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he sent fifty scouts to report to him quickly, when the fleet of Dalassenos was hastening to cast off its stern-cables, and from there he summoned Dalassenos, as if wishing to ask him about peace, having completely despaired, I think, in view of the noble and daring spirit of Dalassenos. But he announced to Tzachas that he would come out to the edge of the camp the next day to listen and to speak on whatever matters they might both agree. 7.8.7 Nor did the barbarian refuse this, but in the morning both generals came to the same place. And Tzachas began the conversation, calling him by name: “Know that I am that youth who long ago, while overrunning Asia and fighting fiercely, was deceived out of inexperience and captured by that Alexander Kabalikas. And from there, having been brought as a captive by him to the emperor Nikephoros Botaneiates, I was immediately honored with the rank of protonobelissimos and, having been deemed worthy of great gifts, I pledged servitude to him. But from the time that Alexios Komnenos girded himself with the reins of the empire, all these things have been cut off. And so I have now come to declare the cause of my enmity. Let the emperor also learn these things, and if he should wish the enmity that has sprung up to be resolved, let all that I was deprived of, which I ought to have received, be restored to me in full. And if it seems good to you that our children also be joined in marriage, let a written agreement about this be set before us, as is the custom for the Romans and for us barbarians. And then, when all the things already mentioned have been accomplished, I will return through you to the emperor all the islands which I myself overran and took from Roman power and, having fulfilled my treaty with him, I will return to my own country.” 7.8.8 But Dalassenos, considering these things a pretext, since he had long known the treacherous character of the Turks, for the time being put off the fulfillment of the requests, at the same time revealing the suspicion he had about him and saying, “Neither will you, as you said, hand over the islands to me, nor can I, without the emperor’s consent, agree to what you seek from him and from me. But since the great doux John, the emperor’s brother-in-law, is even now arriving with the entire fleet, bringing with him many forces from land and sea, let him hear what is said by you. And so, know well, may the treaties with the emperor come to fruition with him mediating the peace.” 7.8.9 For the emperor had sent this John Doukas to Epidamnos with a considerable army, both to labor diligently on the defense of Dyrrachion, and also to undertake the war with the Dalmatians. For the so-called Bodin, being most warlike and full of mischief, did not wish to stay within his own borders, but day by day, overrunning the towns nearest Dalmatia, he added them to his own territories. And John Doukas, having spent eleven years in Dyrrachion, took away many of the fortresses under the authority of Bolkanos, sent many Dalmatians as captives to the emperor, and finally, having joined a fierce battle with Bodin, captured him as well. And the emperor, knowing from many instances that this man John Doukas was most warlike and skilled in military affairs and unwilling in any way to disobey the orders given by him, since he needed such a man against Tzachas, summoned him from there and sent him against Tzachas with many forces from land and sea, having named him great doux of the fleet. How many battles he joined with him and in how many dangers he threw himself and emerged victorious, the account will declare later. 7.8.10 Dalassenos, expecting this man in the conversation with

