History
And what i have accurately ascertained from those who saw it, these things i will also commit to writing. 2. just now in the month of november, of the
He commanded that the triremes and the other transport ships should all be brought to anchor in a good harbor, and that they should control the sea, a
War. therefore, having gone around and seen that it was by nature difficult to enter and hard to approach for on the one side it had the sea as a saf
They would be frustrated. and having gone out of the camp, and having overrun a part of the country, when he learned from those who had been taken ali
It was easy to attack by assault, being raised to the greatest possible height, and girded with two trenches dug to a corresponding depth), and the de
Having divided his phalanx into three parts by night, he went against the scythians, and falling upon them suddenly, in a brief moment of time he wrou
Meet them, when i give the signal with the trumpets. such was the exhortation that the general delivered and the army shouted 22 and applauded, and w
6. but nikephoros phokas, the colleague of the aforementioned leo (for it is necessary, having summarized the account, to proceed with the history in
The general, having seen this, spurred his horse, quickened his pace, rode in and restrained the soldiers' onslaught, persuading them not to kill the
Having drawn up an irresistible battle-line, went through the land of the hagarenes. to them, having heard of the attack of nikephoros, it did not see
Was dignified by his rank), was hostilely disposed towards nicephorus. 11. he decided, therefore, to attempt a revolution at once but not having at h
, to proclaim him supreme commander, and to entrust the forces of asia to him, so that he might defend and check the assault of the foreigners. for th
He said, if you are persuaded to take up the rule of the east, i shall quickly declare you emperor, and restore you to the imperial thrones. speak wel
For he was gently nursing his little body), then, recovering again, he said, “speak, most brave one, what need is there to consider this?” but he said
I have assumed the imperial office, but compelled by the necessity of you, the army, and you yourselves bear witness for me that i was both shunning s
Before the report of his proclamation could fly abroad, to seize in advance the straits and passages of the sea. for thus he thought that matters woul
Numbering over three thousand, attacked the house of joseph and his collaborators along with the people. and having subjected these to plunder and pil
Especially the monks), they did not allow the man to persist in what he had decided, but urged him both to embrace marriage and not to shun meat-eatin
Makes it flood in a single hour) emboldened by these things, the barbarians mocked the emperor and insolently hurled insults at him, and making sorti
Having fallen upon it, accomplishing nothing noble or vigorous. and he considered the matter an outright disgrace and insult, and an indelible reproac
Having come to the region around tarsus, there he encamped and having pitched a palisade round about, he ordered the crops and the meadows, luxuriant
Having recovered the standards, which, crafted from gold and stones, the tarsians had captured in various battles while routing the roman force, and h
Of the spectacle, turned to flight and ran back to their own houses. and from the pushing and disorderly rush, no little slaughter occurred, with very
To blow favorably upon them, but blowing against them strongly and fiercely, it has sunk their affairs. but the account will now clearly reveal these
To those acting against the divine ordinance, if somehow at least in this way people, being afraid, would abstain from evil deeds, and would cling to
He had taken a fortress, and having crossed mount lebanon transversely, he turned his attention to tripoli, which he saw was fortified and exceptional
Being obliged to drive them away, and to guard the flocks from harm, they, in addition to not driving them away, themselves cut them down and tear the
Having come, and having been befriended by the ruler of the tauroi, and having corrupted him with gifts and bewitched him with persuasive words (for t
Reconciliation and friendship might be secured. the mysians gladly received the embassy, and putting daughters of the royal blood 80 on wagons (for it
They might do. but as they were already considering rushing to their defense, and to stoutly resist the enemy in close combat, as dawn was brightly br
Boasting to all about his brave deeds in wars. 6. having approached the emperor with these words and, 85 as was likely, having bewitched him (for he s
Having lowered from above, one by one they first pulled up all the conspirators, and then john himself. having come up, therefore, beyond all human su
The vengeance for these things, and to those who were slipping he seemed relentless and burdensome, and oppressive to those wishing to lead an indiffe
At the end of the month of december, during the thirteenth indiction of the six thousand four hundred and seventy-eighth year, a throng of select men,
