De cerimoniis aulae Byzantinae (lib. 1.842.-56)
until he reaches the grade. But it is necessary to know that for the empress’s portion, four silentiarii of good repute and of attested respectable li
and to send [someone] also to meet them, and to lead each one into his own lodging, and bedding and expenses are prepared beforehand for them. And the
They are adored by the domestics and protectors, and the Persikē meets them, and all things are done according to custom. When he wishes to dismiss th
to Nicomedia, if he wishes, he should cross over by dromons, and if he is vexed, it is in any case necessary to prepare both horses and animals, so th
armed *candidati* and comely *pueri* following them. And the emperor comes out of the *cubiculum*, escorted by the *patricius*, and sits in the great
of a silentiary to him, so that he may come forth, and a silence is made, and the chariot is held, and the labarum-bearers stand, and when he comes fo
fellow-soldier, from whom, while still campaigning with you, I learned to endure. It was shouted by all: Good fortune! The army hails you as emperor
pounds of silver, and when he receives it, he presents them with the document in return, and thus he enters, escorted by all, and the prefects 416 and
a Roman and full of every imperial virtue, so as not to be subject to the love of money, nor to any other human passion, at least as far as is possibl
where it is the custom in the Hippodrome for the senators to do obeisance, he put on a tunic of purple silk with gold stripes, a belt, leggings, and i
palace. So Celer the magister arrived, and Justin of the divine inheritance, being at that time count of the excubitors. And immediately the magister
The Emperor Caesar Augustus: that through our own philanthropy he might strengthen us to accomplish all things beneficial to you and to the state. F
When Romanos the younger emperor died, son of Constantine the great and porphyrogennetos emperor of the Romans, the Macedonian, on the 15th of the mon
they killed. They destroyed the houses of those who were arrayed against the ruler down to the foundations, having plundered all their possessions and
*** CH. 97. On the promotion of a president of the whole senate.
444 Plan of the imperial campaigns and a memorandum on the military camps. These are the military camps: the first camp at Malagina, the second at Dor
for a set time to count the baggage animals, how many pack-animals there are, and to report this number. And having received the number of the pack-an
the armies in one straight line. And in the middle were the tagmata, and of these the most honored in the central position, and on either side of the
of these things a written account will be made, revealing Roman majesty. Wherefore, after investigating much concerning these things and finding no me
Thus: the Strategos of the Anatolikon, 3 mules the Strategos of the Armeniakon, 3 mules the Strategos of the Thrakesion, 3 mules the Strategos of t
curacies. And while the imperial service is being supplied, wherever he finds good wine and oil and legumes, so that he may put it in his vessels, and
of noble refugees. Thick and winged felted double-thick cloths for the emperor's use for the low couches two saddles for the procession, saddles for
two all-gold items, two all-gold standing-cups. It is to be known, that these must be used when foreigners are dining with the emperor. For this reaso
the count and the chartoularios. And the count of the stable also provides for the transportations, for every ten pack-horses, a syntrophos of the Mal
it is an imperial [regulation], that no one should receive as a gift, neither a mule, nor a pack-horse, bearing the imperial brand, so that the imperi
Caesarea, or in another theme towards the place, in which he is about to encamp, it being suitable and when he comes nearest to the camp at a distanc
has been said before, and the imperial table becomes a low stool. The imperial cooks prepare the appetizers in the evening. The eighty optimates lead
It is to be known that, when the emperor is in Syria, the *magistroi* and the *patrikioi* and the official *protospatharioi* receive a *maioumas* the
for one ox-skin, and two Apisian waterskins each, in order to cross easily the deep and difficult rivers and they are to have their tools without fai
magistrianoi, fabricenses, the bureau of the prefects and of the prefect, silversmiths and all merchants, and every corporation, and simply from the C
at the Philadelphion and the Taurus, at the Artopoulion and at the Forum. And upon arriving at the Forum they dismounted from their horses, and entere
of their golden ones, placing on his head both a helmet with a golden crest, girding on also a short sword, and he himself mounted a likewise white ho
to be observed on the second day of the first week, when the emperor delivers a speech at the silentium of the Magnaura. 11. What must be observed whe
Greetings of ambassadors of various nations coming to the emperor. 48. The acts of the inscriptions made for the nations. 49. These are the things set
They open the gate leading out from the Horologion into the Lausiakos. Then, with the maglabites and the weekly officials of the Hetaireia, they open
for some pagans to see the emperor, if he does not wish to be crowned, he puts on his head the crown called the kaisarikion and the sagion woven entir
to summon to the hall, and immediately the drungarius draws his sword, and the papias also comes out, shaking the keys in his hand, and immediately th
receiving it, he prostrates himself on the ground, and kisses the feet of the emperor and his knees, likewise also of the junior emperor and after th
The annual commemoration of Constantine the Great and the dedication of the erected precious crosses in the new palace of Bonus.
