Chronicon OF GEORGE THE MONK LIVES OF THE NEW EMPERORS.

 he summons to the palace Nikephoros the renowned patriarch and with him the leading bishops and priests in the presence of the senate, and says, Know

 a man-slaying fruit of a seed bitterly kept and sprouted in our generation, I know not whence this terrible condemnation was allotted to the Romans. w

 and the fool will speak foolish things. For being exceedingly ignorant and nonsensical, he did not know at all those Cherubim wrought of gold, which t

 we have recorded as being preserved. 21 And sight is a witness, a truthful teacher. Both the length of time and the building of the venerable churches

 This apostolic preaching they continue to uphold and never in another jurisdiction, where there are Christians, is that wicked and lawless and God-ha

 {THE REIGN OF MICHAEL THE STAMMERER.}

 Therefore, having plundered it moderately, but not as he had hoped, but as divine providence allowed on account of our sins, he accomplished nothing m

 {THE REIGN OF THEOPHILOS.}

 of impiety and insolence, and of tyranny and madness, the deluded and vain-minded one. Since therefore he was possessed by the same deceit and derange

 this? But the emperor, as if rebuked, forcefully dragged him from the sanctuary, and having inflicted no small number of blows upon him, exiled him,

 as was fitting, he received him, immediately making him magister and domestic of the scholae, and receiving his children from holy baptism. 14. Elated

 most lawless ones, or Pharaoh the Egyptian, or Nebuchadnezzar the Assyrian? Or should we bring all these together and name you one and the same, since

 he wished to take, but he received two pounds for him, the general having also been ordered to test him, and if he was brave, to make him a guardsman.

 Then, having impiously committed many shameful, terrible, and absurd acts, they were driven from there as apostates. But having fled to the imperial c

 having secretly brought out Theophobos through Boukoleon, they saved him near Narsou, in what is now called 'of Theophobias', and they placed this the

 and overturned every day. And so finally, through imperial commission and cooperation, the fathers in exile and bitter prisons were recalled and resto

 Theophilitzes said, My lord, 817 I have a young man, most experienced and most brave with horses, just as your majesty desires, by the name of Basil.

 church, having a warden named Nicholas. And on that night a divine voice called the warden, saying Arise, bring the emperor into the oratory. And ha

 to Bardas, Do not strike the logothete. But they slaughtered him and cut him limb from limb in the Scythian manner, showing the rawness and savagery

 having constructed it very beautifully with flowing water. And when this was completed, there was someone in the city named Peter, a man of letters an

 plotting against him. But he heard these things as nonsense. But Basil, hurrying to convince the emperor, befriends Symbatios, a patrician and logothe

 standing on a high rock, cried out loudly to the emperor, A fine journey you have made, O emperor, having slain your own kinsman and your paternal bl

 Peganes to cense him with an earthenware censer with sulfur. And they blind Symbatios in one eye, and they also cut off his right hand, and they set h

 the emperor. And John the Chaldos immediately with his sword striking the emperor cut off his hands. And Iakobitzes the apelates, the Persian, woundin

 and having been eaten by worms, he died. 3. And the emperor, having come forth on the day of Christ's nativity during the procession to the great chur

 before the fleet arrived, with the emperor lamenting and mourning greatly. 12. And when Niketas Xylinites, the epi tes trapezes, was accused of being

 he made Leo fashion and wear in his boot, saying to him that Often when your father is looking for a small knife for some need, why do you not give i

 of the drome and having gone up to the ambo of the church, having read the charges against the patriarch Photius, they brought him down from the thro

 to make war against Hagion. And when an engagement occurred, those with Constantine were defeated and slaughtered, with him barely escaping. 9. And th

 He having died, Symeon sought pretexts to break the peace for seeking other captives as well, he advanced against the Romans. And the emperor Leo app

 he having given his word to Basileios, he confided everything to him. But Samonas, entering in to the emperor, said to him that, my lord, I wish to te

 Of Nicholas the Patriarch, the monks were pardoned from death, Karamalos to the Pikridiou monastery, and Eustathios to the Stoudiou monastery. And the

 He was persuading, he fled to Siricha to the precious cross, pretending that he had come on account of faith in the cross. So Constantine, the son of

 Andronikos, learning this, despairing, along with his relatives and his children and his men, went away and seized the fortress of Kabala, having come

 Samonas said, Against whom is the affliction? The metropolitan said to him, Against you and if you get past the 13th of June, from then on you wil

 he dressed it and made an illumination for the animals. For this reason the hand of God was lifted from him, as one who attached the honor of God to i

 of the detachments fell, and so many that the place was flooded with blood pouring down like a river. And Gregoras the son of the Doux was also killed

