History
And what i have accurately ascertained from those who saw it, these things i will also commit to writing. 2. just now in the month of november, of the
He commanded that the triremes and the other transport ships should all be brought to anchor in a good harbor, and that they should control the sea, a
War. therefore, having gone around and seen that it was by nature difficult to enter and hard to approach for on the one side it had the sea as a saf
They would be frustrated. and having gone out of the camp, and having overrun a part of the country, when he learned from those who had been taken ali
It was easy to attack by assault, being raised to the greatest possible height, and girded with two trenches dug to a corresponding depth), and the de
Having divided his phalanx into three parts by night, he went against the scythians, and falling upon them suddenly, in a brief moment of time he wrou
Meet them, when i give the signal with the trumpets. such was the exhortation that the general delivered and the army shouted 22 and applauded, and w
6. but nikephoros phokas, the colleague of the aforementioned leo (for it is necessary, having summarized the account, to proceed with the history in
The general, having seen this, spurred his horse, quickened his pace, rode in and restrained the soldiers' onslaught, persuading them not to kill the
Having drawn up an irresistible battle-line, went through the land of the hagarenes. to them, having heard of the attack of nikephoros, it did not see
Was dignified by his rank), was hostilely disposed towards nicephorus. 11. he decided, therefore, to attempt a revolution at once but not having at h
, to proclaim him supreme commander, and to entrust the forces of asia to him, so that he might defend and check the assault of the foreigners. for th
He said, if you are persuaded to take up the rule of the east, i shall quickly declare you emperor, and restore you to the imperial thrones. speak wel
For he was gently nursing his little body), then, recovering again, he said, “speak, most brave one, what need is there to consider this?” but he said
I have assumed the imperial office, but compelled by the necessity of you, the army, and you yourselves bear witness for me that i was both shunning s
Before the report of his proclamation could fly abroad, to seize in advance the straits and passages of the sea. for thus he thought that matters woul
Numbering over three thousand, attacked the house of joseph and his collaborators along with the people. and having subjected these to plunder and pil
Especially the monks), they did not allow the man to persist in what he had decided, but urged him both to embrace marriage and not to shun meat-eatin
Makes it flood in a single hour) emboldened by these things, the barbarians mocked the emperor and insolently hurled insults at him, and making sorti
Having fallen upon it, accomplishing nothing noble or vigorous. and he considered the matter an outright disgrace and insult, and an indelible reproac
Having come to the region around tarsus, there he encamped and having pitched a palisade round about, he ordered the crops and the meadows, luxuriant
Having recovered the standards, which, crafted from gold and stones, the tarsians had captured in various battles while routing the roman force, and h
Of the spectacle, turned to flight and ran back to their own houses. and from the pushing and disorderly rush, no little slaughter occurred, with very
To blow favorably upon them, but blowing against them strongly and fiercely, it has sunk their affairs. but the account will now clearly reveal these
To those acting against the divine ordinance, if somehow at least in this way people, being afraid, would abstain from evil deeds, and would cling to
He had taken a fortress, and having crossed mount lebanon transversely, he turned his attention to tripoli, which he saw was fortified and exceptional
Being obliged to drive them away, and to guard the flocks from harm, they, in addition to not driving them away, themselves cut them down and tear the
Having come, and having been befriended by the ruler of the tauroi, and having corrupted him with gifts and bewitched him with persuasive words (for t
Reconciliation and friendship might be secured. the mysians gladly received the embassy, and putting daughters of the royal blood 80 on wagons (for it
They might do. but as they were already considering rushing to their defense, and to stoutly resist the enemy in close combat, as dawn was brightly br
Boasting to all about his brave deeds in wars. 6. having approached the emperor with these words and, 85 as was likely, having bewitched him (for he s
Having lowered from above, one by one they first pulled up all the conspirators, and then john himself. having come up, therefore, beyond all human su
The vengeance for these things, and to those who were slipping he seemed relentless and burdensome, and oppressive to those wishing to lead an indiffe
