| Keywords |
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| ID |
5038 |
| Text |
Historia (continuatio Agathiae) (557 - 582) Menander, the Guardsman |
| Quotation |
Ἀτὰρ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀναλεξάμενος διὰ τῶν ἑρμηνέων τὸ γράμμα τὸ Σκυθικὸν ἀσμενέστατα προσήκατο γὴν πρεσβείαν. τοιγαροῦν ἤρετο τοὺς πρέσβεις περὶ τῆς τῶν Τούρκων ἠγεμονίας τε καὶ χώρας. οἱ δέ γε ἔφασαν τέτταρας μὲν αὐτοῖς εἶναι ἡγεμονίας, τὸ δέ γε κράτος τοῦ ξύμπαντος ἔθνους ἀνεῖσθαι μόνῳ τῷ Σιζαβούλῳ. πρός γε ἔλεξαν ὡς παρεστήσαντο καὶ Ἐφθαλίτας μέχρι καὶ ἐς φόρου ἀπαγωγήν. πᾶσαν οὖν, ἔφη ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ, τὴν τῶν Ἐφθαλιτῶν <ὑπήκοον> ἐποιήσασθε δύναμιν; πάνυ μὲν οὖν, ἔλεξαν οἱ πρέσβεις. αὖθις ὁ βασιλεύς· κατὰ πόλεις ἤ που ἆρα κατὰ κώμας ᾤκουν οἱ Ἐφθαλῖται; οἱ πρέσβεις· ἀστικοί, ὦ δέσποτα, τὸ φῦλον. εὔδηλον οὖν, ἦ δὲ ὁ βασιλεύς, ὡς ἐκείνων δήπου τῶν πόλεων κύριοι καθεστήκατε. καὶ μάλα, ἔφασαν. ὁ βασιλεύς· ἄρα ἡμᾶς ἀναδιδάξητε ὅση τῶν Αβάρων πληθὺς τῆς τῶν Τούρκων ἀφηνίασεν ἐπικρατείας, καὶ εἴ τινες ἔτι παρ᾿ ὑμῖν, εἰσὶ μέν, ὦ βασιλεῦ, οἵ γε τὰ ἡμέτερα στέργουσιν ἔτι, τοὺς δὲ δήπουθεν ἀποδράσαντας οἶμαι ἀμφὶ τὰς εἴκοσιν εἶναι χιλιάδας, εἶτα ἀπαριθμησάμενοι οἱ πρέσβεις ἔθνη κατήκοα Τούρκων τὸ λοιπὸν ἠντιβόλουν τὸν αὐτοκράτορα εἰρήνην τε ξυνεστάναι καὶ ὁμαιχμίαν Ῥωμαίοις τε καὶ Τούρκοις. προσετίθεσαν δὲ ὡς καὶ ἑτοιμότατα ἔχουσι καταπολεμῆσαι τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐπικρατείας τὸ δυσμενές, ὁπόσον ἐς τὴν κατ᾿ αὐτοὺς ἀγελάζονται ἤπειρον. |
| Translation |
When the Emperor read the letter, written in Scythian, through an interpreter, he most willingly granted an audience to the embassy. He then questioned the envoys about the leadership of the Turks (Toȗrkoi) and their location. They replied that they had four principalities, but power over the whole people was vested in Sizabul alone. Furthermore, they said, the Turks (Toȗrkoi) had conquered the Ephtalites (Éphthalítai) and made them tributary. “You have, therefore,” asked the Emperor, “made all the power of the Ephtalites (Éphthalítai) subject to you?” “Completely,” replied the envoys. The Emperor then asked, “Do the Ephtalites (Éphthalítai) live in cities or villages?” The envoys: “My Lord, that people lives in cities.” “Then,” said the Emperor, “it is clear that you have become master of these cities.” “Indeed,” said the envoys. The Emperor asked, “Tell us how large a multitude of Avars (Ábaroi) revolted from Turkish rule and whether any remain subject to you.” “There are, O Emperor, some who still adhere to us. Those who fled number, I think, around twenty thousand.” Then the envoys enumerated the tribes subject to the Turks (Toȗrkoi) and asked the Emperor for peace and an offensive and defensive alliance between the Romans (Rhōmaíoi) and the Turks (Toȗrkoi). They added that they were also very willing to crush those enemies of the Roman state (Rhōmaíōn epikráteia) who were pressing upon their territory. |
| Summary |
A Turkish embassy under the Sogdian Maniakh in Constantinople. |
| Quotation source |
Fr. 10.1.67-88 (pp. 114-117) |
| Temporal Coverage |
569 - 571 |
| Associated use case(s) |
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| Comment |
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