληνον καὶ τὴν κλεῖδα τῆς πύλης ὑποκλέψαντες, τὸν μὲν ἀγρότην ἔξω εἴασαν τοῦ ἐρύματος, παραγγείλαντες μὴ πόρρω τῆς πύλης καταίρειν, αὐτοὶ δὲ ἔνδον ὄντες παρετήρουν τοὺς φύλακας. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἤδη ἀφύπνωττον ἅπαντες, ὁ τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου τῶν παίδων παιδαγωγὸς τοῦ χαριεστάτου Μιχαήλὄνομα τῷ παιδαγωγῷ Λεοντάκιος ἦν, ἀνὴρ ἐκτομίας καὶ νουνεχέστατος, ἀφύπνιζέ τε τὸν παῖδα καὶ τὸ δρᾶμα ἀπήγγελλε, τὴν πύλην πρότερον ἀνοίξας. Ἐξῆγεν οὖν εὐθὺς ἐκεῖνον καὶ παρηγγύα θατέρῳ τῶν παιδαγωγῶν ἐπισπεύδειν τὴν τοῦ ἑτέρου ἀφύπνισίν τε καὶ ἔξοδον. Ὁ δὲ ἔσπευσε μέν, ἐδυστύχει δὲ ὅμως. Ἐν ὅσῳ γὰρ κατῄει, ψόφος τις περὶ τὴν κλίμακα γέγονε καὶ οἱ φύλακες τοῦ ψόφου αἰσθόμενοι ἀνεπήδων καὶ ὅστις ᾔει ἀνηρεύνων· ὁ δὲ προλαβὼν ἵστησι τὸν παῖδα ὡς οὖρον ἐκχέοντα, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐκεῖνοι περιεργότερον ἐζήτουν καὶ τὰ περὶ τοῦ Μιχαὴλ ἐπυνθάνοντο. Ἀπογνοὺς οὖν ὁ ἐντὸς διάγων παιδαγωγὸς καὶ δείσας μὴ ἁλώῃ ὁ διαπεφευγὼς ἤδη γεγωνοτέρᾳ ἐκέχρητο ἐν ταῖς ἀποκρίσεσι τῇ φωνῇ· αἰσθόμενοι δὲ τῆς ταραχῆς οἱ ἔξω ὄντες, ὅ τε παιδαγωγὸς καὶ ὁ πρὸς τὴν ὁδὸν ὁδηγός, ἔθεον ὡς οἷοί τε ἦσαν, τὸν παῖδα ἐπωμάδιον φέροντες ἐναλλάξ, καὶ γὰρ ἦν κομιδῇ νέος. Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἔφευγον, οἱ δὲ φύλακες φῶτα ᾔτουν καὶ πρὸς τὴν οἰκίαν ἀνῄεσαν, ἔνθα οἱ