At the end of the month of december, during the thirteenth indiction of the six thousand four hundred and seventy-eighth year, a throng of select men,
Having captured him, confines him to amaseia. having therefore from this secured sufficient safety for himself and for his affairs, and having purged
To make amends for what nikephoros had improperly introduced. for nikephoros, whether wishing to correct divine matters that were being disturbed by s
And having found him not very accurately versed in secular education, but most diligently trained in divine and our own, he anoints him patriarch of a
The bosporus, but to pass by moesia, which belongs to the romans, and has from of old been a part of macedonia. for it is said that the moesians, bein
To make replies. for we trust in christ, the immortal god, that if you do not depart from this land, you will be driven from it by us even against you
A disgrace by the raids of the scythians to send out bilingual men dressed in scythian attire into the homesteads and customs of the enemy, so that t
The romans on the one hand shouted for joy, and were strengthened for valor but the scythians, growing cowardly at the new and strange nature of the
2. the emperor, when he learned of such a revolt, was disturbed, as was likely, and having brought up bishop stephen from abydos with wingless speed,
He saw that murders along with the ensuing conspirators were proceeding harshly and inhumanely, he decided to no longer delay or be slothful, so that
Considering into what fortunes the unholy and blood-guilty john has enclosed my family, having mercilessly slain the emperor and my uncle, who was his
Eye, and to learn that these things were red, just as they had been from of old. phocas, considering this prodigy a second evil omen, and seeing also
Immediately, lest it be some ill-omened thing, and destruction befall the pursuing mysians but learning they were fleeing at full speed, he both purs
The russian minds were lifted up in audacity and boldness. therefore, the emperor, not enduring their overweening arrogance and their blatant insolenc
Being given out, and going under the earth by the inscrutable wisdom of the creator and again from the 130 celtic mountains gushing up, and winding t
Should set a phalanx against us, things will not end well for us, but in dreadful perplexity and helplessness. therefore, having strengthened your spi
Is called drista) lingering with his whole force. but in this way kalokyres escaped, and night coming on stopped the romans from battle. and just on t
And they killed up to one hundred and fifty vigorous men. but the emperor, learning of such an event, quickly mounted his horse and urged his follower
But the rest of the multitude he bound in fetters and shut up in prisons. he himself, having gathered the entire host of the tauro-scythians, numberin
1. and just as day was dawning, the emperor fortified the camp with a strong palisade in this manner. a certain low hill of dorystolon rises at a dist
He was courting them with gifts and toasts, encouraging them to proceed vigorously to the wars. 3. while these matters were in suspense, and the battl
He flees to a divine and great sanctuary, seen as a pitiful supplicant instead of a haughty and boastful tyrant. whom the men of the drungarius dragge
Having drowned. for it is said that, being possessed by greek 150 orgies, they perform sacrifices and libations for the dead in the greek manner, havi
On the next day (it was the sixth day of the week, and the twenty-fourth day of the month of july), when the sun was setting, the tauro-scythians, hav
Was being concluded. 10. but the romans, following the divine man who went before, 155 engage with the enemy, and a fierce battle having commenced, th
With purity. at any rate, having conferred a few things about a truce with the emperor, seated beside the rowing-bench of the skiff, he departed. but
Was crossed over. this is the greatest of the rivers cutting through asia, 161 and one of those that flow from eden, as we have learned from the divin
The emperor, as one who abused the power of his leadership for certain powerful men, and did not direct the affairs of the church as was established b
Having assembled forces, and having meticulously armed them, departing from the reigning city, he advanced through palestine, a prosperous land, flowi
The mainland is enclosed by strongholds, stretching upon a certain steep hill on the other side it is surrounded by the sea, putting forth a well-hav
Before until fire-bearing ships were secretly sent out from byzantium by those in power. which bardas parsakoutenos the magistros was leading, and ha
I would have been destroyed, if some divine providence had not led me out of that very danger, which caused me to ride out with speed, before the ravi
Furthermore, the star rising in the west at the setting of the morning star, which, making its risings in the evening, kept no fixed position at one c
Of the city, but already becoming feeble, and suffering from a deep and intractable panting. and having just come to the royal hearth, he was shown to
