Περίληψη : The Tornikios family was of Armenian origin, while it had probably some Georgian root. They settled in Constantinople in the early 10th century and played a very important role in the political affairs of the empire until the early 14th century. The members of the family held senior military and political posts, while they distinguished themselves as scholars as well. Άλλα Ονόματα Tornikes, Tornitzes, (fem.) Tornikina 1. General Information about the Family The Tornikios family 1 was of Armenian origin, a branch of the Armenian aristocratic lineage of Taron. 2 However, it has been suggested that a family branch was of Georgian origin. 3 A descendant of the Armenian prince family of Taronites (of Taron) is considered the patriarch of the family. The Armenian prince Abu Ghanim or Apoganem, brother of the Prince of Taron, who was accepted in Constantinople in the early 10th century and was awarded at first the title of protospatharios and later the title of patrikios, 4 had a son called T ornik, who was also awarded the title of patrician. After he died, his wife and son Nikolaos, urged by Emperor Romanos I Lakapenos (920-944), settled in Constantinople and, thus, the family assumed its role in the political scene of the Byzantine aristocracy. The name T ornik, a nickname of the Armenian word 't orn', meaning grandson, was rendered as Tornikios (Τορνίκιος) or Tornikes/Tornikis (Τορνίκης). 5 From the mid-10th century some members of the family acquired a role of growing importance in the political affairs of the Empire, while from the late 10th century as well as in the 11th century they held senior military offices and played a leading part in crucial military and political events. From the 12th century on and during the Late Byzantine period the Tornikios family held mainly political offices, while in the 13th century the family grew even more in importance because of intermarriages with members of other important aristocratic families, mainly the Palaiologos family. 2. The Tornikios Family in the Middle Byzantine Period The first members of the family to play an important role in the empire were Nikolaos Tornikios, son of the patrician Tornik, and some Leo Tornikios, an alleged son of Tornik as well. 6 Both Nikolaos an Leo are mentioned as supporters of Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, when the latter elbowed the two sons of co-emperor Romanos I Lakapenos in 945 and assumed power. 7 The next Tornikios mentioned is John, who played a key role in 976-979, during the suppression of the revolt of the doukas of Mesopotamia Βardas Skleros against Emperor Basil II (976-1025). John was a liege of the prince of Iberia David of Tayk'/Tao and may have been of Georgian origin, while it is unclear whether he had any relation with the abovementioned Tornikios family. 8 John seems to have retrieved for some time into Mt. Athos, but then, towards the end of 978, he was summoned by Emperor Basil II to intervene with David of Tayk'/Tao and secure his military support on behalf of the emperor. His diplomatic mission was entirely successful. In the spring of 979 he returned to the Byzantine territories leading 12,000 Iberian riders and contributed vitally to the defeat of the rebel by the imperial forces under Bardas Fokas, the domestikos ton scholon of the East, on 24 March 979. 9 The relatives of John Tornikios became military officials under the Byzantine emperor. A stamp preserved at the Hermitage reports some strategos Tornikios Varazvače, who has the same name as the brother of John Tornikios. 10 The Byzantine historian Skylitzes also reports some Iberian Varazvače, who ruled Edessa in the east of Asia Minor around 1038. 11 Another Tornikios called Kontoleon is also reported as the katepano of Italy in 1017. 12 Δημιουργήθηκε στις 18/1/2017 Σελίδα 1/8