Having captured him, confines him to amaseia. having therefore from this secured sufficient safety for himself and for his affairs, and having purged
To make amends for what nikephoros had improperly introduced. for nikephoros, whether wishing to correct divine matters that were being disturbed by s
And having found him not very accurately versed in secular education, but most diligently trained in divine and our own, he anoints him patriarch of a
The bosporus, but to pass by moesia, which belongs to the romans, and has from of old been a part of macedonia. for it is said that the moesians, bein
To make replies. for we trust in christ, the immortal god, that if you do not depart from this land, you will be driven from it by us even against you
A disgrace by the raids of the scythians to send out bilingual men dressed in scythian attire into the homesteads and customs of the enemy, so that t
The romans on the one hand shouted for joy, and were strengthened for valor but the scythians, growing cowardly at the new and strange nature of the
2. the emperor, when he learned of such a revolt, was disturbed, as was likely, and having brought up bishop stephen from abydos with wingless speed,
He saw that murders along with the ensuing conspirators were proceeding harshly and inhumanely, he decided to no longer delay or be slothful, so that
Considering into what fortunes the unholy and blood-guilty john has enclosed my family, having mercilessly slain the emperor and my uncle, who was his
Eye, and to learn that these things were red, just as they had been from of old. phocas, considering this prodigy a second evil omen, and seeing also
Immediately, lest it be some ill-omened thing, and destruction befall the pursuing mysians but learning they were fleeing at full speed, he both purs
The russian minds were lifted up in audacity and boldness. therefore, the emperor, not enduring their overweening arrogance and their blatant insolenc
Being given out, and going under the earth by the inscrutable wisdom of the creator and again from the 130 celtic mountains gushing up, and winding t
Should set a phalanx against us, things will not end well for us, but in dreadful perplexity and helplessness. therefore, having strengthened your spi
Is called drista) lingering with his whole force. but in this way kalokyres escaped, and night coming on stopped the romans from battle. and just on t
And they killed up to one hundred and fifty vigorous men. but the emperor, learning of such an event, quickly mounted his horse and urged his follower
But the rest of the multitude he bound in fetters and shut up in prisons. he himself, having gathered the entire host of the tauro-scythians, numberin
1. and just as day was dawning, the emperor fortified the camp with a strong palisade in this manner. a certain low hill of dorystolon rises at a dist
He was courting them with gifts and toasts, encouraging them to proceed vigorously to the wars. 3. while these matters were in suspense, and the battl
He flees to a divine and great sanctuary, seen as a pitiful supplicant instead of a haughty and boastful tyrant. whom the men of the drungarius dragge
Having drowned. for it is said that, being possessed by greek 150 orgies, they perform sacrifices and libations for the dead in the greek manner, havi
On the next day (it was the sixth day of the week, and the twenty-fourth day of the month of july), when the sun was setting, the tauro-scythians, hav
Was being concluded. 10. but the romans, following the divine man who went before, 155 engage with the enemy, and a fierce battle having commenced, th
With purity. at any rate, having conferred a few things about a truce with the emperor, seated beside the rowing-bench of the skiff, he departed. but
Was crossed over. this is the greatest of the rivers cutting through asia, 161 and one of those that flow from eden, as we have learned from the divin
The emperor, as one who abused the power of his leadership for certain powerful men, and did not direct the affairs of the church as was established b
Having assembled forces, and having meticulously armed them, departing from the reigning city, he advanced through palestine, a prosperous land, flowi
The mainland is enclosed by strongholds, stretching upon a certain steep hill on the other side it is surrounded by the sea, putting forth a well-hav
Before until fire-bearing ships were secretly sent out from byzantium by those in power. which bardas parsakoutenos the magistros was leading, and ha
I would have been destroyed, if some divine providence had not led me out of that very danger, which caused me to ride out with speed, before the ravi
Furthermore, the star rising in the west at the setting of the morning star, which, making its risings in the evening, kept no fixed position at one c
Of the city, but already becoming feeble, and suffering from a deep and intractable panting. and having just come to the royal hearth, he was shown to
