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I shall almost yield. But if Providence from on high should award the empire to you, as I was first a faithful friend, so after this I shall be a most faithful servant.” 1.16.7 As Monomachatus improvised these things to my father, and at the same time was trying to win over both him, I mean my father, and Botaneiates, and in addition to this was making more overt proposals to the barbarian Robert and breaking out into open rebellion, I have many accusations to make. But it seems somehow that such characters of men are fickle and take on many colors according to the changes of circumstances, and while such men are all disadvantageous to the common good, they are most secure for themselves, managing their own interests alone, and for the most part they fail. Thus the horse of my history has run off the main road; but let us lead it back again to its former course, now that it has become unbridled. 1.16.8 For Robert, who had previously been straining for the crossing against us and fantasizing about Dyrrachium, was then indeed even more inflamed and his hands and feet were unrestrained for the naval expedition, and he hurried his soldiers and encouraged them with inflammatory speeches. But Monomachatus, having contrived these things, was also building up for himself another such security. For he made friends for himself of both Bodin and Michaelas, the exarchs of the Dalmatians, through certain letters, and he won over their opinions with gifts, opening all kinds of doors for himself. For if he should fail with both Robert and Alexius and be rejected by both, he would ride straight to Dalmatia, to become a deserter to both Bodin and Michaelas. For with these appearing as enemies, Michaelas was then hoped for by him, and on the other hand Bodin, to whom he had prepared to flee, if things from Robert and Alexius, of course, blew against him. 1.16.9 Let these matters stand so. But it is now time to turn to the reign of my father and to relate how and from what starting-points he came to the throne. For I have not considered to speak of the things before his reign, but also of what he achieved or what he erred in while reigning, if indeed we shall find him to have failed at any time in all the things through which we will proceed. For I would not spare him as a father, if anything of what was not well done by him should occur to me, nor because of the underlying suspicion that he is my father about whom I am writing, will I pass over his accomplishments. For in either case we would do an injustice to the truth. For to me, having this aim, as has often been said before, my father and emperor has been presented as the subject. Therefore, leaving Robert there, where the narrative has led him, let us now examine the affairs of the emperor, and we shall reserve the wars and the battles against Robert for another book.

2.t.1 ALEXIAD II

2.1.1 Now, from where the Emperor Alexius originated and from what family, we refer anyone wishing to know to the writings of my Caesar; but indeed, also the matters concerning the Emperor Nicephorus Botaneiates he will draw from there. Now Manuel, the first-born brother of Isaac and Alexius and of the others descended from John Comnenus, my paternal grandfather, all Asia had as general-in-chief, since the previous emperor Romanus Diogenes had appointed him, and again, Antioch obtained Isaac as its duke, having fought many wars and battles, and many trophies against the