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πεντή κοντα σκοποὺς ἐπαφῆκε θᾶττον αὐτῷ διαμηνύσασθαι, ὁπηνίκα τὸ ναυτικὸν τοῦ ∆αλασσηνοῦ τὰ πρυμνήσια λύειν ἐπείγεται, ἐκεῖθεν δὲ τὸν ∆αλασσηνὸν μετεπέμπετο, ὡς τάχα τὰ περὶ εἰρήνης βουλόμενος ἐπερωτῆσαι, ἀπεγνωκὼς οἶμαι παντάπασι πρὸς τὸ τοῦ ∆αλασσηνοῦ γενναῖον καὶ φιλοκίνδυνον ἀφορῶν. Ὁ δὲ ἐς νέωτα κατὰ τὸ ἄκρον τῆς παρεμβολῆς ἐξεληλυθέναι τῷ Τζαχᾷ ἐπηγγείλατο καὶ ἀκοῦσαί τε καὶ εἰπεῖν, ὁπόσα ἄμφω τούτοις συνδόξειεν. 7.8.7 Οὐδ' ὁ βάρβαρος πρὸς τοῦτο ἀνένευσεν, ἀλλὰ πρωΐας ἄμφω τὼ στρατηγὼ κατὰ ταὐτὸν ἐληλυθέτην. Καὶ τῆς ὁμιλίας ὁ Τζαχᾶς κατῆρχεν ὀνομαστὶ τοῦτον καλέσας· «Ἴσθι ἐμὲ εἶναι τὸ μειράκιον ἐκεῖνο ὅπερ πάλαι τὴν Ἀσίαν κατατρέχον καὶ ἐκθύμως μαχόμενον ἐξ ἀπειρίας ἀπατηθὲν ἑάλων παρὰ τοῦ Καβαλίκα ἐκείνου Ἀλεξάνδρου. Κἀντεῦθεν ζωγρία παρ' αὐτοῦ τῷ αὐτοκράτορι Νικηφόρῳ τῷ Βοτανειάτῃ προσενεχθὲν παραχρῆμα τῇ τῶν πρωτο νωβελλισίμων ἀξίᾳ τετίμημαι καὶ δωρεῶν μεγάλων ἀξιω θεὶς ὑπεσχόμην δουλείαν αὐτῷ. Ἐξ ὅτου δὲ τὰς τῆς βασιλείας ἡνίας ὁ Κομνηνὸς Ἀλέξιος περιεζώσατο, ἐκκέκοπται ἅπαντα. Κἀγὼ μὲν οὖν ἤδη τὸ τῆς ἔχθρας αἴτιον ἀπαγγέλλων ἥκω. Μαθέτω δὲ ταῦτα καὶ ὁ αὐτο κράτωρ καὶ εἴπερ βουληθῇ τὴν ἀναφυεῖσαν ἔχθραν δια λυθῆναι, ὁπόσα λαβεῖν ὀφείλων ἐστέρημαι ἀνελλιπῶς ἀποδοθήτω μοι ἅπαντα. Εἰ δέ σοι δοκεῖ καὶ τὰ τέκνα ἡμῶν συναφθῆναι, προβεβλήσθω μέσον ἡμῶν ἔγγραφος ἡ περὶ τούτου συμφωνία, ὡς ἔθος τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις καὶ ἡμῖν τοῖς βαρβάροις ἐστί. Κᾆθ' οὕτω τῶν ἁπάντων τῶν ἤδη ῥηθέντων πέρας ἐσχηκότων ἁπάσας τὰς νήσους, ἃς αὐτὸς καταδραμὼν τῆς ῥωμαϊκῆς ἐξουσίας ἀφειλόμην, διὰ σοῦ ἀντιτρέψω πρὸς τὸν αὐτοκράτορα καὶ τὰς μετ' αὐτοῦ σπονδὰς ἀποπληρώσας πρὸς τὴν ἐμὴν ἐπαναστρέψω πατρίδα.» 7.8.8 Ταῦτα δὲ ὁ ∆αλασσηνὸς σκῆψιν λογισά μενος ὡς ἅτε τὸ τῶν Τούρκων ἦθος δολερὸν πάλαι γινώσ κων ἀνεβάλλετο τέως τὴν τῶν αἰτουμένων ἐκπλήρωσιν παραγυμνώσας ἅμα καὶ ἣν ἔσχε περὶ αὐτοῦ ὑπόληψιν καὶ φάμενος ὡς «Οὔτε σύ, ὡς ἔφησθα, τὰς νήσους πρὸς ἐμὲ παραδώσεις, οὔτε ἐγὼ βουλῆς ἄτερ τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος πρὸς ἅπερ αὐτὸς ἐκεῖθεν ἐξ ἐκείνου καὶ ἐμοῦ ἐπιζητεῖς κατα θέσθαι δύναμαι. Ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ δοὺξ μέγας ὁ Ἰωάννης καὶ γυναικάδελφος τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος ὅσον ἤδη μετὰ παντὸς καταλαμβάνει τοῦ στόλου ἐξ ἠπείρου τε καὶ θαλάττης δυνάμεις πολλὰς συνεπαγόμενος, ἐκεῖνος ἀκουσάτω τῶν παρὰ σοῦ λεγομένων. Καὶ οὕτως, εὖ ἴσθι, αἱ μετὰ τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος σπονδαὶ αὐτοῦ τὴν εἰρήνην μεσάζοντος πέρας λάβοιεν.» 7.8.9 Καὶ γὰρ τουτονὶ τὸν ∆ούκαν Ἰωάννην εἰς Ἐπίδαμνον ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ μετὰ στρατιᾶς ἀξιομάχου ἐξέπεμψεν ἅμα μὲν καὶ περὶ τὴν τοῦ ∆υρραχίου φρουρὰν ἐπιμελῶς διαπονεῖσθαι, ἅμα δὲ καὶ τὴν μετὰ τῶν ∆αλμα τῶν ἀναδήσασθαι μάχην. Ὁ γὰρ οὕτω καλούμενος Βοδῖνος μαχιμώτατος ὢν καὶ ῥᾳδιουργίας πλήρης οὐ μέχρι τῶν ἰδίων ὁρίων ἑστάναι ἠβούλετο, ἀλλ' ὁσημέραι τὰς ἔγγιστα ∆αλματίας κωμοπόλεις κατατρέχων τοῖς ἰδίοις προσετίθει ὁρίοις. Ὁ δὲ ∆ούκας Ἰωάννης ἐνιαυτοὺς πρὸς τῷ ἑνὶ δέκα εἰς τὸ ∆υρράχιον ἐνδιατρίψας πολλὰ μὲν τῶν ὑπὸ τὴν ἐξουσίαν Βολκάνου ἀφῃρεῖτο φρούρια, πολλοὺς δὲ καὶ ζωγρίαν ∆αλμάτας πρὸς τὸν αὐτοκράτορα ἐξαπέσ τειλε καὶ τέλος καρτερὰν μετὰ τοῦ Βοδίνου μάχην συναρράξας καὶ αὐτὸν κατέσχεν. Ἄνδρα δὲ τὸν ∆ούκαν τοῦτον Ἰωάννην μαχιμώτατον ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ ἐκ πολλῶν ἐγνωκὼς καὶ περὶ τὰ πολεμικὰ ἐπιτήδειον καὶ μηδ' ὁπωσοῦν τὰ παρ' αὐτοῦ ἐντεταλμένα ἀθετεῖν ἐθέλοντα, ἐπεὶ τοιού του ἀνδρὸς κατὰ τοῦ Τζαχᾶ ἐδέετο, μεταπεμψάμενος αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ μετὰ πολλῶν δυνάμεων ἐξ ἠπείρου καὶ θαλάττης κατὰ τοῦ Τζαχᾶ ἐξέπεμψε δοῦκα τοῦ στόλου μέγιστον κατονομάσας. Ὁπόσας δὲ μὲτ' αὐτοῦ μάχας συνῆψε καὶ ἐν ὅσοις κινδύνοις ἑαυτὸν ἐπιρρίψας νικητὴς ἀνεφάνη, ὁ λόγος ἐν ὑστέροις δηλώσειε. 7.8.10 Τοῦτον προσδόκιμον ὁ ∆αλασσηνὸς ἔχων ἐν τῇ πρὸς