De cerimoniis aulae Byzantinae (lib. 1.842.-56)

 until he reaches the grade. But it is necessary to know that for the empress’s portion, four silentiarii of good repute and of attested respectable li

 and to send [someone] also to meet them, and to lead each one into his own lodging, and bedding and expenses are prepared beforehand for them. And the

 They are adored by the domestics and protectors, and the Persikē meets them, and all things are done according to custom. When he wishes to dismiss th

 to Nicomedia, if he wishes, he should cross over by dromons, and if he is vexed, it is in any case necessary to prepare both horses and animals, so th

 armed *candidati* and comely *pueri* following them. And the emperor comes out of the *cubiculum*, escorted by the *patricius*, and sits in the great

 of a silentiary to him, so that he may come forth, and a silence is made, and the chariot is held, and the labarum-bearers stand, and when he comes fo

 fellow-soldier, from whom, while still campaigning with you, I learned to endure. It was shouted by all: Good fortune! The army hails you as emperor

 pounds of silver, and when he receives it, he presents them with the document in return, and thus he enters, escorted by all, and the prefects 416 and

 a Roman and full of every imperial virtue, so as not to be subject to the love of money, nor to any other human passion, at least as far as is possibl

 where it is the custom in the Hippodrome for the senators to do obeisance, he put on a tunic of purple silk with gold stripes, a belt, leggings, and i

 palace. So Celer the magister arrived, and Justin of the divine inheritance, being at that time count of the excubitors. And immediately the magister

 The Emperor Caesar Augustus: that through our own philanthropy he might strengthen us to accomplish all things beneficial to you and to the state. F

 When Romanos the younger emperor died, son of Constantine the great and porphyrogennetos emperor of the Romans, the Macedonian, on the 15th of the mon

 they killed. They destroyed the houses of those who were arrayed against the ruler down to the foundations, having plundered all their possessions and

 *** CH. 97. On the promotion of a president of the whole senate.

 444 Plan of the imperial campaigns and a memorandum on the military camps. These are the military camps: the first camp at Malagina, the second at Dor

 for a set time to count the baggage animals, how many pack-animals there are, and to report this number. And having received the number of the pack-an

 the armies in one straight line. And in the middle were the tagmata, and of these the most honored in the central position, and on either side of the

 of these things a written account will be made, revealing Roman majesty. Wherefore, after investigating much concerning these things and finding no me

 Thus: the Strategos of the Anatolikon, 3 mules the Strategos of the Armeniakon, 3 mules the Strategos of the Thrakesion, 3 mules the Strategos of t

 curacies. And while the imperial service is being supplied, wherever he finds good wine and oil and legumes, so that he may put it in his vessels, and

 of noble refugees. Thick and winged felted double-thick cloths for the emperor's use for the low couches two saddles for the procession, saddles for

 two all-gold items, two all-gold standing-cups. It is to be known, that these must be used when foreigners are dining with the emperor. For this reaso

 the count and the chartoularios. And the count of the stable also provides for the transportations, for every ten pack-horses, a syntrophos of the Mal

 it is an imperial [regulation], that no one should receive as a gift, neither a mule, nor a pack-horse, bearing the imperial brand, so that the imperi

 Caesarea, or in another theme towards the place, in which he is about to encamp, it being suitable and when he comes nearest to the camp at a distanc

 has been said before, and the imperial table becomes a low stool. The imperial cooks prepare the appetizers in the evening. The eighty optimates lead

 It is to be known that, when the emperor is in Syria, the *magistroi* and the *patrikioi* and the official *protospatharioi* receive a *maioumas* the

 for one ox-skin, and two Apisian waterskins each, in order to cross easily the deep and difficult rivers and they are to have their tools without fai

 magistrianoi, fabricenses, the bureau of the prefects and of the prefect, silversmiths and all merchants, and every corporation, and simply from the C

 at the Philadelphion and the Taurus, at the Artopoulion and at the Forum. And upon arriving at the Forum they dismounted from their horses, and entere

 of their golden ones, placing on his head both a helmet with a golden crest, girding on also a short sword, and he himself mounted a likewise white ho

 to be observed on the second day of the first week, when the emperor delivers a speech at the silentium of the Magnaura. 11. What must be observed whe