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σχεδὸν ὑπείξομαι. Εἰ δὲ τὴν βασιλείαν σοι ἐπιβραβεύσειεν ἡ ἄνωθεν πρόνοια, ὡς πρῶτον φίλος ἐγὼ πιστὸς ἦν, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα δοῦλος πιστότατος ἔσομαι». 1.16.7 Ταῦτα τοῦ Μονομαχάτου πρὸς τὸν ἐμὸν πατέρα σχεδιάσαντος καὶ ἐν ταὐτῷ αὐτόν τε ἅμα, λέγω δὴ τὸν ἐμὸν πατέρα, καὶ τὸν Βοτανειάτην ὑποποιουμένου, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις πρὸς τὸν βάρβαρον Ῥομπέρτον γυμνοτέρους ποιησαμένου λόγους καὶ εἰς λαμπρὰν ἀποστασίαν ἀναρρηγνυμένου, πολλὰ κατηγο ρεῖν ἔχω. Ἀλλ' ἔοικέ πως τὰ τοιαῦτα ἤθη τῶν ἀνθρώπων παλίμβολα καὶ πολλὰ χρώματα μεταλαμβάνοντα κατὰ τὰς τῶν πραγμάτων μεταβολάς, καὶ τῷ μὲν κοινῷ οἱ τοιοῦτοι πάντες ἀξύμφοροι, ἑαυτοῖς δέ εἰσιν ἀσφαλέστατοι τὰ κατ' αὐτοὺς καὶ μόνους ξυμφέροντα διοικονομούμενοι καὶ ὡς τὰ πολλὰ ἀποτυγχάνοντες. Ταῦτα μὲν οὕτως ὁ τῆς ἱστορίας ἵππος τῆς λεωφόρου ἐξέδραμε· πάλιν δὲ τοῦτον εἰς τοὺς προτέρους δρόμους ἐπαναγάγωμεν καὶ γεγονότα ἐξήνιον. 1.16.8 Ὁ γάρ τοι Ῥομπέρτος καὶ πρότερον σφαδάζων πρὸς τὴν καθ' ἡμῶν περαίωσιν καὶ τὸ ∆υρράχιον φανταζόμενος, τότε δὴ καὶ μᾶλλον ἐξεφλέγετο καὶ χεῖρας καὶ πόδας ἀκάθεκτος ἦν πρὸς τὴν ναυστολίαν καὶ τοὺς στρατιώτας ἐπέσπευδε καὶ λόγοις παροξυντικοῖς παρεθάρρυνεν. Ὁ δὲ Μονομαχάτος ταῦτα κατασκευάσας καὶ ἄλλην τινὰ τοιαύ την ἀσφάλειαν ἑαυτῷ ἐπῳκοδομεῖτο. Τόν τε γὰρ Βοδῖνον καὶ τὸν Μιχαηλᾶν τοὺς ἐξάρχους τῶν ∆αλματῶν διά τινων γραφῶν ἑαυτῷ ὑπεποιήσατο φίλους καὶ δωρεαῖς προκατείληφε τὰς γνώμας αὐτῶν θύρας παντοδαπὰς ἑαυτῷ ὑπανοίγων. Εἰ γὰρ τοῦ τε Ῥομπέρτου καὶ Ἀλεξίου ἀστοχήσειε καὶ ἀμφοτέρων ἀποκριθείη, εὐθὺ ∆αλματίας ἐλάσειε πρός τε Βοδῖνον καὶ Μιχαηλᾶν αὐτόμολος γενησό μενος. Ἐχθρῶν γὰρ τούτων ἀναφανέντων λοιπὸς ἄρα ὁ Μιχαηλᾶς κατηλπίζετο τούτῳ καὶ ἑτέρωθεν ὁ Βοδῖνος, πρὸς οὓς καὶ φυγεῖν παρεσκεύαστο, τῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ Ῥομπέρ του δηλονότι καὶ Ἀλεξίου ἀντιπνευσάντων αὐτῷ. 1.16.9 Ταῦτα μὲν ἐχέτω ταύτῃ. Καιρὸς δὲ ἤδη τραπέσθαι πρὸς τὴν βασιλείαν τοὐμοῦ πατρὸς καὶ ὅπως καὶ ἐξ οἵων ἀφορμῶν εἰς τὸ βασιλεύειν ἐλήλυθε, διηγήσασθαι. Οὐ γὰρ τὰ πρὸ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτῷ ἐσκεψάμην ἐρεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅσα βασιλεύων κατώρθωκεν ἢ ἐξήμαρτεν, εἴ γε τέως σφαλέντα τοῦτον εὑρήσομεν ἐν ἅπασι δι' ὧν βαδιούμεθα. Οὐ γὰρ ὡς πατρὸς φεισαίμην, εἴ γέ μοι παρασταίη τι τῶν ἐκείνῳ μὴ καλῶς πεπραγμένων, οὐδὲ διὰ τὴν ὑποτρέχουσαν ὑποψίαν, ὅτι πατήρ ἐστι, περὶ οὗ ξυγγράφομεν, τὰ κατορθώματα τούτῳ παραδραμούμεθα. Ἐν ἑκατέροις γὰρ ἀδικήσομεν τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Ἐμοὶ γὰρ τοῦτον ἐχούσῃ σκοπόν, ἄνωθεν καθάπερ πολλάκις εἴρηται, ὑπόθεσις ὁ πατὴρ καὶ βασιλεὺς ὑποβέβληται. Τὸν οὖν Ῥομπέρτον ἐκεῖσε καταλελοιπότες, οὗπερ ὁ λόγος αὐτὸν ἠγάγετο, τὰ κατὰ τὸν βασιλέα σκοπῶμεν ἤδη, τούς τε πολέμους καὶ τὰς μάχας τὰς πρὸς τὸν Ῥομπέρτον ἐν ἑτέρῳ λόγῳ ταμιευσόμεθα.

2.t.1 ΑΛΕΞΙΑΣ Βʹ

2.1.1 Ὅθεν μὲν οὖν ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ Ἀλέξιος ὥρμητο καὶ ἐξ οἵου γένους τὸν βουλόμενον εἰδέναι εἰς τὰς τοὐμοῦ Καίσαρος συγγραφὰς παραπέμπομεν· ἀλλὰ δὴ καὶ τὰ περὶ τοῦ βασιλέως Νικηφόρου τοῦ Βοτανειάτου ἐκεῖθεν ἑλκύ σεται. Μανουὴλ μὲν οὖν τὸν πρωτότοκον ἀδελφὸν Ἰσαακίου καὶ Ἀλεξίου καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν τῶν ἐξ Ἰωάννου τοῦ Κομνηνοῦ καὶ πρὸς πατρὸς ἐμοῦ πάππου κατηγμένων στρατηγὸν αὐτοκράτορα ἡ Ἀσία πάσα εἶχε τοῦ προβεβασιλευκότος Ῥωμανοῦ τοῦ ∆ιογένους τοῦτον προχειρισαμένου, αὖθις δὲ καὶ τὸν Ἰσαάκιον δοῦκα ἡ Ἀντιόχου ἐκληρώσατο, πολλοὺς πολέμους καὶ μάχας ἀγωνισαμένους, πολλὰ δὲ καὶ τρόπαια κατὰ τῶν