Historiae p.4 from the east, this man also rebels against him and, having prevailed, seizes the imperial power, giving an evil reward to the one who h

 Completely senseless of what is good, who, having set a goal among themselves to destroy komnenos and thus also destroy the porphyrogennetos, the brot

 He had claimed the inheritance, at the same time also securing his own safety, so that he might not suffer any of the terrible things such as the many

 Another born in the purple who had departed this life, had a greater right to rule? it is clear, therefore, that the famed alexios among emperors, hav

 After he had exercised tyrannical power for many years and had overthrown almost all the east, he was appointed ambassador, having tried to join toget

 Dull and slow to punish. there are many other proofs of the man's virtue, and not least his renunciation of the empire how, the narrative as it proce

 Had been demonstrated, doukas led him with every honor, calling him lord and emperor and deeming him worthy of precedence whenever he came to him and

 Of europe, since the descendants of hagar, having risen in sedition against one another, divided the greatest dominion into many parts, one ruling one

 While encouraging his people, when his horse slipped, he was thrown to the ground with it and, breaking his neck, was killed. and when this happened,

 Fitting, they were attacking the towns of armeniakon to plunder them, he took up his forces and proceeded against the turks and, encountering them sca

 To leave her unconsoled in the greatness of her suffering, adding suffering to suffering, adding your long absence to his death.” thus the emperor. an

 Being present and arranging the matters of war well. for wishing to draw the emperor forward and get him within his nets, he sent out skirmishers, who

 Alyates, a cappadocian man and an associate of the emperor, commanded the right wing, bryennius himself the left, and the emperor held the center of t

 To make a disposition of the whole. thus it seemed also to the emperor michael and he agreed with the purpose of his uncle but those who wished to re

 He seizes. but having learned this, those around the emperor and the caesar were considering whom they might set up as an opponent to him. it seemed b

 The truth shone forth like a torch hidden under soot. but those who nourished the divine fear in their hearts and were in labor with a spirit of salva

 Entered thickets and were saved, but of the rest some fell, and others were taken captive. and so the phalanx of diogenes was thus dissolved and scatt

 Having handled the matters of his elevation with skill, he was both cast down himself and brought down the affairs of the romans with him how the one

 Therefore, having encamped, they were considering how they might drive away the attacking turks who were sacking the towns. 2.4 but so much for them.

 One different from the others, theodotos by name, said that what was happening was not a good omen for when the night comes on, they will flee at on

 He hastened to the queen of cities in order to take up the gold and ransom his brother. therefore, having collected this in a few days, he went away t

 He began to speak: 2.10 to me, men, to make no attempt at all against the enemy, but instead to betray ourselves into slavery and obvious danger, see

 They were trying to help isaacius and the glorious alexius, he himself by name called upon the glorious alexius and implored him to help but he, imme

 Was deliberating, but seeing time was still being wasted, he was enraged for he wished to be rid of the fear from that man and thus to revel fearless

 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

 The children's cots lay there. and when they saw the cot of the one who had escaped was empty, immediately each one, just as he was, beat the pedagogu

 By many, and be destroyed, they selected a narrow plain, putting forward the river flowing down from sophon as a rampart. but artouch, having crossed

 But when he was checking their assaults, he no longer waited for their incursions, but advancing on the forts held by the enemy, he set ambushes and s

 To receive and, having dined with him, he finally arrests him and, having made him a prisoner, sends him to the stratopedarches, having taken hostages

 A crowd is brought out and he is seen by all as if he were blind this act completely silenced the uproar. the commander of the army, then, having rec

 As he was passing through the narrow straits and going down beside the sea towards heracleia, maurex met him, a man not of noble birth, but otherwise

 He pretended to be friendly to the patriarch and behaved in a friendly manner towards him, but he was cultivating the magistrates. therefore the doux,

 3.τ book 3 3.1 the preceding account makes clear, therefore, all that happened in the east after the deposition of the emperor diogenes, and how many

 Were arranged and the nation of the franks, having mastered italy and sicily, were plotting terrible things against the romans, michael planned for th

 A guard had been entrusted, was going about in odrysae towards the city formerly called orestias, but now adrianople, who, having stopped at a certain

 He died with good hopes, leaving behind his most beloved child, but again the evil men seemed to be winning and the marriage was not taking place, as

 Impulse, but something that happened persuaded him on the following day, even unwillingly, to yield to their will. 3.9 for having encamped at trajanop

 Having offered thanksgiving sacrifices, he returned home and was deliberating about what to do next, and he called all the generals and commanders to

 Bryennius, seeing that the time of the siege was being wasted in vain, so that the army might not suffer further hardship, wanted to lift the siege, b

