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they held out, for they hoped that an alliance would arrive from somewhere, or indeed aid for their misfortune; they devised the most difficult things, and many of the shield-bearers, crouching low with their light shields, clung to the walls; who, though they were pelted with stones from above, paid no heed to the missiles; for 599 the terrifying aspect for them remained only in the noise, as they were undermining from below with levers and siege engines. This having happened in many places of the wall, the foundations were being drawn out, and the structure built on top was propped up with wood ready for burning, and it only remained to throw fire on it so that they would not hold out even for a short time. And indeed, having often wished to take the city by treaty, as they also demanded by sending envoys, and to save the survivors, but they, having been rebuffed from what they had decided, take and raze it by battle, and the city that before lay in manifest oracles and was suspended by good hopes they cast down to the dust, and they make that entire multitude, not easily countable, the work of the sword. This success, happening as the second one for the Persians after the first one at Nyssa, in which indeed the *parakoimomenos* Nostongos, having been left behind, involved those around him in the greatest troubles, so that, after the slaughter of some of them, and the capture of others, and his own capture, it greatly lifted them to courage, and they overran the eastern lands more powerfully. But the young emperor was encamped for the time being at Nymphaion, being due to meet his father after a short while.

22. How the porphyrogennetos Constantine is sent to the western parts. But the emperor, wishing as it were to train for warlike battles Constantine, the *porphyrogennetos* next after the emperor, and especially since the Triballians had been stirred up, so that their armies were entrusted to a certain Kotanitzes, who had rebelled from the emperor, and the land was being ravaged by them as far as Serres, having handed over to him many and great commanders, sends him out to the west. But he himself, as it was being reported that matters in the east were going badly, in the region around the Sangarius from its mouth as far as Prousa, having equipped himself as he was from there, crosses the Bosphorus and encamps somewhere there at the foothills of the 601 mountain of Saint Auxentius, awaiting also a western army, being gathered on specific terms, so that it might come to him to campaign together. And indeed, since he was also being asked by Joseph, who had been exiled to Chele, to be moved—for the place was difficult for those wintering there, as he was learning, having recognized it by experience, having spent the winter there, and