Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 6 (1897).djvu/179

OF THE ROMAN EMPIKE 159 his dominions as far as mount Haemus, were subdued or ravaged by the northern invaders. But, instead of relinquishing his prey and performing his engagements, the Varangian prince was more disposed to adv-ance than to retire ; and, had his ambition been crowned with success, the seat of empire in that early period might have been transferred to a more temperate and fruitful climate. Swatoslaus enjoyed and acknowledged the ad- vantages of his new position, in which he could unite, by ex- change or rapine, the various productions of the earth. By an easy navigation he might draw from Russia the native commo- dities of furs, wax, and hydromel ; Hungary supplied him with a breed of horses and the spoils of the West ; and Greece abounded with gold, silver, and the foreign luxuries which his poverty had affected to disdain. The bands of Patzinacites, Chozars, and Turks repaired to the standard of victory ; and the ambassador [Caiocyrea] of Nicephorus betrayed his trust, assumed the purple, and pro- mised to share with his new allies the treasures of the Eastern world. From the banks of the Danube the Russian prince pur- sued his march as far as Hadrianople ; a formal summons to evacuate the Roman province was dismissed with contempt ; and Swatoslaus fiercely replied that Constantine might soon expect the presence of an enemy and a master. Nicephorus could no longer expel the mischief which he had introduced ; ^^ but his throne and wife were inherited by John subdue Bulgaria, he now formed a treaty with Bulgaria to keep Russia out. The basis of this treaty (Leo Diac. p. 7-9) was a contract of marriage between the two young Emperors, Basil and Constantine, and two Bulgarian princesses. Then the death of Peter supervened. David the son of Shishman the Tsar of western Bulgaria (cp. above, p. 136, note 22) made an attempt to seize eastern Bulgaria, but was anticipated by Peter's young son, Boris. Then Sviatoilav returned to Bulgaria (see last note). During his absence Little Peristhlava seems to have been regained by the Bulgarians and he had to recapture it. Then he went south and took Great Peristhlava ; and captured Boris and his brother Romanus, a.d. 969.] ^ [Nicephorus was assassinated Dec. 10, A. D. 969. Lines of his admirer John Geo- metrcs, bishop of Melitene, written soon after his death, attest the apprehensions of the people of Constantinople at the threatening Russian invasions. " Rise up," he cries to the dead sovereign, " gather thine army ; for the Russian host is speeding against us ; the Scythians are throbbing for carnage," &c. The piece is quoted by Scylitzes (Cedrenus, ii. p. 378, ed. Bonn) and is printed in Hase's ed. of Leo Diac. (p. 453, ed. B. ). Evidently these verses were written just after the capture of Philip- popolis by the Russians, and the horrible massacre of the inhabitants, in early spring A.D. 970, when the Russian plunderers were already approaching the neigh- bourhood of the capital. John Tzimisces, before he took the field, sent two embassies to Sviatoslav, commanding him to leave not only the Imperial provinces but Bulgaria (cp. Lambin in the M^moires de I'Acad. de St. Petersburg, 1876, p. iig si/q.). In preparing for his campaign, Tzimisces formed a new regiment of chosen soldiers, which he called the Immortals (Leo Diac. p. 107). For the Russian wars of Tzimisces see Schlumberger, L'^pop^e Byzantine, chaps i., ii., iii. ; and Bielov's study (cited below, note 88}.]