E00085: Theophylact Simocatta in his History describes the burning by invading Avars, in 588 and 598, of the shrine of the martyr *Alexandros (martyr of Dryzipera, S00070) near Dryzipera/Drusipara (eastern Balkans), and how they were miraculously punished with plague. Written in Greek at Constantinople in the early 7th century.
Creators: name: Pnowakowski
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2014
Subjects: History

description: Theophylact Simocatta, History 6.5.2, 7.14.11-15.3<br><br>6.5.2<br>εἶτα τῇ Ἀγχιάλῳ προσέμιξεν. ἀπάρας τε ἐντεῦθεν καὶ πρὸς τῷ νεῷ Ἀλεξάνδρου τοῦ μάρτυρος γεγονὼς ἐδίδου τοῦτον τῷ παμφάγῳ πυρὶ παρανάλωμα, τρία τε σημεῖα μεταβὰς τοῖς ἐπὶ κατασκοπῇ παρὰ τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατηγοῦ παραπεμφθεῖσι συνετύγχανεν.<br><br>7.14.11-15.3<br>(11.) οἱ δὲ βάρβαροι κατὰ σμικρὸν τῶν Ῥωμαίων εἰς τοὐπίσω τραπέντων ἐπὶ τὰ Δριζίπερα παραγίνονται τήν τε πόλιν ἐπόρθησαν καὶ τὸν Ἀλεξάνδρου ναὸν τοῦ περιφανοῦς ἐν τοῖς μάρτυσι τῷ παμφάγῳ πυρὶ κατηνάλωσαν· (12.) τόν τε τάφον τοῦ μάρτυρος εὑρηκότες ἀργύρῳ περιρρεόμενον ἀνοσίως σκυλεύουσι καθυβρίζουσί τε τῇ ἐκβολῇ καὶ τὸ σῶμα τὸ ἐπὶ τῷ τύμβῳ ἐγκείμενον, καὶ λίαν ἐπὶ ταῖς νίκαις ὑψαυχενιζόμενοι ταῖς εὐωχίαις καταστιβαδεύονται. <br> (15.1) Ἐν ταύταις τοιγαροῦν ταῖς ἡμέραις τὸ κατὰ πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν κράτος αὐτοῦ ὁ ἡμέτερος πιστούμενος Ἰησοῦς, εἰς κληρονομίαν τε παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς τὴν οἰκουμένην λαβὼν κατάσχεσίν τε τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς, οὐδαμῶς τῷ Χαγάνῳ ἀμάρτυρον τὴν ἑαυτοῦ βασιλείαν παρῆκεν. (2.) ἀθρόᾳ γὰρ ἐπιφοιτήσει λοιμοῦ τὰ τῶν βαρβάρων περιπίπτουσι πλήθη, καὶ ἦν αὐτοῖς τὸ κακὸν ἀπαραίτητον καὶ σοφίσματος οὐκ ἀνεχόμενον. εἰσπράττεται τοιγαροῦν ὁ Χαγάνος, ἀνθ’ ὧν Ἀλέξανδρον ἠτιμάκει τὸν μάρτυρα, ἀξιολόγους ποινάς· ἑπτὰ γὰρ παῖδες αὐτῷ βουβῶσι περιτυγχάνουσι θέρμῃ τε ῥαγδαίᾳ τινὶ καὶ φλογώδει, καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ τὸν τῇδε καταλύουσι βίον. (3.) οὕτω μὲν οὖν ὁ Χαγάνος δυστυχῶς εὐτυχεῖ τὰ ἐπινίκια· ἀντὶ γὰρ παιώνων καὶ ᾀσμάτων καὶ ὕμνων καὶ κρότων χειρῶν καὶ συμφωνίας χορῶν καὶ γέλωτος κυματίζοντος θρήνους εἶχε καὶ δάκρυα καὶ πένθη ἀπαρηγόρητα καὶ ζημίαν ἀνυπομόνητον. ἐβάλλετο γὰρ ὑπὸ στρατευμάτων ἀγγέλων, καὶ φανερὰ μὲν ἦν ἡ πληγή, ἀόρατος δὲ ἡ παράταξις.<br><br>6.5.2<br>'Next he [the Avar Chagan] reached Anchialus, and setting out from there he came to the church of the martyr Alexander, which he gave as prey to the all-consuming fire; after moving three miles, he encountered those sent on reconnaissance by the Roman general.'<br><br>7.14.11–7.15.3<br>'(11.) Now, shortly after the Romans had retreated, the barbarians reached Drizipera, sacked the city and destroyed with all-consuming fire the church of Alexander, illustrious among the martyrs. (12.) And having discovered the martyr's grave abounding with silver, they impiously plundered it, and outraged even the body lying in the tomb by throwing it out. And greatly animated by their victories, they started feasting. <br> (15.1) For these reasons, in those days, our Jesus, manifesting his power over all the nations ‒ for he received from the Father the inhabited world as his inheritance, and the ends of the earth as his possession ‒ by no means allowed his kingdom to remain unwitnessed by the Chagan. (2.) For the barbarian hordes were stricken by a sudden visitation of plague, and their trouble was inexorable and would admit no artifice. The Chagan indeed received remarkable punishments for having dishonoured the martyr Alexander: seven of his sons were afflicted by swellings and raging fiery fever, and departed this life on a single day. (3.) Thus the Chagan celebrated his victory in misery: for instead of paeans, songs, hymns, clapping of hands, singing choruses and waves of laughter, he had dirges, tears, inconsolable griefs and unbearable harm. He was indeed assailed by angelic hosts and their blows were manifest, while their array was invisible.' <br><br>Text: de Boor and Wirth 1972. Translation: Whitby and Whitby 1986, modified.