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the day was at hand, she, on the one hand, said and did everything that contributed to the expedition, but the Italians, on the other hand, wishing again to spend their time in delays, started civil conflicts out of great arrogance, and proceeded to untimely quarrels with the Alans. For jealousy also incited the Alans, since, while those men were satisfied with three or two ounces each month, they themselves were hired for some small amount and seemed to be the ones rejected by them. And because of this, they alienated their minds with certain disputes and hostilities. So it happened that some of the Alans were grinding at a mill, and it also happened that some of the Almogavars, out of some unspeakable malevolence, tried to lay hands on the mill-woman, and they laid their hands on the flour too; from this, a quarrel and contention of words for the time being arose, and a certain Alan, as it is said, threatened them that they would soon do to the Grand Duke what they had done to the Grand Domestic. This, having been said, did not escape notice, and the suspicion of the words intensified a terrible wrath, and he, upon hearing it, defended himself as if he had already suffered. Therefore, many well-prepared men fell upon the few unprepared Alans at night. These men, having kindled the battle from the very start, protected by shields, confident in their own safety, some at the doors of the houses, 423 and others unroofing the houses, steadfastly hurled javelins at the Alans. But they too, having prepared themselves out of necessity, held their ground and shot their bows, and men were falling on both sides. But the Italians were victorious, and the son of George, the leader of the Alans, a great nobleman and warlike in battles, fell, struck by a javelin, along with many others. And then many being wounded and many having fallen, they unwillingly dispersed. But on the next day another fierce battle began, the one side being arrogant, and the Alans being unable to bear the most pitiful death of the fallen man. And then, as the Alans defended themselves, it came about that up to three hundred fell, as it is said. And these things were done on the ninth of Boedromion, when not even the Grand Duke himself, appearing somehow among the combatants, was able to stop the war. Nevertheless, when the evil had abated, and many of the locals feared for themselves, when George arrived some days later for the Alans who had been slain, the leader of the Italians was much engaged in placating the barbarian with gifts, although he was not willing to accept in this unseemly way the penalty for his slain son, but rather held a grudge afterward that he might fulfill. Pyanepsion arrived, and Achyraous held them, numbering in the thousands, of whom the Italians were six, and there was also the remaining 424 multitude of Alans, up to a thousand. The rest of the Roman force was under the great archon Maroules. Of all these the Grand Duke was leader, himself setting the wages, himself providing them, and in the manner of an emperor-general, leading and moving them wherever he wished.

