第1巻 第17章

Greek Ἅμα δὲ ἦρι ἀρχομένῳ στράτευμα Περσῶν Ἀζαρέθου ἡγουμένου ἐσέβαλεν ἐς Ῥωμαίων τὴν γῆν. ἦσαν δὲ πεντακισχίλιοί τε καὶ μύριοι, ἱππεῖς ἅπαντες. καὶ αὐτοῖς Ἀλαμούνδαρος ὁ Σακκίκης ξυνῆν, πάμπολύν τινα ὅμιλον Σαρακηνῶν ἔχων.

Dewing At the opening of spring a Persian army under the leader­ship of Azarethes invaded the Roman territory. They were fifteen thousand strong, all horsemen. With them was Alamoundaras, son of Saccice, with a very large body of Huns.

Greek αὕτη τε Πέρσαις ἡ ἐσβολὴ οὐ καθάπερ εἰώθει ἐγένετο: οὐ γὰρ ἐς τὴν Μεσοποταμίαν ἐσέβαλλον ὥσπερ τὰ πρότερα, ἀλλ᾽ ἐς τὴν πάλαι μὲν Κομμαγηνήν, τανῦν δὲ καλουμένην Εὐφρατησίαν, ὅθεν δὴ οὐ πώποτε Πέρσαι πρότερον, ὅσα γε ἡμᾶς εἰδέναι, ἐπὶ Ῥωμαίους ἐστράτευσαν.

Dewing But this invasion was not made by the Persians in the customary manner; for they did not invade Mesopotamia, as formerly, but the country called Commagene of old, but now Euphratesia, a point from which, as far as we know the Persians never before conducted a campaign against the Romans.

Greek ὅτου δὲ ἕνεκα Μεσοποταμία τε ἡ χώρα ἐκλήθη καὶ οἱ Πέρσαι τῆς ἐς ταύτην ἐφόδου ἀπέσχοντο ἐρῶν ἔρχομαι.

Dewing But why the land was called Mesopotamia and why the Persians refrained from making their attack at this point is what I now propose to relate.

Greek Ὄρος οὐ λίαν ἀπότομον ἐν Ἀρμενίοις ἐστί, Θεοδοσιουπόλεως μὲν δύο καὶ τεσσαράκοντα σταδίοις διέχον, τετραμμένον δὲ αὐτῆς πρὸς βορρᾶν ἄνεμον. καὶ πηγαὶ δύο ἐνθένδε ἐξίασι, ποταμοὺς δύο ποιοῦσαι αὐτίκα, Εὐφράτην μὲν ἡ ἐν δεξιᾷ, ἡ δὲ δὴ ἑτέρα Τίγρην ὄνομα.

Dewing There is a mountain in Armenia which is not especially precipitous, two-and‑forty stades removed from Theodosiopolis and lying toward the north from it. From this mountain issue two springs, forming immediately two rivers, the one on the right called the Euphrates, and the other the Tigris.

Greek τούτοιν ἅτερος μέν, ὁ Τίγρης, οὔτε περιόδοις τισὶ χρώμενος οὔτε ὑδάτων ὅτι μὴ ὀλίγων οἱ ἐπιγινομένων,

Dewing One of these, the Tigris, descends, with no deviations and with no tributaries except small ones emptying into it, straight toward the city of Amida.

Greek εὐθὺ Ἀμίδης πόλεως κάτεισι. καὶ αὐτῆς ἐς τὰ πρὸς βορρᾶν ἄνεμον προϊὼν χωρεῖ ἐς τῶν Ἀσσυρίων τὴν χώραν. ὁ δὲ δὴ Εὐφράτης φέρεται μὲν κατ᾽ ἀρχὰς ἐπί τινα χῶρον ὀλίγον, εὐθὺς δὲ προϊὼν ἀφανίζεται, οὐχ ὑπόγειος μέντοι γινόμενος, ἀλλά τί οἱ ξυμβαῖνον θαυμάσιον οἶον: ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ ὕδατος τέλμα ἐπὶ πλεῖστον βαθὺ γίνεται,

Dewing And continuing into the country which lies to the north of this city it enters the land of Assyria. But the Euphrates at its beginning flows for a short distance, and is then immediately lost to sight as it goes on; it does not, however, become subterranean, but a very strange thing happens.

