De capta thessalonica 3 a work by eustathios of thessalonica on its hopefully later capture, which had been weakened by a narrative of cachexia during

 Bearable and full of mourning and wanting springs of tears and some such things, but he who, as they say, was sown in a net and, like us, was caught u

 Most people raised their eyes as to mountains, to the acropolis, where they eagerly awaited help would be for them. but what especially accuses the gr

 Having practiced stretching out his hands like a woman to his pursuers, to slip into a fortress and to give trouble to those who ran after him, lest t

 David, who had lost his senses, whom i had previously blessed when he was in his right mind. and i thus also admired the emperor andronikos in other t

 Completely under age, not only unable to rule a very great empire by himself, but not even to be firmly disposed as boys are, of course, he had alread

 The protostrator alexios and john the eparch, and imprisonment held them and before that, things exceedingly dishonorable. but the boiling of anger on

 For should one measure things beyond measure?) a great disturbance of those of the palace, as much as was for god and the truth according to him, of

 But when the illusion proved false and the war was brought to an end in the late afternoon, having cast down many and filled the southern cemetery, th

 Thus men suffer for for the most part we multiply and magnify what we admire, as being unable to be precise because the soul is confounded by astound

 The present evils are fitting. and to recount the terrible things of that time, all that the latins saw, the fire which spread through their quarters,

 Kontostephanos, an energetic and sensible man, and countless others. but these things were unknown to the crowd and they did not know that he raged ag

 And he also sent them into exile into perpetual banishment. and after a short while, having divided those who had been imprisoned, he separated them i

 To be shamed but if not even so he should yield, being stubborn, to try even violence, and they say it is better for that one to suffer what he does

 Moreover and not enduring it if, having just found an opportunity, he would not take wing, like some demonic figure, he himself tries to surpass in ev

 Having said what seemed best, he was quiet. and for the rest, so that i may not chatter on about worldly unpleasantness, a rush of evils takes place t

 Manuel, and he curses, that he would not come to a worthy state of living in peace, that those alone would be grandeurs when his father died. and he b

 The marchese was left to remain in peace, just as neither was the kral of hungary and any other powerful neighbor. and generally, wherever there was m

 A certain boy, who appeared to be of a similar complexion and age to the emperor alexios. and that child was, they say, a peasant boy from somewhere i

 He annihilated the rest. and his knights were so boastful in their nature that each would stand against three hundred men in war, not at all unlike co

 About to happen, inferring it from many signs. we, at least, anticipating the enemy's attack, sent away those who were children of constantinople with

 For the man was truly master of his hands but he provoked the victorious one to exhaust his desire to laugh at the emperor, and drove the matter to a

 Laws of city-takers, in which, on account of their unwieldiness from size, no effect shone forth, but those around the eastern parts, and they were es

 Not to meddle further, unless they should choose to suffer evils. though he was obliged to supply sufficient grain for the city, he neglected it to su

 Having completely withdrawn his skill, lets the ship be dashed against a reef and sink to the bottom with its cargo and men. so too a guard of a fruit

 Of those seated around to release even one stone from a sling, then also to suggest to the sandal-stitchers on the walls to reproach the latins rounda

 The besiegers because the latins had entirely turned to resisting against choumnos, he, having with difficulty opened the gates and having allowed, fo

 To rebuke the general and to join in leading towards the good. and one might call these men, who had undertaken to remain in the city, no longer civil

 Stripping and running down the streets, known to those who saw them, thus giving proof that they were formerly conspirators. and there is no way that

 He wished, and as a result the enemy host was more emboldened, and even more so especially when, after choumnos had joined battle, though it was possi

 Very strongly fortified. we spoke thus, and the speech flowed away at random, itself as well. and the small stone-throwers were vexing the city, casti

 To the enemies. and with the soldiers shouting in a common cry, komnenos, halt and dismount, he, as if snorting back a final mount up and as you

 But i think this was stranger than that, that when rain poured down from what the enemies were scattering, plowing, indeed, but not sowing the beautif

 In blood, i was led about on horseback through heaps of others, the greater part of whom lay strewn before the wall, so densely packed, that my little

 Of the storm. and if it were made useless for the trees, and especially the fig trees, whose unripe fruit was unlawfully served to the savage beasts f

 But this would be judged as bordering on fighting against god. for the barbarians, rushing in even against each one of them, were committing all sorts

 They tore down when they arrived. and the ruler restrained the murders there, but there was no stopping the suffocation of those who fled into the chu

 By the command of the counts. and it was a sabbath, not having a flight, which one might evangelically pray to avert, but the destruction of so great

