341

two to display their excellence and skill to the whole city. And when this was happening and providing pleasure to the sight of the more inexperienced, Theodore, surnamed Krateros, who also shortly after became the leader of the phalanx of the forty-two holy martyrs, standing near the emperor, was mocking the Hagarene, saying that he was displaying nothing brave nor formidable. And the emperor, becoming angry with him, “But you, o effeminate and unmanly one, are you able to do such a thing?” But Krateros replied, “As for two lances, O emperor, not having learned, I am not able to handle them; for in war there is no need of such nonsense; but using one, I have firm confidence in God that I shall both throw this man down and cast him from his horse.” But the emperor, angered at his word, swore an oath upon his own head, that he would hand Krateros over to death, if he did not put his words into action. Therefore, Theodore immediately mounted his horse, and taking a lance, engaged with the Saracen, and in no long time he cast him from his horse. The emperor, therefore, was ashamed when he saw the Saracen thrown down by a eunuch, nevertheless, respecting the man's virtue 2.125, he both greeted him kindly with a word, and respecting his way of life, he gifted him with robes and garments. And now as spring was dawning, Theophilos, having again gathered a force, went out against the Saracens, and having recalled the holy Methodios from exile, he kept him with him, as he was accustomed to do this in wars, either for the sake of resolving obscure matters and things unknown to many through the wisdom inherent in him, or also guarding against suffering any rebellions from him on account of the war against the divine and holy icons; for the elite and God-loving of the city revered the man not a little. For this very reason, it did not seem advantageous to the emperor to leave him behind. Meanwhile, however, when the armies clashed with one another, and the Ishmaelites were prevailing, the emperor was surrounded and was on the point of being captured. When Manuel, the leader of the army, learned of this, and considering it a terrible thing to see an emperor of the Romans captured by the spear, he encouraged those around him and entered the danger with courage. But when he found the emperor weary and despairing of his safety, but pretending that he did not wish to abandon his people in their flight, he says, “Come now, O emperor, follow me as I go before and widen the way for you.” But as Manuel went out, the emperor, cowering, did not follow, he was forced to turn back a second time. And when he failed again, turning back a third time 2.126, he threatened him with death if he would not follow, and so late and with difficulty he saved him from the danger. Therefore he received him with worthy honors and attended him with gifts, calling him a benefactor and savior. But envy prevailed against such a man, and he was accused of treason out of slander. Wherefore, perceiving that no small danger had been contrived for him, and being fully informed by one of his most trusted men, who had been his slave but was then a cupbearer to the emperor Theophilos, that he was about to blind him, he dared to revolt and went over to the Hagarenes, appearing great even among them and being honored with the greatest honors. For he was entrusted with a large army, and was sent against the neighboring enemies, who are called Kermatai. He, wishing no one else to follow him but only the Romans imprisoned in the jails to campaign with him, won the greatest and most beautiful victories, so as even to capture by siege the so-called Khorosan. For not only did his superiority in courage astound his opponents, but also the variation of dialect and the change of formations and the unexpected alteration of warfare drove the enemy into no ordinary cowardice. And not only against his enemies was he thus seen to be noble, but also against ravaging wild beasts

