is called "The Greater Sea." He also put out the eyes of the Protosouastos, his mother's paramour, and caused him to be emasculated.

A short time after this, Androneus, seeing that it would give great satisfaction to the people, by way of proof of his true fidelity and his extreme affection, on a certain day named for the celebration of the solemnity, carried Alexis, the emperor, on his shoulders from his palace to the church of Saint Sophia, and caused him to be crowned there by Basilius, the patriarch of the city, and, in the presence of all the people, took the oaths of fealty to him as his liege lord against all men whatsoever. After this was done, the emperor Alexis gave to the before-named Androneus the power of exercising his own will and dispensing justice among the people. However, after a considerable time, Androneus came to the emperor Alexis and said that the people refused to pay obedience to his commands, and requested him to appoint some one else over the people whose commands they would obey. On this, Alexis said to him: "I have made choice of yourself, and have appointed you over my people, and I know of no one else in whom I have greater confidence;" upon which, Androneus said in reply: "If it is your wish that I should govern your people, cause me to be crowned in their presence, so that all the people may know that I am, under you, to reign over all the nations which are subject to your sway." The emperor, not being aware that all power is averse to a partner therein, acceded to his request. The clergy and people of the empire having been convened, the emperor caused himself and Androneus to be crowned together by the before-named patriarch, in the church of Saint Sophia. However, after a short period of time had elapsed, the one became jealous of the other, and the thing that pleased the one displeased the other. "For no trust is there in associates in rule, and all power is averse to a partner therein."'" Androneus, however, still pretending the affection which he had hitherto shown, under the veil thereof plotted against his lord the emperor, who, suspecting nothing of the sort, forbore to take any precautions. "For no foe is there more pernicious than an enemy in the disguise of a friend."53 Having, there52"Nulla [enim] fides [erit] regni sociis, omnisque potestas Impatiens consortis erit."

55" Nullus namque perniciosior hostis est, quam familiaris inimicus."

fore, gained a favourable time and place, with the sanction of Basilius, the patriarch, he put to death his lord the emperor Alexis, and, marrying his wife Agnes, 53* the daughter of the king of France, exercised great tyranny over the people; and not only over the people, for all the nobles of the empire as well he either put to death, or, depriving them of their eyes and their virility, drove them out of the empire.

There was in that neighbourhood a certain young man, Isaac by name, son of the sister of Manuel, the deceased emperor, who, seeing the tyrannical conduct Androneus was guilty of towards the principal men of the empire, was in great dread of him, and flying from before his face, assembled a large army, and fought a battle with the sultan of Iconium; in which battle he was taken prisoner by Rupin de la Montaigne, who had come as an auxiliary to the sultan of Iconium. After taking him prisoner, he offered to deliver him to the sultan of Iconium, but the sultan, refusing to receive him, gave him up to Rupin. Upon returning home, the latter sent him to his superior lord, Raymond, prince of Antioch, who received him with great delight, and demanded of him sixty thousand besants 5+ as his ransom, which he accordingly promised to give, and, sending his messengers to the wealthy men of Cyprus, requested their assistance in procuring his ransom. Complying with his wishes, they sent him thirty thousand besants, which he gave to the prince of Antioch, and, by way of security for payment of the rest of the debt, gave him his son and daughter as hostages; whereupon, being liberated from the prison of the prince of Antioch, he came to the island of Cyprus, on which the chief men of the island received him, and made him their ruler. Elated by this, in his vanity he caused an imperial crown to be made for himself, and had himself crowned and called the "Holy Emperor." At the time, however, that had been arranged upon between them, the prince of Antioch sent to him for the remainder of the debt, that is to say, for the thirty thousand besants, but the emperor of Cyprus refused to deliver them to the envoys of the prince, but delivered them to the brethren of the Temple to be conveyed to the prince of

53* Then but eleven years of age. He is known in history as Andronicus I. Comnenus.

54 A golden coin, which took its name from Byzantium, the place of its circulation.

Antioch. On their departure, they were met by pirates, who took from them the said sum of money. When this became known to the emperor of Cyprus, he asserted that this had been done by the contrivance of the prince of Antioch, and swore that he would not again pay him that sum of money. In consequence of this, his son and daughter remained two years as hostages in the hands of the prince of Antioch; but he, at length finding that the emperor of Cyprus would not redeem his hostages, and being moved with compassion, gave them their liberty, and allowed them to depart.

In the mean time, by the advice and assistance of Basilius, the patriarch, Androneus, the emperor of Constantinople, usurped the monarchy of the whole empire, and placed the imperial diadem on the heads of himself and of his wife, and persevering in his tyrannical course, having put out the eyes of some of the nobles of the empire and cut off the limbs of others, sent them into banishment. Among these there was a certain nobleman, by name Androneus Angelus, who had been chancellor to the emperor Manuel, which office was by the Greeks called "Laucete." 55 Him and his two sons, the emperor Androneus caused to be deprived of their sight and virility, and then banished them from their country.