even if he were forced to spend the next one, he would not be able to hold out and survive—he sent for him and kept him with himself in his tents. And these things were done in the month of Maimakterion, and having him with him and seeing him many times a day, he showed him favor and cherished him, gladly listening and granting the requests of many with him acting as mediator. And he assigned to him the monastery of Kosmidion for his future residence. And for these reasons the old man also behaved gently and affably toward him, so that the emperor, jesting, would call him to the patriarchate, and he would say that he was ready, if only what had happened were undone. But it was not then possible for these things to be undone; but again when Nicholas had become the new pope, the emperor again sent those who would go to him, and after this he also sent the domestikos of the church, Mandas, or Mercurius, to the region of Aquileia, to give them the idea for the pope that if they did not do what was ordered; for to this end he was also using ecclesiastical envoys. Who, falling in with the men of King Charles, is captured; and again, when it was announced that the one arrested was the *protokeryx* of the church, and it was immediately ordered by the pope, he is released from prison. And the emperor was doing these things, being very intent on putting together the terms of that apparent peace. Whence also the words of Joseph had no effect on him, except for behaving in a friendly manner and assigning to him things for his repose. 603 23. How Bekkos, by writing, brought up the issue concerning the dogmas and for what reason. But to the

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ἀντίσχουσινἤλπιζον γὰρ ἀφίξεσθαί ποθεν συμμαχίαν ἢ μὴν ἐπικουρίαν τῆς συμφορᾶςἐπενόουν τὰ χαλεπώτατα, καὶ πελταῖς συχνοὶ τῶν θυρεαφόρων ὑφιζάνοντες ἐκολλῶντο τοῖς τείχεσιν· οἳ δὴ καὶ ὑψόθεν πέτραις βαλλόμενοι, τῶν βολῶν ἠλόγουν· πατάγῳ γὰρ 599 καὶ μόνῳ περιῆν ἐκείνοις τὸ φοβερόν, κάτωθεν ὑπορύσσουσι μοχλοῖς τε καὶ κατασείσταις. Τοῦτο πολλαχοῦ γεγονὸς τοῦ τείχους, ὑπεσπῶντο μὲν θεμέλια, τὸ δέ γ' ἐπικείμενον τῶν κτισμάτων ξύλοις ἑτοίμοις εἰς ἄναψιν ἐπη ρείδετο, καὶ μόνον ἦν πῦρ ἐμβάλλειν ὡς μηδὲ πρὸς ὀλίγον ἀνθέξουσι. Καὶ δὴ πολλάκις ὁμολογίαις τὴν πόλιν παραστήσασθαι βουληθέντες, ὡς καὶ πέμποντες ἠξίουν, καὶ σῴζειν τοὺς περιόντας, οἱ δ' ἀποκρουσθέντες τῶν σφίσι βεβουλευμένων μάχῃ αἱροῦσι καὶ κατασκάπτουσι, καὶ τὴν πρὶν ἐν χρησμοῖς κειμένην περιφανέσι καί γ' ἐλπίσιν ἀπῃωρημένην χρησταῖς εἰς χοῦν καταβάλλουσι, καὶ πλῆθος ἐκεῖνο πᾶν, οὐ ῥᾳδίως ἀριθμητόν, ἔργον μαχαίρας ποιοῦνται. Τοῦτο ξυμβὰν κατόρθωμα δεύτερον Πέρσαις, μετὰ τὸ πρῶτον τὸ κατὰ Νύσσαν, ᾧ δὴ ὁ παρακοιμώμενος Νοστόγγος ἐλλελειμμένος μεγίστοις ἀνιαροῖς τοὺς ἀμφ' αὑτὸν περιέβαλεν, ὥστε, μετὰ τὴν σφῶν ὧν μὲν σφαγήν, ὧν δ' ἅλωσιν, καὶ αὐτὸν ἁλῶναι, μεγάλως πρὸς θάρρος ἐπῇρε, καὶ τὰ τῆς ἀνατολῆς κατέθεον κραταιότερον. Βασιλεὺς δὲ ὁ νέος ηὐλίζετο τέως κατὰ τὸ Νύμφαιον, ἐμπρόθεσμος ὢν ἀπαντᾶν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μετὰ μικρόν.

