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
were arranged and the nation of the Franks, having mastered Italy and Sicily, were plotting terrible things against the Romans, Michael planned for this man to move from Bulgaria to Dyrrachium, which is the metropolis of Illyricum. Therefore, letters were immediately sent to him, not so much commanding as requesting him to move to Illyricum. So he arrived and all the locals welcomed him gladly; for the man was most charming and most generous. Having spent a short time there in order to prepare for the war, he campaigned against the Diocleans and the Chorobates. And as they were encamped in very strong places, he himself hastened to clear the difficult terrain. For having first armed the soldiers, he crossed the narrow passes; but when the army was afraid of returning through the difficult passes, he ordered the locals, carrying many axes, to follow behind and clear the impassable places and widen the roads; and when this was done, the soldiers advanced eagerly against the enemy and thus arriving at the place where the enemy army was, he attacked it and, after a fierce battle, won a decisive victory. And so, having made all the cities tributary to the Romans as before, and having taken hostages and left a sufficient garrison in each land, he returned to Dyrrachium. And since ships sent from Italy were attacking the transport ships and doing harm, he set it as his purpose to check their attack, and indeed he did check it quickly by equipping triremes against them, sinking many of the pirate ships, and capturing not a few, so that the whole fleet in Italy cowered and was contained. 3.4 These things, then, had been accomplished thus, being worthy of honor and rewards, but envy did not bear such deeds of a most excellent man, but stirred up the slanderous tongues of those who speak peace with their neighbors, as the divine David says, but have evil in their hearts. Therefore, having preyed upon the emperor's frivolity, they secretly spoke ill of the man as one who was planning to be a tyrant; moved by their words, he sent one of his most trusted men—this was Eustathius the Cappadocian—to Illyricum, having ordered him to investigate secretly the things that had been reported. Bryennius received him very gladly upon his arrival and befriended him so much that he even told him the facts of the matter and for what reason he had been sent by the emperor. And upon hearing these things, he was stung in his soul and fell into fear; he was not, however, moved to anger, but for the time being held back and considered what he should do. While he was still in this state, his own brother came to Byzantium, having recently distinguished himself against the Scythians; he therefore asked the emperor for the rewards for his valor, pestering the logothete; but when he was overlooked and sent away empty-handed, he was very displeased and vexed. And when the son of Florus, Basilakes, arrived from Paphlagonia, also expecting to receive some gifts from the emperor, for he was a man skilled in warfare, he too failed in his aim and for this reason was vexed and distressed, they met each other and both entered into conversation and complained much of the emperor's meanness and the