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
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 pretended not to see him, as if testing him; but when that man recognized Palaiologos and called him more loudly, since he saw the Turks approaching, he decided it was necessary not to play the scene any longer and approaching him, looking elsewhere he would call out: "Who has seen Kontostephanos?"; But he called out more loudly, calling this man. Going therefore to him and ordering him to mount the horse which he had brought for him, he returned with him. And arriving where Palaiologos had left the eunuch, entrusting him to his own servants, they took him along and went down together to Helenopolis and from there entered the city with the remaining army. 4.40 But the most deceitful eunuch, forgetting everything and as if he had suffered the most shameful things from Palaiologos, immediately wrote against him and Kourtikes to the emperor; and while entering the great city, Kourtikes said such things to Palaiologos: "We shall certainly see how many evils this eunuch will show towards us." Therefore, when they reached the gates of the palace, the eunuch, going in first, whispered to the gatekeeper to close the entrance to them; and he immediately carried out the order and, pushing Palaiologos, closed the entrance. From then on, at any rate, in return for the good things he had experienced, he did not cease plotting against him and in every way planning his destruction.
θεράποντας μεθ' ἑτέρου τινὸς τῶν αὐτοῦ θεραπόντων ἔνθα τὸν Κοντοστέφανον ἔσεσθαι ἔλεγον ἀπῄει καὶ θεασάμενος αὐτὸν πόρρωθεν
φωνοῦντα, περικαλύπτων τὴν κεφαλήν, ὑπεκρίθη μὴ ὁρᾶν αὐ τόν, δοκιμάζοντος οἷον· ἐκείνου δὲ τὸν Παλαιολόγον γνωρίσαντος καὶ
μᾶλλον αὐτὸν ἀνακαλουμένου, ἐπεὶ τοὺς Τούρκους πλησιάζοντας ἐθεάσατο, δεῖν ἔγνω μὴ ἐπὶ πλέον τὴν σκηνὴν ὑποκρίνεσθαι καὶ πλησιάζων
αὐτῷ ἑτέρωθι βλέπων ἐφώνει· "Ποῖος τὸν Κοντοστέφανον ἐθεάσατο"; Ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ πλέον ἐφώνει τοῦτον ἀνακαλούμενος. Ἀπελθὼν οὖν εἰς
αὐτὸν καὶ κελεύσας ἐποχηθῆναι εἰς ὃν αὐτῷ ἐκόμισεν ἵππον ὑπέστρεψε σὺν αὐτῷ. Καταλαβόντες δὲ ἔνθα ὁ Παλαιολόγος τὸν εὐνοῦχον
κατέλιπε παραδοὺς τοῖς ἰδίοις οἰκέταις, συμπαραλαβόντες αὐτὸν κατήλθοσαν ἅμα εἰς Ἑλενούπολιν κἀκεῖθεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν εἰσῄεσαν
μετὰ τοῦ καταλειφθέντος στρατεύματος. 4.40 Ὁ δὲ δολιώτατος εὐνοῦχος ἁπάντων ἐπιλαθόμενος καὶ ὥσπερ τὰ αἴσχιστα παθὼν παρὰ
τοῦ Παλαιολόγου κατ' αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦ Κουρτίκη πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα εὐθὺς ἔγραφεν· ἐν δὲ τῷ εἰσέρχεσθαι εἰς τὴν μεγαλόπολιν τοιαῦτα
ὁ Κουρτίκης πρὸς τὸν Παλαιολόγον ἔλεγεν· "Ὀψόμεθα πάντως ὅσα κακὰ ὁ ἐκτομίας οὗτος πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐνδείξεται". Φθασάντων οὖν πρὸς
τὰς πύλας τοῦ παλατίου, προεισελθὼν ὁ εὐνοῦχος προσεψιθύρισε τῷ πυλωρῷ ὥστε ἀποκλεῖσαι τούτοις τὴν εἴσοδον· ὁ δ' εὐθὺς τὸ
προσταττόμενον ἐπλήρου καὶ ὠθήσας τὸν Παλαιολόγον ἀποκλείει τὴν εἴσοδον. Ἔκτοτε γοῦν ἀνθ' ὧν ἐπεπόνθει ἀγαθῶν οὐκ ἐνεδίδου
κατ' αὐτοῦ τυρεύων καὶ παντοίως τὴν αὐτοῦ ἀπώλειαν μελετῶν.