 Greetings of ambassadors of various nations coming to the emperor. 48. The acts of the inscriptions made for the nations. 49. These are the things set

 They open the gate leading out from the Horologion into the Lausiakos. Then, with the maglabites and the weekly officials of the Hetaireia, they open

 for some pagans to see the emperor, if he does not wish to be crowned, he puts on his head the crown called the kaisarikion and the sagion woven entir

 to summon to the hall, and immediately the drungarius draws his sword, and the papias also comes out, shaking the keys in his hand, and immediately th

 receiving it, he prostrates himself on the ground, and kisses the feet of the emperor and his knees, likewise also of the junior emperor and after th

 The annual commemoration of Constantine the Great and the dedication of the erected precious crosses in the new palace of Bonus.

 the patriarch, arriving with the procession, stands inside the church of the Holy Apostles outside the railings of the sanctuary, and when the time co

 of the imperial clergy and of the protopapas of the Daphne [church] of Saint Stephen and of the diaetarii of Saint Stephen and of the palace, all carr

 of him, and having stood there, the officers of the kouboukleion stand on this side and that. And the spatharokoubikoularioi stand behind them. And th

 at a nod from the praepositus, all the people say, Many years! And after all have fallen silent, the emperor begins to deliver his speech. It is to

 being escorted by the aforementioned, and it is deposited in the palace of Daphne in the church of the holy protomartyr Stephen. And on the Monday of

 of the kouboukleion, and they themselves praying toward the single door leading further in, and outside the single door stand the praepositi, they als

 riding on horseback, go before the masters. The *maglabitai* and all the imperial men with *skaramangia* and swords, each goes before in his own rank.

 the lords into the narthex, and putting on the gold-bordered cloaks, they light candles at the royal gates. And immediately they enter and pass throug

 all the rulers of the church and presbyters and other priests. And the emperor comes out from the scaramangion, wearing also the gold-bordered sagion,

 holding a staff, and brings in the foreigner, who is clearly held by the katepano of the imperial men, or by the count of the stable, or by the protos

 from large purple skaramangia and from various imperial silver works, and there were hung in it 5 small chains and 5 silver polycandela from the New C

 specia and golden torques but those who did not have specia wore skaramangia and rose-colored sagia. The chartoularioi and notarioi of the sekreta wo

 and from there the sons of archons and the saponistai of the vestiarion and those of the trapeza, the sons of archons wearing their own skaramangia an

 of the Great Martyr Demetrios and from those stored in the treasury. And on the wooden racks from the Pentapyrgion bound to the walls were fastened to

 before the friends went out, through the [official] of the table they were given, in golden, jeweled bowls, to the two friends five hundred miliaresia

 a faction of three men each. And in the White faction and in the Red faction were hung the pointed veils of the Golden Triclinium, the gryponagroi an

 That on the 30th of the month of August, on a Sunday, upon the arrival of Delemikes the Emir of Edessa and apokrisiarios of Abochabdas, a reception wa

 of maidservants, she entered through the Justinianos and the Lausiakos and the Tripeton into the Kainourgion, and rested then, the emperor having sat

 of a peeping-curtain hanging in the middle of the canopy, in which place it is customary for the emperors to be seated on a throne, a reception being

 and they perform the *saximon*, as the regulation provides. But if any of them are seated in the reception hall, rising up they complete the *saximon*

 and to the patricians 144 miliaresia each, and one Saracen loros inner-garment each, or one of pure silk to the protospatharioi 120 miliaresia each a

 these things are arranged. And immediately the psalmist comes forth and says a prokeimenon: What god is great as our God? You are the God who does wo

 the taxeotai place the arms upon leather skins and goat-hair cloths so that they are not soiled, either by dust, or by mud. The demesmen of the two fa

 the small cradle, and both the Augusta and the child are covered with gold-embroidered coverlets. Then, through the trapeza of the Augusta, the praepo

 being seized by the sponsors are distributed. 622 But in the time of Basil, the emperor of blessed memory, the tonsuring of Leo, the Christ-loving mas

 a *paragaudion* to the gates of the bema, that is, to the holy doors, and then the *praepositus* comes out, and leads in from the Pantheon, or from th

