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he invaded Mysia, and both otherwise ravaged it and took Diampolis by assault; and having sacked it, he returned to his own land. But Michael, after the sixtieth day of the emperor's invasion, also invaded the land of the Romans in turn. And having come into Odrysoi, he took the town called Boukelou by treachery, as the guards betrayed it at night; and he encamped in it, doing no harm. But the emperor, while staying in Didymoteichon, when he learned of the invasion, came to Adrianople with speed, and there he gathered the army in order to fight the Mysians. And Michael, encamped in Boukelou, was also making preparations, summoning an army from his own land. And a few days later, having encamped around the town of Probatou, which was also nearby, he besieged it. Thus then they were encamped against each other for thirty days, preparing for battle. But when everything was already prepared and it was necessary to advance, the emperor sent an embassy to Michael, and said that he thought he had forgotten both the oaths and the treaties, 1.325 which were made when they met at Tzernomianou, and for this reason had first invaded the land of the Romans and started the war, but that he himself both remembered the treaties and was abiding by the agreements. but being wronged and plotted against beforehand he was defending himself, and was entering into the war unwillingly, on the one hand, because the army on both sides is of the same religion, and they ought to advance not against each other, but with each other against the barbarians who are impious concerning God; on the other hand, because he, being the husband of his own sister, would not wish to have him as an enemy, but as a friend. except if he would give back the town, which he holds having taken it by treachery; but if he would not give it back, having placed the cross which he had previously sent to him upon the standard, he will come against him. But Michael in turn also sent an embassy to the emperor, saying that he was a child of his father in the same way as his sister. Therefore, it was fitting that, while he possessed the entire paternal dominion, his sister also, according to the principle of justice, should inherit some portion of the paternal estate. And the emperor said that he very much wished this, and to grant not only the town of Boukelou but also other cities to him as one who also shared in the paternal inheritance; except according to the law that has prevailed among the Romans from of old. And this is, that of the emperor's children the one who is first in age is both proclaimed emperor and rules the others, while the other brothers are to both submit to the first and serve him strictly. 