 Redness. it was therefore a task to recognize even one's dearest friend among them and each man would ask each other who on earth he might be, becaus

 Thus confounding good order and dissolving the sacred harmony. and i spoke reverently about this also to count alduin, if somehow order might be estab

 To crush the man, goading the horse to kick. thus did these men love us, frequently for every word and every deed putting forward as a justification f

 Of the longed for ones the executioners, or may they have pity. for something like this did indeed happen at times, as if a hungry and biting lion, th

 To relate moderate things out of countless ones but the events of the nights, not even they fail to rival these in contention. and for a time, with t

 They grieved those who kept treasure-houses by ransacking them for the sake of wealth, thus themselves implying that they understood hades as plouton.

 Through all of us and most provident. for it is reported to us that he ordered all-night vigils around the great churches, he jesting even then. for w

 They busied their swords upon them, and afterwards they left completely empty what it contained within, both things for healing and with which the suf

 They cast our people in, and declaring blessed not them but the disease, and now perhaps even death according to the people of gades, among whom hades

 Is fitting, but only by thanksgivings and glory to the most high, from whom and through whom are our affairs. what then prevents me from ceasing after

 Mercilessness towards those who offend in some small way, from which came the merciless thing that just now cast us down, a most just thing, since we,

they grieved those who kept treasure-houses by ransacking them for the sake of wealth, thus themselves implying that they understood Hades as Plouton. Why should I write more, when not even whole long books would be able to suffice me in describing adequately to those who love to hear what sort of things befell us? Through these things, the clever in understanding among us learned at long last and to their cost that it is necessary to scrutinize the signs from God and to pay attention to them as they are being clarified and to do the things that are revealed. But if anyone here seems to desire to hear in addition what sort of signs of future things appeared beforehand, let him hear briefly as we also set these things forth for the historical record. In the first place, the dreams of good men, of the sort that holy scripture also knows to be indicative of future things, foretold what we would suffer. And we laughed, scorning the revelations during sleep and not wishing to find a distinction between a vision and the other things that sleep shows. And the same men had seen that the Myrrh-gusher was away from our city and would enter at the very time of the capture. And we did not believe. For as the faithful, being troublesome, pressed for assistance, he himself prophetically revealed that he was being urgently entreated in vain; for he would not come now, but after three days. And the fourth day after the three was that of the sacking. And often indeed we cried out, "Come to save us, lest the nations ever say, 'Where is their guardian?'", but he, not heeding, removed himself from us. Saints in icons were weeping, and the vainly hopeful were rejoicing, saying that they were interceding on our behalf. We said, "Yes, but they are not heard, which is why they persist in weeping," and they disbelieved us. And they indeed were hopeful, but we, knowing well the destruction from what we both saw and reasonably inferred, did not know what to do, saying ourselves that it is for no one's good to know the future, where knowledge profits the prudent one nothing; and like the Cassandra of story—for I shrink from speaking of the greater things, having introduced prophetic matters as well 142—we spoke the truth, but were left to speak to unhearing ears. Then the all-holy Mother of God, who among us is named for guiding, also showed an inauspicious sign, showing that she was rejecting our affairs and did not wish to be with us. For when she was being carried in procession at that time on the day which is appointed for such a good observance, and having gone about where the brotherhood of the city wished, and was being restored again to her own house and had drawn near to the entrance, she so resisted entry, that she moved backwards and the one carrying her was forced with great effort and, straining, became exceedingly heavy and was on the point of falling down; and not only him, but also the others who took hold to help. And at first the one holding her was suspected of contriving such things himself, of the sort that many invent; but when holy men, good in character and of a sort not to devise improper things, also took hold firmly and all were weaker than the strength of the holy standard and it would not be persuaded to enter, but was, so to speak, unbearable, fear came over all the prudent ones, as much as was fitting for them to feel, and bursting into tears they raised a lamentation and lifted their voices to the most high son of the all-holy mother and they did not give in, until the sign had been clearly shown, and then the bearer alone, unburdened and unimpeded, led the holy image to where it is enshrined. And this too seemed to the noble-minded a light thing to consider, but we the weak were heavy-hearted, suspecting in what direction the matter was tending. The holy oracles also answered in response to questioning about the outcomes of future events: the capture, its day, that we would be cut to pieces. O, that prophetic clarity! O, unconcealed decree, not drawing on any ambiguity! And we were deaf. It was the time then, toward the very end of the capture, and gospel pericopes were being read out in church, through which the evils of Zion are inscribed. And those of sound mind suspected them to be a holy oracle against the city. It then seemed good to the commander, as one who had despaired of military matters, to arrange our affairs and to rouse us as if we were dozing off, so that he might appear to those who did not understand