Greek μῆκος μὲν ὅσον ἐπὶ σταδίους πεντήκοντα, εὖρος δὲ εἴκοσι: καὶ καλάμων φύεται πολύ τι χρῆμα ἐν τῷ πηλῷ τούτῳ.

Dewing For the water is covered by a bog of great depth, extending about fifty stades in length and twenty in breadth; and reeds grow in this mud in great abundance.

Greek ἐς τόσον δὲ σκληρός τις ὁ χοῦς ἐνταῦθά ἐστιν ὥστε τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσιν οὐδὲν ἄλλο δοκεῖν ἢ ἤπειρον εἶναι. ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ τοίνυν ξυμβαίνει οὐδὲν δεδιότας πεζούς τε καὶ ἱππέας πορεύεσθαι.

Dewing But the earth there is of such a hard sort that it seems to those who chance upon it to be nothing else than solid ground, so that both pedestrians and horsemen travel over it without any fear.

Greek καὶ μὴν καὶ ἅμαξαι παρίασιν ἐνθένδε πολλαὶ ἡμέρᾳ ἑκάστῃ, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲν τὸ παράπαν ἰσχύουσι κινεῖν τι ἢ ἐξελέγχειν τοῦ τέλματος.

Dewing Nay more, even wagons passes over the place in great numbers every day, but they are wholly insufficient to shake the bog or to find a weak spot in it at any point.

Greek καίουσι δὲ τοὺς καλάμους οἱ ἐπιχώριοι ἀνὰ πᾶν ἔτος, τοῦ μὴ τὰς ὁδοὺς πρὸς αὐτῶν εἴργεσθαι, καί ποτε πνεύματος ἐνταῦθα ἐξαισίου ἐπιπεσόντος μέχρι ἐς τὰ τῶν ῥιζῶν ἔσχατα τὸ πῦρ ἐξικνεῖσθαι τετύχηκε, καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ ἐν χωρίῳ ὀλίγῳ φανῆναι:

Dewing The natives burn the reeds eventually year, to prevent the roads being stopped up by them, and once, when an exceedingly violent wind struck the place, it came about that the fire railhead the extremities of the roots, and the water appeared at a small opening;

Greek χρόνου δὲ ὁ χοῦς αὖθις οὐ πολλοῦ ξυμφυεὶς ἀπέδωκε τῷ χωρίῳ τὸ σχῆμα ἐφ᾽ οὗπερ τὸ πρότερον ἦν. ἐνθένδε τε ὁ ποταμὸς πρόεισιν ἐς τὴν Κελεσηνὴν καλουμένην χώραν, οὗ δὴ τὸ ἐν Ταύροις τῆς Ἀρτέμιδος ἱερὸν ἦν, ἔνθεν λέγουσι τὴν Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἰφιγένειαν ξύν τε Ὀρέστῃ καὶ Πυλάδῃ φυγεῖν τὸ τῆς Ἀρτέμιδος ἄγαλμα φέρουσαν.

Dewing but in a short time the ground closed again, and gave the spot the same appearance which it had had before. From there the river proceeds into the land called Celesene, where was the sanctuary of Artemis among the Taurians, from which they say that Iphigenia, daughter of Agamemnon, fled with Orestes and Pylades, bearing the statue of Artemis.

Greek ὁ γὰρ ἄλλος νεώς, ὃς δὴ καὶ ἐς ἐμέ ἐστιν ἐν πόλει Κομάνῃ, οὐχ ὁ ἐν Ταύροις ἐστίν. ἀλλ᾽ ὅπως ἐγένετο ἐγὼ δηλώσω.