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In addition to these two, the before-named Androneus Angelus had a third son, a learned clerk, whom the Greeks called Sacwice,' ,"56 while in Latin he was named Tursakius Angelus. At the time of the persecution he had set out for France and resided in Paris, where he frequented the schools, that in the learning of the Latins, he might learn their language and manners. Upon hearing the lamentable misfortunes of his father and brothers, he set out with all speed to administer consolation to them, and as he was passing through a certain island of Greece he found there a certain religious man, who had devoted himself to a life of solitude, and had a spirit of prophecy, and who, having formerly been archbishop of the city of Tyre, preferring to serve God rather than the world, had resigned his archbishopric, and had taken up his residence by himself in that island, his delicacies being the roots of wild herbs, and draughts of water his drink. On coming to the holy man, he disclosed to him his name and his family, and the 55 Probably a misprint for some other word. 56 Probably he means "Sacuios."

cause of his journey. When the holy man had heard it all he burst into tears, knowing that it was a holy thing to weep with those who weep, and to lament with those who lament. After he had given loose to his tears, the young man tried, by all means in his power, to assuage his sorrow; on which the aged man said to him, "Return to the city of Constantinople, and prove yourself a man, for the Lord will deliver it into your hands, and you shall rule over it, and shall be emperor, and from you shall emperors proceed, who shall reign after you; and behold! Basilius, the patriarch, and the chief men of the empire are seeking you that they may become your subjects, and may have you for their lord and emperor; therefore attempt not to fly from that which God has prepared and predestined for you.'

Upon this, Tursakius, believing what he said, departed for the city of Constantinople, in the disguise of a poor man and a beggar. Not daring to discover himself to the people because his hour was not yet come, he remained in the suburbs alone, attended by a single servant, and having but one gelding, and that weak and lame, and there with patience awaited the fulfilment of the promise of the holy man beforementioned. There he was frequently visited by the chief men of the land and the patriarch, not openly, however, but in secret, by reason of the fears of the emperor; who was by this time the object of universal hatred, and was himself the hater of all men. Even the patriarch, who had aided in his elevation, he secuted to such a degree, as, against his wish, to build a certain noble church in the city, and place therein Latin canons, in consequence of which, to the present day, that church is called the "Latin Church."

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After a considerable time, the aforesaid Androneus, the emperor, goaded by a bad conscience, was desirous, through his magicians, to learn if there was still any person whom there was reason for him to stand in fear of: on which they made answer to him, "Give us a boy without guilt to slay, and a period of three days, and we will give you information on what you ask." Accordingly, a boy without guilt was immediately delivered to them, whom they offered in sacrifice to the demons, and after making lengthened investigation in his blood and entrails by means of their magical arts, discovered by the signs that the close of his rule was nigh at hand, and his death at the gate

and that he who was to put him to death was in the neighbourhood, and his name was Tursakius Angelus.

Accordingly, on the next day, the above-mentioned magicians came to the emperor Androneus, and said to him, "Now at length have your sins overtaken you of which you were guilty when you sat on your tribunal, oppressing the innocent and condemning the just blood without a cause. For the day of your downfall is hastening on; and lo! he is close at hand who shall destroy you and take your empire, and the name of that person is Tursakius Angelus. After unheard-of torments as your punishment, he will condemn you to a most cruel death, and his deeds will be applauded by the lips of the people, and he himself will become as the very food of those who tell of his exploits, and will reign over us, and his posterity will succeed to the sceptre. It is to your own sorrow that you have deprived his father and brothers of eyesight and other blessings. At this moment he is in the suburbs of this city; therefore expel him, if expel him you can."

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Androneus, however, on learning that he was at hand who was to put him to death, sent his chancellor with some knights and men-at-arms, for the purpose of seizing him. On arriving at the place where he lodged, they found the gates closed; on which those who went first cried with a loud voice, Open the gates for us, open them; behold! it is the emperor's chancellor come;" and then said, "Tursakius, come forth." Tursakius, seeing that they would break open the gates if he did not come forth with all speed, quickly saddled his horse, and, mounting it, girded on his sword; and then, opening the gates, he darted forth with the greatest rapidity, and, brandishing his sword, made his way among those who resisted, and, rushing upon the chancellor, cut off his head. The rest, however, stood quite astounded, and not one laid hands on him; on which, passing through the midst of them, he entered the city, and going through it came to the church of Saint Sophia, where, finding the patriarch Basilius, he cast himself at his feet, and told him of all that had happened to him.

On this, the patriarch raising him from the ground, exclaimed to the whole of the people there assembled, “Come hither and behold the man whom the Lord hath chosen to reign over us; say, then, what you think thereof." To this they

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