 They tried to hinder his march with their arrows. but those around him, being brave, although few, nevertheless sallied out against the turks and chec

 He was pleased for since it was already a late hour, it seemed that some uproar and disturbance would happen in the city, if some were to be captured

 I remained with the one in power until the end and, while all were turning to your rule, i myself have kept faith with him even until now, having sent

 He hastened for the scepters of the kingdom, as much as possible, to win the goodwill of the citizens, especially when he learned about the affairs of

 A man being both good in appearance and very skilled in conversation. when the ambassadors had approached and made the customary address for ambassado

 He exercised and trained the soldiers through him. and whenever they were already able to ride safely and seemed to be adequately and skilfully traine

 For on the evening before this, letters had been sent to him from the emperor ordering him not to fight, but to await the arrival of the allies recent

 To wander, at a loss how, while they were fleeing, he both showed the horse and the broadswords and clearly proclaimed the death of bryennios, and the

 Now, the pursuers were not a great multitude, so their retreat was easy. but when many ran together and his horse was worn out and useless for running

 Therefore, having taken him, he himself departed as if for constantinople but the scarlet-dyed sandals, which that man used to wear when playing the

 Sleeping in his tent, without any delay he ordered everyone to arm themselves and immediately all were under arms. and when the sun was towards the we

 Recognizing basilakes, he strikes him with his sword upon the helmet but with the sword having been broken near his hand and having fallen, komnenos

 Counsel conquers many hands, which at that time received confirmation through his own deeds. for one man and one mind in a short time brought down th

 He ordered the protovestiarios this was the eunuch john, who had long served him before his reign he was ambitious, if anyone ever was, and possesse

 That campaign, being most experienced, and already seeing the imminent danger before his eyes, advised him to turn back. but he, receiving his words a

 Servants with another one of his servants, he went where they said kontostephanos would be and seeing him calling out from afar, covering his head, he

to receive and, having dined with him, he finally arrests him and, having made him a prisoner, sends him to the stratopedarches, having taken hostages so that the agreed-upon sum of money might be paid to him. The stratopedarches therefore, being pleased at what had happened, since he was lacking money, was at a loss as to what he should do; and immediately he gathered an assembly and called the powerful men of the city to a council, and when all had gathered, he began his speech to them from this point: "Men, as many of you as have been gathered by me today into the council-chamber, listen to my words to you. You know how the barbarian has treated all the cities of the Armeniakon theme and how much money he has extorted from you, and how many towns he has plundered and has mistreated the bodies of men, subjecting them to unbearable punishments on the slightest pretext. Since, therefore, the time has come to deliver us from the evil caused by this man, it is necessary for us not to give him up nor, while fleeing the smoke, to fall into the furnace; for since by the will of God and our own effort you now see the barbarian a prisoner, and the one who captured him demands the price, while we ourselves are lacking money, it is necessary for each person to contribute according to his ability. For if the emperor were not far away or if the barbarian allowed time for waiting, I would have hastened to have the price brought from there; but since, as you see, none of these things is possible, and the multitude of Turks is greatly ravaging the country, while the amir waits for the price, it is necessary, as I said, for all of you to contribute—and my speech is to the archons—and you will receive from the emperor everything that you provide". 2.23 When those men heard these things, they attempted to stir up the crowd, and there was a very great uproar and shouting, with some shouting indistinctly, and others wanting Ourselios to be saved; for they were crying out that they had suffered no harm from him and they tried to seize him from the house and to set him free. And perhaps another man would have been disturbed, seeing so great a populace raging and a very great city in an uproar, but the noble youth, that stratopedarches I mean, although he was already somewhat afraid, began on the whole to quiet the uproar with his hand; and when silence fell late and with difficulty, he began a speech to the crowd of this kind: "It occurs to me to wonder, men of Amaseia, how you are so easily deceived by those who outwit you and purchase their own advantage with your blood, while becoming the authors of the greatest harm to you. For what benefit came to you from the establishment of the tyranny except slaughter and captivities and maimings and mutilations of limbs? But while you were suffering so badly, those now stirring you up to anger and uproar were keeping their own property unharmed by courting the barbarian, and were also receiving gifts from the emperor, because they did not hand over themselves and the city to the barbarian; but of you they have never taken any account at all. For this very reason they want the tyranny to be established again, so that by fawning on the tyrant with good hopes they might keep their own property unharmed, and from the emperor they might again demand honors and gifts. And if any revolt should occur, they will try to remove themselves from the affair from a distance, and they will inflame the emperor's whole wrath against you. But if you listen to me at all, let those who stirred you up to uproar go to perdition, and let each man go away to his own house and consider what has been said, and you will know who counsels what is advantageous for you". The crowd, having heard these words, praised what had been said and all withdrew. 2.24 But the stratopedarches, fearing that the powerful men might again stir up the crowd and snatch Ourselios away, devises a plan that is very clever and also very humane. And what was the plan? He summons the public executioner; a fire is lit; an iron is heated red-hot; Ourselios is thrown to the ground; he is ordered to cry out and groan mournfully, as if he were being deprived of his eyes. And he obeys and filled the house with cries and groans; then a soothing drug is placed on his eyelids and a covering over the drug; and in the morning towards the

