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having written to the emperor and having gathered forces from all sides, and from nearby he also drove out infantry, having loaded onto carts drawn by oxen their own baggage and everything needed, he sent them with haste to the emperor. Those who had already arrived, seen from a distance, as far as the eye could reach to survey what was seen, detachments of Scythians seemed to most to be coming against the emperor. And already someone, emboldened and pointing with his finger, was insisting to the emperor that they were Scythians. And he, thinking what was said was true and not being strong enough against so many, was in a state of perplexity. Therefore, he summoned Rodomeros at that time (this man was a noble, originating from the Bulgarians and a relative on his mother’s side of the Augusta and our mother) sending this man, he ordered him to scout those who were approaching. And he, having quickly accomplished what was ordered, returned and said that they were those sent from Melissenos. And the emperor, becoming overjoyed and waiting a little for their arrival, crossed over with them and immediately, having enlarged the existing trench even more, he united them with the rest of the army. 8.4.6 But the Cumans immediately occupied the trench from where the emperor with the whole army had departed and crossed over, having encamped somewhere there. So on the next day, the emperor, having departed from there, was about to occupy the ford of the river below, locally called Philokalos; and encountering a considerable number of Scythians at that time and attacking them, he joined in a fierce battle. Many, then, were killed in the fighting from both sides; nevertheless, the emperor held the victory, having defeated the Scythians decisively. So, with the battle having thus broken off and the armies having separated to their own camps, the Roman army remained there somewhere for that entire night. And as day was dawning, departing from there, they occupy a certain place called Leboune; it is a hill overlooking the plain. The emperor, therefore, went up there. But since the place above did not hold the entire army, having made a ditch around its foothills and a trench sufficient for the whole army, he stationed them there. At that time, the deserter Neantzes again came to the emperor, and with him a few Scythians. The emperor, having seen him and reminded him of his previous folly and having added some other things, held him with the others under guard and in irons.

8.5.1 So it was with the emperor; but the Scythians, encamped along the stream of the so-called Mauropotamos, were secretly trying to win over the Cumans, summoning them as allies. But neither did they rest from sending to the emperor, inquiring about peace. But he, guessing the treachery of their intention, gave them suitable answers, wishing to keep their plans in suspense, in case the expected mercenary force from Rome might arrive. But the Cumans, having doubts about the promises of the Patzinaks, were not at all siding with them, but in the evening they sent a message to the emperor: “For how long shall we postpone the battle? Know, then, that we will not hold out any longer, but at sunrise we shall eat the flesh of either a wolf or a lamb.” The emperor, hearing this and perceiving the sharp resolve of the Cumans, was no longer for delaying the battle, but making that day a public decision of the war, he promised them the battle with the Scythians for the following day, and he himself, immediately summoning the leaders and the pentekontarchs and the rest, ordered it to be proclaimed throughout the entire camp that the war was reserved for the morrow. 8.5.2 But even though he planned such things, he nevertheless feared the countless multitudes of the Patzinaks and