1.326 If therefore it was pleasing to him, according to this prevailing law of the Romans, to both be and be called a servant of the emperor, he himself was ready to grant to him both cities and lands, as to one who is under his own rule. But Michael, since he too was encamped nearby, making his replies after a short time, said it was not fitting for him, also being a king, to be under another king; but if he wished to get back the town of Boukelou, he should give Sozopolis on the Euxine Sea, a populous and great city, in exchange for it. But the emperor at that time answered nothing, but ordered the envoys to receive rest in the camp; but on the next day at dawn he ordered the entire army to arm itself. And all were in arms, not only they themselves splendidly and magnificently adorned, but also the horses, some with breastplates made of leather, others with chain-mail. And it was possible to see the Roman army most lavishly equipped not only on account of its arms and horses, but also in number, the likes of which had not been assembled in one place for a long time. For the entire army from the west was present, both Macedonians and Thracians, and as many as were from the subject cities of the Romans in the east; and from Byzantium itself not only cavalry, but also many infantry, both hoplites and light-armed archers. But when they had been drawn up in phalanxes as for battle, the emperor, having summoned the envoys of the Mysians, said, "You see my army, 1.327 how it has been prepared for battle; but when you have departed

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εἰσέβαλεν εἰς τὴν Μυσίαν, καὶ τἄλλα τε ἐκάκωσεν αὐτὴν καὶ ∆ιάμπολιν εἷλεν ἐξ ἐφόδου· καὶ πορθήσας αὐτὴν, ἐπανέζευξεν εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν. ὁ Μιχαὴλ δὲ μετὰ ἑξηκοστὴν ἡμέραν τῆς βασιλέως εἰσβολῆς πάλιν καὶ αὐτὸς εἰσέβαλεν εἰς τὴν Ῥωμαίων. καὶ γενόμενος ἐν Ὀδρυσοῖς, τὸ Βουκέλου προσαγορευόμενον πόλισμα εἷλε προδοσίᾳ, τῶν φυλάκων νυκτὸς καταπροδόντων· καὶ ἐστρατοπέδευσεν ἐν αὐτῷ ἀδικήσας μηδέν. βασιλεὺς δὲ ∆ιδυμοτείχῳ ἐνδιατρίβων, ἐπεὶ ἐπύθετο τὴν εἰσβολὴν, εἰς Ἀδριανούπολιν ἦλθε κατὰ τάχος, κἀκεῖ συνήθροιζε τὴν στρατιὰν ὡς μαχούμενος Μυσοῖς. καὶ ὁ Μιχαὴλ ἐν Βουκέλου ἐστρατοπεδευμένος, παρεσκευάζετο καὶ αὐτὸς, ἐκ τῆς οἰκείας στρατιὰν μεταπεμπόμενος. καὶ ὕστερον ἡμέραις ὀλίγαις τὸ Προβάτου καὶ αὐτὸ πόλισμα ἐγγὺς ὂν περιστρατοπεδευσάμενος ἐπολιόρκει. οὕτω μὲν οὖν ἀλλήλοις ἀντεστρατοπεδεύοντο ἐπὶ τριάκοντα ἡμέραις ἐξαρτυόμενοι τὰ πρὸς τὴν μάχην. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἤδη πάντα ἐπεπόριστο καὶ ἔδει ἐπιέναι, πρεσβείαν πέμψας ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς Μιχαὴλ, οἴεσθαι ἔλεγεν ἐπιλελῆσθαι αὐτὸν τῶν τε ὅρκων καὶ τῶν συνθηκῶν, 1.325 οἳ ἐγένοντο αὐτοῖς συγγενομένοις ἐν Τζερνομιάνου, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τῇ τε Ῥωμαίων πρῶτον ἐσβεβληκέναι καὶ τὸν πόλεμον κεκινηκέναι, αὐτὸν δὲ μεμνῆσθαί τε τῶν συνθηκῶν καὶ ἐμμένειν ταῖς σπονδαῖς. ἀδικούμενον δὲ καὶ προεπιβουλευόμενον ἀμύνεσθαι, καὶ ἄκοντα ἐς τὸν πόλεμον καθίστασθαι, τοῦτο μὲν, ὅτι καὶ ἡ ἑκατέρωθεν στρατιὰ τῆς αὐτῆς