logothete's harshness. Their meeting therefore proceeded to such a point that they gave and received oaths to consider something that would be of advantage to them and to the Roman empire and, moreover, to keep their plans unspoken. These were to get rid of the one who was so mean and improvident, and to establish in the Roman empire a man boasting many advantages, and that the generals of the Romans should not be so mocked by a eunuch. It seemed best to them, therefore, to summon Bryennius from Illyricum as quickly as possible and to make him the leader of the plot. 3.5 When these things had been decided, John Bryennius went away home, while Basilakes remained in Byzantium. Not a short time passed and one of the axe-bearing barbarians, to whom the [guard] of the palace
διετίθουν καὶ τὸ Φράγγων ἔθνος κατακυριεῦσαν τῆς Ἰταλίας καὶ Σικελίας δεινὰ κατὰ Ῥωμαίων ἐμελέτων, ἐβουλεύετο τοῦτον ὁ Μιχαὴλ
ἐκ τῆς Βουλγαρίας ἐπὶ τὸ ∆υρράχιον μεταβαίνειν, ὃ μητρόπολίς ἐστι τοῦ Ἰλλυρικοῦ. Εὐθὺς οὖν γράμματα πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἐπέμπετο
οὐ κελεύοντα μᾶλλον ἢ ἀξιοῦντα αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ Ἰλλυρικὸν μεταβῆναι. Ἀφίκετο οὖν καὶ πάντες ἀσμένως αὐτὸν ὑπεδέχοντο οἱ ἐγχώριοι·
ἦν γὰρ ὁ ἀνὴρ χαριέστατος καὶ ἐλευ θεριώτατος. Βραχὺν δέ τινα χρόνον ἐκεῖσε ἐνδιατρίψας ὥστε τὰ πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον ἐξαρτῦσαι,
ἐστράτευσε κατὰ ∆ιοκλέων καὶ Χωροβάτων. Ἐν ὀχυρωτάτοις δὲ τούτων χωρίοις στρατοπεδευομένων, τὰς δυσχωρίας αὐτὸς καθαίρειν
ἔσπευδεν. Ὁπλίσας γὰρ πρότερον τοὺς στρατιώτας διέβαινε τοὺς στενωπούς· δεδιότος δὲ τοῦ στρατεύματος ἐν τῷ ὑποστρέφειν τὰ
δυσδιόδευτα, ἐκέλευε τοὺς ἐγχωρίους συχνὰς ἀξίνας ἐπιφερομένους ὄπισθεν ἕπεσθαι καὶ καθαίρειν τὰ δύσβατα καὶ τὰς ὁδοὺς εὐρύνειν·
οὗ γενομένου, προθύμως οἱ στρατιῶται κατὰ τῶν πολεμίων ἐχώρουν καὶ οὕτω κατὰ τὸν τόπον γενόμενος ἔνθα τὸ τῶν ἐναντίων στράτευμα
ἦν, προσέβαλε τούτῳ καὶ μάχης ἰσχυρᾶς γενομένης κατὰ κράτος ἐνίκησε. Τὰς γοῦν πόλεις ἁπάσας ὑποσπόνδους Ῥωμαίους ποιησάμενος
καθάπερ τὸ πρότερον καὶ ὁμήρους λαβὼν καὶ φρουρὰν ἀποχρῶσαν ἐφ' ἑκάστην χώραν καταλιπὼν ἐπανῆκεν εἰς τὸ ∆υρράχιον. Ἐπεὶ δ'
ἐξ Ἰταλίας πεμπόμεναι νῆες τὰς φορτηγοὺςναῦς καταιρούσας κακῶς διετίθουν, σκοπὸν ἔθετο καὶ τούτων τὴν ὁρμὴν ἀναστεῖλαι καὶ
μέντοι καὶ ἀνέστειλε ταύτην ταχέως τριήρεις κατ' αὐτῶν ἐξοπλίσας καὶ πολλὰς μὲν τῶν λῃστρικῶν καταποντίσας νηῶν, οὐκ ὀλίγας
δὲ κατασχών, ὡς ὑποπτῆξαι πάντα τὸν ἐν Ἰταλίᾳ στόλον καὶ συσταλῆναι. 3.4 Ταῦτα μὲν οὕτω πέπρακτο ἄξια ὄντα τιμῆς καὶ γερῶν,
ἀλλ' ὁ φθόνος οὐκ ἤνεγκεν ἔργα τοιαῦτα ἀνδρὸς ἀρίστου, ἀλλὰ τὰς συκοφαντῶν ἠρέθισε γλώσσας τῶν λαλούντων εἰρήνην μετὰ τῶν
πλησίον αὐτῶν, ὅι φησιν ὁ θεῖος ∆αυίδ, κακὰ δὲ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν. Ὑπεισελθόντες οὖν τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως κουφότητα κατελάλουν
λάθρᾳ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ὡς τυραννεῖν μελετῶντος· ὧν κινηθεὶς τοῖς λόγοις ἐκεῖνος τῶν αὐτῷ πιστοτάτων ἕναὁ Καππαδόκης οὗτος Εὐστάθιος
ἦνπρὸς τὴν Ἰλλυρίδα ἐκπέπομφε, παραγγείλας αὐτῷ λάθρα τὰ περὶ τῶν μηνυθέντων ἐξακριβώσασθαι. Ἀπελθόντα δὲ τοῦτον μάλα ἀσμένως
ὁ Βρυέννιος ὑποδέχεται καὶ τοσοῦτον αὐτὸν ᾠκειώσατο ὡς καὶ τὰ τοῦ δράματος αὐτῷ ἀπαγγεῖλαι καὶ ὅτου χάριν πρὸς βασιλέως ἐπέμφθη.