The most important member of the family in the 11th century was the nephew of Constantine IX Monomachus (1042-1055) Leo Tornikios, who came from Adrianople and even claimed the imperial throne. There is little and mixed information about his career. It is certain that he distinguished himself in senior military posts, while he was awarded the grand title of patrician. According to the Byzantine historian Michael Attaleiates, before he revolted against the Emperor Constantine IX Monomachus, he had become strategos of Melitene. However, according to the scholar Μichael Psellos, who describes Leo as a strong, proud and ambitious man, he ruled Iberia. 13 Moreover, it has been suggested that he was a domestikos ton scholon of the West. 14 While he was a ruler, some of his supporters in his birthplace Macedonia were organised and revolted against Constantine IX Monomachus. In September 1047, in the region of Adrianople, the revolters caused big trouble and almost captured Constantinople. Finally, the revolt failed and Leo Tornikios was punished by being blinded on Christmas day of 1047 in Constantinople; he probably died shortly later. Tornikios Kotertzis is reported to have taken part in the battle of Mantzikert in 1071, leading a number of Uzes. In 1078, during the conflict among the strategoi of the empire about the throne, someone called Petros Tornikios appeared to be fighting under strategos Alexios Komnenos, supporter of the subsequent Emperor Nikephoros III Botaneiates, against the latter s opponent strategos Basilakes. 15 He was probably a member of the family of Leo Tornikios, for he is also reported as Macedonian, which proves that he belonged to the branch of the Tornikios family that had settled in the region of Adrianople. In the first half of the 12th century the family temporarily disappears from the forefront and returns towards the end of the century, when it starts to prosper surviving until the Late Byzantine period. The most known member at the time was Georgios Tornikios, 16 who was a teacher of psalms and gospels in Constantinople and held the ecclesiastical posts of the annotator at the patriarchal secretariat at first and the metropolitan of Ephesus (1155) later. Georgios Tornikios was a very active clergyman who supported the Union of the Churches, on condition that Constantinople would be at the head, and was an active scholar and a prolific writer in whose work, especially in his letters, we find plenty of information about life and the people in Ephesus at his time. 17 3. The Tornikios Family in the Late Byzantine Period From the late 12th century on the members of the Tornikios family returned to holding senior political posts and being actively involved in political developments. In the last third of the century lived Demetrios Tornikios, who assumed the posts of the logothetes tou dromou and the krites tou velum, and his son Constantine, who became eparch of Constantinople in the years of Alexios III Angelos (1195-1203) and, after his father died (probably in 1201), he became logothetes tou dromou. 18 His second son Euthymios was a deacon and a writer of poems and rhetorical speeches. 19 After Constantinople was captured by the Crusaders in 1204, the family moved to Νicaea, the capital of the namesake Empire. The son of Constantine, Demetrios Tornikios, was a mesazon in the court of Nicaea in the years of Theodore I Laskaris (1204-1222), where he played an important role, and married the niece of the megas domestikos Andronikos Palaiologos. The son of Demetrios, Constantine Tornikios, became megas primikerios in the years of John III Vatatzes (1222-1254), a post he lost in the years of Theodore II Laskaris (1254-1258), when he temporarily fell into disgrace because of his kinship with the Palaiologos family. 