the patriarch, arriving with the procession, stands inside the church of the Holy Apostles outside the railings of the sanctuary, and when the time co
of the imperial clergy and of the protopapas of the Daphne [church] of Saint Stephen and of the diaetarii of Saint Stephen and of the palace, all carr
of him, and having stood there, the officers of the kouboukleion stand on this side and that. And the spatharokoubikoularioi stand behind them. And th
at a nod from the praepositus, all the people say, Many years! And after all have fallen silent, the emperor begins to deliver his speech. It is to
being escorted by the aforementioned, and it is deposited in the palace of Daphne in the church of the holy protomartyr Stephen. And on the Monday of
of the kouboukleion, and they themselves praying toward the single door leading further in, and outside the single door stand the praepositi, they als
riding on horseback, go before the masters. The *maglabitai* and all the imperial men with *skaramangia* and swords, each goes before in his own rank.
the lords into the narthex, and putting on the gold-bordered cloaks, they light candles at the royal gates. And immediately they enter and pass throug
all the rulers of the church and presbyters and other priests. And the emperor comes out from the scaramangion, wearing also the gold-bordered sagion,
holding a staff, and brings in the foreigner, who is clearly held by the katepano of the imperial men, or by the count of the stable, or by the protos
from large purple skaramangia and from various imperial silver works, and there were hung in it 5 small chains and 5 silver polycandela from the New C
specia and golden torques but those who did not have specia wore skaramangia and rose-colored sagia. The chartoularioi and notarioi of the sekreta wo
and from there the sons of archons and the saponistai of the vestiarion and those of the trapeza, the sons of archons wearing their own skaramangia an
of the Great Martyr Demetrios and from those stored in the treasury. And on the wooden racks from the Pentapyrgion bound to the walls were fastened to
before the friends went out, through the [official] of the table they were given, in golden, jeweled bowls, to the two friends five hundred miliaresia
a faction of three men each. And in the White faction and in the Red faction were hung the pointed veils of the Golden Triclinium, the gryponagroi an
That on the 30th of the month of August, on a Sunday, upon the arrival of Delemikes the Emir of Edessa and apokrisiarios of Abochabdas, a reception wa
of maidservants, she entered through the Justinianos and the Lausiakos and the Tripeton into the Kainourgion, and rested then, the emperor having sat
of a peeping-curtain hanging in the middle of the canopy, in which place it is customary for the emperors to be seated on a throne, a reception being
and they perform the *saximon*, as the regulation provides. But if any of them are seated in the reception hall, rising up they complete the *saximon*
and to the patricians 144 miliaresia each, and one Saracen loros inner-garment each, or one of pure silk to the protospatharioi 120 miliaresia each a
these things are arranged. And immediately the psalmist comes forth and says a prokeimenon: What god is great as our God? You are the God who does wo
the taxeotai place the arms upon leather skins and goat-hair cloths so that they are not soiled, either by dust, or by mud. The demesmen of the two fa
the small cradle, and both the Augusta and the child are covered with gold-embroidered coverlets. Then, through the trapeza of the Augusta, the praepo
being seized by the sponsors are distributed. 622 But in the time of Basil, the emperor of blessed memory, the tonsuring of Leo, the Christ-loving mas
a *paragaudion* to the gates of the bema, that is, to the holy doors, and then the *praepositus* comes out, and leads in from the Pantheon, or from th
And the patrician Niketas and the patrician John and the patrician who was over Jesdes and the patrician Dometios and the magister Eustathios wore tog
When the emperor had ordered the fulfillment of the four petitions to take place, he entered into the triconch, and changed as was customary, and bein
being. And it is clear from the assurance of the emperor Heraclius, which he made to Sergius the patriarch, containing in these very words: The praep
15 silver-embroidered short-sleeved tunics of true purple. 29 colored short-sleeved tunics with points. 18 colored short-sleeved tunics of true purple
are of his sarcophagus. Another sarcophagus of Proconnesian stone, in which lies Irene, the wife of Constantine Caballinus. Another green Thessalian s
