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as has often been said, for battle with those who stood against him. Therefore, knowing that they went out for plunder at sunrise, summoning Tatikios, of whom the account has made mention in many places, he commanded him to take with him both the so-called brave ones of the young men and the chosen ones from among his more intimate attendants and all the Latins, and around dawn to rouse themselves and watch for the Scythian raids so that whenever they should perceive that the Scythians going out for plunder were far from their own camp, then to give them full rein against them. And he, having done as he was commanded, killed three hundred, and took a considerable number captive. 7.7.4 What happened next? The elite horsemen sent by Flanders, about five hundred, arrived, bringing him a gift of one hundred and fifty choice horses; but also as many as they had beyond their own present need they sold to him for a price. The emperor, receiving them worthily, returned ample thanks. And when news arrived from the east that he who garrisoned Nicaea was already arming, whom the custom of the Persians calls satrap, but the Turks, who now hold the opinions of the Persians, name him emir, that is, Apelchasem, against Nicomedia, he sent these men to guard the country.

7.8.1 At that time Tzachas, having been assured of the emperor's manifold trouble in the west and his frequent wars with the Patzinaks, finding the opportunity, considered it necessary to acquire a fleet. And happening upon a certain Smyrnaean, he entrusted to him the building of the pirate ships, as he had much experience in such matters. Having built many ships somewhere there, and in addition forty decked agrária, and having embarked experienced men in them, he loosed the stern-cables and anchored at Clazomenae and captured it by assault. And from there going to Phocaea he took this also by storm. And from there he sent to the curator entrusted with the administration of Mitylene, Alopos, and threatened all terrible things if he did not quickly depart from there, saying that he was concerned for him and for this reason was forewarning him of the terrible things that would happen to him if he did not leave. But he, terrified by the threats of Tzachas, embarked on a ship by night and sought the capital city. When Tzachas learned this, he was no longer for delays, but immediately went and captured Mitylene by assault. 7.8.2 Since Methymna, situated near the promontory of this island, had not submitted to Tzachas, the emperor, learning of this, immediately sent a sufficient force by ships and fortified it. Tzachas, however, took no account of Methymna, but sailing straight for Chios, he captured this also by assault. When the emperor learned this, he sent against him a sufficient fleet with a good number of soldiers, appointing Niketas Kastamonites as their commander. But he went out and, joining battle with Tzachas, was immediately defeated, and Tzachas took away many of the ships that accompanied him. 7.8.3 The emperor, having been informed of what had happened to Kastamonites, equipped another fleet, appointing as its duke Constantine Dalassenos, a most warlike man and related to him on his mother's side. Who, arriving at the shore of Chios, immediately took to besieging the castle, fighting eagerly and hastening to take the city before Tzachas could arrive from Smyrna. Therefore, by striking the fortifications with many siege engines and stone-throwing machines, he brought down the wall between the two towers. The Turks inside, seeing what had happened and knowing that the Romans were irresistible in their assaults, called upon the Lord of all for mercy

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πολλάκις εἴρη ται, πρὸς μάχην τοῖς ἀντικαθισταμένοις. Τοιγαροῦν γινώσκων αὐτοὺς κατὰ τὰς αὐγὰς ἡλίου εἰς προνομὴν ἐξερχομένους μετακαλεσάμενος τὸν Τατίκιον, οὗ ὁ λόγος ἐν πολλοῖς ἐμέμνητο, ἐνετείλατο συμπαραλαβεῖν μεθ' ἑαυ τοῦ τούς τε καλουμένους ἠνδρειωμένους τῶν ἀγούρων καὶ τῶν περὶ τὴν θεραπείαν αὐτοῦ οἰκειοτέρων τοὺς λογάδας καὶ τοὺς Λατίνους ἅπαντας, καὶ κατὰ τὸ περίορθρον τὰς Σκυθικὰς ἐκδρομὰς διυπνισθέντας τηρεῖν ὥσθ' ὁπηνίκα τοὺς Σκύθας εἰς προνομὴν ἐξιόντας τῆς ἰδίας πόρρω γενέσθαι παρεμβολῆς στοχάσοιντο, κατ' αὐτῶν τηνικαῦτα ὅλους ῥυτῆρας ἐνδοῦναι. Ὁ δὲ κατὰ τὸ ἐντεταλμένον πεποιηκὼς κτείνει μὲν τριακοσίους, ἱκανοὺς δὲ καὶ ζω γρίαν ἄγει. 7.7.4 Τί τὸ ἐντεῦθεν; Καταλαμβάνουσιν οἱ παρὰ τοῦ Φλάντρα ἀποσταλέντες ἱππεῖς ἔκκριτοι ὡσεὶ πεντακό σιοι χάρισμα κομίζοντες τούτῳ ἵππους ἐκκρίτους τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἑκατὸν πρὸς τοῖς πεντήκοντα· ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅσους τῆς προκειμένης αὐτοῖς χρείας εἶχον ἐπέκεινα ἀποδεδώκασι τούτῳ τιμῆς. Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἀξίως δεξιωσάμενος τούτους ἱκανὰς ἀπεδίδου τὰς χάριτας. Ἀγγελίας δὲ ἐκ τῆς ἑῴας καταλαβούσης ὅσον ἤδη ὁπλίζεσθαι τὸν τὴν Νίκαιαν φρουροῦντα, ὃν ἡ συνήθεια μὲν τῶν Περσῶν σατράπην ἀποκαλεῖ, οἱ δὲ νῦν τὰ Περσῶν φρονοῦντες Τοῦρκοι ἀμη ρὰν ὀνομάζουσι, τὸν Ἀπελχασήμ, κατὰ τῆς Νικομήδους, ἀποστέλλει τούτους πρὸς φυλακὴν τῆς χώρας.

