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They found a river called Eurus. Therefore, pulling back on the rein he asked from where and to where they were marching, and at the same time he also promised to give them much money and deem them worthy of every kind of service, if they would go with him to Comnenus. And so he made an agreement at that time, and he demanded an oath from their leaders, wishing to ratify the agreements by this means. And they immediately, according to their custom, fulfilled the oath, very eagerly affirming that they would be allies to Comnenus. 2.6.9 So he went away, taking the Turks with him to the Comneni. But they, seeing him from afar and being utterly astonished at the new catch, and especially my father Alexius among them, did not know what to do for joy. And going out to meet him and embracing him, he kissed the Caesar. What then? They took the road leading to the capital, as the Caesar suggested and urged. 2.6.10 Therefore, all the deserters in the towns, coming over to him, acclaimed him emperor, except those in Orestias; for they, having long been angry with him because of the arrest of Bryennius, were attached to the party of Botaneiates. And so, having occupied Athyras and rested there, on the next day they departed from there and occupied Schiza (this too is a Thracian village), pitching their camp there.

2.7.1 And all were in suspense, watching for the future and longing to see the expected emperor proclaimed. The majority prayed for the power to go to Alexius, but Isaac's party had not given up, trying to win over everyone as best they could. And there was an irreconcilable faction, apparently, with some desiring the one, and others the other, to become the helmsman of the imperial eminence. At that time there were also present those related to Alexius by marriage, the above-mentioned Caesar John Ducas, a man capable in counsel and most dexterous in execution, whom I myself was able to see for a short time, and Michael and John his grandsons, and yes, also their brother-in-law George Palaeologus, being present with them and striving and twisting everyone's opinions towards their wish and moving every rope, as they say, and skillfully contriving every device, so that Alexius might be proclaimed. Therefore they also swayed the opinions of all to their wish; whence it happened that those who supported Isaac were gradually diminished. 2.7.2 For wherever John the Caesar was, no one at all could resist; for he was incomparable both in pride of spirit and size of body and in an appearance befitting a ruler. What did the Ducases not do? What did they not say? What good did they not promise would come to the officers and the common soldiery, if Alexius should ascend to the imperial eminence? Saying that "he will reward you with the greatest gifts and honors, as befits each one and not as it happens, like ignorant and inexperienced leaders, because he has for a long time now been your general and Grand Domestic of the West and has shared common salt with you in ambushes and in close-fought battles, fighting nobly alongside you, sparing neither flesh, nor limbs, nor his very soul for your salvation, having often traversed mountains and plains with you, understanding the hardships from toils and knowing accurately all together and each one individually, being a friend of Ares and especially desiring the noble soldiers." 2.7.3 But this was what the Ducases did; but Alexius deemed Isaac worthy of much honor, preferring him in all things, whether because of the affection of brotherhood or rather, which must also be said, since the entire army was flocking to him and was eager for his reign, but it was not at all turning to Isaac, having from that the

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Εὖρον καλούμενον ποταμόν. Ἀνασειράσας οὖν τὸν χαλινὸν ἐπυνθάνετο ὅθεν καὶ ὅποι πορεύονται, ἅμα δὲ καὶ ὑπισχνεῖτο χρήματά τε πολλὰ δώσειν καὶ παντοίας θεραπείας ἀξιῶσαι, εἰ πρὸς τὸν Κομνηνὸν σὺν αὐτῷ φοι τήσουσι. Συντίθεται οὖν τηνικαῦτα, καὶ ὃς ὅρκον ἐκ τῶν ἡγεμόνων αὐτῶν ἀπαιτεῖ ἐμπεδῶσαι τὰς συνθήκας διὰ τούτου βουλόμενος. Οἱ δ' εὐθὺς κατὰ τὸ εἰθισμένον αὐτοῖς τὸν ὅρκον ἐπλήρουν συμμαχῆσαι τῷ Κομνηνῷ μάλα προ θύμως διαβεβαιούμενοι. 2.6.9 Ἄπεισι τοίνυν συμπαραλαβὼν καὶ τοὺς Τούρκους πρὸς τοὺς Κομνηνούς. Οἱ δὲ πόρρω τοῦτον θεασάμενοι καὶ τὴν καινὴν ἄγραν ὑπεραγασάμενοι καὶ μάλιστα τούτων οὑμὸς πατὴρ Ἀλέξιος οὐκ εἶχον ὑφ' ἡδονῆς ὅ τι καὶ δράσαιεν. Προϋπαντήσας δὲ καὶ περιπλα κεὶς τὸν καίσαρα κατησπάζετο. Τί τὸ ἐντεῦθεν; Τῆς πρὸς τὴν βασιλεύουσαν ἀπαγούσης ἥψαντο τοῦ καίσαρος τοῦτο ὑποθεμένου καὶ ἐπισπεύσαντος. 2.6.10 Ἅπαντες οὖν οἱ κατὰ τὰς κωμοπόλεις αὐτόμολοι προσερχόμενοι ἐφήμιζον τοῦτον βασιλέα πλὴν τῶν κατὰ τὴν Ὀρεστιάδα· ἐκεῖνοι γὰρ ἐγκοτοῦντες πάλαι αὐτῷ διὰ τὴν τοῦ Βρυεν νίου κατάσχεσιν τῷ μέρει τοῦ Βοτανειάτου προσέκειντο. Καταλαβόντες οὖν τὸν Ἀθύραν κἀκεῖσε διαναπαυσάμενοι τὴν μετ' αὐτὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἀπάραντες τὰ Σχιζὰ κατέλαβον (κώμη δὲ καὶ τοῦτο Θρᾳκική) κεῖθι τὸν χάρακα πηξά μενοι.