 879 of Domenikos the Hetaeriarch. Zoe deposes Patriarch Nicholas along with those with him in anger, telling him to look after and care for the affair

 others in the engagement of the war, 882 both Constantine Lips and John Grapson and a sufficient number of other commanders. 17. And at some point Rom

 These things came to pass. 23 But the emperor took Nicholas the patriarch and Stephen the magister to be with him in the palace, drawing the authority

 the basileopator, having made signed golden bulls as if from the person of the emperor Constantine, containing the overthrow of such a plot, and that

 they came forth in a procession. 2. In the month of June, of the 8th indiction, on a Sunday, the union of the church took place under Romanos, with al

 and many others. Therefore, having barely been saved, he entered into the dromon. And Alexios Mouseles the droungarios also came fleeing, armed, with

 is deprived. They tonsured Bardas Boilas as a monk, since the emperor pitied him as he was a friend. 15. When the patrician nicknamed Moroleon, who wa

 of silver-shielded and silver-speared men, and of those adorned with every color of arms, all of them fenced in with 900 iron, who, having taken Symeo

 Stephen the metropolitan of Amaseia being a eunuch. 903 26. In the month of October, the mystikos John, the paradynasteuon, was accused of aspiring to

 and with Maria the daughter of Christopher and with the whole senate to the church of the most holy Theotokos of the Spring, and they blessed both Pet

 son of the emperor Romanos, whom they were about to ordain patriarch of Constantinople. 38. On the twenty-fifth of the same month an unbearable winter

 he having already reached old age and his sons being still infants. and his remains were placed in the aforementioned monastery of his father. 43. And

 Consequently, the rest of the dromons and the triremes, having sallied forth, worked a complete rout, and they sank many ships with their crews, and w

 a military force being besieged and coming into the greatest necessity, its inhabitants sent an embassy to the emperor Romanos to have the siege lifte

 a monk. 1 Constantine, his son-in-law, was therefore left as sole emperor who, having immediately honored Bardas, the son of Phokas, with the dignity

These things came to pass. 23 But the emperor took Nicholas the patriarch and Stephen the magister to be with him in the palace, drawing the authority from his mother to himself. On the next day, he sent John Toubakes 885 to bring down Zoe Augusta from the palace. But she, with wailing and tears, clinging to her son, moved him to maternal sympathy and pity, so that the emperor said, "Let my mother be with me." And they released her at his word. 24. And both the emperor and the patriarch, having summoned John Garidas, appointed him Domestic of the Schools, fearing that Leo Phokas might proceed to rebellion. But he did not consent for this to happen, unless they appointed his brother-in-law Theodore Zouphinezer and his son Symeon as hetaireiarch. Having been confirmed by them with oaths, he went down to his house. But they immediately bring down his relatives from the palace. Therefore, when they had come to him, as he looked at them, trembling and shuddering and ecstasy of mind seized him. Therefore he immediately went out to Romanos and recounted to him what he had suffered. Having therefore become friends with him, and having given and received oaths so that they both would have one soul, he became of one mind and one spirit with him, so that they also agreed to make a marriage contract, thereby tightening the bond of love even more. 25. Therefore on the twenty-fourth of the month of March, Romanos sends John the presbyter, who was his own man and most faithful, and Theodore, called Mastzouses, to the palace 886 to make a defense, that "What was done by me was not a rebellion; but suspecting an attack by Phokas, and fearing lest some new thing be attempted by him against the emperor, for this reason I have decided to go up to the palace and to undertake the guard of the emperor." Since Nicholas the patriarch therefore did not approve of these things, it was reported to Romanos by the aforementioned tutor to come with the entire fleet as far as the Boukoleon. He, having consulted with those with him—for what was driving him drove him—on the day of the Annunciation of the most holy Theotokos, and it was the fifth day, came armed with the entire fleet to the Boukoleon. And immediately Stephen the magister went out of the palace, and Niketas the patrician, the father-in-law of Romanos's child, went up into the palace and brought out Nicholas the patriarch from there. Therefore those of the palace, having been assured by oaths from Romanos, sent him the precious cross; and after venerating it and assuring them with oaths, he went up with them and a few others into the palace. Having venerated the emperor and entered with him into the church in the forum, and having given him pledges of faith, he is immediately appointed by him magister and grand hetaireiarch. 26. Therefore a divine command was immediately issued to Leo Phokas, enjoining him in no way to contemplate any sedition, but to rest for a little while in his own house. Likewise, he was also ordered to write letters 887 to Constantine the parakoimomenos, enjoining the same on him, to plan nothing contrary but to be in submission to the emperor Constantine. Therefore Andrew, primikerios of the imperial vestiarium, taking these, delivered them to him while he was in Cappadocia; and having received and read them, he went to his own house and kept quiet. 27. In the fifth week of the holy fasts a betrothal of marriage contracts is given by the emperor Constantine to Helen, the daughter of Romanos, and on the third day of Easter, called of Galilee, he is blessed and crowned with her by Nicholas the patriarch. 28. Having appointed Romanos basileopator, in his place he established his son Christopher as hetaireiarch. Not long after, Leo Phokas, having been deceived by certain archons and by his own regiments, is moved to rebellion; and having sent word, he took to be with him both Constantine the parakoimomenos and Constantine and Anastasios Gongylios, the brothers, and Constantine Maleinos the protasekretis, informing and assuring all that he was making such a commotion on behalf of the emperor Constantine. But Romanos the

