160

having gathered much booty, he seized the pass of Taurocomus, and taking command of the forces under him, he went down and stood by the bank of the river that flows through the plain situated below this pass. This place is full of germander oaks and newly-planted trees. Having therefore drawn up his forces there, he detached a considerable portion of Turks, who were chosen experts in archery, and sent them against the Comans, so that by joining battle with them and making some cavalry charges they might draw them towards the slope. The Comans, attacking them, pursued them unrestrainedly as far as the Roman phalanx; then, reining in their horses a little, they prepared to charge against the Roman phalanx, drawing up their battle lines. 10.4.7 But when the emperor saw a certain arrogant Coman horseman leaping out from the phalanx and riding along the battle lines and seeming all but to seek someone to fight with him, he did not endure to hold back either the right or the left wing, but he himself before all others, loosening all the reins, first strikes with his spear the barbarian who was seeking the fight, and driving the blade right through his chest, he brought him down from his horse, on this day proving himself a soldier rather than a general. Thus he immediately instilled great courage in the Roman battle lines, and no less fear in the Scythians, and attacking them like a tower, he split their army. So, when the battle line of the barbarians was broken, they were scattered everywhere and fled without restraint. At that time, then, about seven thousand Comans fell, and three thousand were taken captive. 10.4.8 However, the men of the Roman army, having taken all the booty, were not permitted by the emperor to divide it among themselves according to custom, inasmuch as it had been plundered recently from the neighboring lands, but for it to be given to the inhabitants. So, when the imperial order had spread like a bird throughout the entire surrounding region, each of those who had been plundered came, recognized his own property, and took it back. Therefore, beating their chests and raising suppliant hands to heaven, they prayed for the best things for the emperor. And one could hear a mingled voice of men and women reaching as far as the very sphere of the moon. 10.4.9 But so much for these things; the emperor, however, rejoicing, having recovered his forces, returns again to the aforementioned Little Nicaea. Having remained there for two days, on the third day he departed from there and reached Adrianople, where he spent a considerable number of days near the house of Silvester. So, all the leaders of the Comans, having been separated from the rest of the army and wishing to deceive him, approach him as deserters, pretending that they would soon make a treaty with him, so that while the time was being wasted with peace talks, the Coman army might advance ahead. So, having waited for three days, after the third day, by night, they took the road leading home. 10.4.10 But the emperor, perceiving the deceit of the Comans, sent swift-winged messengers to make this known to those entrusted with the guard of the passes of the Zygos, so that they might not relax, but be vigilant at all times, in case they could intercept them. He himself, having learned that the whole Coman army was making its way forward, immediately took the soldiers at hand and seized a certain place called Skutarion, eighteen stades distant from Adrianople, and on the next day, Agathonice. But when he had learned that the Coman army was still situated at Abrilebo (a place situated not far from the said cities), having come there and from a distance seen and observed the countless fires which they had lit, he sent for

