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of the emperor attacks. From then on until the end, at certain intervals of time the flux came on, bringing on severe pain. But he was so patient as never to utter a word of complaint, but rather: “I suffer what I deserve; these things rightly happen to me because of the multitude of my sins.” And if ever a word of faintheartedness escaped his lips, he immediately used the sign of the cross against the avenging demon, saying: “Flee from me, wicked one; woe to you and your machinations against the Christians.” 14.4.9 But let this suffice for now concerning the pain in his feet; but if someone assisted this disease and from the cup of bitterness mixed for him, as we indicate in few words, not to say everything, and he increased the pains, even if the empress, smearing the cup with honey, contrived for most of the evils to slip away, being a sleepless guardian of the emperor, let this one also be added to the account and be a third cause of the emperor’s disease, not merely a predisposing but also a most cohesive one, according to the sons of physicians. For that man was not there having offended once and then departed, but he was present and accompanied him like the most evil of humors in the vessels; or rather, if one looked into his nature, he was not only a cause of disease, but plainly a disease and a most grave symptom. But it is necessary to check the account, biting our tongue, and not to deviate from the main road, even if one is most eager to attack the most wicked. For let the things concerning this man be stored up by me for the proper time.

14.5.1 But let the account hold to the narrative of the Celts. The emperor therefore encamps

emperor at Damalis opposite; for the account left him having crossed over to that place. And immediately all flocked together like a snowstorm, crossing over to him where he was waiting, on the one hand awaiting the arrival of all, and on the other hoping to relieve that severe pain. And seeing the moon was now nearly full, since the Augusta was also present taking care of the pain in his feet and alleviating his pains through every sort of care, the emperor said: “If ever the Turks wanted to set out on a raid, the opportune moment is now at hand, and I am vexed at having lost the fitting time.” He said this in the evening, but around dawn the eunuch who attended the emperors’ bedchamber entered and announced the attack of the Turks on Nicaea, and he showed a letter from Eustathios Kamytzes, who was then guarding it, which set out the details concerning them. 14.5.2 So the emperor, without waiting even a little or delaying at all, but as if forgetting the pain that afflicted him, got into a carriage going to Nicaea, holding a willow branch in his right hand. And the soldiers then took up their spears and went in ranks by squadron on either side. And some ran beside him, others went before, and others followed, rejoicing with him for setting out against the barbarians, but grieving because of the pain which kept him from riding a horse. But he encouraged all to be of good courage with nods and words, smiling sweetly at them and addressing them. And in three days he reached a certain place called Aigialoi, from which he was about to sail across to Kibotos. Seeing him hastening the crossing, the Augusta took leave of him and proceeded to the ruling city. 14.5.3 When the emperor reached Kibotos, someone came to him saying that chosen satraps of forty thousand had been divided, and some had come down to raid Nicaea and the lands lying beside it, but Monolykos and the

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ἐνσκήπτει τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος. Ἔκτοτε δὲ μέχρι τέλους ἐκ διαστημάτων τινῶν χρονικῶν ἐπῄει τὸ ῥεῦμα ὀδύνην ἐπάγον σφροδράν. Ὁ δὲ τοσοῦτον ἐγκαρτερῶν ἦν ὡς μηδέποτε γογγυστικὸν εἰπεῖν ῥῆμα, ἀλλὰ τὸ· «Ἀξίως πάσχω· εὐλόγως μοι ταῦτα γίνεται διὰ τὴν τῶν ἐμῶν ἁμαρτιῶν πληθύν». Εἰ καί που δὲ τῶν χει λέων αὐτοῦ ῥῆμα μικροψυχίας ἐκδεδραμήκει, εὐθὺς τῷ τοῦ σταυροῦ σημείῳ κατὰ τοῦ παλαμναίου ἐχρῆτο δαίμονος· «Φεῦγε, λέγων, ἐξ ἐμοῦ, πονηρέ· οὐαί σοι καὶ τοῖς κατὰ τῶν Χριστιανῶν μηχανήμασιν». 14.4.9 Ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν τῆς τῶν ποδῶν ἀλγηδόνος ἱκανῶς ἡμῖν εἰρήσθω τὰ νῦν· εἰ δέ τις τῇ νόσῳ ταύτῃ συνήρατο κἀκ τοῦ κερασθέντος τούτῳ μεστοῦ πικρίας κρατῆρος, καθὼς ἐν ὀλίγοις ἐνσημα νούμεθα, ἵνα μὴ λέγω τὸ πᾶν, καὶ τὰς ἀλγηδόνας συνηύξανε, κἂν ἡ βασιλὶς μέλιτι τὸν κρατῆρα περιχρίουσα τὰ πολλὰ διολισθαίνειν τῶν κακῶν προσεμηχανᾶτο φύλαξ ἀνύστακτος τοῦ αὐτοκράτορας οὖσα, προσερρίφθω καὶ οὗτος τῷ λόγῳ καὶ ἔστω τρίτη τις αἰτία τῆς νόσου τοῦ βασιλέως οὐ προ καταρκτικὴ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ συνεκτικωτάτη κατὰ τοὺς παῖδας τῶν ἰατρῶν. Οὐ γὰρ καθάπαξ προσκεκρουκὼς ἐκεῖνος ἀπῆν, ἀλλὰ συμπαρῆν καὶ συμπαρωμάρτει ὡς ἐν τοῖς ἀγγείοις οἱ πονηρότατοι τῶν χυμῶν· μᾶλλον δέ, εἴ τις εἰς τὴν ἐκείνου φύσιν ἀπεῖδεν, οὐ μόνον αἰτία νοσήμα τος ἦν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄντικρυς νόσημα καὶ βαρύτατον σύμ πτωμα. Ἀλλ' ἐπέχειν τὸν λόγον ἀνάγκη τὴν γλῶτταν ἐνδα κόντας καὶ μὴ παρεκθέειν τῆς λεωφόρου, κἂν ὅτι μάλιστα προθυμότατος ᾖ κατὰ τῶν κακουργοτάτων ἐφάλλεσθαι. Εἰς καιρὸν γὰρ τὸν προσήκοντα τὰ περὶ τούτου τεταμιεύσθω μοι.