Dewing For the other temple which has existed even to my day in the city of Comana is not the one "Among the Taurians." But I shall explain how this temple came into being.

Greek Ἐπειδὴ ἐκ Ταύρων Ὀρέστης ξὺν τῇ ἀδελφῇ ἀπιὼν ᾤχετο, ξυνέπεσεν αὐτῷ νοσῆσαι τὸ σῶμα. καὶ ἀμφὶ τῇ νόσῳ πυνθανομένῳ χρῆσαι τὸ μαντεῖόν φασιν οὐ πρότερον λωφήσειν αὐτῷ τὸ κακόν, πρὶν τῇ Ἀρτέμιδι ναὸν δείμασθαι ἐν χώρῳ τοιούτῳ οἷον δὴ τὸν ἐν Ταύροις ξυμβαίνει εἶναι, ἐνταῦθά τε ἀποκείρασθαι τὴν αὑτοῦ κόμην καὶ αὐτῇ ὁμωνύμως καλέσαι τὴν πόλιν.

Dewing When Orestes had departed in haste from the Taurians with his sister, it so happened that he contracted some disease. And when he made inquiry about the disease they say that the oracle responded that his trouble would not abate until he built a temple to Artemis in a spot such as the one among the Taurians, and there cut off his hair and named the city after it.

Greek διὸ δὴ Ὀρέστην περιιόντα τὰ ἐκείνῃ χωρία ἐν Πόντῳ γενέσθαι, κατιδεῖν τε ὄρος ὃ δὴ ἐνταῦθα ἀπότομον ἀπεκρέματο, ἔρρει τε ἔνερθεν παρὰ τὰς τοῦ ὄρους ἐσχατιὰς (??)ποταμὸς Ἶρις.

Dewing So then Orestes, going about the country there, came to Pontus, and saw a mountain which rose steep and towering, while below along the extremities of the mountain flowed the river Iris.

Greek ὑποτοπήσαντα οὖν τὸν Ὀρέστην τότε τοῦτόν οἱ τὸν χῶρον δηλοῦν τὸ μαντεῖον, πόλιν τε ἐνταῦθα λόγου ἀξίαν καὶ τὸν τῆς Ἀρτέμιδος νεὼν δείμασθαι, τήν τε κόμην ἀποθριξάμενον ὁμωνύμως αὐτῇ καλέσαι τὴν πόλιν ἣ δὴ Κόμανα καὶ ἐς ἐμὲ ὀνομάζεται.

Dewing Orestes, therefore, supposing at that time that this was the place indicated to him by the oracle, built there a great city and the temple of Artemis, and, shearing off his hair, named after it the city which even up to the present time has been called Comana.⁠

Greek τούτων τε Ὀρέστῃ ἐξειργασμένων οὐδέν τι ἧσσον, εἰ μὴ καὶ μᾶλλον, τὴν νόσον ἀκμάζειν. αἰσθόμενον δὲ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὡς οὐκ ἐπιτηδείως ταῦτα τῷ μαντείῳ ποιοίη, ἅπαντα αὖθις περιιόντα διασκοπεῖσθαι καὶ χῶρόν τινα ἐν Καππαδόκαις εὑρεῖν τῷ ἐν Ταύροις τὰ μάλιστα ἐμφερέστατον.

Dewing The story goes on that after Orestes had done these things, the disease continued to be as violent as before, if not even more so. Then the man perceived that he was not satisfying the oracle by doing these things, and he again went about looking everywhere and found a certain spot in Cappadocia very closely resembling the one among the Taurians.

Greek ὅνπερ καὶ ἐγὼ πολλάκις ἰδὼν ἠγάσθην τε ὑπερφυῶς καί μοι ἐδόκουν ἐν Ταύροις εἶναι. τό τε γὰρ ὄρος τοῦτο ἐκείνῳ ἀτεχνῶς ἔοικεν, ἐπεὶ κἀνταῦθα ὁ Ταῦρός ἐστι, καὶ ὁ ποταμὸς Σάρος τῷ ταύτῃ Εὐφράτῃ εἰκάζεται.

