Historiae p.4 from the east, this man also rebels against him and, having prevailed, seizes the imperial power, giving an evil reward to the one who h

 Completely senseless of what is good, who, having set a goal among themselves to destroy komnenos and thus also destroy the porphyrogennetos, the brot

 He had claimed the inheritance, at the same time also securing his own safety, so that he might not suffer any of the terrible things such as the many

 Another born in the purple who had departed this life, had a greater right to rule? it is clear, therefore, that the famed alexios among emperors, hav

 After he had exercised tyrannical power for many years and had overthrown almost all the east, he was appointed ambassador, having tried to join toget

 Dull and slow to punish. there are many other proofs of the man's virtue, and not least his renunciation of the empire how, the narrative as it proce

 Had been demonstrated, doukas led him with every honor, calling him lord and emperor and deeming him worthy of precedence whenever he came to him and

 Of europe, since the descendants of hagar, having risen in sedition against one another, divided the greatest dominion into many parts, one ruling one

 While encouraging his people, when his horse slipped, he was thrown to the ground with it and, breaking his neck, was killed. and when this happened,

 Fitting, they were attacking the towns of armeniakon to plunder them, he took up his forces and proceeded against the turks and, encountering them sca

 To leave her unconsoled in the greatness of her suffering, adding suffering to suffering, adding your long absence to his death.” thus the emperor. an

 Being present and arranging the matters of war well. for wishing to draw the emperor forward and get him within his nets, he sent out skirmishers, who

 Alyates, a cappadocian man and an associate of the emperor, commanded the right wing, bryennius himself the left, and the emperor held the center of t

 To make a disposition of the whole. thus it seemed also to the emperor michael and he agreed with the purpose of his uncle but those who wished to re

 He seizes. but having learned this, those around the emperor and the caesar were considering whom they might set up as an opponent to him. it seemed b

 The truth shone forth like a torch hidden under soot. but those who nourished the divine fear in their hearts and were in labor with a spirit of salva

 Entered thickets and were saved, but of the rest some fell, and others were taken captive. and so the phalanx of diogenes was thus dissolved and scatt

 Having handled the matters of his elevation with skill, he was both cast down himself and brought down the affairs of the romans with him how the one

 Therefore, having encamped, they were considering how they might drive away the attacking turks who were sacking the towns. 2.4 but so much for them.

 One different from the others, theodotos by name, said that what was happening was not a good omen for when the night comes on, they will flee at on

 He hastened to the queen of cities in order to take up the gold and ransom his brother. therefore, having collected this in a few days, he went away t

 He began to speak: 2.10 to me, men, to make no attempt at all against the enemy, but instead to betray ourselves into slavery and obvious danger, see

 They were trying to help isaacius and the glorious alexius, he himself by name called upon the glorious alexius and implored him to help but he, imme

 Was deliberating, but seeing time was still being wasted, he was enraged for he wished to be rid of the fear from that man and thus to revel fearless

 But he, choosing to face extreme danger for his father's own safety, turned back and thrust himself into the midst of the enemy and having struck down

 The children's cots lay there. and when they saw the cot of the one who had escaped was empty, immediately each one, just as he was, beat the pedagogu

 By many, and be destroyed, they selected a narrow plain, putting forward the river flowing down from sophon as a rampart. but artouch, having crossed

 But when he was checking their assaults, he no longer waited for their incursions, but advancing on the forts held by the enemy, he set ambushes and s

 To receive and, having dined with him, he finally arrests him and, having made him a prisoner, sends him to the stratopedarches, having taken hostages

 A crowd is brought out and he is seen by all as if he were blind this act completely silenced the uproar. the commander of the army, then, having rec

 As he was passing through the narrow straits and going down beside the sea towards heracleia, maurex met him, a man not of noble birth, but otherwise

 He pretended to be friendly to the patriarch and behaved in a friendly manner towards him, but he was cultivating the magistrates. therefore the doux,

 3.τ book 3 3.1 the preceding account makes clear, therefore, all that happened in the east after the deposition of the emperor diogenes, and how many

 Were arranged and the nation of the franks, having mastered italy and sicily, were plotting terrible things against the romans, michael planned for th

 A guard had been entrusted, was going about in odrysae towards the city formerly called orestias, but now adrianople, who, having stopped at a certain

 He died with good hopes, leaving behind his most beloved child, but again the evil men seemed to be winning and the marriage was not taking place, as

 Impulse, but something that happened persuaded him on the following day, even unwillingly, to yield to their will. 3.9 for having encamped at trajanop