 And the patrician Niketas and the patrician John and the patrician who was over Jesdes and the patrician Dometios and the magister Eustathios wore tog

 When the emperor had ordered the fulfillment of the four petitions to take place, he entered into the triconch, and changed as was customary, and bein

 being. And it is clear from the assurance of the emperor Heraclius, which he made to Sergius the patriarch, containing in these very words: The praep

 15 silver-embroidered short-sleeved tunics of true purple. 29 colored short-sleeved tunics with points. 18 colored short-sleeved tunics of true purple

 are of his sarcophagus. Another sarcophagus of Proconnesian stone, in which lies Irene, the wife of Constantine Caballinus. Another green Thessalian s

 on the east, in the left part of the same oratory stands a sarcophagus in relief, in which lies Anastasia the daughter of Basil the Christ-loving mast

 Total in all: 23 thousands and two. Through the theme of the Cibyrrhaeots. 15 dromons, having, each, 230 rowers and 70 warriors total 4 thousands and

 he should accept. It should be known that the archon Chrepou in the theme of Hellas undertook to make 2,000 arrows and 3,000 javelins. Likewise also t

 Atenulf, his brother, and Goimar and Goifer, his brother, and all the apostate Lombards from the theme of Lombardy, and that he hand over the forts to

 each with 150 men and 6 ousiaka chelandia each with 108 men. And there were sent with the protospatharios John and asekretis to Africa 3 chelandia and

 of Thrace, for both salaries and bonuses of the army, in place of the garments, 171 pounds and 29 of gold, 9 scaramangia. for the 4 tagmata of Macedon

 and for the great crossbows, iron parts according to type. pitch, 10,000 litrai. liquid pitch, 3 round Magarika. cedar oil, 50 Magarika. flax, 8,000 l

 muscles of bow-strings, 4,000. The things given from the sekreton of the vestiarium to the droungarios of the fleet in surplus for the expedition to C

 of Rome? The greeting to the emperor of the ambassadors coming from Bulgaria. How is the God-crowned emperor, the spiritual grandfather of the ruler f

 Mercy, gladness and glory from God to the high and great emperor of the Romans, a good life and health to you and a long life from the Lord, O peace-m

 in God himself, emperors of the Romans, to so-and-so the most holy pope of Rome and our spiritual father. to the king of Saxony to the king of Bavar

 offices, or not. But if from these one also wishes to be set up among the salaried imperials, he provides 4 pounds in addition to the price of the dig

 are made destitute and given over to the *apelatai*, from whom also *Tzekones* are assigned to the forts. But the properties of such soldiers remain i

 the hippodrome, and there he is venerated by the domestics and protectors as soon as he enters the gate, and being escorted in procession he comes out

 being made known and at the same time being done, we shall set them down line by line in the order of a list. And we do this, not as overturning the w

 These into six parts, namely, into generals, into domestics, into judges, into secretaries, into democrats, into private offices. 708 Volume I. Concer

 to the chamberlains, 3 pounds, to the cubiculum with the praepositi alone, 3 pounds of gold, and her sticharion to the praepositus. To the one in char

 of the Opsikion the strategos of the Boukellarioi the strategos of Cappadocia the strategos of Charsianon the strategos of Koloneia the strategos

 centarchs, bandon-bearers, laburisioi, standard-bearers, duciniatores, mandators. And under the Drungarius of the Fleet are subordinated 7 kinds of of

