In the meantime Perenus was appointed doux of Italy, and Nicephorus Karantenos strategos of Brindisi. Perenus, therefore, being unable to cross over to Longobardia because of the oppression of Robert, remained in Dyrrachium, being named doux of Dyrrachium. But Nicephorus Karantenos, as Robert made raids and wore down the Italians with countless evils, grew fearful, but nevertheless remained, awaiting aid from the emperor. Therefore all the Italian cities submitted and accepted a garrison; but some, not accepting a garrison, were made tributary. While these things were being thus accomplished, Karantenos decided to flee, seeing the Franks increasing daily, but considering the disgrace of the shame, he remained in his post, preserving Brindisi in its faith and servitude to the emperor. By deceit and treachery he outwitted the neighboring Franks. Secretly, then, having met with them and having given and received words about betraying the city, he received the Franks as they came, climbing up by a ladder. At any rate, having slaughtered one by one those climbing up, numbering one hundred, he put their heads on a ship and crossed over to Dyrrachium, and from there he went as a messenger to the emperor of what had happened. Perenus, therefore, remained in Dyrrachium, but grievous troubles at home afflicted the empire, and the terrible things from the Turks pressed upon the east, increasing daily and receiving no relief or truce. When the emperor Constantine Doukas died, and the empress Eudocia held the empire for a short time, since the scepters of the empire passed to Diogenes, no small fear came upon Robert and those with him, lest they should be driven out of their own lands, as they had experience of his valor; but those belonging to Romania, both lands and cities, by all means withdrew 170 themselves and held back. But as he himself was paying attention to the campaigns against the Turks and devoting all his energy to the more pressing matter, they no longer like masters, but in the manner of thieves and robbers, coming upon the things of Italy made them tributary to themselves. When the affairs concerning Diogenes were arranged and carried out, as has been related above, and Michael was directing the empire carelessly and childishly, like established masters from sea to sea they subjected both Longobardia and Calabria to themselves, and having divided this and distributed the castles, they named themselves counts, and Robert, doux. Michael not only did not lay claim to the country belonging to him, as has been said, but in order that he might drive the Turks from the east, he thought it necessary to make a treaty with him and through them or with them to ward off their senseless assault against Romania. Wherefore he also made a marriage alliance with Robert and betrothed his daughter Helen to his own son Constantine. The emperor wanted these things, but they were prevented by God from being brought to completion, who had long ago decreed the utter destruction and overthrow of the east. At this time there was born in Constantinople a three-footed bird and a child having one eye in the middle of its forehead, and goat-legged as to its feet. Two of the Immortals soldiers were struck by lightning. The monstrous child, <being set forth> in the public passage of the Deaconess, was letting out a wail resembling that of a child. But not only that, but very many and frequent comets stretched across the sky. 171 And since the barbarians were plundering the lands of the east, and of the populace some were being killed, while the others fleeing sought refuge in the city of Constantine, the time called for a resourceful and venerable magnanimous mind, but he was so stingy and petty, that he was not willing to give up even an obol nor provide anyone with anything whatsoever, or at least to make provision for food and for the transport of produce by means of grain ships, but was continually occupied with the vain and useless study of words and with composing iambics and anapests, although not even on the surface of the art

