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
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 the most formidable of Roman generals, who had been raised to great glory, and the numberless hosts of their armies, and led the manifestly fallen state and the exhausted spirits of the forces under the emperor to a better condition and raised them up. So, some men sent by the emperor met Basilakes between Philippi and Amphipolis and, having handed over the letters from the emperor to Comnenus, led him away to a certain place—Chlempina is its name, where a clear spring also rises—and gouged out his eyes; and since then the spring has been called Basilakes's spring. When Comnenus arrived near Constantinople, the emperor received him with honor, made him a sebastos, and showed him favor with gifts of many possessions. 4.29 At this time, his kinsman, Isaac Comnenus, also returned from Antioch. He, discerning the emperor’s simplicity and how he appreciated fabrics from Syria, by frequently giving such things, attracted the emperor’s favor to such an extent that he gained mastery over many possessions, was appointed a sebastos within a short time, and received a house in the palace in order to remain there; and he made use of him both in judgements and in decisions, for he was keen at hunting out the truth and skilled at reporting what was said clearly; thus, by remaining in the palace he cultivated the emperor’s simplicity and had him hanging entirely on his lips. 4.30 Alexius Comnenus went out again to inspect the affairs of his own province. But having arrived at the city of Adrianople and having spent some days there, and having learned that the Scythian race was arming itself to plunder the Bulgarian borders, he gathered the whole military and all who were among the commanders and leaders and came to the city of Philippi, and from there, having learned concerning the Scythians that they had made a raid and were ravaging the lands between Naissus and Scupi, he marched against them with haste. But as he passed through Sardica, the Scythians, learning of his advance against them, abandoned their plunder and fled with all their might; and having driven them off, he returned from there to Philippi again. And having set the affairs of the country and the cities in good order, in a short time he attracted the goodwill of all, for besides being generous, he also had a charming disposition and was the most pleasant of all men to talk with. Having accomplished these things, he returned to Byzantium and the emperor received him graciously. 4.31 While these things were being done, Nicephorus Melissenus, a man of noble birth, as the account has previously made known, being related by marriage to the Comneni, for he had already married their sister Eudocia, while staying around Cos, drew the Turkish forces and the Turkish leaders to himself, and went about the cities of Asia, having put on the purple sandals. The citizens, therefore, handed over both themselves and their cities to him as to an emperor of the Romans. But he, even unwillingly, handed them over to the Turks, so that it came to pass in a short time and in this manner that the Turks gained mastery of all the cities around Asia and Phrygia and Galatia; at any rate, with a very large army he seized Nicaea in Bithynia and from there laid claim to the empire of the Romans. But Botaneiates, on learning this, summoned Alexius Comnenus and ordered him, with his forces, to cross the Chalcedonian strait and march against that man. But he very prudently refused the campaign against that man; for he feared the emperor’s fickleness and the wickedness and envy of those around him, lest it should happen that he stumble, being much inferior to the Turkish force, and the wicked men, finding an opportunity, should slander him to the emperor as betraying the battle on account of his kinship. The emperor, therefore, since after much urging he could not persuade him, admiring the steadfastness of his resolve, to hand over the forces to
βούλευμα τὰς πολλὰς χέρας νικᾷ", ὃ τότε δι' αὐτῶν τῶν ἐκείνου ἔργων τὴν πίστιν εἴληφεν. Εἷς γὰρ ἄνθρωπος καὶ μία γνώμη τοὺς
δεινοτάτους τῶν στρατηγῶν Ῥωμαίων εἰς μέγα κλέος ἀρθέντας καὶ τὰ μυριόλεκτα πλήθη τῶν στρατευμάτων ἐν βραχεῖ καθεῖλε καιρῷ,
τὸ δὲ προφανῶς πεπτωκὸς πολίτευμα καὶ τὰς ἀπειρηκυίας ψυχὰς τῶν ὑπὸ τὸν βασιλέα δυνάμεων ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον ἤγαγε καὶ ἀνύψωσε.
Τὸν μὲν οὖν Βασιλάκην πεμφθέντες πρὸς βασιλέως τινὲς συναντῶσιν μεταξὺ Φιλίππων καὶ Ἀμφιπόλεως καὶ τὰ ἐκ βασιλέως τῷ Κομνηνῷ
χειρίσαντες γράμματα, περί τι χωρίον ἀπαγαγόντεςΧλεμπίνα τούτῳ τὸ ὄνομα, ἐν ᾧπερ καὶ πηγὴ ἀναδίδοται διειδής, τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς
αὐτοῦ διορύττουσι καὶ ἡ πηγὴ ἔκτοτε Βασιλακίου πηγάδιον ὀνομάζεται. Τὸν δὲ Κομνηνὸν περὶ τὴν Κωνσταντινούπολιν γενόμενον ὁ
βασιλεὺς ἐντίμως δεξάμενος σεβαστὸν τετίμηκε καὶ πολλῶν κτήσεων δωρεαῖς ἐφιλοφρονήσατο. 4.29 Ἐν τούτῳ δ' ἐπανῆκεν ἐκ τῆς Ἀντιοχέων
καὶ ὁ τούτου ὁμαίμων ὁ Κομνηνὸς Ἰσαάκιος, ὃς τὴν βασιλέως ἁπλότητα διαγνοὺς καὶ ὡς χάριν ἔχει τῶν ἐκ Συρίας ὑφασμάτων, συχνάκις
τοιαῦτα διδοὺς τοσοῦτον τὴν βασιλέως ἐπεσπάσατο εὔνοιαν ὡς καὶ κτήσεων κατακυριεῦσαι πολλῶν καὶ σεβαστὸν ἀποδειχθῆναι διὰ
χρόνου βραχέος καὶ οἰκίαν ἐν βασιλείοις λαβεῖν ἐπὶ τὸ προσμένειν· ἐχρῆτο δ' αὐτῷ κἀν ταῖς κρίσεσι κἀν ταῖς ἀποφάσεσι, καὶ
γὰρ ἦν ὀξύς τε θηρᾶσαι ἀλήθειαν καὶ τὸ ῥηθὲν ἀπαγγεῖλαι τρανῶς ἐπιτήδειος· οὕτως τοῖς βασιλείοις προσμένων τὴν βασιλέως ἁπλότητα
ἐθεράπευε καὶ ὅλως εἶχε τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ χείλεσιν ἐκκρεμάμενον. 4.30 Ὁ Κομνηνὸς δ' Ἀλέξιος ἐξῄει αὖθις ἐπὶ τὸ τὰ τῆς οἰκείας ἀρχῆς
ἐπισκέψασθαι. Πρὸς τὴν Ἀδριανοῦ δὲ πόλιν γενόμενος καὶ ἡμέρας ἐκεῖσε ἐνδιατρίψας τινὰς καὶ μαθὼν ὅτι τὸ Σκυθικὸν γένος ἐξωπλίζετο
ὥστε τὰ Βουλγάρων ληΐσασθαι ὅρια, τὸ στρατιωτικὸν ἅπαν συλλέξας καὶ ὅσον ἐν ἡγεμόσι καὶ ἄρχουσι πρὸς τὴν Φιλίππου παρεγένετο
πόλιν, κἀκεῖθεν τὰ περὶ τοὺς Σκύθας πυθόμενος ὡς ἐκδραμόντες τὰ μεταξὺ Ναϊσοῦ καὶ Σκούπων πορθοῦσι χωρία, σπουδαίως κατ' ἐκείνων
ἐχώρει. Παρελθόντος δ' ἐκείνου τὴν Σαρδικήν, οἱ Σκύθαι τὴν ἐκείνου κατ' αὐτῶν πυθόμενοι ἔλευσιν, τὴν λείαν καταλιπόντες, ἔφευγον