ὑποδέχεσθαι καὶ συνδειπνήσας αὐτῷ τέλος συλλαμβάνει καὶ δεσμώτην ἀποδείξας ἐκπέμπει τοῦτον πρὸς τὸν στρατοπεδάρχην, ὁμήρους λαβὼν ὥστε ἀποδοθῆναί οἱ τὰ συμφωνηθέντα χρήματα. Ἡσθεὶς οὖν ὁ στρατοπεδάρχης ἐπὶ τῷ γεγονότι, ἐπεὶ χρημάτων ἠπόρει, ἐν ἀμηχανίᾳ ἦν ὅ τι καὶ δράσειε· καὶ εὐθὺς ἐκκλησίαν συνήθροιζε καὶ τοὺς περὶ τὴν πόλιν δυναμένους ἐκάλει πρὸς βουλὴν καὶ πάντων συνελθόντων ἤρξατο τῶν πρὸς αὐτοὺς λόγων ἐντεῦθεν· "Ἄνδρες ὁπόσοι παρ' ἐμοῦ ξυνελέγητε σήμερον ἐς τὸ βουλευτήριον, ἀκούσατε τῶν πρὸς ὑμᾶς λόγων. Ἴστε ὅπως ὁ βάρβαρος τὰς τοῦ Ἀρμενιακοῦ διέθετο πόλεις ἁπάσας καὶ ὁπόσα χρήματα ἀφ' ὑμῶν εἰσεπράξετο, ὅσας τε κωμοπόλεις ἐπόρθησε καὶ σώματα ἀνθρώπων κακῶς διέθετο, ποιναῖς ὑποβάλλων ἀφορήτοις ἐξ ἀφορμῆς βραχυτάτης. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἧκε καιρὸς ἀπαλλάττων ἡμᾶς τῆς ἐκ τούτου κακώσεως, δέον ἐστὶν ἡμᾶς μὴ προέσθαι τοῦτον μηδὲ τὸν καπνὸν φεύγοντας εἰς κάμινον ἐμπεσεῖν· ἐπεὶ γὰρ νεύσει Θεοῦ καὶ σπουδῇ ἡμετέρᾳ ὁρᾶτε νῦν δεσμώτην τὸν βάρβαρον, ὁ δὲ τοῦτον ζωγρήσας ἀπαιτεῖ τὴν τιμήν, αὐτοὶ δὲ χρημάτων ἀποροῦμεν, δέον ἐστὶν ἕκαστον συνεισενεγκεῖν τὰ πρὸς δύναμιν. Εἰ μὴ γὰρ πόρρω βασιλέως ἦν ἢ και ρὸν ἀναμονῆς ἀπῄτει ὁ βάρβαρος, ἔσπευσα ἂν ἐκεῖθεν κομισθῆναι τὰ τῆς τιμῆς· ἐπεὶ δ' ὡς ὁρᾶτε, οὐδέν ἐστι τούτων δυνατὸν γενέσθαι, τὸ δὲ Τούρκων πλῆθος μεγάλως τὴν χώραν λυμαίνεται, μένοντος τοῦ ἀμυρᾶ διὰ τὴν τιμήν, δέον ἐστίν, ὡς ἔφην, πάντας ὑμᾶς συνεισενεγκεῖν, πρὸς τοὺς ἄρχοντας δέ μοι ὁ λόγος, καὶ λήψεσθε πάντα ἐκ βασιλέως ὁπόσα παράσχητε". 2.23 Τούτων ἐκεῖνοι ἀκούσαντες ἐπεχείρουν ταράττειν τὸ πλῆθος καὶ θόρυβος καὶ κραυγὴ ἦν μεγίστη, τῶν μὲν ἀσήμως βοώντων, τῶν δὲ βουλομένων σῴζεσθαι τὸν Οὐρσέλιον· ἐπεβόων γὰρ μηδέν τι δεινὸν παθεῖν πρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπειρῶντο ἁρπάζειν τοῦτον ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας καὶ ἀπολύειν ἐλεύθερον. Καὶ τάχα ἂν ἕτερος ὢν ἐταράχθη δῆμον ὁρῶν τοσοῦτον μαινόμενον καὶ θορυβουμένην πόλιν μεγίστην, ὁ δὲ γενναῖος νεανίας, ὁ στρατοπεδάρχης ἐκεῖνός φημι, ἤδη μέν τι δείσας τὸ σύνολον κατασιγάζειν ἤρξατο τῇ χειρὶ τὸν θόρυβον· ὀψὲ δὲ καὶ μόλις γενομένης ἡσυχίας, λόγων ἤρχετο πρὸς τὸ πλῆθος τοιούτων· "Θαυμάζειν ἔπεισί μοι, ἄνδρες Ἀμασειανοί, ὅπως ῥᾳδίως οὕτως ἐξαπατᾶσθε ὑπὸ τῶν κατασοφιζομένων ὑμᾶς καὶ τὴν σφῶν μὲν αὐτῶν ὠφέλειαν ὠνουμένων τῷ ὑμετέρῳ αἵματι, μεγίστης δὲ βλάβης ὑμῖν προξένων γινομένων. Ποία γὰρ ὑμῖν ὄνησις ἐγένετο τῆς τυραννίδος συνισταμένης ὅτι μὴ σφαγαὶ καὶ αἰχμαλωσίαι καὶ πηρώσεις καὶ ἀκρωτηριασμοὶ μελῶν; Ἀλλ' ὑμεῖς μὲν οὕτω κακῶς ἐπάσχετε, οἱ δὲ νῦν ὑμᾶς πρὸς θυμὸν καὶ θόρυβον ἀνεγείροντες διετήρουν μὲν ἀσινῆ τὰ οἰκεῖα τὸν βάρβαρον θεραπεύοντες, ἀπελάμβανον δὲ καὶ τῶν ἐκ βασιλέως δωρεῶν, ὅτι μὴ σφᾶς τε καὶ τὴν πόλιν ἐνεχείρισαν τῷ βαρβάρῳ· ὑμῶν δὲ οὐδὲ ἕνα λόγον ἐποιήσαντο πώποτε. ∆ιά τοι τοῦτο καὶ αὖθις βούλονται τὴν τυραννίδα συνίστασθαι, ἵνα τῷ τυράννῳ μὲν χρηστὰς ὑποσαίνοντες ἐλπίδας ἀσινῆ τὰ οἰκεῖα διατηρῶσιν, ἐκ βασιλέως δὲ ἀπαιτῶσιν αὖθις τιμάς τε καὶ δωρεάς. Ἢν δέ τι καὶ νεωτερισθείη, αὐτοὶ μὲν πόρρωθεν ἑαυτοὺς τοῦ δράματος ἐξαγαγεῖν πειράσονται, τὸν δὲ βασιλέως ὅλως θυμὸν ἐξάψωσι καθ' ὑμῶν. Ἀλλ' εἴ τί μοι πείθεσθε, τοὺς μὲν ὑμᾶς πρὸς θόρυβον διεγείραντας ἔρρειν ἐάσατε, ἀπίτω δὲ ἕκαστος εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ λεχθέντα σκοπείτω καὶ εἴσεσθε ὁποῖος ὑμῖν βου λεύεται τὰ ξυμφέροντα". Τούτων ἀκοῦσαν τῶν ῥημάτων τὸ πλῆθος ἐπῄνει τὰ λεχθέντα καὶ ἅπαντες ὑπεχώρουν. 2.24 Ὁ δὲ στρατοπεδάρχης δείσας μὴ καὶ αὖθις οἱ δυνατοὶ τὸ πλῆθος διεγείρωσι καὶ τὸν Οὐρσέλιον διαρπάσωσι, βουλὴν βουλεύεται πάνυ μὲν συνετήν, πάνυ δὲ καὶ φιλάνθρωπον. Τίς δ' ἡ βουλή; Προσκαλεῖται τὸν δήμιον· ἀνάπτεται πῦρ· ἐκπυροῦται σίδηρος· ῥίπτεται κατὰ γῆς ὁ Οὐρσέλιος· φωνεῖν καὶ στένειν γοερὸν παραγγέλλεται ὡς δῆθεν τῶν ὀμμάτων στερούμενος. Ὁ δὲ πείθεται καὶ τὴν οἰκίαν ἐπλήρου φωνῶν τε καὶ στεναγμῶν· εἶτα τοῖς τούτου βλεφάροις ἐπιτίθεται φάρμακον ἀκεσώδυνον καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ φαρμάκῳ κάλυμμα· ἕωθεν δὲ πρὸς τὸ