20 However, he returned to the forefront after the death of that emperor, when his daughter married John Palaiologos, the megas domestikos and brother of Michael VIII (1259-1282), while in 1259 he was awarded the title of sebastokrator. His second daughter married Ioannes Angelos, son of Michael II (1231-1271) of Epirus. After Constantinople was recaptured by the Byzantines (1261), the Tornikios family returned to the capital, where Constantine appeared in 1264 as the eparch of the city, 21 while in 1266 he appeared as kephalatikeuon (head) in Thessaloniki. 22 John Tornikios, mentioned in 1258 as doux of the Theme of Thrakesion, is considered brother of the sebastokrator Constantine, 23 while it has been suggested that he may have been his son. 24 Somebody called Andronikos Tornikios Komnenos, who was a mediator in 1259 and died during an epidemic of plague, was brother of the sebastokrator Constantine as well. 25 Among the important members of the family were Constantine Tornikios Palaiologos in the 14th century, who is reported in 1326 in Δημιουργήθηκε στις 18/1/2017 Σελίδα 2/8
the post of the megas droungarios tes viglas and his alleged son Demetrios Tornikios Palaiologos, who was a megas droungarios tes viglas and kephalatikeuon in Constantinople between 1337 and 1339. 26 Andronikos Tornikios Komnenos Doukas Palaiologos was a parakoimomenos in the years of Andronikos II Palaiologos (1282-1328) and a particularly active diplomat. In 1325 he is supposed to have played a leading part in the negotiations over the marriage between Andronikos III and Princess Anne of Savoy, while shortly later he visited Serbia as a delegate of the emperor. Towards the end of his life (after 1328) he became a monk. Finally, megas konostaulos Michael Tornikios, who served as a counselor of Andronikos II during his conflict with his grandson Andronikos II, is also reported to have lived during the same period (1320). 27 1. PLP 12 = (Prosopographisches Lexikon der Palaiologenzeit 12, ed. Trapp E., Wien 1992), no. 29114-29140. 2. Adontz, N., Les Taronites à Byzance, Byzantion 11 (1936), p. 31; Akinean, N., Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der armenischen Literatur IV (azgayin matenadaran 145) (Wien 1938), pp. 49-88. 3. Peeters, P., Un colophon géorgien de Tornik le Moine, Analecta Bollendiana 50 (1932), pp. 358-371, Constantine Porphyrogenitus, De adminstrando Imperio, Jenkins, R.J.H. (edit.) (London 1962), chap. 175. 4. Constantine Porphyrogenitus, De adminstrando Imperio, Jenkins, R.J.H. (edit.) (London 1962), chap. 43, 54-177. 5. Constantine Porphyrogenitus, De adminstrando Imperio, Jenkins, R.J.H. (edit.) (London 1962), chap. 43, 100 and 43, 136. 6. Adontz, N., Les Taronites à Byzance, Byzantion 11 (1936), p. 31. 7. Ioannis Scylitzae, Synopsis Historiarum, Thurn, I. (edit.) (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae, series Berolinensis, Berlin 1973), chap. 236. 80-89, Theophanus Continuatus, Bekker, I. (edit.) (Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, Bonnae 1838), pp. 437. 1-10. 8. Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 3 (1991), pp. 2096-2097, see entry Tornikios, Tornikios Euthymios and Tornikios George (Al. Kazhdan). 9. Peeters, P., Un colophon géorgien de Tornik le Moine, Analecta Bollendiana 50 (1932), pp. 20-22; Histoire de la Gèorgie, trn from Georgian Brosset, Μ., vol. I (St. Petersburg 1849-1850), p. 293. 10. Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 3 (1991), p. 2096, see entry Tornikios (Al. Kazhdan). 11. Ioannis Scylitzae, Synopsis Historiarum, Thurn, I. (edit.) (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae, series Berolinensis, Berlin 1973), p. 403. 33. In the section describing the events in the years of Romanos Argyros. 12. Adontz, N., Les Taronites à Byzance, Byzantion 11 (1936), p. 32. 13. Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 3 (1991), pp. 2097-2098, see entry Tornikios Leo (Brand, C.M.), Adontz, N., Les Taronites à Byzance, Byzantion 11 (1936), pp. 33-34. 14. Cheynet, J.-C., Nouvelle hypothèse à propos du domestique d Occident citè sur une croix du Musée de Genève, ByzSlav 42 (1981), pp. 196-202. 15. Adontz, N., Les Taronites à Byzance, Byzantion 11 (1936), p. 35. 16. Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 3 (1991), p. 2097, see entry Tornikios George (Al. Kazhdan). 17. Darrouzès, J., Georges et Dèmètrios Tornikes, Lettre set discours (Paris 1970); Browning, R., The Patriarchal School at Constantinople in the twelfth Century, Byzantion 32 (1962), pp. 34-37. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 18/1/2017 Σελίδα 3/8
18. Schmalzbauer, G., Die Tornikioi in der Palaiologenzeit, JÖB 18 (1969), p. 117. 19. Darrouzès, J., Les discours d Euthyme Tornikès, REB 26 (1968), pp. 53-117. 20. Georgii Acropolitae, Annales, in Heisenberg, A. (edit,), Opera, vol. I (Lipsiae 1903), p. 114. 21. Georgii Pachymeris de Michaele et Adronico Palaeologis libri XIII, Bekkerus, I. (edit.), vol. I. (Bonnae 1835), p. 226. 22. In this capacity he dealt with matters of the Zografou Monastery of Mt Athos and signed two documents included in the archive of the monastery as, συμπέθερος (relative whith the emperor) and sebastokrator, See. PLP, no. 29129 (Tornikes Konstantinos). 23. Schmalzbauer, G., Die Tornikioi in der Palaiologenzeit, JÖB 18 (1969), pp. 121-122, see PLP no. 29126 (Tornikes Ioannes), keleustes (κελευστής) and doulos (δούλος) of Micael VIII Palailogos. 24. Arweihler, H., L Histoire et la Géographie de la Région de Smyrne, TM 1 (1965), p. 149. 25. Schmalzbauer, G., Die Tornikioi in der Palaiologenzeit, JÖB 18 (1969), pp. 122-123. 26. Schmalzbauer, G., Die Tornikioi in der Palaiologenzeit, JÖB 18 (1969), pp. 124-125. 27. Schmalzbauer, G., Die Tornikioi in der Palaiologenzeit, JÖB 18 (1969), pp. 126-127, 131. See PLP, no. 29132 (Tornikes Michael). Βιβλιογραφία : Ιωάννης Σκυλίτζης, Σύνοψις Ιστοριών, Thurn, I. (ed.), Ioannis Skylitzae Synopsis Historiarum, Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5, Berlin New York 1973 Γεώργιος Παχυμέρης, Συγγραφικαί Ιστορίαι, Failler, A. (ed.), Georges Pachymérès. Relations historiques 1-2, Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 24/1-2, Paris 1984 Adontz N., Études arméno-byzantines, Lisbon 1965 Akinean N., Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der armenischen Literatur IV (azgayin matenadaran 145), Wien 1938 Darrouzès J., Georges et Dèmètrios Tornikes, Lettre set discours, Paris 1970 Adontz N., "Les Taronites à Byzance", Byzantion, 11, 1936, 21-42 Ahrweiler H., "L histoire et la géographie de la région de Smyrne entre les deux occupations turques (1081-1317), particulièrement au XIIie siècle", Travaux et Mémoires, 1, 1965, 1-204 Browning R., "The Patriarchal School at Constantinople in the twelfth Century", Byzantion, 32, 1962, 167-202 Cheynet J.-C., "Nouvelle hypothèse à propos du domestique d Occident cité sur une croix du Musée de Genève", Byzantinoslavica, 52, 1981, 197-202 Δημιουργήθηκε στις 18/1/2017 Σελίδα 4/8