to make replies. For we trust in Christ, the immortal God, that if you do not depart from this land, you will be driven from it by us even against your will. For I think you have not forgotten the transgression of your father Igor, who, holding the sworn treaties in contempt, sailed against the imperial city with a great force and ten thousand ships, and barely arrived at the Cimmerian Bosphorus with ten skiffs, having become the sole messenger of his own misfortunes. And I pass over his subsequent most pitiable fate, when he campaigned against the Germans, and was captured by them, and tied to the trunks of trees, and split into two parts. And so I do not think that you will return to your own fatherland if you compel the Roman host in full armor to march against you, but that you will perish here with your entire army, so that not even a fire-bearer will arrive in Scythia to announce the dreadful fates that have befallen you. But Sviatoslav, enraged at such replies, and carried away by barbarian madness and desperation, answered thus: I see no pressing need for the emperor of the Romans to come to us; therefore let him not tire himself by coming to this land; for we ourselves shall soon pitch our tents before the gates of Byzantium, and shall surround it with a strong rampart, and if he comes out, if indeed he will endure to contend with so many toils, 107 we shall receive him nobly, and we shall teach him by deeds themselves that we are not some vulgar craftsmen who live by the work of our hands, but men of blood, who vanquish the enemy with arms; even if he, out of ignorance, thinks the Russian strength is like that of women raised in the shade, and tries to frighten us with these threats, as if we were some suckling infants with some bogeys. 11. When the emperor was informed of these desperate words from him, he decided not to delay, but to prepare for war with all haste, so that he might arrive before him, and forestall his attack against the imperial city. Therefore, he immediately selected a squadron of noble and youthful men, and naming them Immortals, he ordered them to be about his person. Then the Magister Bardas, who was surnamed Skleros, being the brother of the deceased Maria, the wife of this emperor, an energetic man and most noble in strength; and the Patrician Peter, who had been appointed commander by the emperor Nikephoros both for his inherent virtue and his deeds of valor in wars (for it is said that once when the Scythians were raiding Thrace, since Peter, although he was a eunuch, happened to be arrayed against them with his accompanying troop, the leader of the Scythians, a gigantic man, and safely armored, rode out into the space between the armies, brandishing a very long spear, and challenged anyone who wished to fight him; 108 and that Peter, unexpectedly filled with strength and spirit, spurred his horse fiercely with the goads, and gripping his spear powerfully, thrust it with both hands against the Scythian's chest; and the counter-thrust was so strong that it pierced through and flew clean through his back, as the chainmail cuirass did not hold, but that giant was dashed speechless to the ground; and at this new and strange sight the Scythians were struck with terror and turned to flight); the emperor ordered these generals to take up their forces and cross over to the bordering and neighboring land of Moesia; and there to spend the winter, and to train the army, and to watch over the region, so that there might not be to him
ἀποκρίσεις ποιεῖν. ἐν Χριστῷ γὰρ θαῤῥοῦμεν τῷ ἀθανάτῳ Θεῷ, ὡς, εἰ μὴ τῆς χώρας ἀπέλθοιτε, καὶ ἄκοντες παρ' ἡμῶν ταύτης ἀπελαθήσεσθε.
οἶμαι γάρ σε μὴ λεληθέναι τὸ τοῦ σοῦ πταῖσμα πατρὸς Ἴγγορος, ὅστε τὰς ἐνόρκους σπονδὰς παρὰ φαῦλον θέμενος, σὺν μεγάλῳ κινήματι
καὶ μυρίοις σκάφεσι κατὰ τῆς βασιλευούσης ἐκπλεύσας, μόλις σὺν δέκα λέμβοις ἐς τὸν Κιμμέριον ἀφίκετο Βόσπορον, αὐτάγγελος
τῶν οἰκείων γεγονὼς συμφορῶν. καὶ παρίημι τὸν αὖθις οἴκτιστον μόρον ἐκείνου, παρὰ τοὺς Γερμανοὺς ἐκστρατεύσαντος, καὶ πρὸς
ἐκείνων ληφθέντος, καὶ φυτῶν στελέχεσι προσδεθέντος, καὶ εἰς δύο διαμερισθέντος τμήματα. καὶ σὲ γοῦν οὐκ οἶμαι πρὸς τὴν σὴν
ἐπαναζεῦξαι πατρίδα, εἴ γε τὴν Ῥωμαϊκὴν παντευχίαν κατὰ σοῦ χωρεῖν ἀναγκάσειας, ἀλλ' αὐτόθι διαφθαρήσεσθαι πανσυδεὶ, ὡς μηδὲ
πυρφόρον ἐς Σκυθίαν ἀφικέσθαι, τὰς κατασχούσας ὑμᾶς ἀπευκταίους ἀπαγγελοῦντα τύχας. ὁ δὲ Σφενδοσλάβος, ἐπὶ ταῖς τοιαύταις
ἀποκρίσεσι σχετλιάσας, τῇ τε βαρβαρικῇ μανίᾳ καὶ ἀπονοίᾳ παραφερόμενος, ἀντέλεξε τοιαῦτα· οὐδεμίαν ἀνάγκην τὸν αὐτοκράτορα
Ῥωμαίων ὡς ἡμᾶς ἀφικέσθαι ὁρῶ κατεπείγουσαν· διὸ μὴ κάμῃ, μέχρι τῆσδε τῆς γῆς ἀφικόμενος· αὐτοὶ γὰρ ὅσον οὔπω πρὸ τῶν τοῦ
Βυζαντίου πυλῶν πηξόμεθα τὰς σκηνὰς, καὶ καρτερὸν χάρακα ταύτῃ περιβαλοῦμεν, ἐξιόντα τε τοῦτον, εἴ γε καὶ καρτερήσει πρὸς
τοσούτων πόνων διαγωνί 107 σασθαι, γενναίως ὑποδεξόμεθα, διδάξομέν τε τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῖς, ὡς οὐ βάναυσοί τινες ἀποχειροβίωτοι,
ἀλλ' αἱμάτων ἄνδρες τυγχάνομεν, τοῖς ὅπλοις τὸ δυσμενὲς καταγωνιζόμενοι· εἰ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐξ ἀγνοίας κατὰ τὰ σκιατραφοῦντα γύναια
τὴν Ῥωσσικὴν ἡγεῖται ἀλκὴν, καὶ, ὥς τινα νήπια ὑπομάζια μορμολυκείοις τισὶ, ταύταις ταῖς ἀπειλαῖς ἡμᾶς πειρᾶται δεδίττεσθαι.