341

δύο τὴν ἀριστείαν καὶ εὐφυΐαν ἁπάσῃ τῇ πόλει ἐνδείξασθαι. τούτου δὲ γενομένου καὶ τοῖς ἀπειροτέροις τέρψιν παρέχοντος τῇ ὁράσει, Θεόδωρος ὁ τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν Κρατερός, ὁ καὶ μετὰ βραχὺ τῆς τῶν ἁγίων τεσσαρα κονταδύο μαρτύρων φάλαγγος ἀρχηγὸς γεγονώς, πλησίον τῷ βα σιλεῖ παρεστὼς ἐξεμυκτήριζε τὸν Ἀγαρηνόν, μηδὲν ἀνδρεῖον φά σκων μηδὲ καταπληκτικὸν ἐνδεικνύμενον. ᾧ καὶ χαλεπήνας ὁ βα σιλεύς "ἀλλὰ σύ, ὦ θηλυδρία καὶ ἄνανδρε, δύνασαί τι τοιοῦτον ἐργάσασθαι;" ὑπολαβὼν δὲ ὁ Κρατερός "δύο μὲν βασιλεῦ μὴ μαθὼν οὐδὲ μεταχειρίσασθαι δόρατα δύναμαι· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐν πο λέμῳ τοιαύτης φλυαρίας χρεία· ἑνὶ δὲ χρησάμενος τὴν εἰς θεὸν πεποίθησιν ἔχω βεβαίαν ὡς κρημνίσω τε τοῦτον καὶ τοῦ ἵππου καταβαλῶ." ἐπὶ τῷ λόγῳ δὲ θυμωθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἦ μήν, ἔφησε κατὰ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ κεφαλῆς τὸν ὅρκον ἐπαγαγών, θανάτῳ παρα δοῦναι τὸν Κρατερόν, εἰ μὴ τοὺς λόγους εἰς ἔργον ἀγάγοι. ἀνα βὰς οὖν εὐθὺς τὸν ἵππον ὁ Θεόδωρος καὶ δόρυ λαβὼν συνεπλέ κετο τῷ Σαρακηνῷ, καὶ ἐν οὐ μακρῷ τῷ χρόνῳ τοῦ ἵππου αὐτὸν κατεκρήμνισεν. ᾐσχύνθη μὲν οὖν ὁ βασιλεὺς καταβεβλημένον ἰδὼν τὸν Σαρακηνὸν ὑπ' ἀνδρὸς εὐνούχου, ὅμως τὴν ἀρετὴν 2.125 αἰδεσθεὶς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς λόγῳ τε ἐφιλοφρονήσατο, καὶ στολὰς καὶ περιβολάς, τὴν πολιτείαν αἰδούμενος, ἐδωρήσατο αὐτῷ. Ἤδη δὲ τοῦ ἔαρος ὑπολάμποντος δύναμιν πάλιν ἠθροικὼς ὁ Θεόφιλος ἔξεισι κατὰ τῶν Σαρακηνῶν, καὶ τὸν ὅσιον Μεθόδιον ἐκ τῆς ὑπερορίας ἀνακαλεσάμενος εἶχε μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ, εἰθισμένον αὐτῷ ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις τοῦτο ποιεῖν, εἴτε τοῦ ἀσαφῆ ἕνεκα καὶ πολλοῖς ἄγνωστα διαλύειν διὰ τῆς ἐνυπαρχούσης αὐτῷ σοφίας, εἴτε καὶ ἐπαναστάσεις φυλαττόμενος παρ' αὐτοῦ τινὰς παθεῖν διὰ τὸν κατὰ τὸν θείων καὶ σεπτῶν εἰκόνων πόλεμον· οὐ μικρῶς γὰρ ἐσέβετο τὸν ἄνδρα τὸ τῆς πόλεως ἔκκριτον καὶ φιλόθεον. διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ κατόπιν ἐᾶν αὐτὸν οὐκ ἐφαίνετο συμφέρον τῷ βασιλεῖ. τέως δ' ὅμως συμπεσόντων ἀλλήλοις τῶν στρατευμάτων, καὶ τῶν Ἰσμαηλιτῶν ὑπερτερούντων, κύκλωσιν ὑπέστη ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ ἤδη ἁλώσιμος ἦν. ὁ δὴ καὶ μαθὼν Μανουὴλ ὁ τοῦ στρατοῦ ἐξηγού μενος, καὶ δεινὸν ἡγησάμενος δορυάλωτον βασιλέα Ῥωμαίων ἰδεῖν, τοὺς περὶ αὐτὸν ἀναθαρρύνας εἰσῄει μετὰ θάρσους τὸν κίνδυνον. ὡς δ' εὗρε καμόντα τὸν βασιλέα καὶ τὴν σωτηρίαν ἀπεγνωκότα, προφασιζόμενον δὲ μὴ βούλεσθαι τὸν λαὸν φεύγοντα καταλιπεῖν, "ἄγε δὴ" φησίν, "ὦ βασιλεῦ, ἕπου μοι προπορευο μένῳ καὶ τὴν ὁδόν σοι εὐρύνοντι." ὡς δ' ὁ Μανουὴλ ἐξῄει, ὁ βασιλεὺς δὲ κατεπτηχὼς οὐχ εἵπετο, πάλιν ἐκ δευτέρου ὑποστρέ ψαι ἠναγκάσθη. ὡς δὲ καὶ πάλιν ἠστόχησε, τὸ τρίτον ἐπιστρα 2.126 φεὶς θάνατον ἠπείλησεν εἰ μὴ ἕποιτο, καὶ οὕτως ὀψὲ καὶ μόλις τοῦ κινδύνου διέσωσε. διὸ τιμαῖς τοῦτον ἀνταξίοις ἐδεξιώσατο καὶ δωρεαῖς ἐθεράπευσεν, εὐεργέτην καὶ σωτῆρα ἀποκαλῶν. ἀλλ' ὁ φθόνος ἴσχυσε κατὰ τοῦ τοιούτου ἀνδρός, καὶ εἰς καθοσίωσιν ἐκ λοιδορίας κατεγκλήθη. ὅθεν καὶ κίνδυνον οὐ μικρὸν ἑαυτῷ ἐνηρ γημένον κατανοήσας, καὶ διά τινος τῶν πιστοτάτων πληροφορηθείς, δούλου μὲν γεγονότος αὐτοῦ οἰνοχοοῦντος δὲ τότε τῷ βασιλεῖ Θεοφίλῳ, ὡς μέλλοι τοῦτον ἀποτυφλοῦν, ἀποστασίαν τολμᾷ καὶ πρὸς Ἀγαρηνοὺς μετατίθεται, μέγας καὶ παρ' αὐτοῖς ὀφθεὶς καὶ μεγίσταις τιμαῖς γεραιρόμενος. στρατόν τε γὰρ ἐνεπιστεύθη πο λύν, καὶ κατὰ τῶν γειτονούντων ἐχθρῶν, οἳ οὕτω δὴ Κερμάται καλοῦνται, ἐπέμφθη. ὃς μηδένα ἕτερον ἕπεσθαί οἱ θελήσας ἀλλ' ἢ μόνον τοὺς ἐν φυλακαῖς καθειργμένους Ῥωμαίους αὐτῷ συστρα τεύεσθαι, νίκας μεγίστας καὶ καλλίστας ἠνέγκατο, ὡς καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ λεγόμενον Χωροσὰν ἐκπολιορκῆσαι. οὐ γὰρ μόνον τὸ κατ' ἀνδρίαν διαφέρον ἐξέπληξε τοὺς ἐναντίους, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ τῆς δια λέκτου παραλλαγὴ καὶ ἡ τῶν σχημάτων μεταβολὴ καὶ ἡ τοῦ πο λέμου παράδοξος ἐξαλλαγὴ εἰς δειλίαν οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν συνήλασε τοὺς πολεμίους. καὶ οὐ κατὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν μόνον οὕτως ὤφθη γενναῖος, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ θηρίων ἀγρίων πημαινομένων