169

to fulfill the oath to him, and as time was being wasted because of the naturally talkative and very long-winded nature of the Latins, a false rumor ran through them that the counts had been seized by the emperor. Immediately therefore dense phalanxes were set in motion against Byzantium and at once they completely destroyed the palaces situated by the so-called Silver Lake, and at the same time they made an attempt on the walls of Byzantium, not with siege engines, for they had none, but trusting in their own numbers they behaved so shamelessly as to dare to set fire to the gate below the palace, near the sanctuary built long ago by one of the emperors in the name of Nicholas, the greatest among the hierarchs. 10.9.4 Not only all those of the rabble of the Byzantines who were completely cowardly and inexperienced in war, upon seeing the phalanxes of the Latins, groaned, lamented, and beat their breasts, not knowing out of fear what they should do, but even more so all those who were loyal to the emperor, remembering that Thursday on which the capture of the city had occurred, and fearing for this reason on the present day, lest some retribution for what had happened then might occur. And all who were skilled in military matters streamed in disorder towards the palace. But the emperor did not arm himself at all, nor did he put on a scaled breastplate, nor take up a shield or a spear, nor did he gird on a sword, but robed he sat steadily upon the imperial throne, and with a cheerful countenance encouraging everyone and instilling courage into their souls, and consulting with his relatives and the commanders of the army about the future. 10.9.5 At first, therefore, he was not disposed to send anyone out from the wall against the Latins, partly because of the reverence of that present day of the week (for it was the fifth day of the greatest and holy week, on which the Savior endured the shameful death for all), and partly because he shunned civil slaughter. Therefore, sending for them many times, he advised them to abstain from such an action. "Revere," he said, "God who was slain today for us all, and who for the sake of our salvation did not refuse the cross and nails and lance, things befitting evildoers. But if you have a desire for battle, after the day of the Savior's resurrection, we too will be ready." 10.9.6 But they not only did not obey, but rather they made their phalanxes denser, sending frequent volleys, so as even to strike one of those standing near the imperial throne in the chest. Seeing this, most of those standing on either side of the emperor drew back; but he sat calmly, restraining them and gently rebuking them; which also caused amazement to all. And when he saw the Latins shamelessly approaching the walls and not yielding to his counsel for what was expedient, at first he sent for his son-in-law Nikephoros, my Caesar, and ordered him to take the most warlike men and those skilled in archery and station them on top of the wall, instructing them to shoot many arrows at the Latins, but not on target, but rather to miss for the most part, so as only to frighten them by the density of the missiles, but by no means to kill. For he feared, as was said above, the sacredness of the day and did not want civil slaughter. 10.9.7 And he ordered others of the chosen [commanders], most of them carrying bows, and others holding long spears, having thrown open the gate of Saint Romanos, to make a vigorous charge against them, having arranged their battle-line in such a way, ... that each of the spear-bearers be guarded on either side by two peltasts. And having arranged themselves thus, they themselves were to advance at a slow pace, and to send forward a few men skilled in archery against the Celts, their arrows from afar