ιαʹ. Τούτων τῶν ἀπονενοημένων τοῦ ἐκεῖθεν λόγων ὁ βασιλεὺς διενηχηθεὶς, ἔγνω, μὴ διαμέλλειν, ἀλλὰ πάσῃ σπουδῇ τὰ ἐς τὸν πόλεμον
ἐξαρτύεσθαι, ὡς ἂν προτερήσοι τὴν πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἄφιξιν, ἐπιτειχίσοι τε τούτῳ τὴν κατὰ τῆς βασιλευούσης ἐπίθεσιν. εὐθὺς οὖν
ἴλην γενναίων καὶ νεανικῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐκλεξάμενος, ἀθανάτους τε τούτους κατονομάσας, περὶ αὑτὸν εἶναι διεκελεύσατο. ἐντεῦθεν τὸν
Μάγιστρον Βάρδαν, ᾧ Σκληρὸς ἡ ἐπίκλησις, ὁμαίμονα τῆς ἀποιχομένης Μαρίας, τῆς τοῦ τοιούτου βασιλέως συνεύνου, τυγχάνοντα,
δραστήριον ἄνδρα καὶ τὴν ἀλκὴν γενναιότατον· καὶ τὸν Πατρίκιον Πέτρον, τὸν πρὸς τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος Νικηφόρου στρατοπεδάρχην
προχειρισθέντα διά τε τὴν προσοῦσαν αὐτῷ ἀρετὴν, καὶ τὰ κατὰ τοὺς πολέμους ἀνδραγαθήματα (λέγεται γάρ ποτε Σκυθῶν τὴν Θρᾴκην
καταδραμόντων, ἐπεὶ ἐξ ἀντιπάλου τὸν Πέτρον, καίτοι τομίαν ὄντα , μετὰ τοῦ συνεπομένου στίφους ξυνέβαινεν αὐτοῖς ἀντιτάττεσθαι,
τὸν τῶν Σκυθῶν ἀγὸν, πελώριον ἄνδρα, καὶ ἐς τὸ ἀσφαλὲς τεθωρακισμένον, παρὰ τὸ μεταίχμιον ἐξιππάσασθαι, κοντὸν ἐπιμήκη κραδαίνοντα,
προσκαλεῖσθαί τε τὸν βεβουλημένον αὑτῷ ἀντιτάττε 108 σθαι· τὸν δὲ Πέτρον, ἀλκῆς καὶ μένους παρ' ὑπόνοιαν ὑποπλησθέντα, τὸν
ἵππον τε σφοδρῶς κεντρίσαι τοῖς μύωψι, καὶ τὸ δόρυ κραταιῶς διαγκυλησάμενον, ἀμφοτέραις ὦσαι κατὰ τοῦ στέρνου τὸν Σκύθην·
οὕτω δὲ γενέσθαι τὴν ἀντέρεισιν καρτερὰν, ὡς ἀντιτορῆσαι, καὶ διαμπερὲς κατὰ τὸ μετάφρενον διαπτῆναι, μὴ ἀντισχόντα τὸν ἀλυσιδωτὸν
θώρακα, ἀλλ' ἄναυδον τὸν πελώριον ἐκεῖνον προσαραχθῆναι τῇ γῇ· καὶ τούτῳ τῷ καινῷ καὶ ξένῳ θεάματι καταπλαγῆναί τε τοὺς Σκύθας,
καὶ πρὸς φυγὴν ἀπιδεῖν)· τούτοις τοῖς στρατηγοῖς παρήγγειλεν ὁ βασιλεὺς, τὰς δυνάμεις ἀνειληφότας ἐπὶ τὴν ὅμορον καὶ ἀγχιτέρμονα
τῆς Μυσίας διαβαίνειν· ἐκεῖ τε διαχειμάζειν, καὶ γυμνάζειν τὴν στρατιὰν, καὶ τὸν χῶρον περιέπειν, ὡς μή τις εἴη τούτῳ