 2, to the primicerius 4. The fourth dignity is that of the ostiarii, whose insignia, a golden rod having a headpiece of precious stones, is bestowed b

 them from the bearded maioumas for the games. The papias is also to receive wood weekly, one pitch, and the secundus one pitch. And all these things a

 patrician and logothete of the herds the proconsul patrician and domestic of the Hikanatoi the proconsul patrician and domestic of the Noumeroi the

 protospatharios and over the petitions the protospatharios and orphanotrophos the protospatharioi and kleisourarchs the protospatharios and demarch

 chartoularios of the theme of the Anatolics the spatharios and chartoularios of the tagma of the Scholae the spatharios and actuarius the spathario

 should some of the aforesaid hold ranks granted by award, let each of them be preferred in grade according to the rank of one of equal status. 739 But

 as he goes up with them to the three-couched imperial banquet, and stations them around the venerable table so that those friends whom the emperor dee

 of the Excubitors, and to lead them in at the summons according to the previously shown manner. And in the couches 746 of each of the parts, one must

 the polytrikhon, and to prepare for a feast for friends, at the imperial table eight magistroi, anthypatoi, patrikioi, and strategoi, and two Bulgaria

 a pre-feast illumination and the presentation of the mangers, to lead them all out according to the rule prescribed for all. On the tenth day, for the

 of all the orphans, and to arrange him on the left, facing the position of the akoubita and to bring them both in on either side with the blessing of

 and to lead them out with their own vestments, except for their cloaks, according to the dignity of rank belonging to each. On the Sunday of Meatfare.

 the four domestics of the tagmata are brought in with the two demarchs and the chartoularios of the imperial sakelle, and with them also all the gerok

 they hold, and offering the divine liturgy to God after the partaking of the holy mysteries, they openly receive the chief men of the senate for a sol

 of ceremonial garments inside the palace, and a banquet is held in the Gold Triclinium according to the form of the first day. And we must prepare for

 chartoularioi of the sacristy of Hagia Sophia, 773 receiving the same blessing. And on New Sunday, the after-feast of Pascha, a procession in bright r

 according to the capacity of the table. On the 20th of the month of July, the commemoration of the prophet Elijah is celebrated by a processional lita

 of a banquet in the lower triclinium which is at the sea palaces, and the emperor presides with the patriarch with his own divetesion. And it is neces

 as we said, the order of the summoners. Therefore, having clearly set these forth for a reminder of the things accomplished among us, we bring a reque

 From this same amount, to the *protovestiarios*... according to the quantity of pounds, 1 pound, to the one of the *katastasis* κʹ and to the *ostiar

 of this tactical ordinance as from a canon, or, to be more truthful, as from the imperial decree, to act without dispute. We ought to have attached th

 of Helenopontus, the one of Euchaïta 29, of the province of the Cyclades Islands, the one of Carpathus 30, of the province of Rhodope, the one of Ae

 metropolis of Marcian, has under it cities, that is, 5 bishops, the one of Rhodostolos, the one of Tramariscae, the one of Novae, the one of Zekedespa

 of Saint Mokios αʹ, the church of Saint Pancharios αʹ. And in total through gold κθʹ, and through miliaresia εʹ, mil. βʹ. And in total the sum

 of Pharos εʹ, the subdeacons of Hagia Sophia 6 miliaresia, the deans of the patriarch 4 miliaresia, the dipotatai 3 miliaresia, those of the spoude 8