θησαυροφυλακοῦντας ἐλύπουν διασκαλεύοντες πλούτου χάριν καὶ οὕτω τὸν Ἅιδην Πλούτωνα καὶ αὐτοὶ νοεῖν ὑπεμφαίνοντες. Τί μοι πλείω γράφειν, ἔνθα οὐδὲ βίβλοι ὅλαι μακραὶ ἱκανώσαιειν ἄν με εἰς αὔταρκες διαγράφοντα τοῖς φιληκόοις ὁποῖα ἡμῖν συνέπεσε; ∆ι' ὧν ὀψέ ποτε σὺν κακῷ ἔμαθον οἱ ἐν ἡμῖν κομψοὶ τὴν νόησιν χρῆναι τὰ θεόθεν σημεῖα λεπτολογεῖν καὶ πρὸς αὐτοῖς διευκρινουμένοις ἔχειν τὸν νοῦν καὶ ποιεῖν τὰ δηλούμενα. Εἰ δέ τις ἐνταῦθα ποθῶν φαίνεται προσιστορηθῆναι καὶ οἷα σήματα τῶν μελλόντων προυφάνη, ἀκουέτω βραχυλογικῶς καὶ ταῦθ' ἡμῶν εἰς ἱστορίαν ἐκτιθεμένων. Ἐν πρώτοις μὲν ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν ὀνείρατα, ὁποῖα καὶ ἡ ἱερὰ οἶδε γραφὴ μηνυτικὰ μελλόντων εἶναι, προελάλουν οἷα πεισόμεθα. Καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐγελῶμεν ἐξουθενοῦντες τὰς καθ' ὕπνους δηλώσεις καὶ διαστολὴν οὐκ ἐθέλοντες ἐξευρίσκειν ὁράματός τε καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν, ἅπερ ὕπνος φαίνει. Καὶ ἀπεῖναί τε τὸν Μυροβλύτην τῆς καθ' ἡμᾶς πόλεως καὶ κατ' αὐτὴν τὴν ἅλωσιν εἰσελεύσεσθαι οἱ αὐτοὶ ἑωράκασι. Καὶ ἡμεῖς οὐ πεπιστεύκαμεν. Ὡς γὰρ ὀχλοῦντες οἱ πιστοὶ πρὸς ἐπικουρίαν ἐνέκειντο, ἀνεκάλυψεν αὐτὸς προορατικῶς εἰς μάτην τύραννα δυσωπεῖσθαι· οὐ γὰρ ἄρτι, ἀλλ' ἢ μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἐλεύσεσθαι. Ἦν δὲ τετάρτη μετὰ τὰς τρεῖς ἡ τῆς πορθήσεως. Καὶ συχνὰ μὲν ἐποτνιώμεθα «ἐλθὲ εἰς τὸ σῶσαι ἡμᾶς, μή ποτε εἴπωσι τὰ ἔθνη, ποῦ ἔστιν ὁ πολιοῦχος αὐτῶν;», ὁ δ' οὐχ ὑπακούων ἐξετόπιζεν ἡμῶν ἑαυτόν. Ἐδάκρυον ἅγιοι ἐν εἰκονίσμασι καὶ ἔχαιρον οἱ κενέλπιδες λέγοντες δυσωπεῖν ἐκείνους ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. Ἐλέγομεν ἡμεῖς «ναί, ἀλλ' οὐκ εἰσακούονται, διὸ καὶ ἐπιμένουσι κλαίοντες» καὶ ἠπίστουν ἡμῖν. Καὶ αὐτοὶ μὲν ἦσαν ἐν ἐλπίσιν, ἡμεῖς δὲ εὖ εἰδότες τὸν ὄλεθρον ἐξ ὧν καὶ ἑωρῶμεν καὶ ἐλλόγως συνήγομεν, οὐκ εἴχομεν ὅ τι καὶ δράσομεν, λέγοντες καὶ αὐτοὶ μή τι πρὸς ἀγαθῷ εἶναί τινι τὸ μέλλον εἰδέναι, ἔνθα τῷ φρονοῦντι μηδὲν ἡ γνῶσις λυσιτελεῖ, καὶ κατὰ τὴν τῆς ἱστορίας Κασάνδραν, ὀκνῶ γὰρ εἰπεῖν τὰ μείζω 142 παρεισκυκλήσας καὶ προφητικά, ἀληθιζόμενοι μέν, ἀφιέμενοι