on the east, in the left part of the same oratory stands a sarcophagus in relief, in which lies Anastasia the daughter of Basil the Christ-loving mast
Total in all: 23 thousands and two. Through the theme of the Cibyrrhaeots. 15 dromons, having, each, 230 rowers and 70 warriors total 4 thousands and
he should accept. It should be known that the archon Chrepou in the theme of Hellas undertook to make 2,000 arrows and 3,000 javelins. Likewise also t
Atenulf, his brother, and Goimar and Goifer, his brother, and all the apostate Lombards from the theme of Lombardy, and that he hand over the forts to
each with 150 men and 6 ousiaka chelandia each with 108 men. And there were sent with the protospatharios John and asekretis to Africa 3 chelandia and
of Thrace, for both salaries and bonuses of the army, in place of the garments, 171 pounds and 29 of gold, 9 scaramangia. for the 4 tagmata of Macedon
and for the great crossbows, iron parts according to type. pitch, 10,000 litrai. liquid pitch, 3 round Magarika. cedar oil, 50 Magarika. flax, 8,000 l
muscles of bow-strings, 4,000. The things given from the sekreton of the vestiarium to the droungarios of the fleet in surplus for the expedition to C
of Rome? The greeting to the emperor of the ambassadors coming from Bulgaria. How is the God-crowned emperor, the spiritual grandfather of the ruler f
Mercy, gladness and glory from God to the high and great emperor of the Romans, a good life and health to you and a long life from the Lord, O peace-m
in God himself, emperors of the Romans, to so-and-so the most holy pope of Rome and our spiritual father. to the king of Saxony to the king of Bavar
offices, or not. But if from these one also wishes to be set up among the salaried imperials, he provides 4 pounds in addition to the price of the dig
are made destitute and given over to the *apelatai*, from whom also *Tzekones* are assigned to the forts. But the properties of such soldiers remain i
the hippodrome, and there he is venerated by the domestics and protectors as soon as he enters the gate, and being escorted in procession he comes out
being made known and at the same time being done, we shall set them down line by line in the order of a list. And we do this, not as overturning the w
These into six parts, namely, into generals, into domestics, into judges, into secretaries, into democrats, into private offices. 708 Volume I. Concer
to the chamberlains, 3 pounds, to the cubiculum with the praepositi alone, 3 pounds of gold, and her sticharion to the praepositus. To the one in char
of the Opsikion the strategos of the Boukellarioi the strategos of Cappadocia the strategos of Charsianon the strategos of Koloneia the strategos
centarchs, bandon-bearers, laburisioi, standard-bearers, duciniatores, mandators. And under the Drungarius of the Fleet are subordinated 7 kinds of of
2, to the primicerius 4. The fourth dignity is that of the ostiarii, whose insignia, a golden rod having a headpiece of precious stones, is bestowed b
them from the bearded maioumas for the games. The papias is also to receive wood weekly, one pitch, and the secundus one pitch. And all these things a
patrician and logothete of the herds the proconsul patrician and domestic of the Hikanatoi the proconsul patrician and domestic of the Noumeroi the
protospatharios and over the petitions the protospatharios and orphanotrophos the protospatharioi and kleisourarchs the protospatharios and demarch
chartoularios of the theme of the Anatolics the spatharios and chartoularios of the tagma of the Scholae the spatharios and actuarius the spathario
should some of the aforesaid hold ranks granted by award, let each of them be preferred in grade according to the rank of one of equal status. 739 But
as he goes up with them to the three-couched imperial banquet, and stations them around the venerable table so that those friends whom the emperor dee
of the Excubitors, and to lead them in at the summons according to the previously shown manner. And in the couches 746 of each of the parts, one must
the polytrikhon, and to prepare for a feast for friends, at the imperial table eight magistroi, anthypatoi, patrikioi, and strategoi, and two Bulgaria
a pre-feast illumination and the presentation of the mangers, to lead them all out according to the rule prescribed for all. On the tenth day, for the
of all the orphans, and to arrange him on the left, facing the position of the akoubita and to bring them both in on either side with the blessing of
and to lead them out with their own vestments, except for their cloaks, according to the dignity of rank belonging to each. On the Sunday of Meatfare.