has been said before, and the imperial table becomes a low stool. The imperial cooks prepare the appetizers in the evening. The eighty optimates lead the imperial baggage animals, and twenty follow for the adjustment of the baggage animals. Likewise also the cooks and the syntrophoi of the Malaginoi, and when they find logs or trees lying in deserted places, the syntrophoi and the cooks cut them, and they lift them up to one log, and carry them away to the imperial kitchen. For the departure of the camp, the epi tes trapezes must load the 80 imperial baggage animals with every imperial need, and he must receive from the protonotarios for the needs of the imperial table and for the maioumades 100 pregnant sheep, 500 rams, 50 calves, 200 chickens, 100 geese. And when the emperor is in Romania, the imperial agouroi and the epi tes hetaireias and the kortinarioi and the hebdomarioi of the eidikon and the syntrophoi of the sellarioi, 488 likewise also the cooks, receive a maioumada from the xenalia. And when the emperor disembarks into the desert lands, they receive each Sunday a maioumas and one miliaresion each. And those of the phina of the inner and outer scholarioi also themselves likewise receive one miliaresion each; since, from when the emperor sets out for Syria, two phinai encircle the imperial cort. And as many archons as remain with the emperor, they receive, if the emperor often commands that these be rewarded, miliaresia, if they are great archons of the tagmata, or also of the themata, they ought to receive two or three or even four miliaresia each, according to the quality of the person; for the disembarkation of the camp, as many as ride imperial horses and have imperial baggage animals, the imperial horses themselves ought to receive barley at four modioi each for their fodder; likewise also as many as are bare pack-saddles, they carry under the saddle-cloths eight modioi each. And as many imperial led-horses and baggage animals the komes of the stable has, he loads them with ten modioi of barley each; and the epi tes trapezes ought to have excussati from the theme of Opsikion from the village of Tembres with nets, so that they may catch fish 489 in the rivers of the desert. And when the emperor is in Romania, in each and every theme the protonotarioi serve, likewise also the komites of the cort, and they provide post-horses to the droungarios of the vigla for the imperial services. And when the droungarios is on imperial service, the ikanatos represents him. And when the emperor disembarks into the desert lands, neither the cort precedes, nor the imperial baggage, nor the baggage of anyone else whatsoever, except for those whom the droungarios of the vigla has appointed by order of the emperor from the themata, 500 akritai, fully armed men, guard and march in front of the emperor at a distance of about two miles, and another theme, such as he will appoint, so that they may be flank-guards at a distance of two miles from the emperor, and another two themata, such as the droungarios of the vigla will appoint by order of the emperor, so that they may be rear-guards. And he changes both of them each day. And the droungarios takes the komites of the cort of the themata, and has them in attendance on the emperor for setting up the cort and for pitching it with the kortinarioi. For on account of this they are also called komites of the cort. And when the droungarios wishes to inspect the themata, 490 that is, by night, he has with him the same komites of the cort of the themata and mandatores and two phatlia from the imperial vestiarion, and he goes around the themata, and observes the pickets and the outer watches, and if he finds any of the archons being neglectful among those remaining at the picket and at the outer watches, both from the tourmarchs and below he strikes them severely, and as he finds, he reports to the emperor. And the protostrator of the emperor with also three imperial strators together with the komes of the stable and three saddled horses keep watch behind the imperial tower, until the emperor comes out of Syria. But the saddled and led horses no longer march in front, but where the imperial promosella is, there they are grazed with the rest, and the imperial stablokomes looks after them, taking care of them. And when any thing whatsoever from the people is lost, the one who found it brings it, and gives it to the droungarios of the vigla, and the one who lost it comes to the droungarios, and receives his own property easily. But if the one who found the thing conceals it and is found out in the end, he is condemned as a thief.