On the next day (it was the sixth day of the week, and the twenty-fourth day of the month of July), when the sun was setting, the Tauro-Scythians, having come out of the city in full force, chose to risk everything with all their strength, having formed a solid phalanx with locked shields, and having put forward their javelins. The emperor, having drawn up the Romans in battle array, led them out from the camp. And when the battle had now broken out, the Scythians robustly attacked the Romans, doing damage with their javelins, and wounding the horses with their arrows, and casting the riders to the ground. Thereupon Anemas, who had fought bravely the day before and killed Ikmor, seeing Svyatoslav charging furiously and madly against the Romans, and encouraging his own phalanxes, urged his horse past the line (for it was his custom to do this, and he had previously killed very many of the Scythians in such a manner), and giving full rein to his horse, rushed at him, 153 and strikes him on the collarbone with his sword, and casts him down on his face, but did not kill him. For his coat of mail and his shield protected him, which, fearing the Roman spears, he was wearing. But Anemas, having been surrounded by the Scythian phalanx, his horse having been brought down by numerous spear-thrusts, killed many of them, but was himself slaughtered among them, a man inferior to none of his peers in deeds of valor in battle. 9. Therefore, at his fall the Rus, taking heart, raised a loud and savage cry, and pushed the Romans back. And they began to retreat headlong, avoiding the strange onslaught of the Scythians. At this point the emperor, when he perceived that the Roman phalanx was giving way, fearing that, terrified by the strange rush of the Scythians, it might fail at the critical moment, having urged on those around him and wielding his spear vigorously, advanced against the enemy. And the drums were beaten, and the trumpets sounded the battle-cry together. But the Romans, shamed by the emperor's charge, wheeled their horses around, and rushed upon the Scythians with force. And immediately a whirlwind mixed with drizzle was stirred up, and spreading over a great part of the sky, struck the enemy, and the rising dust hurt their eyes. And it is said that a certain man on a white horse appeared, and led the Romans, and urged them on to advance against the Scythians; who, divinely 154 cutting through the enemy's phalanxes, threw them into confusion. They say that no one had seen him in the camp before, nor was he seen again after the battle; although the emperor searched for him, so that he might honor him worthily with gifts, and reward him with recompense on account of his labors. But he was not found when sought for. From this arose the indisputable suspicion, that it was the great martyr Theodore, whom the emperor had fervently prayed to be present as an ally during the struggles, and to deliver and save him together with the whole army. And they say that something like this happened on the evening before the battle. In Byzantium a virgin, one of those consecrated to God, seemed to see in a dream the Theotokos, escorted by certain flame-like men. And she said to them: "Call for me the martyr Theodore." And immediately a noble and youthful man, in arms, was brought forward. And the Theotokos said to him: "Your John at Dorystolon, Lord Theodore, fighting the Scythians, is now hard pressed. But hasten to his aid. For if you do not get there in time, his affairs will end in danger." And he in turn said that he was ready to obey the mother of my God and Lord. And having said this, he immediately departed, and thus the sleep flew from the virgin's eyes. But for the virgin the dream up to this point
ὑστεραίᾳ (ἕκτη δὲ ἦν τῆς ἑβδομάδος ἡμέρα, καὶ εἰκάδα τετάρτην ἤλαυνεν ὁ Ἰούλιος μήν), περὶ καταφορὰν ὄντος ἡλίου, πανσυδὶ
τῆς πόλεως ἐξελθόντες οἱ Ταυροσκύθαι, παντὶ σθένει διακινδυνεύειν ᾑροῦντο, εἰς φάλαγγα καρτερὰν συνασπίσαντες, καὶ προβαλόντες
τοὺς ἄκοντας. Ῥωμαίους δὲ διατάξας ὁ βασιλεὺς ὑπεξῆγε τοῦ χάρακος. ἤδη δὲ τῆς μάχης καταῤῥαγείσης, εὐρώστως οἱ Σκύθαι Ῥωμαίοις
ἐπῄεσαν, τοῖς τε ἀκοντίοις σινόμενοι, καὶ τοῖς βέλεσι τοὺς ἵππους τιτρώσκοντες, καὶ τοὺς ἐπιβάτας εἰς γῆν καταβάλλοντες. ἐνταῦθα
ὁ τῇ προτεραίᾳ ἠριστευκὼς Ἀνεμᾶς καὶ τὸν Ἴκμορον κατακτείνας, τὸν Σφενδοσθλάβον ἰδὼν ἐνθουσιωδῶς κατὰ Ῥωμαίων ὁρμῶντα καὶ
μανικῶς, καὶ τὰς αὑτοῦ ἐπιῤῥωννύοντα φάλαγγας, τὸν ἵππον παρεξελάσας (εἰθισμένον δὲ ἦν αὐτῷ τοῦτο δρᾷν, καὶ πλείστους τῶν
Σκυθῶν τοιούτῳ τρόπῳ ἀνεῖλε τὸ πρότερον), ὅλην ἡνίαν τῷ ἵππῳ ἀνεὶς ὡς αὐτὸν ἴεται, 153 καὶ ξίφει παίει κατὰ τῆς κλειδὸς, καὶ
τὸν μὲν πρηνῆ καταβάλλει, οὐ μὴν κατακτείνει. ἐπήρκεσε γὰρ ὁ ἀλυσιδωτὸς χιτὼν καὶ τὸ σάκος, ἃ, δεδιὼς τὰς Ῥωμαϊκὰς αἰχμὰς,
ἠμφιέννυτο. Ἀνεμᾶς δὲ, πρὸς τῆς τῶν Σκυθῶν κυκλωθεὶς φάλαγγος, τοῦ ἵππου καταβληθέντος συχναῖς τῶν δοράτων βολαῖς, πλείστους
μὲν ἀναιρεῖ τούτων, ἐναποσφάττεται δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς, ἀνὴρ οὐδενὸς τῶν ἡλικιωτῶν ἡττώμενος ἐν τοῖς κατὰ τὰς μάχας ἀνδραγαθήμασιν.