μεταξὺ δὲ προεβλήθη δοὺξ τῆς Ἰταλίας ὁ Περηνός, στρατηγὸς δὲ Βρενδησίου Νικηφόρος ὁ Καραντηνός. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Περηνὸς μὴ δυνηθεὶς εἰς Λογγιβαρδίαν περαιωθῆναι διὰ τὴν τοῦ Ῥουμπέρτου καταδυναστείαν, ἔμεινεν ἐν ∆υρραχίῳ ὀνομασθεὶς τοῦ ∆υρραχίου δούξ. Νικηφόρος δὲ ὁ Καραντηνὸς ἐκδρομὰς ποιουμένου τοῦ Ῥουμπέρτου καὶ κακώσεσι μυρίαις τοὺς Ἰταλοὺς κατατρύχοντος ἐδειλία μέν, ἔμενε δ' ὅμως τὴν ἐκ βασιλέως ἀναμένων ἐπικουρίαν. Πᾶσαι μὲν οὖν αἱ ἰταλικαὶ πόλεις προσεχώρησαν καὶ φρουρὰν παρεδέξαντο· τινὲς δὲ φρουρὰν μὴ παραδεξάμεναι ὑπόφοροι κατέστησαν. Τούτων δὲ οὕτω τελουμένων φυγεῖν μὲν ἔγνω καὶ ὁ Καραντηνὸς αὐξανομένους καθ' ἑκάστην ὁρῶν τοὺς Φράγκους, τὸ δὲ τῆς αἰσχύνης ἄδοξον λογιζόμενος ἔμενεν ἐπὶ χώρας, τὸ Βρενδήσιον συντηρῶν ἐν τῇ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα πίστει τε καὶ δουλώσει. Ἀπάτῃ δὲ καὶ δόλῳ τοὺς προσοίκους Φράγκους ὑπέρχεται. Λαθραίως οὖν αὐτοῖς ἐντυχὼν καὶ περὶ τοῦ προδοῦναι τὴν πόλιν λόγους καὶ δοὺς καὶ λαβών, ἥκοντας τοὺς Φράγκους ἐδέξατο ἀνιόντας διὰ κλίμακος. Ἕνα καθένα γοῦν τῶν ἀνιόντων ἀποσφάξας, εἰς ἑκατὸν ἀριθμουμένους, τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν πλοίῳ ἐμβαλὼν περαιοῦται εἰς τὸ ∆υρράχιον ἐκεῖθέν τε εἰς βασιλέα τῶν συμβεβηκότων ἄπεισιν ἄγγελος. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Περηνὸς ἐν τῷ ∆υρραχίῳ ἔμενε, τὴν δὲ βασιλείαν τὰ οἴκοι ἀνιαρὰ ἔθλιβε, καὶ τὴν ἀνατολὴν τὰ ἐκ τῶν Τούρκων δεινὰ ἐπίεζον, αὐξανόμενα καθ' ἑκάστην καὶ μηδεμίαν λαμβάνοντα ἄνεσιν καὶ ἀνακωχήν. Τελευτήσαντος δὲ τοῦ ∆ούκα Κωνσταντίνου τοῦ βασιλέως, τῆς βασιλίδος δὲ Εὐδοκίας πρὸς βραχὺ τῆς βασιλείας ἀντισχούσης, ἐπεὶ εἰς ∆ιογένην τὰ σκῆπτρα τῆς βασιλείας περιῆλθε, τῷ μὲν Ῥουμπέρτῳ καὶ τοῖς περὶ αὐτὸν δέος οὐ τὸ τυχὸν ἦν, μὴ καὶ τῶν οἰκείων ἐκπέσωσι πεῖραν τῆς αὐτοῦ γενναιότητος ἔχουσι, τῶν δέ γε τῇ Ῥωμανίᾳ διαφερόντων, χωρῶν τε καὶ πόλεων, πᾶσι τρόποις ἀπῆγον 170 ἑαυτοὺς καὶ ὑπέστελλον. Ταῖς δὲ κατὰ τῶν Τούρκων ἐκστρατείαις προσέχοντος καὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῷ πλέον θλίβοντι τὴν πᾶσαν σπουδὴν νέμοντος οὐκέτι μὲν ὡς δεσπόται, τρόπον δὲ κλεπτῶν καὶ λῃστῶν ἐπιόντες ὑπόφορα ἑαυτοῖς τὰ τῆς Ἰταλίας ἐποιήσαντο. Τῶν δὲ κατὰ τὸν ∆ιογένην, ᾗπερ ἀνωτέρω διείληπται, οἰκονομηθέντων καὶ πραχθέντων, καὶ τοῦ Μιχαὴλ τὴν βασιλείαν ἀμελῶς καὶ παιδαριωδῶς διιθύνοντος ὡς δεσπόται βέβαιοι ἀπὸ θαλάσσης ἕως θαλάσσης τήν τε Λογγιβαρδίαν καὶ τὴν Καλαβρίαν ἑαυτοῖς ὑπεποιήσαντο, καὶ ταύτην διανειμάμενοι καὶ τὰ κάστρα διαμερισάμενοι ἑαυτοὺς μὲν κόμητας, τὸν δὲ Ῥουμπέρτον δοῦκα προσωνομάκασιν. Ὁ δὲ Μιχαὴλ οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἀντεποιήσατο τῆς διαφερούσης αὑτῷ χώρας, ὡς εἴρηται, ἀλλ' ὡς ἂν τοὺς Τούρκους τῆς ἀνατολῆς ἐξελάσειε, δέον ἐνόμισε σπείσασθαι αὐτῷ καὶ δι' αὐτῶν ἢ σὺν αὐτοῖς ἀποσοβῆσαι αὐτῶν τὴν ἄλογον κατὰ τῆς Ῥωμανίας ἐπέλευσιν. Ὅθεν καὶ κῆδος πρὸς τὸν Ῥουμπέρτον ποιεῖται καὶ τὴν αὐτοῦ θυγατέρα Ἑλένην καταμνᾶται τῷ ἑαυτοῦ υἱῷ Κωνσταντίνῳ. Ἠβούλετο μὲν ταῦτα ὁ βασιλεύς, πέρατι δὲ δοθῆναι παρὰ Θεοῦ κεκώλυται πάλαι καταψηφισαμένου τῆς ἀνατολῆς πανωλεθρίαν καὶ ἀναστάτωσιν. Ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐτέχθη ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει τρίπους ὄρνις καὶ παιδίον ἔχον κατὰ τὸ μέτωπον ἕνα ὀφθαλμόν, τραγοσκελὲς δὲ τοὺς πόδας. ∆ύο δὲ τῶν ἀθανάτων στρατιωτῶν γεγόνασι κεραυνόβλητοι. Τὸ δὲ τερατῶδες παιδίον <προτεθὲν> ἐν τῇ τῶν ∆ιακονίσσης δημοσίᾳ παρόδῳ κλαυθμὸν ἠφίει παιδικῷ προσεοικότα. Οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ κομῆται παρετείνοντο πλεῖστοι καὶ συχνοί. 171 Ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ οἱ βάρβαροι τὰ τῆς ἑῴας ἐληίζοντο, καὶ τὸ πλῆθος τὸ μὲν ἀνῃρεῖτο, τὸ δὲ φεῦγον τῇ Κωνσταντίνου προσέφευγεν, ἐδεῖτο μὲν ὁ καιρὸς οἰκονομικῆς καὶ πρεσβυτικῆς μεγαλοψύχου ρενός, ὁ δὲ τοσοῦτον ἦν φειδωλὸς καὶ μικρολόγος, ὥστε μηδ' ὀβολὸν προέσθαι θέλειν μηδὲ παρέχειν τινὶ τὸ οἱονοῦν ἢ πρόνοιαν γοῦν τροφῶν καὶ διὰ μετακομιδῆς γεννημάτων διὰ σιτηγῶν πλοίων ποιήσασθαι, ἀλλὰ τῇ ματαίᾳ καὶ ἀνονήτῳ περὶ λόγους σπουδῇ καὶ τῷ ἰαμβίζειν καὶ ἀναπαίστους συντιθέναι προσέχων διηνεκῶς, καίτοι μηδ' ἐν χρῷ τῆς τέχνης