προείρηται, καὶ γίνεται ἡ βασιλικὴ τράπεζα χαμόκουμβα. τὰ δὲ πρόφαγα ποιοῦσιν οἱ βασιλικοὶ μάγειροι τῇ ἑσπέρᾳ. οἱ δὲ ὀγδοήκοντα ὀπτιμάτοι σύρουσι τὰ σαγμάρια τὰ βασιλικὰ, καὶ οἱ κʹ ἀκολουθοῦσιν εἰς διόρθωσιν τῶν σαγμαρίων. ὁμοίως καὶ οἱ μάγειροι καὶ οἱ σύντροφοι τῶν Μαλαγίνων, καὶ ὅτε εὕρωσι ξύλα ἢ δένδρα εἰς ἐρήμους τόπους κείμενα, κόπτουσιν οἱ σύντροφοι καὶ οἱ μάγειροι, καὶ ἐπαίρουσι πρὸς ἓν ξύλον, καὶ ἀποκομίζουσι πρὸς τὸ βασιλικὸν μαγειρεῖον. εἰς δὲ τὴν ἀποκίνησιν τοῦ τούλδου ὀφείλει ὁ τῆς τραπέζης φορτῶσαι τὰ πʹ βασιλικὰ σαγμάρια πᾶσαν χρείαν βασιλικὴν, καὶ ὀφείλει λαβεῖν ἐκ τοῦ πρωτονοταρίου εἰς χρείαν τῆς βασιλικῆς τραπέζης καὶ εἰς τοὺς μαϊουμάδας πρόβατα ὕπαρνα ρʹ, κριάρια φʹ, ἀγελάδια νʹ, ὄρνιθας σʹ, χηνάρια ρʹ. ὅτε δέ ἐστιν ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς Ῥωμανίαν, λαμβάνουσιν μαϊουμάδα ἐκ τῶν ξεναλίων οἱ βασιλικοὶ ἄγουροι καὶ οἱ ἐπὶ τῆς ἑταιρείας καὶ οἱ κορτινάριοι καὶ οἱ ἑβδομάριοι τοῦ εἰδικοῦ καὶ οἱ σύντροφοι τῶν σελλαρίων, 488 ὁμοίως καὶ οἱ μάγειροι. καὶ ὅτε ἀποβάλῃ ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς τὰς ἐρήμους, λαμβάνουσιν καθ' ἑκάστην κυριακὴν μαϊουμᾶν καὶ ἀνὰ μιλιαρησίου. λαμβάνουσι δὲ καὶ οἱ τῆς φίνας τῶν σχολαρίων τῆς ἔσω καὶ τῆς ἔξω καὶ αὐτοὶ ὁμοίως ἀνὰ μιλιαρησίου· ἐπειδὴ, ἀφ' οὗ ἀποκινήσει πρὸς Συρίαν ὁ βασιλεὺς, δύο φῖναι κυκλοῦσιν τὴν βασιλικὴν κόρτην. καὶ ὅσοι ἄρχοντες παραμένουσιν τῷ βασιλεῖ, λαμβάνουσιν, εἰ κελεύει πολλάκις ὁ βασιλεὺς τούτους εὐεργετεῖν, διὰ μιλιαρησίων, εἰ μέν εἰσιν ἄρχοντες μεγάλοι τῶν ταγμάτων, εἴτε καὶ θεμάτων, ὀφείλουσι λαμβάνειν ἀνὰ μιλιαρησίων δύο ἢ τριῶν, εἴτε καὶ δʹ, πρὸς τὴν ποιότητα τοῦ προσώπου· εἰς δὲ τὴν ἀποβολὴν τοῦ τούλδου, ὅσοι καβαλλικεύουσι βασιλικὰ ἄλογα καὶ ἔχουσι σαγμάρια βασιλικὰ, καὶ αὐτὰ τὰ ἄλογα τὰ βασιλικὰ ὀφείλουσι λαμβάνειν κριθάριον ἀνὰ μοδίων δʹ εἰς ταγὴν αὐτῶν· ὁμοίως καὶ ὅσα εἰσὶ σελλάρια γυμνὰ, βαστάζουσιν ὑποκάτω τῶν σαγισμάτων ἀνὰ μοδίων ηʹ. καὶ ὅσα παρίππια ἔχει ὁ κόμης τοῦ στάβλου βασιλικὰ καὶ σαγμάρια, φορτοῖ αὐτὰ ἀνὰ δέκα μοδίων κριθῆς· ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης ὀφείλει ἔχειν ἐξκουσσάτους ἐκ τοῦ θέματος τοῦ ὀψικίου ἐκ τοῦ χωρίου τοῦ Τέμβρη μετὰ καὶ δικτύων, ἵνα κρατῶσιν ὀψά 489 ρια εἰς τοὺς ποταμοὺς τῆς ἐρήμου. ὅτε δέ ἐστιν ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς Ῥωμανίαν, καθ' ἓν ἕκαστον θέμα ὑπηρετοῦσιν οἱ πρωτονοτάριοι, ὁμοίως καὶ οἱ κόμητες τῆς κόρτης, καὶ παρέχουσιν