Anna Komnena, Alexias

to bind him and throw him down somewhere on the deck of the ship or to hurl him into the deep. Immediately, therefore, Palaiologos began the acclamation, and with him the rowers. But the spatharios, who was displeased and unwilling, he bound and laid down on the deck. 2.11.5 Sailing by a little way, he took up both his scimitar and his shield and so moored where the fleet was, and now made the acclamation general. And encountering the one sent by Botaneiates to take over the fleet and bring Melissenos across, he immediately seized him and ordered the sailors to loose the stern-cables. Sailing away from there, therefore, together with the fleet, he seized the acropolis, making a splendid acclamation. And there he ordered the rowers to cease their rowing and to stand still in order to prevent those from the east who were trying to cross. 2.11.6 After a little while, seeing a ship putting in toward the great palace, he ordered the rowers of his own ship to row hard and overtook it. And when he saw his own father in it, he stood up and immediately paid him the obeisance due to parents. But he did not look upon him with great joy, nor did he call him "sweet light," as once the Ithacan Odysseus did upon seeing Telemachus. For there was a banquet and suitors and a contest and a bowstring and a bow, and the chaste Penelope lay as the prize for the victor. And Telemachus was not an enemy, but entered as a son assisting his father; but here there was battle and war, and both were opposed to each other in their purpose. And the disposition of the one did not escape the other, even if the intentions had not yet proceeded to action. Therefore, glancing askance and calling him a fool, he asked, saying, "What have you come here to do?" And he said, "Since it is you who asks me, nothing." And he to him, "Wait a little, and if the emperor will listen to me, you will know before long." 2.11.7 Therefore, when the aforesaid Nikephoros Palaiologos arrived at the palace, since he saw everyone scattered and occupied with collecting money, thinking them easy to overcome, he asked Botaneiates that the barbarians from the island of Thule be given to him, so that through them he might drive the Komnenoi out of the city. But Botaneiates, having once despaired of his own situation, pretended not to want a civil war to occur; "but if you will be persuaded by me, Nikephoros," he said, "since the Komnenoi are now inside the city, go to them as an ambassador for peace." But he, though displeased, nevertheless departed.

2.12.1 And as the Komnenoi, having entered, now full of confidence, were waiting around the field of the great martyr George, called the Sykeotes, deliberating whether they should first go to their mothers and pay them the customary obeisance according to tradition, and then proceed to the palace, the Caesar, learning of this, sent one of his servants and threatened them, rebuking them severely for their slowness. Therefore, when they were immediately around the house of the Iberitzes, Nikephoros Palaiologos came upon them, saying. 2.12.2 "The emperor announces these things to you: I am now an old man and alone, possessing neither a son nor a brother nor any legitimate relatives, and if you wish," directing his speech to the newly-proclaimed emperor Alexios, "you become my adopted son. And I will not take away anything of what you have generously given to each of those who campaigned with you, nor will I share with you any imperial authority, but I will only partake of the bare name of emperor and of the acclamation and the red sandals, and furthermore of resting in the palace. But the entire administration of the affairs of the empire will be your concern." 2.12.3 To this the Komnenoi showed some words indicative of assent; which the Caesar heard, and quickly came upon them with threats and to the palace