the four domestics of the tagmata are brought in with the two demarchs and the chartoularios of the imperial sakelle, and with them also all the gerok
they hold, and offering the divine liturgy to God after the partaking of the holy mysteries, they openly receive the chief men of the senate for a sol
of ceremonial garments inside the palace, and a banquet is held in the Gold Triclinium according to the form of the first day. And we must prepare for
chartoularioi of the sacristy of Hagia Sophia, 773 receiving the same blessing. And on New Sunday, the after-feast of Pascha, a procession in bright r
according to the capacity of the table. On the 20th of the month of July, the commemoration of the prophet Elijah is celebrated by a processional lita
of a banquet in the lower triclinium which is at the sea palaces, and the emperor presides with the patriarch with his own divetesion. And it is neces
as we said, the order of the summoners. Therefore, having clearly set these forth for a reminder of the things accomplished among us, we bring a reque
From this same amount, to the *protovestiarios*... according to the quantity of pounds, 1 pound, to the one of the *katastasis* κʹ and to the *ostiar
of this tactical ordinance as from a canon, or, to be more truthful, as from the imperial decree, to act without dispute. We ought to have attached th
of Helenopontus, the one of Euchaïta 29, of the province of the Cyclades Islands, the one of Carpathus 30, of the province of Rhodope, the one of Ae
metropolis of Marcian, has under it cities, that is, 5 bishops, the one of Rhodostolos, the one of Tramariscae, the one of Novae, the one of Zekedespa
of Saint Mokios αʹ, the church of Saint Pancharios αʹ. And in total through gold κθʹ, and through miliaresia εʹ, mil. βʹ. And in total the sum
of Pharos εʹ, the subdeacons of Hagia Sophia 6 miliaresia, the deans of the patriarch 4 miliaresia, the dipotatai 3 miliaresia, those of the spoude 8
being escorted by the aforementioned, and it is deposited in the palace of Daphne in the church of the holy protomartyr Stephen. And on the Monday of the same week after the commemorations have taken place, the papias comes out, and takes the cross from St. Stephen, and carries it into the great church of Hagia Sophia. The other cross remains in the sacred palace. It is to be known, that on the Friday of the same middle week of the holy Forty Days, after the dismissal of the ninth hour, the papias brings the precious cross into the sacred palace. Likewise also the clerics of the Nea bring in the other cross on the same day after the dismissal of the ninth hour. And on Sunday after the third or sixth ode of matins, being wiped by the protopapas and the skeuophylax, they are deposited in the same skeuophylakion. 551 CHAP. 12. The things that must be observed, when the masters depart to bathe in Blachernae. On Friday morning the whole senate proceeds in scaramangia to Blachernae outside the gate, at which place the masters set out. The masters enter in scaramangia into the dromon with their own retinue, both the logothete of the dromos and the protoasecretis and the epi ton deeseon with the hetaireiarch and the droungarios of the vigla. And they set out for the gate, where the senate awaits them. The magistroi and patricioi and officialioi outside the gate on the right side of the imperial passage receive the masters, while on the left stand the imperial saddled horses. And upon the masters drawing near to them, they fall down in prostration. And the masters, being guided by the praepositi of the kouboukleion and the manglabitai, both the imperial ones and those of the hetaireia, depart