169

αὐτῷ πληρῶσαι τὸν ὅρκον, τρι βομένου τε τοῦ καιροῦ διὰ τὸ φύσει λάλον τε καὶ μακρηγο ρώτατον τῶν Λατίνων ψευδὴς διέδραμεν εἰς αὐτοὺς φήμη κατασχεθῆναι τοὺς κόμητας παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως. Εὐθὺς οὖν πυκιναὶ κατὰ τῆς Βυζαντίδος κεκίνηντο φάλαγγες καὶ παραχρῆμα τὰ κατὰ τὴν Ἀργυρᾶν καλουμένην Λίμνην δια κείμενα παλάτια παντελῶς ἐξηρίπωσαν, ἅμα δὲ καὶ τῶν τειχῶν τῆς Βυζαντίδος ἀπεπειρῶντο κἂν μὴ δι' ἑλεπόλεων, οὐ γὰρ παρῆσαν, ἀλλὰ τῷ ἑαυτῶν πλήθει θαρροῦντες τοσοῦτον κατηναιδεύσαντο ὡς καὶ πῦρ τολμῆσαι ἐπαφεῖ ναι κατὰ τῆς κάτωθεν τῶν ἀνακτόρων πύλης, ἀγχοῦ τοῦ ἐπ' ὀνόματι τοῦ ἐν ἱεράρχαις μεγίστου Νικολάου πάλαι παρά του τῶν βασιλέων ἀνοικοδομηθέντος τεμένους. 10.9.4 Οὐ μόνον δὲ ὁπόσοι τοῦ συρφετώδους ὄχλου τῶν Βυζαν τίων καὶ ἀνάλκιδες πάντη καὶ ἀπειροπόλεμοι τὰς τῶν Λατί νων φάλαγγας θεασάμενοι ἔστενον ᾤμωζον ἐστερνοτύπουν μὴ ἔχοντες ὑπὸ φόβου ὅ τι καὶ δράσαιεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον ὁπόσοι εὖνοι περὶ τὸν αὐτοκράτορα, τὴν πέμπτην ἐκείνην φανταζόμενοι καθ' ἣν ἡ τῆς πόλεως γέγονεν ἅλωσις, καὶ δεδιότες διὰ τοῦτο τὴν ἐνισταμένην ἡμέραν, μή τις ἔκτισις τῶν τότε γεγενημένων συμβαίη. Πάντες δὲ ὅσοι στρατιω τικῆς εἰδήμονες ἦσαν ἀσυντάκτως πρὸς τὰ βασίλεια συνέρρεον. Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ὡπλίσατο μὲν οὐδαμῶς οὐδὲ φολιδωτὸν περιεβάλετο θώρακα οὐδὲ σάκος οὐδ' ἔγχος ἐνηγκαλίσατο οὐδὲ ξίφος περιεζώσατο, ἀλλ' ἑδραίως ἐπὶ τοῦ βασιλικοῦ ἐσταλμένος καθῆστο θρόνου καὶ μεθ' ἱλαροῦ βλέμματος πάντας θαρρύνων καὶ θάρσος ἐνιεὶς ταῖς σφῶν ψυχαῖς καὶ τοῖς συγγενέσι δὲ καὶ ἡγεμόσι τοῦ στρατοῦ περὶ τῶν μελλόντων συμβουλευόμενος. 10.9.5 Τὰ μὲν οὖν πρῶτα οὐδ' ὁντιναοῦν κατὰ τῶν Λατίνων τοῦ τείχους ἐξενεγκεῖν προτεθύμητο, τὸ μὲν διὰ τὴν ἐνισταμένην ἐκείνην σεβασ μίαν τῶν ἡμερῶν (πέμπτην γὰρ ἦν τῆς μεγίστης καὶ ἁγίας τῶν ἑβδομάδων, ἐν ᾗ ὁ Σωτὴρ τὸν ἐπονείδιστον ὑπὲρ ἁπάν των ὑπέστη θάνατον), τὸ δὲ καὶ τὸν ἐμφύλιον παρεκκλίνων φόνον. Πολλάκις οὖν μεταπεμψάμενος συνεβούλευε τοῦ τοιούτου ἀπέχεσθαι ἔργου· «Αἰδέσθητε» λέγων «τὸν ὑπὲρ πάντων ἡμῶν τὴν σήμερον σφαγέντα Θεὸν μηδὲ σταυρὸν καὶ ἥλους καὶ λόγχην τὰ κακούργοις προσήκοντα τῆς ἡμῶν ἕνεκα παραιτησάμενον σωτηρίας. Εἰ δὲ μάχης ὑμῖν ἔφεσίς ἐστι, μετὰ τὴν ἀναστάσιμον τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμέραν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἕτοιμοι παρεσόμεθα.» 10.9.6 Οἱ δὲ οὐ μόνον οὐχ ὑπείκοντο, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατεπύκνουν μᾶλλον τὰς φάλαγγας συχνὰς τὰς βολὰς πέμποντες, ὡς καί τινα τῶν ἀγχοῦ τοῦ βασιλικοῦ θρόνου ἱσταμένων κατὰ τὸ στέρνον πλῆξαι. Ὅπερ οἱ πλείο νες τῶν ἐφ' ἑκάτερα παρισταμένων τοῦ βασιλέως θεασά μενοι ἀνεχώρουν· ὁ δὲ ἀτρέμας ἐκάθητο ἀνακτώμενος τού τους καὶ πρᾴως πως νεμεσῶν· ὃ καὶ θάμβος πᾶσι παρεῖχεν. Ἐπεὶ δ' ἀναισχύντως τοὺς Λατίνους τοῖς τείχεσι πελά ζοντας ἑώρα καὶ τὸ συμφέρον βουλευομένῳ μὴ ὑπείκοντας, τὰ μὲν πρῶτα μεταπεμψάμενος τὸν γαμβρὸν αὐτοῦ Νικη φόρον τὸν ἐμὸν Καίσαρα παρεκελεύσατο ἄνδρας πολεμικω τάτους ἀναλαβόμενον καὶ τοξείας εἰδήμονας τοῦ τείχους ἄνωθεν καταστῆσαι παρεγγυησάμενος συχνοὺς μὲν ὀϊστοὺς κατὰ τῶν Λατίνων πέμπειν, μὴ κατὰ σκοποῦ δέ, ἀλλὰ δια μαρτάνειν τὰ πλείω, ὡς μόνον ἐκφοβεῖν τῇ πυκνότητι τῶν βελῶν, ἀναιρεῖν δὲ μηδαμῶς. Ἐδεδίει γάρ, ὡς ἄνωθεν εἴρηται, τὸ τῆς ἡμέρας σεβάσμιον καὶ τὸν ἐμφύλιον φόνον οὐκ ἤθελεν. 10.9.7 Ἑτέρους δὲ τῶν ἐκκρίτων [ἡγεμόνων] 10.9.7 τοὺς πλείους μὲν τόξα φέροντας, τοὺς δὲ ἔγχεα μακρὰ ἐναγκαλισαμένους τὴν κατὰ τὸν ἅγιον Ῥωμανὸν πύλην ἀναπετάσαντας σφοδρὰν ἐνδείξασθαι κατ' αὐτῶν τὴν ὁρμὴν ἐκέλευε τοιαύτην καταστησαμένους τὴν παράταξιν, ... ἕκα στον τῶν τὰ δόρατα φερόντων ἐξ ἑκατέρου μέρους ὑπὸ δύο φυλάττεσθαι πελταστῶν. Οὕτω δὲ ἑαυτοὺς καταστήσαντας αὐτοὺς μὲν βραδεῖ ποδὶ στείχειν, ὀλίγους δέ τινας τῆς τοξείας εἰδήμονας κατὰ τῶν Κελτῶν προεκπέμπειν πόρ ρωθεν μὲν τοὺς ὀϊστοὺς