Darrouzès J., "Les Discours d'euthyme Tornikès", Revue des études byzantines, 26, 1968, 53-117 Kazhdan A., "Tornikios", Kazhdan, A. (επιμ.), The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 3, New York Oxford 1991, 2096-2097 Kazhdan A., "Tornikios Euthymios", Kazhdan, Α. (επιμ.), The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 3, New York Oxford 1991, 2097 Kazhdan A., "Tornikios George", Kazhdan, A. (επιμ.), The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 3, New York Oxford 1991, 2097 Kazhdan A., "Tornikios Leo", Kazhdan, A. (επιμ.), The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 3, New York Oxford 1991, 2097-2098 Peeters P., "Un colophon géorgien de Tornik le Moine", Analecta Bollendiana, 50, 1932, 358-371 Γεώργιος Ακροπολίτης, Χρονική Συγγραφή (Annales), Heisenberg, A. (επιμ.), Georgii Acropolitae Opera, 1, Leipzig 1903 Ιωάννης Ζωναράς, Επιτομή Ιστοριών, Büttner-Wobst, T. (ed.), Ioannis Zonarae epitomae historiarum libri XVIII 1-3, Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, Bonn 1841-1897 Λέων Διάκονος, Ιστορία, Hase, C.B. (ed.), Leonis Diaconi Caloensis Historiae libri decem et liber de velitatione bellica Nicephori Augusti, Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, Βοnn 1828 Trapp E. (ed.), Prosopographisches Lexikon der Palaiologenzeit 1-12, Wien 1976-1995 Δικτυογραφία : Euthymios Tornices http://stephanus.tlg.uci.edu/canon/wsearch?wtitle=3037&nperpage=all&uid=0&greekfont=beta&mode=c_search Γλωσσάριo : domestikos ton scholon Commander of the regiment of scholae. The first officer with this title appears in 767/8. In the 10th C the domesticos became very powerful among the army of the themata; in mid-10th C the office was divided in two, domestikoi ton scholon of the East and those of the West, commanders in chief of the eastern and the western provinces army respectively. doukas (lat. dux) Antiquity: Roman military commander who, in some provinces, combined military and civil functions. Buzantium: a higher military officer. From the second half of the 10th c. the title indicates the military comander of a larger district. After the 12th c., doukes were called the governors of small themes. droungarios tes viglas Commander of the tagma of the vigla (military corps in the Constantinople). The title is mentioned from the 9o C and existed until the 15o C. "Droungarios tes viglas" was responsible for guarding the emperor in the palace and on expeditions. katepano (from "epano","above") Governor of a katepania. Title that from the end of the 10th century characterized the commanders of large provinces as Italy or Mesopotamia and from the 11th century, it was used also in the regions of Bulgaria, Antioch etc. kephalatikeuon There ware two kephalatikeuontai of the capital, Byzantine officials who assumed from the 14th century the responsibilities of the eparch of the city. konostaulos Δημιουργήθηκε στις 18/1/2017 Σελίδα 5/8
1) High-ranking official (third in the military hierarchy after the protomastoras and megas stratopedarches). 2) Commander of fleet, admiral (from the Venetian contestabile). 3) Megas konostaulos indicates as high military official from the 13th century, head of the Latin mercenaries. krites tou velum Krites of velum or belou. Member of a tribunal meeting behind a curtain at the hippodrome (velum). Was a special group of judges in Constantinople from the 10th C onward and one of the highest tribunals. logothetes tou dromou Administrative Byzantine title. Initially official in charge of the public post. From the 7th C he acquired a new role and his responsibilities included ceremonial duties, protection of emperor, general supervision of diplomatic relations and collection of political