 Having offered thanksgiving sacrifices, he returned home and was deliberating about what to do next, and he called all the generals and commanders to

 Bryennius, seeing that the time of the siege was being wasted in vain, so that the army might not suffer further hardship, wanted to lift the siege, b

 They tried to hinder his march with their arrows. but those around him, being brave, although few, nevertheless sallied out against the turks and chec

 He was pleased for since it was already a late hour, it seemed that some uproar and disturbance would happen in the city, if some were to be captured

 I remained with the one in power until the end and, while all were turning to your rule, i myself have kept faith with him even until now, having sent

 He hastened for the scepters of the kingdom, as much as possible, to win the goodwill of the citizens, especially when he learned about the affairs of

 A man being both good in appearance and very skilled in conversation. when the ambassadors had approached and made the customary address for ambassado

 He exercised and trained the soldiers through him. and whenever they were already able to ride safely and seemed to be adequately and skilfully traine

 For on the evening before this, letters had been sent to him from the emperor ordering him not to fight, but to await the arrival of the allies recent

 To wander, at a loss how, while they were fleeing, he both showed the horse and the broadswords and clearly proclaimed the death of bryennios, and the

 Now, the pursuers were not a great multitude, so their retreat was easy. but when many ran together and his horse was worn out and useless for running

 Therefore, having taken him, he himself departed as if for constantinople but the scarlet-dyed sandals, which that man used to wear when playing the

 Sleeping in his tent, without any delay he ordered everyone to arm themselves and immediately all were under arms. and when the sun was towards the we

 Recognizing basilakes, he strikes him with his sword upon the helmet but with the sword having been broken near his hand and having fallen, komnenos

 Counsel conquers many hands, which at that time received confirmation through his own deeds. for one man and one mind in a short time brought down th

 He ordered the protovestiarios this was the eunuch john, who had long served him before his reign he was ambitious, if anyone ever was, and possesse

 That campaign, being most experienced, and already seeing the imminent danger before his eyes, advised him to turn back. but he, receiving his words a

 Servants with another one of his servants, he went where they said kontostephanos would be and seeing him calling out from afar, covering his head, he

Now, the pursuers were not a great multitude, so their retreat was easy. But when many ran together and his horse was worn out and useless for running, the enemies attempted to encircle them from the front. But both of them, charging against the enemies with a great rush, struck down two of them, and forced the others to flee far away and from this, having gained a brief respite, they departed, but again the Turks with many others returned and pressed upon them vehemently; and they again did as before and advanced against the Turks with great eagerness. But the results of their eagerness were no longer as before for them, but John, having struck down one of the Turks, collided with another, and both their horses fell with their riders. And the son of the one aspiring to be emperor, having gone far in pursuit and struck down one of the Turks, was left in the midst of the Turks and was no longer able to rejoin his father, although he tried hard to reunite with them. The Turks, therefore, taking the opportunity, advanced more vehemently against Bryennios. So one of them, drawing his sword, charged rather boldly against him; but he, turning, strikes this man with his sword and both cut off his hand and made it fall to the ground with the scimitar. And the rest attempted to encircle him; but he defended himself nobly. Charging, therefore, against those coming on in front, he is struck by a spear; and while he was occupied with breaking the spear, the first Turk whose hand had been cut off by him, leaping down from his horse, gets on Bryennios's back. But he, turning his scimitar, was not able to strike him as he was hidden on his back. So the rest of the Turks, dismounting from their horses, begged him not to wish to die, but to yield to what had happened. As long, therefore, as his hand had not grown weary, he did not yield, striking and being struck; but when he had now become exhausted, he yielded, though unwillingly, to the enemies' entreaties, and thus it happened that he was captured. 4.14 The barbarians, therefore, having taken him, proceeded with the greatest possible honor toward Alexios Komnenos, having first sent heralds to announce his capture. So these things were done in this way; but as for his brother, one of the Franks, meeting him after the incident and seeing him on foot, set him upon his horse and saved him as far as Adrianople; and his son was also saved, having broken through those encircling him and thus getting out of range of missiles, whom, in his flight, his father ordered, upon reaching Adrianople, to tell his grandmother and his mother, if his brother should not be saved, to gather those saved from the battle and to persuade them not to make an agreement with the emperor before he made written promises to deprive no one of the honor belonging to him nor to suffer the removal of their possessions. This was so done later. 4.15 And seeing Bryennios brought to Alexios Komnenos, that one marveled at both the appearance and the size of the man, for he was truly worthy of tyranny; and he rejoiced, seeing what kind of general he had overcome, one noble in hand and daring in spirit and having a steady character. For he possessed a heroic spirit, and let no one think me to say and write these things boasting about my own family, but let him know that all speech is overcome by the man's achievements and graces and splendors; if, at least, my account were not looking to another purpose, but wished to go through his deeds in detail, another Iliad would have been needed. This man, therefore, who was skilled at finding the necessary course of action in an unconsidered moment, and skilled at drawing up a phalanx and out-generaling enemies, Alexios Komnenos, not yet bearing a full-grown beard, but still greenish and golden—for he was .....—, after that engagement and the noble struggles and the defeat, conquered not by multitude of force, but by endurance and daring and strategic practice, having received also providence from above as a helper, through which the ends of undertakings succeed. 4.16 This man