22. But on the fifth of the month, the imprisoned porphyrogennetos was seen dead. For the affliction of quinsy rendered him anything but likely to survive. When this became known to the emperor, it was fittingly a matter of haste to be prepared before he departed. And sending word (for he did not deign to see him because of the consecration), he ordered him to arrange his own affairs as he wished. And since there was nothing else for him of importance to consider except to be prepared and not to be disturbed, he summoned the patriarch and laid bare his thoughts to him. And finally he was tonsured by him and named Athanasios, having not even allowed in his thoughts all those former things, so that when he was asked about his own son, the emperor sending to ask if he wished anything concerning him, and his nephew also adding to it, he answered grimly that he neither had a son, nor did that man have a nephew, and so having fallen silent at that very hour, he died on the next day. And the funeral procession of the 425 dead man was prepared in a very magnificent manner. For the emperor commanded it, and a very great number from the priestly and monastic orders, with the patriarch leading along with the chief priests and all the clergy, was gathered. and with abundant lights and torches

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ἡμέρας ἐπέστη, ἐκείνη μὲν οὐδὲν ἦν τῶν ἐς ἐξόρμησιν συντεινόν των ὅπερ οὐκ ἔλεγέ τε καὶ ἔπραττε, Ἰταλοὶ δὲ καὶ αὖθις ἐν ὑπερ ημερίαις τρίβειν θέλοντες τὸν καιρὸν μάχας ἐμφυλίους ἐκ πολλῆς τῆς ὑπερηφανίας καθίστων, καὶ πρὸς Ἀλανοὺς εἰς διενέξεις ἀκαί ρους ἐχώρουν. παρώτρυνε γὰρ ὁ ζῆλος καὶ Ἀλανούς, ὅτ' ἐκεί νων τριουγγίοις καὶ διουγγίοις μηνὸς ἑκάστου ἱκανουμένων αὐτοὶ ἐν ὀλίγῳ τινὶ ἐμισθοῦντο καὶ τῶν ἀπερριμμένων παρ' ἐκείνοις ἐδόκουν. καὶ πρὸς ταῦτα διαφοραῖς τισὶ καὶ ἀπεχθείαις τὰς γνώ μας ἐκείνων ἠλλοτριοῦντο. ὡς γοῦν ἔτυχον μέν τινες τῶν Ἀλανῶν ἀλήθοντες κατὰ μύλωνα, ἔτυχον δὲ κἀκ τῶν Ἀμογαβάρων ἐξ ἀλαστορίας ὄντι ῥητῆς τῇ ἀλετρίδι ἐπιχειροῦντες, ἐπέβαλον δὲ τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τοῖς ἀλεύροις, ἔρις ἐντεῦθεν καὶ φιλονεικία διὰ λόγων τέως συνίσταται, καὶ Ἀλανός τις, ὡς λέγεται, πρὸς ἐκεί νους ἠπείλει ταῦτα σφᾶς ὅσον οὐκ ἤδη καὶ τὸν μέγαν διαθεῖναι δοῦκα ἅττα καὶ τὸν μέγαν δομέστικον ἔδρασαν. τοῦτο ῥηθὲν εἰ καίως οὐκ ἔλαθε, καὶ ἡ ὑποψία τοῦ λόγου δεινὴν ἐνέτεινε μῆνιν, καὶ ὡς ἤδη παθὼν ἀκούσας ἐκεῖνος ἠμύνετο. ἐμπίπτουσι τοίνυν νυκτὸς Ἀλανοῖς ὀλίγοις πολλοὶ καὶ εὐτρεπεῖς ἀνετοίμοις. οἳ δὴ καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς τὴν μάχην