217

six cubits in height. For this wooden tower had to be so constructed that by means of certain elevated gangways being let down to the lower part, the city wall could easily be stormed from there. For thus the natives, always being pushed backwards, would not be able to withstand the violence of the charge. So it seems the barbarians besieging Dyrrachium were rich in the science of optics. For not without such a skill could they ascertain the heights of the walls; and if not of optics, then at least of measurement by means of dioptras. 13.3.10 At any rate that tower was fearful to behold, but appeared more fearful when moving. For many wheels raised its base; and being levered up from within by the soldiers with levers, it caused amazement since the origin of its movement was not visible, but it seemed to move of its own accord like some giant towering above the clouds. It was covered on all sides from base to top and was divided into many stories and had openings all around with all sorts of windows, from which frequent missiles were discharged. And at the very top were spirited, fully-armed men, carrying swords in their hands and prepared for defense. 13.3.11 But when this dreadful spectacle approached the wall, the men around Alexios, general of the city of Dyrrachium, were not negligent, but at the same time as this machine was being constructed outside by Bohemond like some inescapable city-taker, another device was being counter-contrived by them inside the wall. For having seen to what height this self-moving tower extended and where they had fixed it after removing the wheels, they fixed four very long timbers opposite the wooden tower, rising up from a square base in the shape of a scaffold, and then, having inserted some platforms between the opposing timbers, they made it run up to one cubit higher than the wooden tower outside. And this entire structure was uncovered on all sides; for it needed no protection, except that it was roofed over only at the top. 13.3.12 There indeed the soldiers around Alexios, having brought up the liquid fire, were about to hurl it from the rooftops of the unprotected wooden tower against the opposing wooden tower. But the plan and the action seemed not destined for the utter destruction of the engine; for the fire sent from there was likely to touch the wooden tower only on the surface. But what do they contrive? They fill the space between the wooden tower and the city's tower with all kinds of highly flammable material and much oil poured out like rivers; to these was brought fire, firebrands and flames, which, smouldering little by little and then catching a slight breath of air, then burst into a conspicuous flame, and with the fireballs of the liquid fire also taking hold, set ablaze that whole frightful and very woody engine, creating a noise and a fearful sight to the eyes. And the sensation of the great fire was all around for up to thirteen stades. And there was great and helpless noise and confusion among the barbarians inside, some being trapped in the fire and burned to ashes, others throwing themselves from on high to the ground; and a great shout and helpless confusion as those outside also echoed it.

13.4.1 So much, then, concerning the cloud-high wooden tower and the siegecraft of the barbarians; but the narrative must be brought back again to the emperor. So when spring was at hand, the Augusta returned from Thessalonica towards the ruling city, while the emperor held to his forward march and seized Diabolis through Pelagonia, which is situated there at the foothills of the already mentioned impassable paths. And having devised some new strategy against the barbarians, he reckoned it necessary to abstain completely from open warfare and for this reason did not wish for close-quarters battle, but

217

ἓξ πήχεις τὸ ὕψος. Ἔδει γὰρ οὕτως κατεσκευάσθαι τὸν μόσυνα τοῦτον, ἵνα διά τινων ὑποβαθρῶν μετεώρων πρὸς τὸ χθαμαλώτερον καταχαλωμένων τὸ τεῖχος τῆς πόλεως ἐκεῖθεν εὐκόλως καταδραμεῖται. Οὕτω γὰρ ἂν τὸ σφοδρὸν τῆς ῥύμης οὐκ ἂν ὑπενέγκοιεν οἱ ἐγχώριοι ἀεὶ πρὸς τὸ κατόπιν ὠθούμενοι. Ὀπτικὴν δὲ ἄρα τὴν ἐπιστήμην ἐπλούτουν, ὡς ἔοικεν, οἱ τὸ ∆υρράχιον πολιορκοῦντες βάρβαροι. Οὐ γὰρ ἄνευ τοιαύ της δυνάμεως τὰ ὕψη τῶν τειχῶν κατελάμβανον· εἰ δὲ μὴ ὀπτικῆς, ἀλλά γε τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν διοπτρῶν καταλήψεως. 13.3.10 Ὁ γοῦν πύργος ἐκεῖνος φοβερὸς μὲν ἰδεῖν, φοβερώ τερος δὲ κινούμενος κατεφαίνετο. Τροχοὶ γὰρ πολλοὶ τὴν βάσιν αὐτῷ μετεώριζον· ἀναμοχλευόμενος δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν ἔνδον στρατιωτῶν τοῖς μοχλοῖς θάμβος ἐποίει μὴ φαινο μένης τῆς ἀρχῆς τῆς κινήσεως, ἀλλ' ὥσπερ τις γίγας ὑπερνεφὴς ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ἐδόκει κινούμενος. Ἐστέγαστο δὲ ἁπανταχόθεν ἐκ βάσεως ἄχρι κορυφῆς καὶ εἰς στέγας πολ λὰς διῄρητο καὶ θυρίσι κύκλῳ παντοδαπαῖς ἠνέῳκτο, ἀφ' ὧν ἐξέπιπτε βέλη συχνά. Πρὸς δὲ τὸ ἀνωτάτω μέρος ἄνδρες ἦσαν ἐξωπλισμένοι θυμοειδεῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν χειρῶν τὰ ξίφη φέροντες καὶ πρὸς ἄμυναν διηυτρεπισμένοι. 13.3.11 Ἐπεὶ δὲ τῷ τείχει προσήγγισε τὸ φρικτὸν τουτὶ θέαμα, οὐκ ἀμελῶς ἔσχον οἱ ἀμφὶ τὸν Ἀλέξιον καὶ στρα τηγὸν τῆς πόλεως ∆υρραχίου, ἀλλ' ἅμα τε τοῦτο τὸ μηχάνημα ἔξωθεν τῷ Βαϊμούντῳ κατεσκευάζετο ὥσπερ τις ἑλέπολις ἄφυκτος, καὶ ἄλλο τι ἔνδοθεν τοῦ τείχους αὐτοῖς ἀντεμηχανᾶτο. Ἑωρακότες γὰρ εἰς ὅσον ὕψος ὁ αὐτοκίνη τος οὗτος πύργος ἐκτέταται καὶ ὅπου τοῦτον ἐστήριξαν ὑφελόμενοι τοὺς τροχούς, τέτταρα ξύλα μακρότατα καταν τικρὺ τοῦ μόσυνος πήξαντες ὥσπερ ἀπὸ τετραγώνου βάσεως εἰς πήγματος σχῆμα διανιστάμενα, κᾆθ' οὕτως βάσεις τινὰς διειληφότες μεταξὺ τῶν ἀντιτεταγμένων ξύλων, εἰς πῆχυν ἕνα τὸν ἔξωθεν ξύλινον πύργον ἐποίησαν ἀνατρέχειν. Ἀστεγὲς δὲ ἦν ἁπανταχόθεν ὅλον τοῦτο τὸ διάστημα· οὐ γὰρ ἐδεῖτο προφυλακῆς, εἰ μὴ μόνον κατὰ τὴν κορυφὴν ἐξωρόφωτο. 13.3.12 Ἐνταῦθα δὴ ἀναγαγόντες οἱ ἀμφὶ τὸν Ἀλέξιον στρατιῶται τὸ ἔνυγρον πῦρ περὶ τὰ ἀκρόστεγα τοῦ ἀνεπιφράκτου ξυλοπύργου ἔμελλον ἐξα κοντίζειν πρὸς τὸν ἀντίθετον μόσυνα. Ἀλλ' ἐδόκει καὶ ἡ βουλὴ καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα οὐ πρὸς πανωλεθρίαν τοῦ μηχανή ματος· ἀκροθιγῶς γὰρ ἔμελλε τὸ πῦρ τὸ ἐντεῦθεν ἐκεῖσε πεμπόμενον τοῦ μόσυνος ἅπτεσθαι. Ἀλλὰ τί μηχανῶνται; Πληροῦσι τὸν μεταξὺ τόπον τοῦ τε ξυλίνου καὶ τοῦ τῆς πόλεως πύργου εὐκαταπρήστου παντοίας ὕλης καὶ ἐλαίου πολλοῦ κατὰ ποταμοὺς κενουμένου· τούτοις ἐπενήνεκτο πῦρ, δαλοὶ καὶ φλόγες, ὃ κατὰ μικρὸν ὑποτυφόμενον κᾆθ' οὕτως βραχείας ἀναπνοῆς ἐπιδραξάμενον, ἔπειτα εἰς περιφανῆ φλόγα διαρθὲν, συνεπιλαμβανομένων καὶ τῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ πυρὸς τοῦ ὑγροῦ πρηστήρων, ἅπαν ἀνῆψε τὸ φρικτὸν ἐκεῖνο καὶ πολυυλότατον μηχάνημα ἐμποιοῦν ἦχον καὶ φοβερὰν θέαν ταῖς ὄψεσιν. Αἴσθησις δὲ τοῦ πολλοῦ πυρὸς ἦν κυκλόθεν μέχρι καὶ σταδίων τρισκαίδεκα. Θόρυβος δὲ καὶ ταραχὴ τοῖς ἔνδον βαρβάροις πολλὴ καὶ ἀμήχανος, τῶν μὲν ἐναπειλημμένων τῷ πυρὶ καὶ ἀποτεφρουμένων, τῶν δὲ ἀπὸ μετεώρου ῥιπτούντων ἑαυτοὺς πρὸς τὴν γῆν· βοὴ δὲ πολλὴ καὶ ἀμήχανος ταραχὴ ἀντηχούντων καὶ τῶν ἐκτός.

13.4.1 Τοσαῦτα μὲν οὖν περὶ τοῦ ὑπερνεφοῦς μόσυνος καὶ τῆς παρὰ τῶν βαρβάρων τειχομαχίας· ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τὸν βασιλέα καὶ αὖθις τὸν λόγον ἐπανακτέον. Ἔαρος τοίνυν ἐφισταμέ νου ἡ μὲν Αὔγουστα ἐκ τῆς Θεσσαλονίκης ὡς πρὸς τὴν βασιλεύουσαν ἐπανέστρεφεν, ὁ δὲ αὐτοκράτωρ τῆς πρόσω πορείας εἴχετο καὶ τὴν ∆ιάβολιν διὰ τῆς Πελαγονίας κατα λαμβάνει ἔνθεν περὶ τοὺς πρόποδας τῶν ἤδη ῥηθέντων δυσβάτων ἀτραπῶν οὖσαν. Καὶ καινήν τινα στρατηγίαν κατὰ τῶν βαρβάρων μεμελετηκὼς δεῖν ἐλογίσατο τοῦ μὲν δημοσίου πολέμου σχολὴν παντελῶς καταψηφίσασθαι καὶ ἀγχέμαχον διὰ ταῦτα τὴν μάχην οὐκ ἤθελεν, ἀλλὰ