μὲν οὖν οὐ πολύ τι πλῆθος ἦσαν οἱ διώκοντες, εὔδρομα τούτοις ἦσαν τὰ τῆς ὑποχωρήσεως. Ἐπεὶ δὲ πολλοὶ συνέθεον καὶ ὁ ἐκείνου ἵππος κεκοπιακὼς πρὸς δρόμον ἦν ἄρχρηστος, κυκλοῦν ἐπεχείρουν αὐτοὺς κατὰ πρόσωπον οἱ πολέμιοι. Οἱ δ' ἄμφω σὺν πολλῷ τῷ ῥοίζῳ κατὰ τῶν πολεμίων ὁρμήσαντες δύο μὲν τούτων κατέβαλλον, τοὺς δ' ἄλλους πόρρω φυγεῖν κατηνάγκαζον κἀκ τούτου βραχείας ἀδείας τυχόντες ἀπῄεσαν, ἀλλ' αὖθις οἱ Τοῦρκοι μετὰ πλείστων ἄλλων ὑπέστρεφον καὶ σφοδρῶς ἐπέκειντο τούτοις· οἱ δ' αὖθις ἔδρων τὰ πρότερον καὶ πολλῇ τῇ προθυμίᾳ κατὰ τῶν Τούρκων ἐχώρουν. Ξυνέβη δὲ τούτοις τὰ τῆς προθυμίας οὐκέτι κατὰ τὸ πρότερον, ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν Ἰωάννης ἕνα τῶν Τούρκων καταβαλὼν ἑτέρῳ προσκέκρουκε καὶ ἀμφοῖν οἱ ἵπποι σὺν τοῖς ἐπιβάταις πεπτώκασιν· ὁ δὲ τοῦ βασιλειῶντος υἱὸς ἐν τῷ διώκειν πόρρω γενόμενος καὶ ἕνα τῶν Τούρκων καταβαλών, ἐν μέσοις τοῖς Τούρκοις ἐναπελείφθη καὶ οὐκέθ' οἷός τε ἦν τῷ πατρὶ ξυνελθεῖν, καίτοι πολλὰ πειραθεὶς συμμῖξαι τούτοις. Λαβόντες οὖν ἄδειαν οἱ Τοῦρκοι ἐπῄεσαν κατὰ τοῦ Βρυεννίου σφοδρότερον. Εἷς οὖν αὐτῶν τὸ ξίφος σπασάμενος κατ' ἐκείνου τολμηρότερον ἐξώρμησεν· ὁ δ' ἐπιστραφεὶς παίει τοῦτον τῷ ξίφει καὶ τήν τε χεῖρα ἀπέτεμε καὶ κατὰ γῆς αὐτὴν πεσεῖν σὺν τῷ ἀκινάκῃ παρεσκεύασεν· οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ κυκλοῦν ἐπεχείρουν αὐτόν· ὁ δὲ γενναίως ἠμύνετο. Ἐξορμήσας οὖν κατὰ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν ἐπιόντων πλήττεται δόρατι· ἀσχοληθέντος δ' αὐτοῦ διακόψαι τὸ δόρυ, ὁ πρῶτος τὴν χεῖρα ὑπ' αὐτοῦ ἐκτμηθεὶς Τοῦρκος τοῦ ἵππου καταπηδήσας ἐπιβαίνει τοῖς νώτοις τοῦ Βρυεννίου· ὁ δ' ἐπιστρέφων τὸν ἀκινάκην οὐχ οἷός τε ἦν παίειν αὐτὸν τοῖς νώτοις τούτου κρυπτόμενον. Ἀποβάντες οὖν οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν Τούρκων τῶν ἵππων ἱκέτευον μὴ θνῄσκειν ἐθέλειν αὐτόν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ ξυμπεσὸν ἐνδιδόναι. Ἕως μὲν οὖν αὐτῷ ἡ χεὶρ οὐ κεκοπίακεν, οὐκ ἐνέδωκε παίων τε καὶ παιόμενος· ἐπεὶ δὲ κατάκοπος ἤδη γέγονεν, εἶξε καὶ ἄκων ταῖς τῶν ἐχθρῶν παρακλήσεσι καὶ οὕτω συνέβη τοῦτον ἁλῶναι. 