information. megas domestikos Supreme military commander of the imperial army. High-ranking title which was generally given to close relatives of the emperor. megas primikerios (from lat. pimicerius) High-ranking functionary, introduced by the and of 11th. Courtier whose function was to present the emperor with his scepter at court ceremonies. In the 14th C was one of the highest titles. mesazon The mesazon was the "mediator" between the emperor and his subjects. In the 11th-12th C. the term became a semiofficial designation. After the time of the Empire of Nicaea it designated the supreme post in the imperial administration and its holder assisted the emperor, as his confidant, in the administration of the state. Oguz (Ouzoi) A Turkish tribe that moved from the southern Ukraine towards the Danube. Since the middle of the 11th century mainly, they often attempted raids against the Byzantines even up to Thessalonike. parakoimomenos Τhe guardian of the imperial private chambers. This high office was given usually to eunuchs that were persons of confidence, since they could not ascend to the throne. From the 9th and up to the 11th century, this office assumed a great importance and there were παρακοιμώμενοι that played important roles in the course of the empire, such as Joseph Bringa. patrikios (from lat. patricius) Higher title of honour, placed, according to the "Tactika" of the 9th and the 10th centuries, between anthypatos and protospatharios. It was given to the most important governors and generals. Gradually, however, it fell into disuse and from the 12th century did not exist any more. praefectus urbi (prefect of the city) (later referred to as the eparch of the city) Αdministrator and virtual governor of Constantinople in the Early/Middle Byzantine Era. He was responsible for the surveillance and the harmonius life of the Capital. One of his responsibilities was to control the commercial and manufacturing activities of Constantinople. After 1204, however, the office began to diminish, while from the 14th century, his responsibilities were assumed by two officers, the so-called kephalatikeuontai of the capital. protospatharios The first spatharios. A higher byzantine official of the imperial hierarchy which usually permitted participation in the senate. It was awarded even to eunuchs. After the 11th century, it gradually lost its importance. It was also an honorary title. sebastokrator Honorary title of the Byzantine court. The office was established in 1081 by Alexios I Komnenos for his elder brother Isaac, equivalent to the one of regent strategos ("general") During the Roman period his duties were mainly political. Οffice of the Byzantine state s provincial administration. At first the title was given to the military and political administrator of the themes, namely of the big geographic and administrative unities of the Byzantine empire. Gradually the title lost its power and, already in the 11th century, strategoi were turned to simple commanders of military units, responsible for the defence of a region. Πηγές Georgii Acropolitae, Οpera, Heisenberg, A. (edit.) vol. I (Lipsiae 1903). Δημιουργήθηκε στις 18/1/2017 Σελίδα 6/8
