The Source
Transcription, folio 131r of The Madrid Skylitzes (Greek):
Κατὰ ταύτας τὰς ἡμέρας ἐξ Ἀρμενίας ἐφοίτησε τέρας ἐν τῇ βασιλευούσῃ: παῖδες ἄρρενες συμφυεῖς. ἐκ μιᾶς προελθόντες γαστρός. ἐξηλάθησαν δὲ τῆς πόλεως ὡς πονηρὸς οἰωνός. ἐπὶ δὲ Κωνσταντίνου πάλιν εἰσῆλθον. ἐπεὶ δὲ συνέβη τὸν ἕνα τελευτῆσαι, ἐπειράθησαν οἱ ἐμπειρότεροι τῶν ἰατρῶν τὸ νεκρωθὲν ἀποτεμεῖν μέρος: οὗ τμηθέντος: τὸ ζῶν ἐπιβεβιωκὸς μικρὸν ἐτελεύτησεν.English Translation:
“During that time, from Armenia, a monster came to the imperial city ; two male siblings who were grown together [conjoined twins]. They were conjoined from a single stomach. And they were driven from the city as a sign of evil to come. But they returned during the reign of Constantine [VII Porphyrogennētos, r. 913-959, alone from 945]. When one of the twins died, the more experienced among the surgeons endeavored to cut off the dead portion. They succeeded. The living one only lived for a short time after and then he died.”**Transcription and translation provided by Jacob Bell, UIUC History PhD Candidate
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