αὐτοῦ που ἐπὶ τοῦ καταστρώματος τῆς νεὼς δεσμήσας καταβαλεῖν ἢ κατὰ τοῦ βυθοῦ ῥῖψαι. Εὐθὺς οὖν τῆς εὐφημίας ὁ Παλαιολόγος ἐξῆρχε καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ οἱ ἐρέται. Τὸν δὲ σπαθάριον δυσχεραίνοντα καὶ μὴ βουλό μενον κατὰ τοῦ καταστρώματος δεσμήσας κατέθηκε. 2.11.5 Παραπλεύσας δὲ μικρὸν ἀναλαμβάνεται τόν τε ἀκι νάκην καὶ τὴν ἀσπίδα καὶ οὕτω προσορμίζει, ὅπου ὁ στόλος, καὶ πάνδημον ἐποεῖτο ἤδη τὴν εὐφημίαν. Ἐντυχὼν δὲ καὶ τῷ ἀποσταλέντι παρὰ τοῦ Βοτανειάτου ἐφ' ᾧ τὸν στόλον ἀναλαβέσθαι καὶ διαπερᾶσαι τὸν Μελισ σηνόν, εὐθὺς κατέσχεν αὐτὸν καὶ λῦσαι τὰ πρυμνήσια παρεκελεύετο τοῖς ναυτικοῖς. Ἀποπλεύσας οὖν ἐκεῖθεν σύναμα τῷ στόλῳ καταλαμβάνει τὴν ἀκρόπολιν τὴν εὐφη μίαν λαμπρὰν ποιούμενος. Κἀκεῖσε τοῖς ἐρέταις παύσα σθαι τῆς εἰρεσίας διεκελεύετο καὶ ἀτρεμοῦντας ἑστάναι ἐφ' ᾧ τοὺς ἐκ τῆς ἑῴας πειρωμένους διαπερᾶν ἀπείργειν. 2.11.6 Μετ' ὀλίγον δὲ πλοῖον θεασάμενος πρὸς τὸ μέγα παλάτιον καταῖρον, τοῖς τοῦ ἰδίου πλοίου ἐρέταις κελεύ σας σφοδρὰν τὴν εἰρεσίαν ποιήσασθαι φθάνει τοῦτο. Καὶ ὡς τὸν ἴδιον ἐθεάσατο ἐν αὐτῷ πατέρα, ἀναστὰς εὐθὺς τὴν προσήκουσαν γονεῦσι προσκύνησιν αὐτῷ ἀπεδίδου. Ὁ δ' οὐ περιχαρῶς αὐτὸν ἐθεάσατο οὔτε μὴν γλυκερὸν φάος ὠνόμασε, καθάπερ ποτὲ ὁ Ἰθακήσιος Ὀδυσσεὺς τὸν Τηλέμαχον θεασάμενος. Ἐκεῖ γὰρ συμπόσιον καὶ μνηστῆρες καὶ ἅμιλλα καὶ νευρὰ καὶ τόξον, καὶ ἆθλον τῷ νική σαντι ἡ σώφρων ἔκειτο Πηνελόπη. Καὶ ὁ Τηλέμαχος οὐκ ἐχθρός, ἀλλ' ὡς υἱὸς πατρὶ ἐπαρήγων εἰσῄει· ἐνταῦθα δὲ μάχη καὶ πόλεμος, καὶ ἀντικαθιστάμενοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους κατὰ γνώμην ἧσαν ἄμφω. Καὶ ἡ θατέρου ἅτερον οὐκ ἐλάν θανε σχέσις, κἂν εἰς ἔργον οὔπω τὰ τῆς γνώμης ἀπέβαινεν. Ἔνθεν τοι λοξὸν βλέψας καὶ μωρὸν αὐτὸν καλέσας ἐπυνθάνετο λέγων « τί ὧδε ποιήσων ἥκεις;» Ὁ δέ φησιν «ἐπεὶ σὺ ὁ ἐμοῦ πυνθανόμενος εἶ, οὐδέν.» Καὶ ὃς πρὸς αὐτόν «ἀνέχου μικρὸν καὶ εἴ μου ὁ βασιλεὺς ὑπακούσει, γνώσῃ μετ' οὐ πολύ» 2.11.7 Φθάσας οὖν ὁ ῥηθεὶς Νικηφόρος ὁ Παλαιολόγος εἰς τὰ ἀνάκτορα, ἐπεὶ ἐσκεδασμένους ἑώρα τοὺς ξύμπαντας καὶ περὶ τὴν συλ λογὴν τῶν χρημάτων ἠσχολημένους, εὐκαταγωνίστους αὐτοὺς οἰόμενος ᾐτεῖτο τὸν Βοτανειάτην δοθῆναί οἱ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς Θούλης νήσου βαρβάρους, ὥστε δι' αὐτῶν ἐξωθῆσαι τῆς πόλεως τοὺς Κομνηνούς. Ὁ δέ γε Βοτα νειάτης ἅπαξ τὰ περὶ αὐτὸν ἀπεγνωκὼς ἐσχηματίζετο μὴ θέλειν ἐμφύλιον γενέσθαι πόλεμον· «ἀλλ' εἴ γέ μοι πείθῃ, Νικηφόρε,» φησὶν «ἐπεὶ εἴσω τῆς πόλεως γεγόνασιν οἱ Κομνηνοί, ἄπελθε πρὸς αὐτοὺς πρεσβεύων τὰ πρὸς εἰρήνην». Ὁ δὲ δυσανασχετῶν ὅμως ἀπῄει.

2.12.1 Ὡς δὲ εἰσελθόντες οἱ Κομνηνοὶ τεθαρρηκότες ἤδη ἐκαρτέρουν περὶ τὸ πεδίον τοῦ μεγαλομάρτυρος Γεωργίου τοῦ καλουμένου Συκεώτου βουλευόμενοι εἰ χρὴ πρῶτον ἀπελθεῖν εἰς τὰς σφῶν μητέρας καὶ τὴν συνήθη προσκύνησιν κατὰ τὸ εἰθισμένον αὐταῖς ἀπονεῖμαι, εἶθ' οὕτω πρὸς τὰ βασίλεια χωρῆσαι, μαθὼν ὁ καῖσαρ ἀπο στείλας τινὰ τῶν αὐτοῦ θεραπόντων ἠπειλήσατο τῆς βραδυτῆτος τούτους πολλὰ καταμεμψάμενος. Εὐθὺς οὖν ἀμφὶ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Ἰβηρίτζη γενομένων καταλαμβάνει Νικηφόρος ὁ Παλαιολόγος λέγων. 2.12.2 «Ὁ βασιλεὺς ὑμῖν τάδε μηνύει· γέρων μὲν ἐγὼ ἤδη καὶ μόνος μήθ' υἱὸν κεκτημένος μήτ' ἀδελφὸν μήτε τινὰ τῶν γνησίων, καὶ εἰ βούλει», πρὸς τὸν ἀρτιφανῆ βασιλέα τὸν Ἀλέξιον ἀπο τείνων τὸν λόγον «σὺ γενοῦ μοι θετὸς υἱός. Κἀγὼ οὐκ ἀφέλωμαί τι ὧν ἑκάστῳ τῶν συστρατευομένων σοι πεφι λοτίμησαι οὐδέ τινός σοι ἐξουσίας ἐπικοινωνήσω βασι λικῆς, ἀλλὰ μόνον ἔσομαι ψιλοῦ τοῦ τῆς βασιλείας μετέχων ὀνόματος καὶ τῆς εὐφημίας καὶ τῶν ἐρυθρῶν πεδίλων, ἔτι δὲ καὶ τοῦ διαναπαύεσθαι εἰς τὰ ἀνάκτορα. Σοὶ δὲ ἡ τῶν τῆς βασιλείας πραγμάτων μελήσει πάντως διοίκησις.» 2.12.3 Πρὸς ταῦτα οἱ Κομνηνοὶ ῥήματά τινα συγκαταθέσεως ἐμφαντικὰ ἐνέφαινον· ἅπερ ἐνωτισθεὶς ὁ καῖσαρ φθάνει τάχος πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐπαπειλούμενος καὶ πρὸς τὰ βασίλεια