εἰσι θρησκείας, οὓς οὐ πρὸς ἀλλήλους, ἀλλὰ μετ' ἀλλήλων ἔδει τοῖς ἀσεβοῦσι περὶ τὸν θεὸν βαρβάροις ἐπιέναι· τοῦτο δ', ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸν ἀδελφῆς ὄντα σύνοικον τῆς ἑαυτοῦ οὐ βούλοιτο πολέμιον, ἀλλὰ φίλον ἔχειν. πλὴν ἐὰν τὸ πόλισμα ἀποδῷ, ὃ λαβὼν ἔχει προδοσίᾳ· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀποδιδῷ, τὸν σταυρὸν, ὃν πρότερον πέπομφε πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἐπὶ τῆς σημαίας ἀναθεὶς, ἐλεύσεται ἐπ' αὐτόν. ὁ Μιχαὴλ δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἀντεπρεσβεύετο πρὸς βασιλέα, τὸν ἴσον τρόπον αὐτόν τε εἶναι τοῦ σφετέρου παῖδα πατρὸς καὶ τὴν αὐτοῦ ἀδελφήν. προσήκειν οὖν αὐτὸν τὴν πατρῴαν ἔχοντα πᾶσαν ἀρχὴν, καὶ τὴν ἀδελφὴν κατὰ τὸν τοῦ δικαίου λόγον μέρους τινὸς τῶν πατρῴων κληρονομεῖν. ὁ βασιλεὺς δὲ καὶ πάνυ βούλεσθαι τοῦτο ἔφη, καὶ μὴ μόνον τὸ Βουκέλου πόλισμα, ἀλλὰ καὶ πόλεις ἑτέρας ὡς τοῦ πατρῴου κλήρου καὶ αὐτῷ συμμετέχοντι παρασχεῖν· πλὴν κατὰ τὸν ἄνωθεν ἐπικρατήσαντα Ῥωμαίοις νόμον. οὗτος δέ ἐστι, τὸ τῶν παίδων βασιλέως τὸν μὲν προήκοντα τῷ χρόνῳ βασιλέα τε ἀναγορεύεσθαι καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἄρχειν, τοὺς δ' ἄλλους ἀδελφοὺς ὑπείκειν τε τῷ πρώτῳ καὶ δουλεύειν ἀκριβῶς. 1.326 εἰ οὖν ἀρεστὸν αὐτῷ κατὰ τὸν ἐπικρατήσαντα τουτονὶ Ῥωμαίων νόμον, δούλῳ καὶ εἶναι καὶ ὀνομάζεσθαι βασιλέως, καὶ αὐτὸς ἕτοιμος εἶναι ὡς ὑπὸ τὴν οἰκείαν ἀρχὴν τελοῦντι καὶ πόλεις καὶ χώρας παρασχεῖν. Μιχαὴλ δὲ ἐπεὶ ἐγγὺς ἐστρατοπεδεύετο καὶ αὐτὸς, δι' ὀλίγου τὰς ἀποκρίσεις ποιούμενος, οὐκ ἔφη προσήκειν καὶ αὐτῷ βασιλεῖ ὄντι, ὑφ' ἕτερον βασιλέα τελεῖν· ἀλλ' εἰ βούλοιτο τὸ Βουκέλου πόλισμα ἀπολαβεῖν, τὴν Σωζόπολιν κατὰ τὸν Εὔξεινον Πόντον πολυάνθρωπον οὖσαν καὶ μεγάλην πόλιν ἀντ' ἐκείνου δοῦναι. βασιλεὺς δὲ τότε μὲν ἀπεκρίνατο οὐδὲν, ἀλλ' ἐκέλευσε τοὺς πρέσβεις εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον ἀναπαύλης τυχεῖν· εἰς τὴν ὑστεραίαν δὲ ἅμα ἕῳ τὴν στρατιὰν ἐκέλευσεν ὁπλίσασθαι πᾶσαν. καὶ ἦσαν ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις πάντες, οὐ μόνον αὐτοὶ λαμπρῶς καὶ διαπρεπῶς κεκοσμημένοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἵπποι, οἱ μὲν θώραξιν ἐκ βύρσης πεποιημένοις, οἱ δὲ ἁλυσειδωτοῖς. καὶ ἦν ἰδεῖν οὐ μόνον ὅπλων καὶ ἵππων ἕνεκα πολυτελῶς μάλιστα παρεσκευασμένην τὴν Ῥωμαίων στρατιὰν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλήθει, ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῦ χρόνου οὔπω ἄχρι καὶ τότε τοσαύτην συνελθοῦσαν εἰς ἕν. ἥ τε γὰρ ἐκ τῆς ἑσπέρας πᾶσα παρῆν καὶ Μακεδόνες καὶ Θρᾷκες, καὶ ὅσοι ἐκ τῶν κατὰ τὴν ἕω τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις ὑπηκόων πόλεων ἦσαν· καὶ ἐκ Βυζαντίου δὲ αὐτοῦ οὐ μόνον ἱππεῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ πεζὸς πολὺς, ὁπλῖταί τε καὶ τοξόται ψιλοί. ἐπεὶ δὲ κατὰ φάλαγγας ὡς ἐς μάχην παρετάξαντο, τοὺς Μυσῶν μεταπεμψάμενος πρέσβεις ὁ βασιλεὺς, «τὴν μὲν στρατιὰν 1.327 ὁρᾶτε τὴν ἐμὴν» ἔφη «ὡς παρεσκεύασται πρὸς μάχην· ἀπελθόντες δὲ