by the way that leads to the church. It is to be known that, as the masters enter the gate, the magistroi and patricioi and officialioi follow behind; and in the propylaeum of the same church the skeuophylax with a censer and the 552 clergy of the church receive them, escorting them. And so, as the masters enter the narthex, they put on their gold-bordered sagia, and they light candles, and pass through the middle of the church and the solea, and again light candles outside the holy doors, and they enter into the holy sanctuary, and kiss the holy altar-cloth. It is to be known that, while the masters are praying in the holy bema, the senate and those of the kouboukleion and the imperiali pass through and stand in the narthex of the Holy Soros. Then they pass through the right side of the bema toward the east and the skeuophylakion, and they enter the narthex of the Holy Soros, and the imperiali stand on the left of the imperial procession, and the magistroi and patricioi on the right toward the gates. The masters light candles according to custom at the imperial gates of the Holy Soros, and they enter, and immediately the koubikoularioi close their gates; (for bearded men do not enter there, except only those of the kouboukleion;) and the masters again according to custom light candles before the holy bema, and they enter and kiss the holy altar-cloth, and the first emperor takes a censer from the praepositos, and censes around the holy table, then they remove their 553 sagia, and the first emperor takes from the praepositos the rhipidion made of peacock feathers, and beautifies around the holy table, and they come out of the bema, and they depart from the right to the episcepsis, and they light candles there also and prostrate. And from there they depart outside the metatorikion, in which is located the icon of the Theotokos and the silver cross, and they light candles there also, and they enter into the metatorion, and, if they command, they put on their head-coverings. It is to be known, that in the place where the emperors stand praying, the men of the middle hetaireia also stand, praying. And going out they pass through the narthex, and again the magistroi and patricioi and officialioi receive them, and the masters go up through the spiral staircase and depart. The imperiali, going ahead, stand to the right and left outside the side-doors that lead into the apodyta. And as the masters pass through, they also pray. And the masters, being guided by the kouboukleion and the manglabitai and the great hetaireia, enter into the side-doors leading to the apodyta. And the men of the great hetaireia stand immediately after a few, praying, 554 and after them the manglabitai stand, also praying, and after them those of the
ὀψικευόμενος ὑπὸ τῶν προειρημένων, καὶ ἀποτίθεται ἐν τῷ παλατίῳ τῆς ∆άφνης ἐν τῷ ναῷ τοῦ ἁγίου πρωτομάρτυρος Στεφάνου. καὶ
τῇ δευτέρᾳ τῆς αὐτῆς ἑβδομάδος μετὰ τὸ γενέσθαι μίνσας ἐξέρχεται ὁ παπίας, καὶ αἴρει τὸν σταυρὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Στεφάνου, καὶ
ἀποφέρει αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ μεγάλῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ τῆς ἁγίας Σοφίας. ὁ δὲ ἕτερος σταυρὸς ἐναπομένει ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ παλατίῳ. ἰστέον, ὅτι τῇ παρασκευῇ
τῆς αὐτῆς μέσης ἑβδομάδος τῆς ἁγίας τεσσαρακοστῆς μετὰ τὴν ἀπόλυσιν τῆς ἐνάτης εἰσάγει ὁ παπίας τὸν τίμιον σταυρὸν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ
παλατίῳ. ὁμοίως καὶ οἱ τῆς νέας κληρικοὶ εἰσάγουσιν καὶ αὐτοὶ τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ τὸν ἕτερον σταυρὸν μετὰ τὴν ἀπόλυσιν τῆς ἐνάτης.