ἀγγαρίδια τῷ δρουγγαρίῳ τῆς βίγλης εἰς τὰς βασιλικὰς δουλείας. ὅτε δὲ ὑπάρχει ὁ δρουγγάριος εἰς βασιλικὴν δουλείαν, ἐκπροσωπεῖ αὐτὸν ὁ ἱκανάτος. ὅτε δὲ ἀποβάλῃ ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς τὰς ἐρήμους, οὔτε ἡ κόρτη προλαμβάνει, οὔτε τὰ βασιλικὰ πράγματα, οὔτε ἄλλου τινὸς οἱονδήποτε πρᾶγμα, πλὴν οὓς ἔχει ὁρίσειν ὁ δρουγγάριος τῆς βίγλης ἀπὸ προστάξεως τοῦ βασιλέως ἐκ τῶν θεμάτων, προφυλάττουσι καὶ περιπατοῦσιν ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βασιλέως ὡς ἀπὸ μιλίων δύο ἀκρίται φʹ, ἄνδρες ἐξωπλισμένοι, καὶ ἕτερον θέμα, οἷον ὁρίσει, ἵνα ὦσι πλαγιοφύλακες ὡς ἀπὸ διαστήματος τοῦ βασιλέως μιλίων δύο, καὶ ἕτερα δύο θέματα, οἷα ὁρίσει ὁ δρουγγάριος τῆς βίγλης ἐκ προστάξεως τοῦ βασιλέως, ἵνα ὦσιν ὀπισθοφύλακες. καὶ ὑπαλλάσσει τοὺς ἀμφοτέρους ἑκάστῃ ἡμέρᾳ. καὶ παραλαμβάνει ὁ δρουγγάριος τοὺς κόμητας τῆς κόρτης τῶν θεμάτων, καὶ ἔχει αὐτοὺς εἰς παραμονὴν τοῦ βασιλέως εἰς τὸ θεῖναι τὴν κόρτην καὶ εἰς τὸ ῥίψαι μετὰ τῶν κορτιναρίων. διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ καλοῦνται κόμητες τῆς κόρτης. καὶ ὅτε θέλει κερκετεῦσαι ὁ δρουγγάριος τὰ θέματα, 490 ἤγουν κατὰ νύκτα, ἔχει μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ τοὺς αὐτοὺς κόμητας τῆς κόρτης τῶν θεμάτων καὶ μανδάτορας καὶ δύο φατλία ἀπὸ τοῦ βασιλικοῦ βεστιαρίου, καὶ περιγυρεύει τὰ θέματα, καὶ θεωρεῖ τὰς πεδητούρας καὶ τὰ ἐξωβίγλια, καὶ ἂν εὕρῃ τινὰς τῶν ἀρχόντων ἀμελοῦντας ἐκ τῶν μενόντων εἰς τὴν πεδητούραν καὶ εἰς τὰ ἐξωβίγλια, καὶ ἀπὸ μὲν τουρμαρχῶν καὶ κατωτέρω τύπτει αὐτοὺς ἰσχυρῶς, καὶ καθὼς εὕρῃ, ἀναγγέλλει τῷ βασιλεῖ. ὁ δὲ πρωτοστράτωρ τοῦ βασιλέως μετὰ καὶ στρατόρων τριῶν βασιλικῶν ἅμα τῷ κόμητι τοῦ στάβλου καὶ τρισὶν ἱππαρίοις ἐστρωμένοις ποιοῦσι παραμόνιμα ὄπισθεν τοῦ βασιλικοῦ πύργου, ἕως οὗ ἐκβῇ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀπὸ Συρίας. τὰ δὲ ἱππάρια τὰ σεσαγισμένα καὶ παρασυρόμενα οὐκέτι περιπατοῦσιν ἔμπροσθεν, ἀλλ' ὅπου ἐστὶν ἡ προμοσέλλα ἡ βασιλικὴ, ἐκεῖ βόσκονται μετὰ τῶν λοιπῶν, καὶ ἐπιτηρεῖ αὐτὰ ὁ βασιλικὸς σταβλοκόμης, ποιῶν τὴν πρόνοιαν αὐτῶν. ὅτε δὲ ἀπόληται ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ οἱονδήποτε πρᾶγμα, ὁ εὑρηκὼς φέρει αὐτὸ, καὶ δίδωσι τῷ δρουγγαρίῳ τῆς βίγλης, καὶ ὁ ἀπολέσας ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸν δρουγγάριον, καὶ λαμβάνει τὸ ἴδιον εὐχερῶς. εἰ δὲ ὁ εὑρηκὼς τὸ πρᾶγμα ἀποκρύψει αὐτὸ καὶ ἐπ' ἐσχάτων εὑρεθῇ, ὡς κλέπτης καταδικάζεται.