κβʹ. Ὅπως ὁ πορφυρογέννητος Κωνσταντῖνος εἰς τὰ κατὰ δύσιν ἀποστέλ λεται. Βασιλεὺς δέ, καὶ τὸν μετὰ τὸν βασιλέα πορφυρογέννητον Κωνσταντῖνον γυμνάζειν οἷον θέλων πρὸς μάχας ἀρεϊκάς, ἄλλως τε δὲ καὶ τῶν Τριβαλλῶν κεκινημένων, ὡς καί τινι Κοτανίτζῃ, ἀποστατήσαντι βασιλέως, τὰ ἐκείνων στρατεύματα ἐγχειρίζεσθαι καὶ μέχρι Σερρῶν δι' αὐτῶν κακοῦσθαι τὴν χώραν, πολλοὺς καὶ μεγάλους ἄρχοντας παραδούς, πρὸς δύσιν ἐκπέμπει· αὐτὸς δέ, τῶν καθ' ἕω κακῶς ἔχειν ἀγγελλομένων, ὅσον περὶ Σάγγαριν ἦν ἔκ γε στομίου καὶ μέχρι Προύσης, ἐξ αὐτῆς ὡς εἶχεν ἐνσκευασθείς, διαπερᾷ τὸν Βόσπορον καὶ πρὸς τοῖς πρόποσι τοῦ τοῦ Ἁγίου Αὐξεντίου 601 βουνοῦ ἐκεῖσέ που κατασκηνοῖ, ἀναμένων καὶ στράτευμα δυτικόν, ἐπὶ ῥητοῖς συλλεγόμενον, ὥστε παρ' ἐκεῖνον ἰέναι συνεκστρατεύσοντα. Καὶ δὴ ἐπεὶ καὶ παρὰ τοῦ Ἰωσήφ, ὃς δὴ εἰς Χηλὴν ἐξώριστο, ἠξιοῦτο ἐφ' ᾧ μετοικίζεσθαιεἶναι γὰρ τὸν τόπον δυσχερῆ χειμεριοῦσιν, ὡς καὶ πείρᾳ γνοὺς ἐμάνθανεν, ἐκεῖσε τὸν χειμῶνα διενεγκών, κἂν εἰ τὸν ἐπιόντα διαγαγεῖν ἀναγκάζοιτο, μὴ ἂν ἀντισχόντα περιεῖναι, πέμψας μετακαλεῖται καί γε παρ' ἑαυτῷ κατεῖχεν ἐν ταῖς σκηναῖς. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐπράττετο μηνὸς μαιμακτηριῶνος, κἀκεῖνον ἔχων παρ' ἑαυτῷ καὶ πολλάκις τῆς ἡμέρας βλέπων, ὑποποιούμενος περιέθαλπεν, ἡδέως ἀκούων καὶ πολλοῖς ἀνύων δι' ἐκείνου μεσιτεύοντος τὰ αἰτήματα. Ἀπένεμε δέ οἱ καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἐσαῦθις κατοικίαν τὴν τοῦ Κοσμιδίου μονήν. Καὶ διὰ ταῦτα καὶ ὁ γέρων ἠπίως καὶ προσηνῶς προσεφέρετό οἱ, ὥστε καὶ τὸν μὲν βασιλέα χαριεντιζόμενον ἐκεῖνον εἰς τὸ πατριαρχεῖον καλεῖν κἀκεῖνον λέγειν ἕτοιμον εἶναι, εἰ μόνον ἀναλυθείη τὰ γεγονότα. Οὐκ ἦν δὲ ἄρα τότε λύεσθαι ταῦτα· ἀλλὰ καὶ αὖθις νέου γεγονότος πάπα τοῦ Νικολάου, ὁ μὲν κρατῶν καὶ πάλιν τοὺς παρ' ἐκεῖνον ἐλευσομένους ἔπεμπεν, ἀπέστελλε δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ τὸν τῆς ἐκκλησίας δομέστικον Μανδᾶν, ἢ καὶ Μερκούριον, εἰς τὰ περὶ Ἀκουιλίαν, ἔννοιαν δώσων ἐκείνοις τῷ πάπᾳ εἰ μὴ ποιοῖεν τὰ ἐπεσταλμένα· εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἐκκλησιαστικοῖς χρᾶσθαι πρέσβεσιν. Ὃς καί, περιπεσὼν τοῖς τοῦ ῥηγὸς Καρούλου, ἁλίσκεται· καὶ αὖθις ἀγγελθὲν ὡς πρωτοκῆρυξ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ὁ συσχεθεὶς καὶ προσταχθὲν αὐτίκα παρὰ τοῦ πάπα, τῆς φυλακῆς ἀπολύεται. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ὁ κρατῶν ἐποίει, πολὺς ὢν τὰ τῆς φαινομένης ἐκείνης εἰρήνης διασυνι στᾶν. Ὅθεν καὶ χώραν οὐκ εἶχον οἱ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον λόγοι, πλὴν τοῦ φιλικῶς ἔχειν καὶ τὰ εἰς ἀνάπαυσιν ἐκείνῳ προσνέμειν. 603 κγʹ. Ὅπως ὁ Βέκκος γράφων δι' ἣν αἰτίαν καὶ περὶ τῶν δογμάτων ἐκίνει. Τῷ δὲ