Dewing I myself have often seen this place and admired it exceedingly, and have imagined that I was in the land of the Taurians. For this mountain resembles the other remarkably, since the Taurus is here also and the river Sarus is similar to the Euphrates there.

Greek πόλιν τε οὖν ἀξιοθέατον ᾠκοδομήσατο ἐνταῦθα Ὀρέστης καὶ νεὼς δύο, τὸν ἕτερον μὲν τῇ Ἀρτέμιδι, τὸν δὲ ἄλλον τῇ ἀδελφῇ Ἰφιγενείᾳ, οὓς δὴ Χριστιανοὶ ἱερὰ σφίσι πεποίηνται, τῆς οἰκοδομίας οὐδὲν τὸ παράπαν μεταβαλόντες.

Dewing So Orestes built in that place an imposing city and two temples, the one to Artemis and the other to his sister Iphigenia, which the Christians have made sanctuaries for themselves, without changing their structure at all.

Greek αὕτη καλεῖται καὶ νῦν ἡ χρυσῆ Κόμανα, τῆς Ὀρέστου κόμης ἐπώνυμος οὖσα, ἣν δὴ ἐκεῖνον ἐνταῦθά φασιν ἀποκειράμενον διαφυγεῖν τὸ ἀρρώστημα.

Dewing This is called even now Golden Comana, being named from the hair of Orestes, which they say he cut off there and thus escaped from his affliction.

Greek τινὲς δὲ λέγουσιν αὐτὸν οὐκ ἄλλην τινὰ νόσον ἢ τὴν μανίαν ταύτην ἀποφυγεῖν, ἥπερ αὐτὸν ἔσχεν ἐπειδὴ τὴν μητέρα τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἔκτεινεν. ἐγὼ δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν πρότερον λόγον ἐπάνειμι.

Dewing But some say that disease from which he escaped was nothing else than that of madness which seized him after he had killed his own mother. But I shall return to the previous narrative.

Greek Ἔκ τε γὰρ τῶν ἐν Ταύροις Ἀρμενίων καὶ χώρας τῆς Κελεσηνῆς ποταμὸς Εὐφράτης ἐν δεξιᾷ ῥέων γῆν τε πολλὴν περιβάλλεται, καὶ ποταμῶν οἱ ἄλλων τε ἀναμιγνυμένων καὶ αὐτοῦ Ἀρσίνου ὃς δὴ ἐκ τῶν Περσαρμενίων καλουμένων πολὺς φέρεται, μέγας τε, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, γεγενημένος ἐς τοὺς πάλαι μὲν Λευκοσύρους, νῦν δὲ Ἀρμενίους μικροὺς καλουμένους χωρεῖ, ὧν δὴ πόλις πρώτη Μελιτηνὴ λόγου πολλοῦ ἀξία ἐστί.

Dewing From Tauric Armenia and the land of Celesene the River Euphrates, flowing to the right of the Tigris, flows around an extensive territory, and since many rivers join it and among them the Arsinus, whose copious stream flows down from the land of the so‑called Persarmenians, it becomes naturally a great river, and flows into the land of the people anciently called White Syrians but now known as the Lesser Armenians, whose first city, Melitene, is one of great importance.

Greek τὸ δὲ ἐντεῦθεν τά τε Σαμόσατα παραρρεῖ καὶ τὴν Ἱεράπολιν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐκείνῃ χωρία μέχρι ἐς τῶν Ἀσσυρίων τὴν γῆν, οὗ δὴ ἀλλήλοιν ἄμφω τὼ ποταμὼ ἀναμιγνυμένω ἐς ὄνομα τὸ τοῦ Τίγρητος ἀποκέκρινται.

Dewing From there it flows past Samosata and Hierapolis and all the towns in that region as far as the land of Assyria, where the two river unite with each other into one stream which bears the name of the Tigris.