ταῦτα γεγόνασι. 23 προσελά βετο δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς Νικόλαον πατριάρχην καὶ Στέφανον μάγιστρον συνεῖναι αὐτῷ ἐν τῷ παλατίῳ, τὴν ἐξουσίαν εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς μητρὸς ἐπισπώμενος. τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον ἀπέστειλεν Ἰωάννην τὸν Του 885 βάκην Ζωὴν Αὐγοῦσταν τοῦ παλατίου καταβιβάσαι. ἡ δὲ μετ' ὀλολυγῆς καὶ δακρύων τῷ ἑαυτῆς προσπλακεῖσα υἱῷ πρὸς συμπά θειαν μητρικὴν καὶ οἶκτον ἐκίνησεν, ὡς τὸν βασιλέα εἰπεῖν "ἐάσατε εἶναι μετ' ἐμοῦ τὴν μητέρα μου." οἱ δὲ ταύτην ἅμα τῷ λόγῳ ἀφῆκαν. 24. Προσκαλεσάμενοι δὲ ὅ τε βασιλεὺς καὶ ὁ πατριάρχης Ἰωάννην τὸν Γαριδᾶ προεβάλοντο δομέστικον τῶν σχολῶν, δεδιό τες μὴ εἰς ἀνταρσίαν χωρήσῃ ὁ Φωκᾶς Λέων. ὁ δὲ οὐ κατένευσε τοῦτο γενέσθαι, εἰ μὴ Θεόδωρον γυναικάδελφον αὐτοῦ τὸν Ζου φινέζερ καὶ Συμεῶνα τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ προεβάλοντο ἑταιρειάρχην. ὅρκοις βεβαιωθεὶς ὑπ' αὐτῶν κατῆλθεν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ. οἱ δὲ παραυτίκα τοὺς συγγενεῖς αὐτοῦ τοῦ παλατίου καταβιβάζουσι. τούτων οὖν πρὸς αὐτὸν παραγεγονότων, ὡς ἐθεάσατο αὐτούς, τρόμος ἔλαβεν αὐτὸν καὶ φρίκη καὶ φρενῶν ἔκστασις. εὐθὺς οὖν ἐξῆλθε πρὸς Ῥωμανόν, καὶ διηγήσατο αὐτῷ οἷα πέπονθε. συμ φιλιωθεὶς οὖν αὐτῷ, καὶ ὅρκους δοὺς καὶ λαβὼν ὥστε μίαν ἔχειν ἀμφοτέρων ψυχήν, σύμφρων αὐτοῦ καὶ σύμπνους ἐγένετο, ὥστε καὶ γαμικὸν συνάλλαγμα ποιήσασθαι συνεφώνησαν, πλέον ἐκ τού του τὸν τῆς ἀγάπης δεσμὸν ἐπισφίγγοντες. 25. Τῇ εἰκοστῇ τετάρτῃ οὖν τοῦ Μαρτίου μηνὸς ἀπο στέλλει Ῥωμανὸς Ἰωάννην πρεσβύτερον, οἰκεῖον αὐτῷ καὶ πιστότατον ὄντα, καὶ Θεόδωρον τὸν Μαστζούσιν λεγόμενον εἰς τὸ πα 886 λάτιον ὑπεραπολογησομένους, ὡς οὐκ ἀνταρσία γέγονε τὸ παρ' ἐμοὶ διαπραχθέν· ἀλλὰ τὴν τοῦ Φωκᾶ ἐπίθεσιν ὑφορώμενος, καὶ δεδιὼς μή τι νεωτερισθῇ παρ' αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν βασιλέα, τούτου ἕνεκεν ἀνελθεῖν ἐν τῷ παλατίῳ βεβούλευμαι καὶ τὴν φυλακὴν ποιεῖσθαι τοῦ βασιλέως. μὴ συνευδοκοῦντος οὖν Νικολάου τοῦ πατριάρχου τούτοις, ἐμηνύθη Ῥωμανῷ παρὰ τοῦ ῥηθέντος παι δαγωγοῦ τοῦ ἐλθεῖν μετὰ στόλου παντὸς μέχρι τοῦ Βουκολέοντος. ὃς μετὰ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ βουλευσάμενος τὸ γὰρ ἄγον ἦγεν αὐτὸν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ εὐαγγελισμοῦ τῆς ὑπεραγίας θεοτόκου εʹ δὲ ἦν ἦλθεν ἔνοπλος ἅμα τῷ στόλῳ παντὶ ἐν τῷ Βουκολέοντι. καὶ παρευθὺ Στέφανος μὲν μάγιστρος ἐξῆλθε τοῦ παλατίου, Νικήτας δὲ ὁ πατρίκιος ὁ συμπένθερος Ῥωμανοῦ ἀνελθὼν ἐν τῷ παλατίῳ ἐξήγαγεν ἐκεῖθεν Νικόλαον τὸν πατριάρχην. ὅρκοις οὖν βεβαιω θέντες οἱ τοῦ παλατίου παρὰ Ῥωμανοῦ ἀπέστειλαν αὐτῷ τὸν τίμιον σταυρόν· καὶ προσκυνήσας αὐτὸν καὶ ὅρκοις βεβαιώσας αὐτοὺς ἀνῆλθε μετ' αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ παλατίῳ καὶ ὀλίγων τινῶν. προσκυνή σας τὸν βασιλέα καὶ εἰσελθὼν μετ' αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ ναῷ τῷ ἐν τῷ φόρῳ, καὶ πίστεις αὐτῷ δούς, παρευθὺ προχειρίζεται παρ' αὐτοῦ μάγιστρος καὶ μέγας ἑταιρειάρχης. 26. Αὐτίκα οὖν γέγονε θεία κέλευσις πρὸς Λέοντα τὸν Φωκᾶν παρεγγυωμένη μηδαμῶς στάσιν τινὰ ἐννοῆσαι, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ οἴκῳ ἀναπαύεσθαι. ὡσαύτως καὶ γράμματα 887 ἐκελεύσθη Κωνσταντίνῳ παρακοιμωμένῳ γράψαι, τὰ ὅμοια αὐτῷ παραγγέλλοντα, τοῦ μηδὲν ἐναντίον βουλεύσασθαι ἀλλ' ἐν ὑπο ταγῇ εἶναι τοῦ βασιλέως Κωνσταντίνου. ἀναλαβόμενος οὖν ταῦτα Ἀνδρέας πριμικήριος τοῦ βασιλικοῦ βεστιαρίου ἀπεκόμισεν αὐτῷ ταῦτα ἐν Καππαδοκίᾳ ὄντι· καὶ ἀναδεξάμενος ταῦτα καὶ ἀνα γνούς, ἀπελθὼν ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ οἴκῳ ἡσύχασεν. 27. Τῇ ἑβδομάδι εʹ τῶν ἁγίων νηστειῶν δίδοται ἀρραβὼν γαμικῶν συναλλαγμάτων παρὰ Κωνσταντίνου βασιλέως Ἑλένῃ τῇ θυγατρὶ Ῥωμανοῦ, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ τοῦ πάσχα τῇ λεγομένῃ τῆς Γα λιλαίας εὐλογεῖται καὶ στεφανοῦται ἅμα αὐτῇ παρὰ Νικολάου πα τριάρχου. 28. Ῥωμανὸν βασιλεοπάτορα προχειρισάμενος, ἀντ' αὐ τοῦ Χριστοφόρον υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἑταιρειάρχην κατέστησεν. μετ' οὐ πολὺ δὲ Λέων ὁ Φωκᾶς ἀπατηθεὶς παρά τε τινῶν ἀρχόντων καὶ τῶν αὐτοῦ ταγμάτων πρὸς ἀνταρσίαν κινεῖται· καὶ ἀποστείλας ἀνελάβετο εἶναι σὺν αὐτῷ τόν τε παρακοιμώμενον Κωνσταντῖνον καὶ Κωνσταντῖνον καὶ Ἀναστάσιον Γογγυλίους τοὺς αὐταδέλφους καὶ Κωνσταντῖνον πρωτασηκρῆτις τὸν Μαλελίαν, πληροφορῶν ἅπαντας καὶ βεβαιῶν ὡς ὑπὲρ τοῦ βασιλέως Κωνσταντίνου τὴν τοιαύτην ποιεῖται συγκίνησιν. Ῥωμανὸς δὲ ὁ