7.8.1 Τότε δὴ καὶ ὁ Τζαχᾶς τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως περὶ τὴν δύσιν πολυσχιδῆ ὄχλησιν καὶ τοὺς τῶν Πατζινάκων μετ' αὐτοῦ συχνοὺς πολέμους βεβαιωθεὶς εὐκαιρίαν εὑρὼν δέον ἐλογίσατο στόλον κτήσασθαι. Σμυρναίῳ δέ τινι ἐντυ χὼν τὴν κτίσιν αὐτῷ τῶν λῃστρικῶν ἀνέθετο πλοίων ὡς περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐμπειρίαν πολλὴν ἔχοντι. Αὐτοῦ που δὲ πολλὰς κατασκευάσας ναῦς, πρὸς δὲ καὶ τεσσαράκοντα ἀγράρια σκεπαστὰ καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἄνδρας εἰσαγαγὼν ἐμπεί ρους λύσας τὰ πρυμνήσια προσώρμισε ταῖς Κλυζομεναῖς καὶ ἐξ ἐφόδου ταύτας κατέσχεν. Ἐκεῖθεν δὲ εἰς Φώκαιαν ἀπελθὼν εἷλε καὶ ταύτην ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς. Κἀκεῖθεν ἀποστεί λας πρὸς τὸν τὴν διοίκησιν Μιτυλήνης ἐμπεπιστευμένον κουράτωρα τὸν Ἀλωπὸν πάνδεινα ἠπειλήσατο, εἰ μὴ θᾶττον ἐκεῖθεν ἀπέλθοι, κήδεσθαί τε αὐτοῦ λέγων καὶ διὰ τοῦτο προμηνύειν τὰ μέλλοντα τούτῳ ἔσεσθαι δεινά, εἰ μὴ ἐκεῖθεν ἐκσταίη. Ὁ δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν τοῦ Τζαχᾶ ἀπειλῶν ἐκδει ματωθεὶς νυκτὸς εἰς ναῦν εἰσελθὼν τὴν βασιλεύουσαν ἀνεζήτησε. Τοῦτο δὲ μεμαθηκὼς ὁ Τζαχᾶς οὐκέτ' ἐν ἀναβολαῖς ἦν, ἀλλὰ παραχρῆμα ἀπελθὼν ἐξ ἐφόδου τὴν Μιτυλήνην κατέσχεν. 7.8.2 Ἐπεὶ δ' ἡ Μήθυμνα περὶ τὸ ἄκρον ταυτησὶ τῆς νήσου διακειμένη οὐ προσεληλύθει τῷ Τζαχᾷ, ὁ βασιλεὺς περὶ τούτου πυθόμενος παραχρῆμα διὰ πλοίων ἀποστείλας ἀποχρῶσαν δύναμιν κατωχυρώσατο ταύτην. Ὁ μέντοι Τζαχᾶς οὐδένα λόγον τῆς Μηθύμνης ἐποιήσατο, ἀλλ' εὐθὺ τῆς Χίου τὸν ἀπόπλουν ποιησάμενος ἐξ ἐφόδου κατέσχε καὶ ταύτην. Ὅπερ ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ μεμα θηκὼς πέμπει κατ' αὐτοῦ στόλον ἀποχρῶντα μετὰ στρα τιωτῶν ἱκανῶν ἡγεμόνα τούτων καταστησάμενος Νικήταν τὸν Κασταμονίτην. Ὁ δὲ ἀπελθὼν καὶ τὸν μετὰ τοῦ Τζαχᾶ συνάρας πόλεμον ἡττᾶται παραχρῆμα, καὶ πολλὰς τῶν συνεπαγομένων αὐτῷ νηῶν ὁ Τζαχᾶς ἀφείλετο. 7.8.3 Τοῦ συμβάντος δὲ τῷ Κασταμονίτῃ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐν εἰδήσει γενό μενος ἕτερον ἐξοπλίζει στόλον ἐπιστήσας δοῦκα τούτου Κωνσταντῖνον τὸν ∆αλασσηνόν, ἄνδρα μαχιμώτατον καὶ μητρόθεν τούτῳ προσήκοντα. Ὃς κατὰ τὴν ᾐόνα τῆς Χίου γενόμενος παραχρῆμα τῆς τοῦ κάστρου πολιορκίας εἴχετο ἐκθύμως μαχόμενος καὶ σπεύδων τὴν πόλιν ἑλεῖν πρὸ τοῦ τὸν Τζαχᾶν ἀπὸ τῆς Σμύρνης καταλαβεῖν. ∆ιὰ πολλῶν οὖν ἑλεπόλεων καὶ πετροβόλων ὀργάνων πλήξας τὰ τείχη καθαιρεῖ τὸ μεταξὺ τεῖχος τῶν δυεῖν πύργων. Οἱ δὲ ἐντὸς Τοῦρκοι θεασάμενοι τὸ γεγονὸς καὶ ἐγνωκότες, ὡς ἀνυπόστατοι ταῖς ὁρμαῖς οἱ Ῥωμαῖοί εἰσιν, εἰς ἔλεον τὸν τῶν ἁπάντων ἐπεκαλοῦντο Κύριον