Greek χώρα γοῦν ἣ ἐκ Σαμοσάτων ἐκτὸς Εὐφράτου ποταμοῦ ἐστι πάλαι μὲν Κομμαγηνὴ ἐκλήθη, τανῦν δὲ τῷ ποταμῷ ἐστιν ἐπώνυμος. ἡ δὲ τούτου ἐντός, ἣ δὴ αὐτοῦ τε μέση καὶ Τίγρητός ἐστι, Μεσοποταμία, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, ὀνομάζεται: μοῖρα μέντοι αὐτῆς οὐ τούτῳ μόνον τῷ ὀνόματι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλοις τισὶν ἐπικαλεῖται.

Dewing The land which lies outside the River Euphrates, beginning with Samosata, was called in ancient times Commagene, but now it is named after the river.⁠ But the land inside the river, that namely which is between it and the Tigris, is appropriately named Mesopotamia; however, a portion of it is called not only by this name, but also by certain others.

Greek ἥ τε γὰρ ἄχρις Ἀμίδης πόλεως Ἀρμενία πρὸς ἐνίων ὠνόμασται, Ἔδεσσά τε ξὺν τοῖς ἀμφ᾽ αὐτὴν χωρίοις Ὀσροηνὴ τοῦ Ὀσρόου ἐπώνυμός ἐστιν, ἀνδρὸς ἐνταῦθα βεβασιλευκότος ἐν τοῖς ἄνω χρόνοις ἡνίκα Πέρσαις οἱ ταύτῃ ἄνθρωποι ἔνσπονδοι ἦσαν.

Dewing For the land as far as the city of Amida has come to be called Armenia by some, while Edessa together with the country around it is called Osroene, after Osroes, a man who was king in that place in former times, when the men of this country were in alliance with the Persians.

Greek Πέρσαι οὖν ἐπειδὴ πρὸς Ῥωμαίων Νίσιβίν τε πόλιν καὶ ἄλλα ἄττα Μεσοποταμίας χωρία ἔλαβον, ἡνίκα ἐπὶ Ῥωμαίους στρατεύειν ἔμελλον, χώραν μὲν τὴν ἐκτὸς Εὐφράτου ποταμοῦ ἐν ὀλιγωρίᾳ ποιούμενοι, ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἄνυδρόν τε καὶ ἀνθρώπων ἔρημον οὖσαν, ἐνταῦθα δὲ πόνῳ οὐδενὶ ἀγειρόμενοι, ἅτε ἐν χώρᾳ οἰκείᾳ τε καὶ πολεμίᾳ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ ἀγχοτάτω οὔσῃ, ἐνθένδε τὰς ἐσβολὰς ἀεὶ ἐποιοῦντο.

Dewing After the time, therefore, when the Persians had taken from the Romans the city of Nisibis and certain other places in Mesopotamia, whenever they were about to make an expedition against the Romans, they disregarded the land outside the River Euphrates, which was for the most part unwatered and deserted by men, and gathered themselves here with no trouble, since they were in a land which was their own and which lay very close to the inhabited land of their enemy, and from here they always made their invasions.

Greek Ἡνίκα δὲ ἡσσηθεὶς ὁ Μιρράνης τῇ μάχῃ καὶ τοὺς πλείστους ἀποβαλὼν τῷ ἄλλῳ στρατῷ ἐς τὰ Περσῶν ἤθη ἀφίκετο, ποινῆς ἔτυχε πρὸς βασιλέως Καβάδου πικρᾶς.

Dewing When the Mirranes, defeated in battle⁠ and with the greater part of his men lost, came back to the Persian land with the remainder of his army, he received bitter punishment at the hands of King Cabades.

Greek κόσμον γὰρ ἀφείλετο αὐτὸν ὃν δὴ ἀναδεῖσθαι τῶν ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ τριχῶν εἰώθει, ἔκ τε χρυσοῦ καὶ μαργάρων πεποιημένον. ἀξίωμα δὲ τοῦτο ἐν Πέρσαις μέγα μετά γε τὴν βασιλέως τιμήν.

