Stelle ἐπιβαίνει τοίνυν ϰαὶ ἑτέϱας ἐγχειϱή...; (Theophylacti Simocattae Historiarum libri octo (630 - 640), 7.7.13-8.5 (pp. 258-259):) [5049]

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ID 5049
Text Theophylacti Simocattae Historiarum libri octo (630 - 640) Theophylact Simocatta
Quotation ἐπιβαίνει τοίνυν ϰαὶ ἑτέϱας ἐγχειϱήσεως ὁ Χαγάνος, ϰαὶ τοὺς Ὀγὼϱ ἐχειϱώσατο πάντας. ἔϑνος δὲ τοῦτο τῶν ἰσχυϱοτάτων ϰαϑέστηϰε διά τε τὴν πολυανδϱίαν ϰαὶ τὴν πϱὸς τὸν πόλεμον ἔνοπλον ἄσϰησιν. οὗτοι δὲ πϱὸς ταῖς ἀνατολαῖς τὰς οἰϰήσεις ποιοῦνται, ἔνϑα ὁ Τὶλ διαϱϱεῖ ποταμός, ὅν Μέλανα Τούϱϰοις ἀποϰαλεῖς <ἔϑος>. οἱ δὲ τούτου τοῦ ἔϑνους παλαίτατοι ἔξαϱχοι Οὐὰϱ ϰαὶ Χουννὶ ὠνομάζοντο· ἐϰ τούτων ϰαὶ τινα τῶν ἐϑνῶν ἐϰείνων τὴν ὀνομασίαν ἀπεϰληϱώσαντο Οὐὰϱ ϰαὶ Χουννὶ ὀνομαζόμενα. 8. Ἰονστινιανοῦ τοίνυν τοῦ αὐτοϰϱάτοϱος τὸ βασίλειον ϰϱάτος ἐπέχοντος, ἐϰ τούτων τῶν Οὐὰϱ ϰαὶ Χουννὶ ὀλίγη ἀποδϱάσασα μοῖϱα τοῦ ἀϱχεγόνου φύλου ἐϰείνου ἐνδημεῖ τῇ Εὐϱώπῃ. οὗτοι Ἀβάϱους ἑαυτοὺς ὀνομάσαντες τὸν ἡγεμόνα τῇ τοῦ Χαγάνου πϱοσηγοϱίᾳ φαιδϱύνουσιν. ὅϑεν αὐτοῖς ὁ τϱόπος πϱὸς μετάϑεσιν ὀνομάτων ἐχώϱησεν, λέξωμεν τὴς ἀληϑείας ϰατὰ μηδὲν ἀφιστάμενοι. Βαϱσὴλτ ϰαὶ Οὐννουγοῦϱοι ϰαὶ Σαβίϱοι Ούννιϰά τε πϱὸς τούτοις ἕτεϱα ἔϑνη, ὁπηνίϰα τῶν Οὐὰϱ ϰαὶ Χουννὶ ἔτι ἀπόμοιϱαν ϰατὰ τοὺς τόπους αύτῶν ἀποδιδϱάσϰουσαν ἐϑεάσαντο, εἰς μέγιστον ϰαταπίπτουσι φόβον, ὑποτοπήσαντες Ἀβάϱους ὑπεῖναι τοὺς ἐνδημήσαντας. διὰ τοῦτο δώϱοις λαμπϱοῖς τοὺς φυγάδας τιμήσαντες ἔδοξαν ἀντιλαμβάνειν παϱ᾿ αὐτῶν τὴν ἀβλάβειαν. οἱ τοίνυν Οὐὰϱ ϰαὶ Χουννὶ ὡς εἶδον τὴν τῆς ἀποφυγῆς ἐπιδέξιον ἔναϱξιν, τὴν πλάνην τῶν πϱεσβευσαμένων οἰϰειωσάμενοι Ἀβάϱους ἑαυτοὺς ϰατωνόμασαν· λέγεται γὰϱ ἐν τοῖς ἔϑνεσι τοῖς Σϰυϑιϰοῖς τὸ τῶν Ἀβάϱων ὑπεῖναι ἐντϱεχέστατον φῦλον. ἀμέλει τοι ϰαὶ μέχϱι τῶν χϱόνων τῶν ϰαϑ᾿ ἡμᾶς οἱ Ψευδάβαϱοι (λέγειν γὰϱ οὕτως αὐτοὺς οἰϰειότεϱον) ταῖς γενεαϱχίαις διῄϱηνται, ϰαὶ οἱ μὲν Οὐὰϱ ἀϱχαιοπϱεπῶς ὀνομάζονται, οἱ δὲ Χουννὶ πϱοσαγοϱεύονται.
Translation 7.7.13-8.5 (pp. 189-190): Then the Chagan (Khagános) embarked on yet another enterprise, and subdued all the Ogur, which is one of the strongest tribes on account of its large population and its armed training for war. These make their habitations in the east, by the course of the river Til, which Turks (Toȗrkoi) are accustomed to call Melas. The earliest leaders of this nation were named Var and Chunni (Oúnnoi); from them some parts of those nations were also accorded their nomenclature, being called Var and Chunni (Oúnnoi). Then, while the emperor Justinian was in possession of the royal power, a small section of these Var and Chunni (Oúnnoi) fled from that ancestral tribe and settled in Europe. These named themselves Avars (Ábaroi) and glorified their leader with the appellation of Chagan. Let us declare, without departing in the least from the truth, how the means of changing their name came to them. When the Barselt, Onogurs (Ounigoúroi), Sabir (Sábiroi), and other Hun nations in addition to these, saw that a section of those who were still Var and Chunni (Oúnnoi) had fled to their regions, they plunged into extreme panic, since they suspected that the settlers were Avars (Ábaroi). For this reason they honoured the fugitives with splendid gifts and supposed that they received from them security in exchange. Then, after the Var and Chunni (Oúnnoi) saw the well-omened beginning to their flight, they appropriated the ambassadors' error and named themselves Avars (Ábaroi): for among the Scythian nations (Skúthikō̃n éthnē) that of the Avars (Ábaroi) is said to be the most adept tribe. In point of fact even up to our present times the Pseudo-Avars (Pseudábaroi) (for it is more correct to refer to them thus) are divided in their ancestry, some bearing the time-honoured name of Var while others are called Chunni (Oúnnoi).
Summary In the letter to Emperor Maurice, the Turkish Khagan lists his victories over the Ogurs and the Var and Chunni. Explanation of the name of the Avars.
Quotation source 7.7.13-8.5 (pp. 258-259):
Temporal Coverage 595 - 595
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Spatial Coverage Objects
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