καὶ τῇ κυριακῇ μετὰ τρίτην εἴτε καὶ ἕκτην ᾠδὴν τοῦ ὄρθρου ὑπὸ τοῦ πρωτοπάπα καὶ τοῦ σκευοφύλακος ἐκμασσόμενοι κατατίθενται
ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ σκευοφυλακίῳ. 551 ΚΕΦ. ιβʹ. Ὅσα δεῖ παραφυλάττειν, τῶν δεσποτῶν ἀπιόντων λούσασθαι ἐν βλαχέρναις. Τῇ παρασκευῇ
ἕωθεν προέρχεται ἅπασα ἡ σύγκλητος ἀπὸ σκαραμαγγίων ἐν βλαχέρναις ἔξω τῆς πόρτας, ἐν ᾧ τόπῳ ὁρμῶσιν οἱ δεσπόται. οἱ δὲ δεσπόται
εἰσέρχονται ἀπὸ σκαραμαγγίων εἰς τὸν δρόμονα μετὰ τῆς οἰκείας αὐτῶν θεραπείας, τοῦ τε λογοθέτου τοῦ δρόμου καὶ τοῦ πρωτοασηκρήτου
καὶ τοῦ ἐπὶ τῶν δεήσεων μετὰ τοῦ ἑταιρειάρχου καὶ τοῦ δρουγγαρίου τῆς βίγλας. ὁρμῶσιν δὲ εἰς τὴν πόρταν, ἔνθα ἡ σύγκλητος
τούτους ἐκδέχεται. οἱ δὲ μάγιστροι καὶ πατρίκιοι καὶ ὀφφικιάλιοι ἔξω τῆς πόρτης τῷ δεξιῷ μέρει τῆς βασιλικῆς διόδου δέχονται
τοὺς δεσπότας, ἐν δὲ τῷ ἀριστερῷ ἵστανται τὰ βασιλικὰ σελλάρια. καὶ ἐν τῷ πλησιάσαι πρὸς αὐτοὺς τοὺς δεσπότας πίπτουσι προσκυνοῦντες.
οἱ δὲ δεσπόται δηριγευόμενοι ὑπό τε τῶν πραιποσίτων τοῦ κουβουκλείου καὶ τῶν μαγλαβιτῶν, βασιλικῶν τε καὶ τῶν τῆς ἑταιρείας,
ἀπέρχονται διὰ τῆς ἀπαγούσης ὁδοῦ πρὸς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν. ἰστέον, ὅτι, τῶν δεσποτῶν εἰσιόντων τὴν πόρταν, κατακολουθοῦσιν ὄπισθεν
οἵ τε μάγιστροι καὶ πατρίκιοι καὶ ὀφφικιάλιοι· ἐν δὲ τῷ προπυλαίῳ τῆς αὐτῆς ἐκκλησίας δέχεται αὐτοὺς ὁ σκευοφύλαξ μετὰ θυμιατοῦ
καὶ ὁ τῆς ἐκ 552 κλησίας κλῆρος, ὀψικεύοντες αὐτούς. καὶ δὴ τῶν δεσποτῶν εἰσιόντων εἰς τὸν νάρθηκα, περιβάλλονται τὰ χρυσοπερίκλειστα
σαγία, καὶ ἅπτουσιν κηροὺς, καὶ διέρχονται διὰ μέσης τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ τῆς σωλαίας, καὶ πάλιν ἅπτουσιν κηροὺς ἔξω τῶν ἁγίων
θυρῶν, καὶ εἰσέρχονται εἰς τὸ ἅγιον θυσιαστήριον, καὶ ἀσπάζονται τὴν ἁγίαν ἐνδυτήν. ἰστέον, ὅτι, τῶν δεσποτῶν εὐχομένων εἰς
τὸ ἅγιον βῆμα, ἡ σύγκλητος καὶ οἱ τοῦ κουβουκλείου καὶ οἱ βασιλικοὶ διέρχονται καὶ ἵστανται εἰς τὸν νάρθηκα τῆς ἁγίας σοροῦ.