Τούτων δ' ἀκούσας ἐκεῖνος ἐδάκνετο τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ εἰς δέος ἐνέπιπτεν· οὐ μέντοι καὶ πρὸς ὀργὴν ἐκινεῖτο, ἀλλ' ἐπεῖχε τέως καὶ
ἐσκόπει τί ποτ' ἂν δράσειεν. Ἔτι δ' ἐν τούτοις ὄντος, ὁ ἐκείνου αὐτάδελφος ἐφοίτα πρὸς τὸ Βυζάντιον προσεχῶς ἀριστεύσας κατὰ
Σκυθῶν· ᾔτει οὖν ἐκ βασιλέως τῆς ἀριστείας τὰς ἀμοιβάς, τῷ λογοθέτῃ δι' ὄχλου γινόμενος· ὡς δὲ παρωρᾶτο καὶ κενὸς ἀπεπέμπετο,
ἐδυσφόρει μάλα καὶ ἠνιᾶτο. Ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ ὁ τοῦ Φλώρου υἱός, Βασιλάκης, ἐκ Παφλαγόνων ἀφίκετο, οἰόμενος καὶ αὐτὸς ἐκ βασιλέως
δωρεάς τινας σχεῖν, καὶ γὰρ ἦν ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς τὰ πολεμικά, ἀπετύγχανε δὲ καὶ οὗτος τῶν κατὰ σκοπὸν καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἠνιᾶτο καὶ ἤσχαλλεν,
ἐντυχόντες ἀλλήλοιν εἰς λόγους ἠλθέτην ἄμφω καὶ πολλὰ κατεβόων τῆς τοῦ βασιλέως ἀνελευθερίας καὶ τῆς τοῦ λογοθέτου σκληρότητος.
Εἰς τοσοῦτον οὖν αὐτοῖν τὰ τῆς ἐντυχίας προῆλθον ὡς καὶ ὅρκια δοῦναι καὶ λαβεῖν ἐπὶ τῷ σκέψασθαί τι σφωὶν συνοῖσον καὶ τῇ
Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῇ καὶ μέντοι καὶ ἀνέκφορα τηρῆσαι τὰ βουλευθέντα. Τὰ δὲ ἦσαν ἀποσκευάσασθαι μὲν τὸν οὕτως ἀνελεύθερον καὶ ἀνοικονόμητον,
καταστῆσαι δὲ εἰς τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἀρχὴν ἄνδρα πολλοῖς κομῶντα πλεονεκτήμασι καὶ μὴ ὑπ' ἀνδρὸς ἐκτομίου οὕτω τοὺς στρατηγοὺς Ῥωμαίων
ἐμπαίζεσθαι. Ἐδόκει οὖν αὐτοῖν ὡς τάχιστα τὸν Βρυέννιον ἐξ Ἰλλυρίδος μεταπέμπεσθαι κἀκεῖνον ἀρχηγὸν τοῦ σκέμματος καθιστᾶν.
3.5 Τούτων τοίνυν βεβουλευμένων, ὁ μὲν Βρυέννιος Ἰωάννης οἴκαδε ἀπῄει, ὁ δὲ Βασιλάκης εἰς τὸ Βυζάντιον ἔμεινεν. Οὔπω βραχὺς
διῆλθε καιρὸς καὶ τῶν βαρβάρων τις τῶν πελεκηφόρων, οἷς ἡ τῶν βασιλείων