δὲ λαλεῖν εἰς ἀνήκοον. Ἔδειξέ τι τέρας τότε οὐκ αἴσιον καὶ ἡ πάναγνος Θεομήτωρ, ἡ παρ' ἡμῖν τοῦ ὁδηγεῖν ἐπώνυμος, δεικνῦσα ὡς ἀποστέργει τὰ καθ' ἡμᾶς καὶ οὐκ ἐθέλει μεθ' ἡμῶν εἶναι. Προοδεύουσα γάρ ποτε τότε καθ' ἡμέραν, ἣ τὸ κῦρος ἔχει τοῦ τοιούτου καλοῦ, καὶ περιελθοῦσα ἔνθα τῆς πόλεως ἡ ἀδελφότης ἤθελε καὶ ἀποκαθισταμένη αὖθις εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὑτῆς καὶ ταῖς εἰσόδοις ἐγγίσασα, οὕτως ὤκνει τὴν εἴσοδον, ὡς ἀνὰ πόδα χωρεῖν κραταιῶς βιάζεσθαι τὸν αὐτὴν φέροντα καὶ ἐνιστάμενον βαρύνεσθαι ὅτι μάλα καὶ πρὸς τῷ καταπίπτειν γίνεσθαι, καὶ οὐ μόνον ἐκεῖνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλους, ὅσοι συνεπιλάβοιντο. Καὶ ἦν μὲν τὴν ἀρχὴν ὁ ἐκείνην ἀνέχων ὕποπτος, ὡς οἴκοθεν τοιαῦτα τεχνώμενος, ὁποῖα πολλοὶ τερθρεύονται· ὡς δὲ καὶ ἱεροὶ ἄνδρες, ἀγαθοὶ τὸ ἦθος καὶ οἶοι μὴ παλαμᾶσθαι τὰ μὴ δέοντα, συνήραντο ἐγκρατῶς καὶ πάντες ἐλάττους ἦσαν τῆς τοῦ ἱεροῦ σίγνου ἰσχύος καὶ οὐκ ἐπείθετο εἰσελθεῖν, ἀλλ' ἦν, ὡς εἰπεῖν, ἀφόρητον, ὑπέρχεται φόβος ἅπαντας, ὅσον ἐχρῆν παθεῖν, ἐχέφρονας, καὶ ἀναπρήσαντες δάκρυα ὕψωσαν κλαυθμὸν καὶ φωνὰς ἐπῆραν πρὸς τὸν ὕψιστον υἱὸν τῆς πανάγνου μητρὸς καὶ οὐκ ἐνέδωκαν, ἕως τοῦ σημείου ἤδη διαδειχθέντος, εἶτα μόνος ὁ βαστάζων ἀβάρυντος καὶ ἀπαραπόδιστος ἤγαγε τὸ ἅγιον μόρφωμα ἔνθα ἵδρυται. Καὶ ἐδόκει μὲν καὶ τοῦτο τοῖς γενναίοις φρονεῖν ἐλαφρόν, ἡμεῖς δὲ οἱ ἀσθενεῖς ἐβαρυνόμεθα, ὑπονοοῦντες ὅπου νεύει τὰ τοῦ πράγματος. Ἀπεκρίναντο καὶ τὰ ἱερὰ λόγια ἐξ ἐρωτήσεως τὰς ἀποβάσεις τῶν ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι, τὴν ἅλωσιν, τὴν ἡμέραν αὐτῆς, τὸ κατακοπήσεσθαι ἡμᾶς. Ὢ προφητικῆς εὐκρινείας ἐκείνης, ὢ ἀνεπικρύπτου ἀποφάσεως καὶ μὴ ἐπισυρομένης λόξωσιν. Καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐκωφεύομεν. Ἦν τηνικαῦτα καιρός, παρὰ τὰ τελευταῖα τῆς ἁλώσεως, καὶ περικοπὰς εὐαγγελικὰς ἐπ' ἐκκλησίας ἐκφωνεῖσθαι, δι' ὧν τὰ τῆς Σιὼν στηλογραφοῦνται κακά. Καὶ οἱ ἔσω φρενῶν ἱερολογίαν κατὰ τῆς πόλεως ὑπενόουν αὐτά. Ἔδοξε τῷ ἀρχηγῷ τηνικαῦτα, οἷα τῶν στρατηγικῶν ἀπεγνωκότι, διατάττεσθαι τὰ καθ' ἡμᾶς καὶ διεγείρειν ὡς οἷον ἀπονυστάζοντας, ἵνα φαίνοιτο τοῖς μὴ συνιεῖσι