Survivors of Mantzikert brought confusing news to Constantinople

Summary:
After a few days a messenger announced in the City first news of the dreadful battle of Mantzikert. Another came and another after him, with a terrible sense of doom but no clear information. News about Romanos VII was unpredictable and caused diverse reactions. Some said he was dead, others that he was only captured, others that they had seen him wounded and thrown to the ground, others that he was led in chains to the enemy camp 
Dates:
1071 
messengers who brought news of defeat at Mantzikert to Constantinople (Anonymi 5025)
  • Survived the war with the Turks and brought diferent accounts of the disaster to Constantinople, claiming that the emperor (Romanos 4) was dead, had been taken captive, was seen lying injured on the ground, or had been bound and led to the enemy camp (not many days later (after disaster at Mantzikert):Οὐ πολλαὶ δ ᾿ ἡμέραι διεληλύθεσαν) ἄγγελός τις προλαβὼν τὸ δεινὸν ἐν τῇ πόλει ἀπήγγειλε καὶ αὖθις ἄλλος καὶ ἐπὶ τούτοις τρίτος καὶ τέταρτος Bryennios 119.7-17
messenger bringing news of Mantizkert (Anonymus 7039)
  • After a few days he announced in the City first news of the dreadful event (Mantzikert); another came and another after him, announcing nothing clearly but describing the terrible event (:) προλαβὼν τὸ δεινὸν ... ἀπήγγειλεν Psellos: Chronographia VIIb 23.3-7
Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes (Romanos 4)
  • When his capture was announced in the palace those there (Anonymi 6053) were at odds (:) Zonaras 18.14.29
  • Some said he was dead, others that he was only captured, others that they had seen him wounded and thrown to the ground, others that he was led in chains to the enemy camp (:) οἱ μὲν γὰρ τεθνηκέναι τὸν βασιλέα, οἱ δὲ ἑαλωκέναι μόνον κατήγγελλον Psellos: Chronographia VIIb 23.7-10