καθάπερ εἶχον δυνάμεως· ἀπελάσας δὲ τούτους, ἐκεῖθεν πρὸς τὴν Φιλίππου αὖθις ἐπάνεισι καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὴν χώραν εὖ διαθέμενος
καὶ τὰς πόλεις ἐν βραχεῖ καιρῷ τὴν ἁπάντων εὔνοιαν ἐπεσπάσατο, καὶ γὰρ ἦν πρὸς τῷ ἐλευθερίῳ καὶ ἐπαγωγὸν ἦθος ἔχων ὁμιλῆσαί
τε πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἡδύτατος. Ταῦτα διαπραξάμενος ἐπανῆκε πρὸς τὸ Βυζάντιον καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς χαριέντως αὐτὸν ὑπεδέχετο. 4.31
Ἐν ὅσῳ δὲ ταῦτα ἐπράττετο, ὁ Μελισσηνὸς Νικηφόρος, ἀνὴρ εὐγενής, ὡς ὁ λόγος ἐγνώρισεν ἄνωθεν, ἐκ κήδους ὢν ᾠκειωμένος τοῖς
Κομνηνοῖς, καὶ γὰρ ἔφθη συναφθῆναι τὴν τούτων ἀδελφὴν Εὐδοκίαν, περὶ τὴν Κῶ διατρίβων, τὰς Τούρκων δυνάμεις καὶ τοὺς Τούρκων
ἄρχοντας ἑλκύσας πρὸς ἑαυτόν, περιῄει τὰς τῆς Ἀσίας πόλεις, τὰ κοκκοβαφῆ ὑποδησάμενος πέδιλα. Οἱ γοῦν πολῖται ὡς βασιλεῖ Ῥωμαίων
σφᾶς τε αὐτοὺς καὶ τὰς πόλεις αὐτῷ παρεδίδουν. Ὁ δὲ καὶ ἄκων τοῖς Τούρκοις ἐνεχείριζεν, ὡς συμβῆναι διὰ βραχέος καιροῦ κἀκ
τούτου τοῦ τρόπου πασῶν τῶν περὶ τὴν Ἀσίαν τε καὶ Φρυγίαν καὶ τὴν Γαλατίαν πόλεων κατακυριεῦσαι τοὺς Τούρκους· ξὺν στρατεύματι
γοῦν πλείστῳ τὴν ἐν Βιθυνίᾳ Νίκαιαν καταλαμβάνει κἀκεῖθεν τῆς βασιλείας ἀντεποιεῖτο Ῥωμαίων. Ὁ Βοτανειάτης δὲ ταῦτα πυθόμενος
τὸν Κομνηνὸν μετεκαλεῖτο Ἀλέξιον καὶ ἐκέλευε τοῦτον σὺν ταῖς δυνάμεσι τὸν πορθμὸν διαπεραιωθέντα τὸν Χαλκηδόνιον κατ' ἐκείνου
στρατεύειν. Ὁ δ' ἀπελέγετο τὴν κατ' ἐκείνου στρατείαν συνετῶς ἄγαν· ἐδεδίει γὰρ τὴν βασιλέως κουφότητα καὶ τὴν τῶν περὶ αὐτὸν
πονηρίαν ὁμοῦ καὶ τὸν φθόνον, μή ποτε τοῦτον προσπταῖσαι ξυμβαίη κατὰ πολὺ τῆς τῶν Τούρκων δυνάμεως ἐλαττούμενον καὶ οἱ πονηροὶ
λαβὴν εὑρόντες διαβάλωσι τοῦτον πρὸς βασιλέα ὡς διὰ τὸ κῆδος προδιδόντα τὴν μάχην. Ὁ βασιλεὺς τοίνυν, ἐπεὶ πολλὰ παρακαλέσας
τοῦτον οὐκ ἔπειθεν, ἀγασθεὶς τὸ τούτου στερρὸν τοῦ φρονήματος τὰς δυνάμεις παραδιδόναι τῷ
