11. Nikephoros Callistus[135], Historia Ecclesiastica[136]
[135] Nikephoros Callistus (Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos), of Constantinople, the last of the Greek ecclesiastical historians, flourished around 1320.
[136] His Historia Ecclesiastica, in eighteen books, brings the narrative down to 610; for the first four centuries the author is largely dependent on his predecessors, and his additions showing very little critical faculty; for the later period his labors, based on documents now no longer extant, to which he had free access, though he used them also with small discrimination, are much more valuable.
11.1 [Tomus 16, xxxvi]
11.1.1 Even Perozes, the King of Persians, returned humiliated after his campaigns against the Hephthalites, since he, having confined himself in narrow passages while pursuing them, was suddenly attacked from behind, put in the crossfire and had no exit from the predicament. Being in a situation like that he asked for peace. But, the ruler of Nephthalites[137] refused to make peace with him, unless Perozes firstly kneeled in front of him and gave the necessary guarantees, sealed by oath, that he would never again campaign against the Hephthalites. He (Perozes), forced by the situation he was in, conceded to do those unreasonable things. Thus, filled with disgrace, he returned. Later, though, not withstanding the shame, he campaigned against them, breaking his oaths. Again, they (the Nephthalites), after performing the fake retreat (while being pursued by Perozes armies), killed Perozes, because of his unreliability. The Persians, put Kavades in power, who was his (Perozes’) youngest son and who, being in power, legislated for treating the women as public to everyone. For this reason the Persians removed him from power and sent him to prison, putting to power Perozes’ other son, Vlasso.[138] Kavades’ wife, being with him in prison, served him as she should. Beautiful as she was, the head of the guard of the prison fell in love with her and asked her to respond to his love. As she was loyal to her husband and as she loved him, she confessed to him the guard’s love for her. Kavades instructed her to respond to her lover’s feelings. After doing the sinful deed, the woman could approach her husband more easily in order to serve him. A close friend of Kavades sent to him a message, through his wife, that he had prepared horses and men at a certain place, who, if the former wanted to escape, would help him get his throne back. When night came, Kavades convinced his wife to take his place in prison by wearing his clothes. Kavades, after putting on his wife’s clothes, departed from prison, pretending to be her. And so, Kavades’ escape was realized. And Kavades, survived by quickly taking refuge to the Hephthalites, through Sei[139] (that is the name of his friend). The ruler of Hephthalites, having provided Kavades with an army and his daughter as wife, told him to march against Persia and retake power. Kavades invaded Persia and effortlessly took the power back. And, after arresting his brother Vlassos, he put him to prison, after blinding him. Kavades, being clever and active, managed to hold his kingship ever since securely. And being in power for 11 years, he firstly made a peace treaty with the Romans. Then, he asked for a loan from Anastasius[140], but he responded that if he (Kavades) wanted to borrow money he would have to ask for a public bill, otherwise he would not receive a single a coin. Kavades, thus, campaigned against the Romans, by breaking the peace treaty.[141]89 [Translated into English by Michael Kordosis and Stefanos Kordosis]
[137] Callistus mentions the Hepthalites as Nephthalites, like Agathiae. — English translators’ note
[138] Procopius considers Βλάσην (Vlasin) to be Peroze’s brother, while Callistus presents him as Peroze’s son. — English translators’ note
[139] The Persian who helped Kavades is called as “Seoses” (Σεόσης) while Callistus calls him Seis (Σέης). — English translators’ note
[140] Procopius mentions that Kavades wanted to borrow money from the Byzantines (from Emperor Anastasius) in order to give it to the Hephthalites, because he owed them. Those that Anastasius consulted, advised him not to agree with the Persians — i.e. not to lend them the money— so that the Hephthalites remain enemies with the Persians. Callistus mentions that Anastasius told the Persians that they would not receive a single coin unless they signed a treaty (γραμματεῖον — a financial deal). Consequently, according to Callistus, Anastasius agreed to give money to the Persians under certain conditions. — English translators’ note
[141] Nicephorus Callistus’ remarks on the Hephthalites are taken from Procopius. In essence, Callistus provides the reader with a summary of Procopius’ writings on the Hephthalites, but he omits a lot of information, which he considers unnecessarily detailed or with mythical elements. He does not duplicate the information taken from Procopius correctly, but he presents the events briefly. Additionally, he makes use of the vocabulary that is attested in Procopius’ work. Generally speaking, the way Callistus has arranged the information is not very different from the way Procopius arranged his essay and Callistus’ elements that are different in his text are very few. Nicephorus calls the (N/H)ephthalites “Huns”, omitting the adjective “white” which is attested in Procopius’ work, in the paragraph where Procopius describes the Hephthalites (a paragraph omitted by Callistus). — English translators’ note