Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 5 (1897).djvu/257

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OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 235 ment ; and, stealing into the wood, left a phantom to amuse for some time the eyes of the Walachians. From Halicz he was honourably conducted to Kiow, the residence of the great duke ; the subtle Greek soon obtained the esteem and con- fidence of leroslaus ; his character could assume the manners [Yarosiav] of every climate ; and the barbarians applauded his strength and courage in the chase of the elks and bears of the forest. In this northern region he deserved the forgiveness of Manuel, who solicited the Russian prince to join his arms in the invasion of Hungary. The influence of Andronicus achieved this im- portant service ; his private treaty was signed with a promise of fidelity on one side and of oblivion on the other ; and he marched, at the head of the Russian cavalry, from the Bory- sthenes to the Danube. In his resentment Manuel had ever sympathized with the martial and dissolute character of his cousin ; and his free pardon was sealed in the assault of Zemlin, in which he was second, and second only, to the valour of the emperor. No sooner was the exile restored to freedom and his country, than his ambition revived, at first to his own, and at length to the public, misfortune. A daughter of Manuel was a feeble bar to the succession of the more deserving males of the Comnenian blood ; her future marriage with the prince of Hungary was repugnant to the hopes or prejudices of the princes and nobles. But, when an oath of allegiance was required to the pre- sumptive heir, Andronicus alone asserted the honour of the Roman name, declined the unlawful engagement, and boldly protested against the adoption of a stranger. His patriotism was offensive to the emperor, but he spoke the sentiments of the people, and was removed from the royal presence by an honourable banishment, a second command of the Cilician frontier, 'with the absolute disposal of the revenues of Cyprus. In this station, the Armenians again exercised his courage and exposed his negligence ; and the same rebel, who baffled all his operations, was unhorsed and almost slain by the vigour of his lance. But Andronicus soon discovered a more easy and pleasing conquest, the beautiful Philippa, sister of the empress Maria, and daughter of Raymond of Poitou, the Latin prince of Antioch. For her sake he deserted his station, and wasted the summer in balls and tournaments ; to his love she sacrificed her innocence, her reputation, and the offer of an advantageous marriage. But the resentment of Manuel for this domestic affront interrupted his pleasures ; Andronicus