ἀναρριπίσαντες, πεφραγμένοι πελταῖς, τῷ καθ' αὑτοὺς ἀσφαλεῖ πίσυνοι, οἱ μὲν κατὰ θύρας τῶν οἰκιῶν, 423 οἱ δὲ καὶ ἀποστεγοῦντες τοὺς οἴκους, στερρῶς κατηκόντιζον Ἀλα νῶν. οἱ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ τῷ ἀναγκαίῳ ἑαυτοὺς ἀρτύναντες ὑφιστά μενοι ἐτοξάζοντο, καὶ ἔπιπτον ἑκατέρωθεν. ἀλλ' Ἰταλοὶ περιῆ σαν, καὶ ὁ τοῦ τῶν Ἀλανῶν ἐξηγουμένου Γεωργοῦς παῖς, ἀνὴρ μεγιστὰν καὶ τὰς μάχας ἀρεϊκός, σὺν πολλοῖς ἄλλοις πίπτει κα τακοντισθείς. καὶ τότε πολλοὶ μὲν τρωθέντες πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ πε σόντες, καὶ ἄκοντες διελύοντο. τῇ δ' ὑστεραίᾳ καὶ αὖθις καρ τερὰ συνίσταται μάχη, τῶν μὲν ὑπερηφανούντων, Ἀλανῶν δ' οὐκ ἀνεκτῶς ἐχόντων τὸν τοῦ πεσόντος οἴκτιστον θάνατον. καὶ τότ' ἀμυνομένοις τοῖς Ἀλανοῖς εἰς τριακοσίους πεσεῖν ὑπῆρξεν, ὡς λέγεται. καὶ ταῦτ' ἐπράττετο Βοηδρομιῶνος ἐνάτῃ, ὅτε οὐδ' αὐτὸς μέγας δοὺξ οἷός τ' ἦν ἀμωσγέπως μεταξὺ τῶν μαχομένων φαινόμενος ἀναστέλλειν τὸν πόλεμον. ὅμως ῥαΐσαντος τοῦ κακοῦ, πολλῶν καὶ περὶ αὑτοῖς δεδοικότων τῶν ἐγχωρίων, τοῦ Γεωργοῦς μεθ' ἡμέρας ἐπιστάντος ἐπὶ διαπεπραγμένοις τοῖς Ἀλανοῖς πολὺς ἦν ὁ τῶν Ἰταλῶν ἐξηγούμενος δώροις ἐκμειλίσσων τὸν βάρβαρον, εἰ κἀκεῖνος υἱοῦ ποινὴν κατατεθνειῶτος οὕτως ἀκόσμως οὐκ ἤθελε δέχεσθαι, ἀλλά γε καὶ μετόπισθεν κότον εἶχεν ὄφρα τελέσσοι. ἐπέστη Πυαντιών, κἀκείνους μὲν ἡ Ἀχυράους εἶχε ποσουμένους εἰς χιλιάδας, ὧν τὸ Ἰταλικὸν ἓξ ἦσαν, ἦσαν δὲ καὶ τὸ περιλει 424 φθὲν Ἀλανῶν πλῆθος ὡς εἰς χιλίους. τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν Ῥωμαϊκὸν ἦν ὑπὸ τὸν μέγαν ἄρχοντα τὸν Μαρούλην. ὧν ἁπάντων ὁ μέγας δοὺξ ἐξηγεῖτο, αὐτὸς καθιστὰς τοὺς μισθούς, αὐτὸς παρέχων, καὶ τρόπον αὐτοκράτορος στρατηγοῦ ἄγων καὶ φέρων ὅπῃ καὶ βούλοιτο.

22. Τὸν δὲ φυλακίτην πορφυρογέννητον ἡ τοῦ μηνὸς πέμπτη νεκρὸν καθορᾷ. τὸ γὰρ τῆς κυνάγχης πάθος πάντα μᾶλλον ἐκεῖνον ἢ περιεσόμενον ἀπειργάζετο. ὃ γνωσθὲν βασι λεῖ, σπουδὴ ἦν κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς πρότερον ἢ ἀπελθεῖν ἑτοιμασθῆ ναι. καὶ πέμψας (οὐδὲ γὰρ ἠξίου προσιδεῖν διὰ τὴν καθοσίω σιν) τὰ καθ' αὑτὸν προσέταττεν οἰκονομεῖν ὡς βούλεται. κἀ πειδὴ οὐδὲν ἦν ἄλλο οἱ προύργου περὶ οὗ διασκέψαιτο ἢ τὸ ἑτοι μασθῆναι καὶ μὴ ταραχθῆναι, ἀνακαλεῖται μὲν πατριάρχην, ἀνατίθησι δέ οἱ τοὺς λογισμούς. καὶ τέλος παρ' αὐτοῦ ἀποκεί ρεται καὶ Ἀθανάσιος ὀνομάζεται, πάντ' ἐκεῖνα τὰ πρώην μηδὲ λογισμοῖς ἐπιτρέψας, ὥστε καὶ περὶ τοῦ σφετέρου υἱοῦ ἐρωτώ μενος, βασιλέως πέμποντος, εἴ τι καὶ περὶ ἐκείνου βούλοιτο, προσθέντος καὶ τοῦ ἀνεψιοῦ, ἐκεῖνον βαρέως ἀπολογήσασθαι μήτ' αὐτὸν ἔχειν υἱὸν μήτ' ἐκεῖνον ἀνεψιόν, καὶ οὕτως αὐτῆς ὥρας ἐφησυχάσαντα τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ ἀποθανεῖν. ἡ δ' ἐκφορὰ τοῦ 425 νεκροῦ καὶ λίαν μεγαλοπρεπῶς ἡτοιμάζετο. κελεύει γὰρ βασι λεύς, καὶ πλεῖστον ὅσον ἐξ ἱερατικοῦ καὶ μοναχικοῦ τάγματος, ἐξηγουμένου καὶ πατριάρχου σὺν ἀρχιερεῦσι καὶ κλήρῳ παντί, συναθροίζεται. καὶ ὑπὸ δαψιλέσι φωσὶ καὶ λαμπάσι