160

λείαν τε πολλὴν συναγαγὼν τὸν αὐχένα τοῦ Ταυροκώμου κατείληφε, τὰς ὑπ' αὐτὸν ἀναλαβόμενος δυνά μεις κατελθὼν παρὰ τῷ χείλει εἱστήκει τοῦ ποταμοῦ τοῦ κατὰ τὴν πεδιάδα τὴν κάτωθεν τοῦ τοιούτου αὐχένος δια κειμένην ῥέοντος. Τόπος δὲ οὗτος πλήρης χαμαιδρύων καὶ ἀρτιφυῶν δένδρων. Ἐκεῖσε γοῦν τὰς δυνάμεις καταστη σάμενος ἀπόμοιραν Τούρκων ἱκανὴν ἀποτεμόμενος τῆς τοξείας ἐκκρίτους εἰδήμονας κατὰ τῶν Κομάνων ἐπαφ ίησιν, ὥστε τὸν μετ' αὐτῶν συναραμένους πόλεμον καὶ ἱππασίας τινὰς ποιησαμένους ἐπισπάσασθαι τούτους πρὸς τὸ πρανές. Οἱ δὲ Κόμανοι προσβαλόντες τούτοις ἐδίωκον ἀκρατῶς μέχρι τῆς ῥωμαϊκῆς φάλαγγος· εἶτα μικρὸν τοὺς ἵππους ἀνασειράσαντες καὶ κατὰ τῆς ῥωμαϊκῆς ἐξορ μῆσαι φάλαγγος ἡτοιμάζοντο καθιστῶντες τὰς παρατάξεις. 10.4.7 Ἐπεὶ δὲ Κόμανόν τινα ἀγέρωχον ἱππότην τῆς φάλαγ γος προπηδήσαντα ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ ἐθεάσατο καὶ τὰς παρα τάξεις παραθέοντα καὶ μονονοὺ τὸν μετ' αὐτοῦ μαχεσό μενον ἀναζητεῖν ἐοικότα, οὐκ ἔφερεν οὔτε τὸ δεξιὸν καρτερεῖν οὔτε τὸ εὐώνυμον κέρας, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς πρὸ πάντων ὅλας τὰς ἡνίας χαλάσας τὸν ἀναζητοῦντα τὸν πόλεμον βάρβαρον πρώτως παίει διὰ τοῦ δόρατος καὶ ἀμφὶ στήθεσι διαμπερὲς ἐλάσας τὸ ξίφος τοῦ ἵππου κατέβαλε κατὰ ταυ τηνὶ τὴν ἡμέραν στρατιώτην μᾶλλον ἢ στρατηγὸν ἑαυτὸν ἀποδείξας. Μέγα τοίνυν ταῖς ῥωμαϊκαῖς παραυτίκα θάρσος ἐμβαλὼν παρατάξεσιν, οὐχ ἥσσονα δὲ τοῖς Σκύθαις φόβον, ὡς πύργος τούτοις προσβαλὼν διεῖλε τὸ στράτευμα. Οὕτω γοῦν τῆς ὁμαιχμίας τῶν βαρβάρων διασπασθείσης διασπαρέντες ἁπανταχῇ ἔφευγον ἀκρατῶς. Κόμανοι μὲν οὖν τηνικαῦτα πίπτουσιν ὡσεὶ χιλιάδες ἑπτά, ἄγονται δὲ καὶ ζωγρία τρισχίλιοι. 10.4.8 Τὴν μέντοι λείαν ἅπασαν ἀφελόμενοι οἱ τοῦ ῥωμαϊκοῦ στρατεύματος οὐ συνεχωρή θησαν παρὰ τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς ταύτην ἐπιμοιράσασθαι, καθὸ ἐξ ὑπογύου τῶν παρακειμένων χωρῶν ἐσκυλεύθη, ἀλλὰ δοθῆναι τοῖς ἐποίκοις. Τοῦ γοῦν βασι λικοῦ προστάγματος πτηνοῦ δίκην εἰς ἅπασαν τὴν περίχωρον διαδεδραμηκότος ἕκαστος τῶν σκυλευθέντων παραγενόμενος ἐπιγινώσκων τὸ ἴδιον ἀνελαμβάνετο. Στερ νοτυποῦντες οὖν καὶ χεῖρας ἱκετίδας εἰς οὐρανὸν αἴροντες τῷ αὐτοκράτορι τὰ λῴονα ἐπηύχοντο. Καὶ ἦν ἀκούειν φωνὴν σύμμικτον ἀνδρῶν τε καὶ γυναικῶν μέχρις αὐτῆς σεληνιακῆς σφαίρας φθάνουσαν. 10.4.9 Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν οὕτω· ὁ δέ γε αὐτοκράτωρ χαίρων τὰς δυνάμεις ἀνακτησά μενος εἰς τὴν εἰρημένην μικρὰν Νίκαιαν αὖθις ἐπανα ζεύγνυσιν. Ἐκεῖσε γοῦν ἐπὶ δυσὶν ἡμέραις ἐγκαρτερήσας τριταῖος ἐκεῖθεν ἐξελθὼν καταλαμβάνει τὴν Ἀδριανούπολιν περὶ τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ Σιλβέστρου ἱκανὰς ἐνδιατρίψας ἡμέ ρας. Τῶν γοῦν Κομάνων οἱ λογάδες ἅπαντες ἀποκριθέντες τοῦ λοιποῦ στρατεύματος βουληθέντες τοῦτον ἀπατῆσαι προσέρχονται τούτῳ ὡς αὐτόμολοι σπείσασθαι τάχα μετ' αὐτοῦ προσποιούμενοι, ἵνα τριβομένου τοῦ μετ' εἰρήνης καιροῦ προχωροίη τὸ Κομανικὸν στράτευμα τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν. Ἐπὶ τρισὶν οὖν ἡμέραις ἐγκαρτερήσαντες μετὰ τὴν τρίτην ἡμέραν νυκτὸς τῆς πρὸς τὰ οἴκοι φερούσης ἥψαντο. 10.4.10 Αἰσθόμενος δὲ τῆς τῶν Κομάνων ἀπάτης ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ ὑποπτέρους ἀποστείλας δηλοῖ τοῦτο τοῖς πεπιστευμένοις τὴν φυλακὴν τῶν τοῦ Ζυγοῦ ἀτραπῶν ἐφ' ᾧ μὴ ἀναπίπ τειν, ἀλλ' ἐγρηγορέναι διὰ παντός, εἴ που τούτους κατά σχοιεν. Αὐτὸς δὲ τὸ ὅλον στράτευμα τῶν Κομάνων μεμα θηκὼς ἐπὶ τὰ πρόσω τὴν πορείαν ποιούμενον εὐθὺς ἀναλαβόμενος τοὺς παρατυχόντας τῶν στρατιωτῶν κατα λαμβάνει τόπον τινὰ Σκουτάριον καλούμενον σταδίους τῆς Ἀδριανουπόλεως ἀπέχοντα ὀκτωκαίδεκα, τὴν δὲ μετ' αὐτὴν εἰς Ἀγαθονίκην. Ἐπεὶ δὲ μεμαθήκοι τὸ Κομανικὸν φοσσάτον ἔτι κατὰ τὸν Ἀβριλεβὼ διακείμενον (τόπος δὲ οὗτος οὐ πορρωτέρω τῶν εἰρημένων πόλεων κείμενος), ἐνταῦθα γενόμενος καὶ τὰ ἄπειρα ἅπερ ἀνῆψαν πυρὰ πόρρωθεν ἐξιδὼν καὶ κατασκεψάμενος ἀποστείλας μετεπέμψατο