14.5.1 Ὁ δὲ λόγος ἐχέσθω τῶν Κελτῶν διηγήσεως. Αὐλίζε ται μὲν οὖν ὁ

αὐτοκράτωρ κατὰ τὴν πέραθεν ∆άμαλιν· ἐκεῖσε γὰρ τοῦτον ὁ λόγος περαιωσάμενον καταλέλοιπε. Καὶ συνέρρεον αὐτίκα ἅπαντες νιφετοῦ δίκην διαπερῶντες πρὸς αὐτὸν αὐτοῦ που προσμένοντα, τὸ μὲν τὴν ἁπάντων ἔλευσιν ἀπεκδεχόμενον, τὸ δὲ καὶ τὴν σφοδρὰν ἐκείνην ὀδύνην ῥαΐσαι ἐλπίζοντα. Πλησιφαῆ δὲ τὴν σελήνην ἤδη θεασάμενος, ἐπεὶ συμπαρῆν καὶ ἡ Αὔγουστα τῆς τῶν ποδῶν ὀδύνης ἐπιμελουμένη καὶ κουφίζουσα τούτου τὰς ἀλγηδό νας διὰ παντοίας ἐπιμελείας, ὡς· «Εἴ ποτε, εἶπεν ὁ βασι λεύς, ἐς προνομὴν οἱ Τοῦρκοι ὁρμῆσαι ἐβούλοντο, ὁ καιρὸς ἤδη ἐπιτήδειος πάρεστι, καὶ ἄχθομαι τὸν προσήκοντα και ρὸν ἀπολωλεκώς». Ἑσπέρας μὲν ἔφη τοῦτο, κατὰ δὲ τὸ περίορθρον εἰσελθὼν ὁ περὶ τὸν κοιτῶνα τῶν βασιλέων ἐνα σχολούμενος ἐκτομίας τὴν τῶν Τούρκων ἐς Νίκαιαν κατήγ γειλεν ἔφοδον καὶ τοῦ τηνικαῦτα ταύτην φρουροῦντος Εὐσταθίου τοῦ Καμύτζη γραφὴν ὑπεδείκνυ τὰ κατ' αὐτοὺς διαλαμβάνουσαν. 14.5.2 Ὁ γοῦν αὐτοκράτωρ μηδὲ μικρὸν ἀνα μείνας μηδὲ μελλήσας ὅλως, ἀλλ' οἷον τῆς συνεχούσης αὐτὸν ὀδύνης ἐπιλαθόμενος δι' ἁρμαμάξης τῆς πρὸς Νίκαιαν φερούσης ἥψατο τῇ δεξιᾷ χειρὶ λύγον κατέχων. Οἱ δὲ στρατιῶται τηνικαῦτα τὰ δόρατα τούτων ἀναλαβόμε νοι κατ' ἴλας στοιχηδὸν ἐφ' ἑκάτερα ἵεντο. Καὶ οἱ μὲν παρέ θεον τούτῳ, οἱ δὲ προέπεμπον, οἱ δὲ συνείποντο συγχαί ροντες μὲν αὐτῷ κατὰ τῶν βαρβάρων ἐξορμήσαντι, ἀνιώμενοι δὲ διὰ τὴν ἀπείργουσαν αὐτὸν ἱππάζεσθαι ὀδύ νην. Ὁ δὲ πρὸς θάρσος ὤτρυνεν ἅπαντας νεύμασί τε καὶ λόγοις ἡδὺ προσμειδιῶν αὐτοῖς καὶ προσφθεγγόμενος. ∆ι' ἡ μερῶν δὲ τριῶν κατέλαβε τόπον τινὰ Αἰγιαλοὺς καλούμε νον, ἐξ οὗ πρὸς τὴν Κιβωτὸν διαπλῴσασθαι ἔμελλεν. Ἐπει γόμενον δὲ τοῦτον τὴν διαπεραίωσιν ὁρῶσα ἡ Αὔγουστα συνταξαμένη τούτῳ πρὸς τὴν βασιλεύουσαν ἐπορεύετο. 14.5.3 Τοῦ δὲ αὐτοκράτορος τὴν Κιβωτὸν καταλαβόντος προσ έρχεταί τις αὐτῷ λέγων ἐκκρίτους σατράπας τεσσαράκοντα χιλιάδων διαιρεθῆναι καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἐς προνομὴν τῆς Νικαίας καὶ τῶν παρακειμένων αὐτῇ χωρῶν κατελθεῖν, τὸν δὲ Μονόλυκον καὶ τὸν