Dewing For he took away from him a decoration which he was accustomed to bind upon the hair of his head, an ornament wrought of gold and pearls. Now this is a great dignity among the Persians, second only to the kingly honour.

Greek ἐνταῦθα γὰρ οὔτε δακτυλίῳ χρυσῷ οὔτε ζώνῃ οὔτε περόνῃ χρῆσθαι οὔτε ἄλλῳ ὁτῳοῦν θέμις, ὅτι μὴ ἐκ βασιλέως ἀξιωθέντι.

Dewing For there it is unlawful to wear a gold ring or girdle or brooch or anything else whatsoever, except a man be counted worthy to do so by the king.

Greek Καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν ὁ Καβάδης ἐν βουλῇ εἶχεν ὅντινα τρόπον αὐτὸς ἐπὶ Ῥωμαίους στρατεύοι. Μιρράνου γὰρ σφαλέντος οὕτως ὥσπερ ἐρρήθη, ἐπ᾽ ἄλλῳ οὐδενὶ τὸ θαρρεῖν εἶχε.

Dewing Thereafter Cabades began to consider in what mean and he himself should make an expedition against the Romans. For after the mirranes had failed in the manner I have told, he felt confidence in no one else.

Greek καί οἱ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἀπορουμένῳ Ἀλαμούνδαρος ὁ τῶν Σαρακηνῶν βασιλεὺς προσελθὼν εἶπεν Οὐ πάντα, ὦ δέσποτα, χρεών ἐστι πιστεύειν τῇ τύχῃ οὐδὲ τοὺς πολέμους οἴεσθαι δεῖν κατορθοῦν ἅπαντας. οὐδὲ γὰρ εἰκὸς τοῦτό γε οὐδὲ ἄλλως ἀνθρώπειον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀξύμφορος αὕτη μάλιστα τοῖς αὐτῇ ἐχομένοις ἡ ἔννοιά ἐστι.

Dewing While he was completely at a loss as to what he should do, Alamoundaras, the king of the Saracens, came before him and said: "Not everything, O Master, should be entrusted to fortune, nor should one believe that all wars ought to be successful. For this is not likely and besides it is not in keeping with the course of human events, but this idea is most unfortunate for those who are possessed by it.

Greek τοὺς γὰρ ἅπαντα σφίσιν ἐλπίσαντας τἀγαθὰ ἔσεσθαι σφαλέντας ποτέ, ἂν οὕτω τύχοι, ἡ ἐλπὶς οὐ δέον ἡγησαμένη τοῦ προσήκοντος μᾶλλον ἠνίασε.

Dewing For when men who expect that all the good things will come to them fail at any time, if it so happen, they are distressed more than is seemly by the very hope which wrongly led them on.

Greek διὸ δὴ οὐκ ἔχοντες ἀεὶ ἐπὶ τῇ τύχῃ τὸ θαρρεῖν ἄνθρωποι οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ εὐθέος ἐς κίνδυνον πολέμου καθίστανται, κἂν τῷ παντὶ τῶν πολεμίων ὑπεραίρειν αὐχῶσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπάτῃ τε καὶ μηχαναῖς τισι περιελθεῖν τοὺς ἐναντίους ἐν σπουδῇ ἔχουσιν.

Dewing Therefore, since men have not always confidence in fortune, they do not enter into the danger of war in a straightforward way, even if they boast that they surpass the enemy in every respect, but by deception and divers devices they exert themselves to circumvent their opponents.

Greek οἷς γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ ἀντιπάλου ὁ κίνδυνός ἐστιν οὐκ ἐν βεβαίῳ τὰ τῆς νίκης χωρεῖ. νῦν οὖν μήτε οἷς Μιρράνης ἠτύχησεν οὕτω περιώδυνος, ὦ βασιλέων βασιλεῦ, γίνου, μήτε αὖθις ἀποπειράσασθαι βούλου τῆς τύχης.