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γρα φὴν τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος πεποιηκὼς καὶ συλλεξάμενος δυνά μεις ἁπανταχόθεν, ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἐγγὺς καὶ πεζοὺς ἐξελάσας ἐπισάξαντας ἐν ἁμάξαις ὑπὸ βοῶν ἑλκομέναις τὰς ἰδίας σκευὰς καὶ τὰ πρὸς χρείαν ἅπαντα σπουδαίως πρὸς τὸν αὐτοκράτορα ἐξέπεμψεν. Οἱ δὲ φθάσαντες ἤδη ἐκ διαστή ματος, καθ' ὅσον ὀφθαλμὸς ἐξικνεῖται περιαθρεῖν τὸ ὁρώ μενον, ἀποσπὰς τῶν Σκυθῶν ἐδόκουν τοῖς πλείστοις κατὰ τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος ἰέναι. Ἤδη δὲ καί τις τεθαρρηκὼς καὶ τῷ δακτύλῳ ὑποδεικνὺς τῷ αὐτοκράτορι Σκύθας διενίστατο εἶναι. Ὁ δ' ἀληθὲς τὸ ῥηθὲν οἰηθεὶς καὶ πρὸς τοσούτους μὴ ἐξισχύων ἐν ἀμηχανίᾳ καθειστήκει. Μεταπεμψάμενος οὖν τὸν Ῥοδομηρὸν τηνικαῦτα (ἀνὴρ δὲ οὗτος ἐκ Βουλγά ρων ὁρμώμενος εὐγενὴς καὶ μητρόθεν συγγενὴς τῆς Αὐγούστης καὶ μητρὸς ἡμετέρας) τοῦτον ἀποστείλας ἐπέσκηψε κατασκοπῆσαι τοὺς ἐρχομένους. Ὁ δὲ ταχὺ τὸ κελευσθὲν διηνυκὼς ὑποστρέψας τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ Μελισσηνοῦ πεμφθέντας εἶναι ἔλεγεν. Ὁ δέ γε αὐτοκράτωρ περιχαρὴς γεγονὼς καὶ μικρὸν ἐγκαρτερήσας φθασάντων διαπερᾷ σὺν αὐτοῖς καὶ παραχρῆμα τὴν γενομένην ταφρείαν ἐπὶ πλέον ἐπαυξήσας ἥνωσε τούτους μετὰ τοῦ λοιποῦ στρατεύματος. 8.4.6 Οἱ δὲ Κόμανοι παραχρῆμα τὴν τάφρον καταλαμβάνου σιν ὅθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς μετὰ τοῦ ὁπλιτικοῦ παντὸς ἀπάρας διεπέρασεν, αὐτοῦ που κατασκηνώσαντες. Τῇ γοῦν μετ' αὐτὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἀπάρας ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ καταλαμβάνειν ἔμελλε τὸν κάτωθεν τοῦ ποταμοῦ πόρον τοῦ Φιλοκάλου ἐγχωρίως καλούμενον· ἱκανοῖς δὲ τῶν Σκυθῶν ἐντυχὼν καὶ τηνικαῦτα προσβαλὼν αὐτοῖς καρτερὸν συνῆψε πόλεμον. Κτείνονται μὲν οὖν ἐν τῷ μάχεσθαι ἐξ ἑκατέρων πολλοί· ὅμως δὲ τὴν νικῶσαν εἶχεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἡττήσας τοὺς Σκύθας κατὰ κρά τος. Οὕτω γοῦν τῆς μάχης διαλυθείσης καὶ τῶν στρατευ μάτων διακριθέντων πρὸς τὰς οἰκείας παρεμβολὰς αὐτοῦ που τὸ ῥωμαϊκὸν προσέμεινε στράτευμα δι' ὅλης τῆς τότε νυκτός. Αὐγαζούσης δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκεῖθεν ἀπάραντες καταλαμβάνουσι τόπον τινὰ καλούμενον τοῦ Λεβούνη· βου νὸς δὲ τῆς πεδιάδος ὑπερκείμενος. Ἄνεισι μὲν οὖν ἐκεῖσε ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ. Ἐπεὶ δὲ μὴ τὸ πᾶν τοῦ στρατεύματος ὁ ὑπερκείμενος ἐχώρει τόπος, περὶ τοὺς πρόποδας αὐτοῦ διώρυχα ποιήσας καὶ τάφρον ἀποχρῶσαν τῷ παντὶ στρα τεύματι ἐκεῖ τούτους κατατίθησι. Πρόσεισι δὲ τηνικαῦτα τῷ αὐτοκράτορι αὖθις αὐτόμολος ὁ Νεάντζης καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ ὀλίγοι Σκύθαι. Ὃν θεασάμενος ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ τῆς προτέρας αὐτοῦ ἀγνωμοσύνης ἀναμνήσας καὶ ἄλλα τινὰ προσθέμενος, ἔμφρουρον αὐτὸν μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ σιδηρό δετον εἶχεν.

8.5.1 Οὕτω μὲν οὖν ὁ βασιλεύς· οἱ δέ γε Σκύθαι κατὰ τὸν ῥύακα τοῦ καλουμένου Μαυροποτάμου κείμενοι ὑπεποιοῦντο λαθραίως τοὺς Κομάνους συμμάχους προσκαλούμενοι. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα πέμποντες ἠρέμουν τὰ περὶ εἰρή νης ἐρωτῶντες. Ὁ δὲ τοῦ δολεροῦ τῆς γνώμης αὐτῶν στο χαζόμενος προσηκούσας καὶ τὰς ἀποκρίσεις αὐτοῖς ἐπε ποίητο ἀπαιωρεῖν ἐθέλων τοὺς αὐτῶν λογισμούς, εἴ που καὶ τὸ ἐκ τῆς Ῥώμης προσδοκώμενον μισθοφορικὸν καταλάβοι. Οἱ δὲ Κόμανοι ἀμφιβόλους ἔχοντες τὰς τῶν Πατζινάκων ὑποσχέσεις οὐ πάνυ τι αὐτοῖς προσετίθεντο, ἀλλ' ἑσπέρας μηνύουσι τῷ βασιλεῖ· «Μέχρι πόσου τὴν μάχην ἀναβαλώ μεθα; Ἴσθι τοίνυν ὡς ἐπὶ πλέον οὐκ ἐγκαρτερήσομεν ἀλλ' ἡλίου ἀνατέλλοντος λύκου ἢ ἀρνειοῦ κρέας ἐδόμεθα». Ταῦτα ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀκούσας καὶ τὸ ὀξὺ τῆς τῶν Κομάνων γνώμης διαγνοὺς οὐκέτι ἐν ἀναβολαῖς τοῦ μάχεσθαι ἦν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην κρίσιν τοῦ πολέμου δημοτελῆ θέμενος ἐκείνοις μὲν κατὰ τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν τὸν μετὰ τῶν Σκυθῶν ὑπέσχετο πόλεμον, αὐτὸς δὲ παραχρῆμα μετακα λεσάμενος τοὺς ἡγεμόνας καὶ πεντηκοντάρχας καὶ λοιποὺς προσέταξε διὰ παντὸς τοῦ φοσσάτου διακηρυκεῦσαι τὸν ἐς τὴν αὔριον ταμιευθέντα πόλεμον. 8.5.2 Ἀλλὰ κἂν τοιαῦτα ἐσκέπτετο, ἐδεδίει ὅμως τὰ ἄπειρα πλήθη τῶν Πατζινάκων καὶ