θʹ. Ἐπὶ τῷ τούτου τοίνυν οἱ Ῥῶς ἀναθαῤῥήσαντες πταίσματι, γεγωνόν τι καὶ ἄγριον ἐπηλάλαξαν, καὶ Ῥωμαίους ἀνώθησαν. οἱ δὲ προτροπάδην
ὑπενόστουν, τὴν ἀλλόκοτον ὁρμὴν ἐκκλίνοντες τῶν Σκυθῶν. ἐνταῦθα ὁ βασιλεὺς, ὡς ᾔσθετο κλινομένην τὴν Ῥωμαϊκὴν φάλαγγα, δεδοικὼς,
μὴ καταπτοηθεῖσα τὸ ἀλλόκοτον ὅρμημα τῶν Σκυθῶν, περὶ αὐτὰ πταίσοι τὰ καίρια, τοῖς ἀμφ' αὑτὸν ἐγκελευσάμενος καὶ τὸ δόρυ σθεναρῶς
μεταχειρισάμενος, κατὰ τῶν ἀντιπάλων ἐχώρει. ἐπαταγεῖτο δὲ καὶ τὰ τύμπανα, καὶ τὸ ἐνυάλιον συνεπήχουν αἱ σάλπιγγες. Ῥωμαῖοι
δὲ, τὴν τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος καταιδεσθέντες ὁρμὴν, τοὺς ἵππους περιελίξαντες, μετὰ ῥύμης τοῖς Σκύθαις ἐφώρμησαν. παραυτίκα δὲ
καὶ θύελλα ψεκάδι συμμιγὴς ἀναῤῥιπισθεῖσα, ἐπὶ πολύ τε τοῦ ἀέρος χεθεῖσα, τοὺς δυσμενεῖς ἔβαλλε, καὶ ἡ κόνις ἐγειρομένη τοὺς
αὐτῶν ἔβλαπτεν ὀφθαλμούς. λέγεται δὲ καί τινα λευκόπωλον ἄνδρα φανῆναι, προηγεῖσθαί τε Ῥωμαίων, καὶ τούτοις προτρέπεσθαι,
χωρεῖν κατὰ τῶν Σκυθῶν· ὅστις θεσπεσίως 154 τὰς τῶν δυσμενῶν διακόπτων συνετάραττε φάλαγγας. τοῦτόν φασι μήτε πρότερόν τις
ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ θεάσασθαι, οὔτ' αὖθις μετὰ τὴν μάχην ἑωρακέναι· καίτοι βασιλέως αὐτὸν ἀναψηλαφῶντος, ὡς δωρεαῖς ἐπαξίως φιλοφρονήσαιτο,
καὶ ἀμοιβαῖς ἕκατι τῶν πόνων ἀμείψαιτο. ἀλλ' οὐχ εὑρέθη ζητούμενος. ἐντεῦθεν ἀναμφίλεκτος ὑπόνοια ὑποτρέχει, τὸν μέγαν ἐν
μάρτυσι Θεόδωρον εἶναι, ὃν παρὰ τοὺς ἀγῶνας ὁ βασιλεὺς σύμμαχον ἐξελιπάρει παρίστασθαι , ῥύεσθαί τε καὶ σώζειν συνάμα παντὶ
τῷ στρατεύματι. φασὶ δὲ καὶ τοιοῦτόν τι συμβῆναι παρὰ τὴν πρὸ τῆς μάχης ἑσπέραν. ἐν Βυζαντίῳ παρθένος τῶν ἀνατεθειμένων Θεῷ
καθ' ὕπαρ ὁρᾷν ἐδόκει τὴν θεοτόκον, ὑπό τινων φλογοειδῶν δορυφορουμένην ἀνδρῶν. φάναι δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς· καλέσατε δή μοι τὸν
μάρτυρα Θεόδωρον· παραυτίκα δὲ παραχθῆναι γενναῖον ἄνδρα καὶ νεανικὸν, ἔνοπλον. εἰπεῖν τε πρὸς αὐτὸν τὴν θεοτόκον· ὁ σὸς παρὰ
τὸ ∆ορύστολον Ἰωάννης, κύριε Θεόδωρε, Σκύθαις μαχόμενος, ἄρτι περιστατεῖται δεινῶς. ἀλλ' εἰς τὴν ἐκείνου σπεῦσον βοήθειαν.
εἰ γὰρ μὴ προφθάσῃς, ἐς κίνδυνον αὐτῷ τελευτήσει τὰ πράγματα. τὸν δὲ αὖθις, ἑτοίμως ἔχειν, εἰπεῖν, τῇ μητρὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ δεσπότου
μου πειθαρχεῖν· φάμενος δὲ τοῦτο εὐθὺς οἴχεσθαι, καὶ οὕτω τὸν ὕπνον ἀποπτῆναι τῆς παρθένου τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν. ἀλλὰ τῇ μὲν παρθένῳ
τὸ ὕπαρ ἐς τοῦτο