Georgii Pachymeris de Michaele et Adronico Palaeologis libri XIII, Bekkerus, I. (edit.), vol. I (Bonnae 1835). Histoire de la Gèorgie, trn. from Georgian Brosset, M. vol. I (St. Petersburg 1849 1850). Ioannis Scylitzae, Synopsis Historiarum, Thurn, I. (edit.), (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae, series Berolinensis, Berlin 1973). Ioannis Zonarae, Epitomae Historiarum, Bütner Wobst, Th. (edit.), vol. ΙΙ (Bonn 1841 1897). Constantine Porphyrogenitus, De administrando Imperio, Jenkins, R.J.H. (edit.) (London 1962). Leonis Diaconis, Historiae Libri Decem, Hase, C.B. (edit.) (Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, Bonnae 1828). Michele Psello, Imperatori Di Bisanzio (Chronografia), vol. I, Impellizeri, S. (edit. and annot.) (s.l. 1984). Theophanus Continuatus, Bekker I. (edit.) (Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, Bonnae 1838). Παραθέματα Arrival of the Armenian Prince, Abu Ghanim or Apoganem, in Constantinople Testimony of Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus Τοῦ δὲ μαγίστρου Κρικορικίου τὸν βίον ἀπολιπόντος, ἀνήγαγεν Τορνίκιος, ὁ τοῦ Ἀπογάνεμ υἱός, ἔρωτα ἔχειν ἐγκάρδιον εἰσελθεῖν καὶ τὸν βασιλέα θεάσασθαι, ἐφ ᾧ τὸν πρωτοσπαθάριον Κρινίτην καὶ ἑρμηνευτὴν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐξαπέστειλεν, ὃς καὶ εἰσήγαγεν ἐν τῇ πόλει τὸν εἰρημένον Τορνίκιον, καὶ προήγαγεν τὸν αὐτὸν Τορνίκιον ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς τὴν τῶν πατρικίων τιμήν Constantine Porphyrogenitus, De administrando Imperio, Jenkins, R.J.H. (edit.) (London 1962), 43.135 140. Testimony of Michael Psellos Λέγω δὲ ἐκ τῶν ὑστάτων τοῦ λόγου ἀρχόμενος, ὅτι τῷ αὐτοκράτορι τούτῳ ἐξανέψιός τις ἐκ μητρικῆς ἐγενόνει ῥίζης, τὸ μὲν ὄνομα Λέων, τὸ δὲ γένος Τορνίκιος, τὴν Ἀδριανούπολιν οἰκῶν, καὶ Μακεδονικὴν ἐρυγγάνων μεγαλαυχίαν, ἀνὴρ τὸ μὲν εἶδος οὐ φαῦλος, τὸ δὲ ἦθος ὑποκαθήμενος, καὶ πρὸς ἐνθυμήσεις ἀεὶ καινοτέρας ἀνελίττων τάς γνώμας. τούτῳ γοῦν τῷ ἀνδρὶ οὔπω ἀκμάσαντι τύχην τινὰ λαμπρότητος, οἷα δὴ πολλὰ εἴωθεν ἀλόγως περί τινων λέγεσθαι, οἱ πλεῖστοι κατεμαντεύοντο. καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἀνὴρ ἐγεγόνει καί τινας ἐδείκνυ τοῦ ἤθους στερρότητας, ἡ Μακεδονικὴ μερὶς καθάπαξ αὐτῷ προσετέθη. καὶ τολμῆσαι μέν τι πολλάκις παραβολώτερον ἐπεχείρησαν, διαμαρτάνοντες δὲ τῶν καιρῶν, καὶ νῦν μὲν τοῦτον ἐμφιλοχωροῦντα τούτοις μὴ ἔχοντες, νῦν δὲ μὴ εὐποροῦντες εἰς ἀποστασίαν ἀρκούσης προφάσεως, ὑποβρύχιον ἐν ταῖς ψυχαῖς τὴν γνώμην τῆς τυραννίδος ἐφύλαττον. εἶτα δή τι ἐπισυμβεβήκει τοιοῦτον, ὃ δὴ αὐτοὺς ὁμοῦ εἰς ἀποστασίαν καὶ ἐπανάστασιν διηρέθισε. Μιχαήλ Ψελλός, Χρονογραφία, in Renauld É. (edit.), Michael Psellus, Chronographie ou histoire d un siècle de Byzance (976 1077) 2, (Paris 1928, reprinted 1967), 6.99.1 18. Epigram from the Tomb D in the in Chora Monastery (Karye Camii), Constantinople (Micahel Tornikes was probably the author) Ὅσους ἂν ἁθροίζοι τις ἐνθάδε κρότους νεκροὺς ὁ ταφεὶς ἐξελέγξει Τορνίκης, ὁ τρισαριστεὺς ἢ κονοσταῦλος μέγας, ὥσπερ μίμους, βέλτιστε, πιθήκους λέων. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 18/1/2017 Σελίδα 7/8
Ὃς βασιλικῶν ἀποτεχθεὶς αἱμάτων, παρέσχεν αὐτοῖς προσφυῆ καὶ τὸν τρόπον. Ποῖον γὰρ οὐκ ἦν ἀρετῆς εἶδος φσρων [sic], ὡς ὁ πρέπων ἕκαστον ἐζήτει χρόνος; Βουληφόρος δ οὖν, καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἡλικίας καὶ δημαγωγός, καὶ κριτὴς ἦν ἀγχίνους. Καὶ πρὸς μὲν ἐχθροὺς τακτικὴν ἔπνει φλόγα, κεραυνὸς ὢν ἄφυκτος αὐτοῖς ἀθρόοις, τῇ δὲ στρατιᾷ π(α)τρικῶς ἐπεστάτει, φρουρῶν τὰ κοινά, μὴ κλαπῇ τὸ συμφέρον. Κήδους δὲ τυχὼν εὐγενοῦς καὶ κοσμίου καὶ βασιλικὸν προσλαβὼν αὖθις γένος καὶ λαμπρὸν ὑπόδειγμα παρεὶς τὸν βίον, κεῖται μοναστὴς εὐτελὴς ἐν ὀστέοις. Ἥλιε καὶ γῆ καὶ τελευταῖοι κρότοι. Πενθεῖ δὲ μικροῦ πᾶν τὸ Ῥωμαίων γένος, ὅσον περ αῦτὸν ἀγνοοῦν οὐ τυγχάνει. Ἀλλ ὦ μόνε ζῶν καὶ μεθιστῶν τὰς φύσεις, εἴ πού τι καὶ πέπραχεν αὐτῷ μὴ πρόπον [sic], λύσιν παρασχὼν τὴν Ἐδὲμ κλῆρον δίδου. Established by Alexander Van Millingen, Byzantine Churches in Constantinople: Their History and architecture (London 1912), pp. 30f. Source: Underwood, P., A., The Kariye Djami, v.3 the frescoes, Bollingen Foundation, New York 1996 Δημιουργήθηκε στις 18/1/2017 Σελίδα 8/8