4.14 Λαβόντες οὖν τοῦτον οἱ βάρβαροι μετὰ πλείστης ὅτι τιμῆς πρὸς τὸν Κομνηνὸν ἐχώρουν Ἀλέξιον, κήρυκας ἐκπέμψαντες πρότερον τὴν ἅλωσιν τούτου μηνύσοντας. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν τοῦτον ἐπράχθη τὸν τρόπον· τὸν δὲ τούτου αὐτάδελφον ἐντυχών τις τῶν Φράγγων μετὰ τὸ σύμπτωμα καὶ πεζὸν θεασάμενος ἐπὶ τοῦ ἵππου ἀναβιβάσας διέσωσε μέχρι τῆς Ἀδριανουπόλεως· σέσωσται δὲ καὶ ὁ τούτου υἱὸς διασχὼν τοὺς κυκλώσαντας καὶ οὕτω γενόμενος ἔξω βελῶν, ὃν ἐν τῷ φεύγειν παρήγγειλεν ὁ πατὴρ γενόμενον κατὰ τὴν Ἀδριανοῦ εἰπεῖν πρὸς τὴν μάμμην καὶ τὴν μητέρα, εἴπερ μὴ σωθείη τούτου ὁ ἀδελφός, συλλέξαι τοὺς ἐκ τῆς μάχης διασωθέντας καὶ πεῖσαι μὴ πρότερον βασιλεῖ συνθέσθαι, πρὶν ἂν ἐγγράφους ἐκεῖνον ὁμολογίας ποιῆσαι μηδένα στερῆσαι τῆς προσούσης τούτῳ τιμῆς μηδ' ὑποστῆναι τῶν ὑπαρχόντων ἀφαίρεσιν. Τοῦτο μὲν οὕτω πέπρακτο ὕστερον. 4.15 Τὸν δὲ Βρυέννιον πρὸς τὸν Κομνηνὸν Ἀλέξιον ἀπαχθέντα ἰδών, ἐκεῖνος ἐθαύμασε τό τε εἶδος τοῦ ἀνδρὸς καὶ τὸ μέγεθος καὶ γὰρ ἦν ὄντως ἄξιον τυραννίδος· ἐγεγήθει δὲ ὁρῶν οἵου κατηγωνίσατο στρατηγοῦ, τὴν χεῖρα γενναίου καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τολμηροῦ καὶ στάσιμον ἦθος ἔχοντος· ἡρωϊκὴν γὰρ ἔφερε τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ μή τις οἴοιτό με περιαυτολογοῦντα ταῦτα λέγειν καὶ γράφειν, ἀλλ' ἴστω πάντα λόγον νικώμενον τοῖς τἀνδρὸς κατορθώμασι καὶ ταῖς χάρισι καὶ ταῖς ἀγλαΐαις· εἰ γοῦν μὴ πρὸς ἄλλον σκοπὸν ὁ λόγος ἑώρα, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἐκείνου κατὰ μέρος διεξελθεῖν ἠβουλήθη, ἄλλης ἂν Ἰλιάδος ἐδέησε. Τοῦτον οὖν τὸν ἄνδρα τὸν δεινὸν μὲν ἐν ἀπερισκέπτῳ χρόνῳ τὸ δέον εὑρεῖν, δεινὸν δὲ τάξαι φάλαγγα καὶ καταστρατηγῆσαι πολεμίων ὁ Κομνηνὸς Ἀλέξιος, μήπω τὸν ἴουλον φέρων ἀπαρτισθέντα, ἀλλ' ἔτι χλοάζοντα καὶ χρυσίζονταἦν γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ..... , μετὰ τὴν συμπλοκὴν ἐκείνην καὶ τοὺς γενναίους ἀγῶνας καὶ τὴν ἧτταν νενίκηκεν οὐ πλήθει δυνάμεως, ἀλλὰ καρτερίᾳ καὶ τόλμῃ καὶ μελέτῃ στρατηγικῇ, συνέριθον λαβὼν καὶ τὴν ἄνωθεν πρόνοιαν, δι' ἣν τὰ τέλη κατορθοῦντα τῶν ἐγχειρήσεων. 4.16 Τοῦτον