εἶθ' οὕτως διέρχονται διὰ τοῦ πρὸς ἀνατολὴν δεξιοῦ μέρους τοῦ βήματος καὶ τοῦ σκευοφυλακίου, καὶ εἰσέρχονται εἰς τὸν νάρθηκα
τῆς ἁγίας σοροῦ, καὶ οἱ μὲν βασιλικοὶ ἵστανται ἀριστερᾷ τῆς βασιλικῆς προόδου, οἱ δὲ μάγιστροι καὶ πατρίκιοι δεξιᾷ ὡς πρὸς
τὰς πύλας. οἱ δεσπόται ἅπτουσιν κηροὺς κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς εἰς τὰς βασιλικὰς πύλας τῆς ἁγίας σοροῦ, καὶ εἰσέρχονται, καὶ εὐθέως
κλείουσιν τὰς αὐτῶν πύλας κουβικουλάριοι· (βαρβάτοι γὰρ ἐκεῖσε οὐκ εἰσέρχονται, εἰ μὴ οἱ τοῦ κουβουκλείου μόνοι·) οἱ δὲ δεσπόται
πάλιν κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς ἅπτουσιν κηροὺς ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ ἁγίου βήματος, καὶ εἰσέρχονται καὶ ἀσπάζονται τὴν ἁγίαν ἐνδυτὴν, καὶ λαμβάνει
ὁ πρῶτος βασιλεὺς θυμιατὸν παρὰ τοῦ πραιποσίτου, καὶ θυμιᾷ πέριξ τῆς ἁγίας τραπέζης, εἶτα ἐκβάλλουσι τὰ τούτων 553 σαγία,
καὶ λαμβάνει ὁ πρῶτος βασιλεὺς παρὰ τοῦ πραιποσίτου τὸ ἀπὸ ταωνοπτέρων ῥιπίδιον, καὶ φιλοκαλεῖ πέριξ τῆς ἁγίας τραπέζης, καὶ
ἐξέρχονται τοῦ βήματος, καὶ ἀπέρχονται ἀπὸ δεξιᾶς εἰς τὴν ἐπίσκεψιν, καὶ ἅπτουσιν κἀκεῖσε κηροὺς καὶ προσκυνοῦσιν. καὶ ἀπὸ
τῶν ἐκεῖσε ἀπέρχονται ἔξω τοῦ μητατωρικίου, ἐν ᾧ ἡ εἰκὼν τῆς Θεοτόκου καὶ ὁ ἀργυροῦς ἵδρυται σταυρὸς, καὶ ἅπτουσιν κἀκεῖσε
κηροὺς, καὶ εἰσέρχονται εἰς τὸ μητατώριον, καὶ, εἰ κελεύουσι, σκεπάζονται. ἰστέον, ὅτι ἐν ᾧ τόπῳ ἵστανται οἱ βασιλεῖς ἐπευχόμενοι,
ἵστανται οἱ τῆς μέσης ἑταιρείας, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐπευχόμενοι. καὶ ἐξιόντες διέρχονται διὰ τοῦ νάρθηκος, καὶ πάλιν δέχονται τούτους
οἵ τε μάγιστροι καὶ πατρίκιοι καὶ ὀφφικιάλιοι, καὶ ἀνίασιν οἱ δεσπόται διὰ τοῦ κοχλιοῦ καὶ ἀπέρχονται. οἱ δὲ βασιλικοὶ προαπερχόμενοι
ἵστανται δεξιᾷ καὶ ἀριστερᾷ ἔξω τῶν εἰσαγόντων παραπτέρων εἰς τὰ ἀποδυτά. καὶ τῶν δεσποτῶν διερχομένων, ἐπεύχονται καὶ αὐτοί.
οἱ δὲ δεσπόται δηριγευόμενοι ὑπό τε τοῦ κουβουκλείου καὶ τῶν μαγλαβιτῶν καὶ τῆς μεγάλης ἑταιρείας, εἰσέρχονται εἰς τὰ ἀπάγοντα
παράπτερα εἰς τὰ ἀποδυτά. καὶ οἱ μὲν τῆς μεγάλης ἑταιρείας ἵστανται εὐθὺς μετὰ ὀλίγων ἐπευχόμενοι, 554 καὶ μετ' ἐκείνους οἱ
μαγλαβῖται ἵστανται, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐπευχόμενοι, καὶ μετ' αὐτοὺς οἱ τοῦ