2.7.1 Μετέωροι δὲ ἦσαν ἅπαντες καραδοκοῦντες τὸ μέλ λον καὶ τὸν ἐλπιζόμενον ἀναρρηθῆναι βασιλέα ἐπιποθοῦν τες ἰδεῖν. Οἱ πλείους δὲ Ἀλεξίῳ τὸ κράτος ἐπηύχοντο, ἀλλ' οὐδ' οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἰσαάκιον ἀναπεπτώκεσαν, ὡς ἐνόν, ἅπαντας μεταχειριζόμενοι. Στάσις δὲ ἦν ἀσύμβατος κατὰ τὸ φαινόμενον τῶν μὲν τοῦτον, τῶν δ' ἐκεῖνον οἰακοστρόφον τῆς βασιλικῆς περιωπῆς ἱμειρομένων γενέσθαι. Παρῆσαν δὲ τότε καὶ οἱ ἐξ ἀγχιστείας τῷ Ἀλεξίῳ προσήκοντες, ὁ ἄνωθεν μνημονευθεὶς καῖσαρ Ἰωάννης ὁ ∆ούκας, ἀνὴρ καὶ βουλεύσασθαι ἱκανὸς καὶ καταπράξασθαι περιδέξιος, ὃν κἀγὼ ἐπ' ὀλίγον φθάσασα τεθέαμαι, καὶ Μιχαὴλ καὶ Ἰωάννης οἱ τούτου ἔγγονοι, ναὶ μὴν καὶ ὁ τούτων ἐπ' ἀδελφῇ γαμβρὸς Γεώργιος ὁ Παλαιολόγος, συμπαρόντες αὐτοῖς καὶ ἀγωνιῶντες καὶ τὰς ἁπάντων πρὸς τὸ αὐτοῖς βουλητὸν διαστρέφοντες γνώμας καὶ πάντα κάλων, ὅ φασι, κινοῦντες καὶ πᾶσαν μηχανὴν εὐφυῶς τεχναζόμενοι, ὥστε τὸν Ἀλέξιον ἀναρρηθῆναι. Τοιγαροῦν καὶ τὰς ἁπάντων πρὸς τὸ αὐτοῖς βουλητὸν μετέφερον γνώμας· ἔνθεν τοι καὶ τοὺς τῷ Ἰσαακίῳ προσανέχοντας κατὰ βραχὺ ἐλατ τοῦσθαι συνέβαινεν. 2.7.2 Ὅπου γὰρ Ἰωάννης ὁ καῖσαρ ἦν, οὐδεὶς τῶν ἁπάντων ἀντέχειν ἠδύνατο· ἦν γὰρ ἀπα ράμιλλος οὗτος κατά τε φρονήματος ὄγκον καὶ σώματος μέγεθος καὶ μορφὴν τυράννῳ προσήκουσαν. Τί μὲν οὐκ ἔπραττον οἱ ∆οῦκαι; Τί δὲ οὐκ ἔλεγον; Τί δὲ οὐχ ὑπισ χνοῦντο ἀγαθὸν ἔσεσθαι τοῖς τε λογάσι καὶ τῷ κοινῷ τοῦ στρατοῦ, εἰ ἐπὶ τὴν βασίλειον περιωπὴν Ἀλέξιος ἀναβαίῃ; Φάσκοντες ὡς «μεγίσταις ὑμᾶς δωρεαῖς καὶ τιμαῖς ἀντα μείψεται, ὡς ἑκάστῳ προσήκει καὶ οὐχ ὡς ἔτυχε, καθάπερ οἱ ἀμαθεῖς καὶ ἄπειροι τῶν ἡγεμόνων, διὰ τὸ καὶ στρατο πεδάρχης ὑμῶν χρόνον ἤδη συχνὸν χρηματίσαι καὶ μέγας τῆς ἑσπέρας δομέστικος καὶ κοινῶν ἁλῶν ὑμῖν μετασχεῖν ἐν λόχοις τε καὶ τοῖς κατασυστάδην πολέμοις γενναίως ὑμῖν συναγωνιζόμενος, μὴ σαρκῶν, μὴ μελῶν, μηδὲ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτῆς ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑμῶν φεισάμενος σωτηρίας, ὄρη τε καὶ πεδιάδας μεθ' ὑμῶν πολλάκις διελθών, τὰς ἐκ τῶν μόθων κακοπαθείας ἐπιστάμενος καὶ ἀκριβῶς ἅπαντας ὁμοῦ καὶ καθ' ἕνα γινώσκων, Ἀρηΐφιλός τε ὢν καὶ τοὺς γενναίους τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἐξόχως ποθῶν». 2.7.3 Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν οἱ ∆οῦκαι· ὁ δέ γε Ἀλέξιος πολλῆς τιμῆς ἠξίου τὸν Ἰσαάκιον ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸν προτιμώμενος εἴτε διὰ τὸ φίλτρον τῆς ἀδελφότητος ἢ καὶ μᾶλλον, ὃ καὶ λεκτέον, ἐπειδὴ ἡ μὲν στρατιὰ ξύμπασα πρὸς τοῦτον ξυνέρρει καὶ τὴν αὐτοῦ βασιλείαν κατέσπευδε, πρὸς δὲ τὸν Ἰσαάκιον οὐδ' ὁπωστιοῦν ἐπεστρέφετο, ἔχων ἐκεῖθεν τὸ