Dewing For those who assume the risk of an even struggle have no assurance of victory. Now, therefore, O King of Kings, neither be thus distressed by the misfortune which has befallen Mirranes, nor desire again to make trial of fortune.

Greek Μεσοποταμίας γὰρ καὶ τῆς Ὀσροηνῆς καλουμένης χώρας, ἅτε τῶν σῶν ὁρίων ἄγχιστα οὔσης, αἵ τε πόλεις ὀχυρώταταί εἰσι πασῶν μάλιστα καὶ στρατιωτῶν πλῆθος οἷον οὐ πώποτε πρότερον τανῦν ἔχουσιν, ὥστε ἡμῖν αὐτόσε ἰοῦσιν οὐκ ἐν τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ τὰ τῆς ἀγωνίας γενήσεται, ἐν μέντοι τῇ χώρᾳ, ἣ ἐκτὸς Εὐφράτου ποταμοῦ τυγχάνει οὖσα, καὶ τῇ ταύτης ἐχομένῃ Συρίᾳ οὔτε πόλεως ὀχύρωμα οὔτε στράτευμα λόγου ἄξιόν ἐστι.

Dewing For in Mesopotamia and the land of Osroene, as it is called, since it is very close to they boundaries, the cities are very strong above all others, and now they contain a multitude of soldiers such as never before, so that if we go there the contest will not prove a safe one; but in the land which lies outside the River Euphrates, and in Syria which adjoins it, there is neither a fortified city nor an army of any importance.

Greek ταῦτα γὰρ πολλάκις πρὸς τῶν ἐπὶ κατασκοπῇ ἐς ταύτας ἐσταλμένων Σαρακηνῶν ἤκουσα.

Dewing For this I have often heard from the Saracens sent as spies to these parts.

Greek ἔνθα δὴ καὶ πόλιν Ἀντιόχειαν εἶναί φασι, πλούτῳ τε καὶ μεγέθει καὶ πολυανθρωπίᾳ πρώτην πόλεων ἁπασῶν τῶν ἐν τοῖς ἑῴοις Ῥωμαίοις οὖσαν: ἣ δὴ ἀφύλακτός τε καὶ στρατιωτῶν ἔρημός ἐστιν.

Dewing There too, they say, is the city of Antioch, in wealth and size and population the first of all the cities of the Eastern Roman Empire; and this city is unguarded and destitute of soldiers.

Greek οὐ γὰρ ἄλλου οὐδενὸς τῷ ταύτης δήμῳ ὅτι μὴ πανηγύρεών τε καὶ τρυφῆς μέλει καὶ τῆς ἐν θεάτροις ἀεὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους φιλονεικίας.

Dewing For the people of this city care for nothing else than fêtes and luxurious living, and their constant rivalries with each other in the theatres.

Greek ὥστε ἢν ἐκ τοῦ ἀπροσδοκήτου ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς ἴωμεν, τήν τε πόλιν αἱρήσειν ἡμᾶς ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς οὐδὲν ἀπεικὸς καὶ μηδενὶ ἐντυχόντας πολεμίων στρατῷ εἶτα ἐπανελθεῖν ἐς τὰ Περσῶν ἤθη, οὔπω πεπυσμένων τὰ ξυμπεσόντα τῶν ἐν Μεσοποταμίᾳ στρατιωτῶν.

Dewing Accordingly, if we go against them unexpectedly, it is not at all unlikely that we shall capture the city by a sudden attack, and that we shall return to the land of the Persians without having met any hostile army, and before the troops in Mesopotamia have learned what has happened.

Greek ὕδατος δὲ ἢ ἄλλου του τῶν ἐπιτηδείων ἀπορίας πέρι μηδέν σε εἰσίτω: ἐγὼ γὰρ τῷ στρατῷ ἐξηγήσομαι ὅπη ἂν δοκῇ ἄριστα εἶναι.

Dewing As for lack of water or of any kind of provisions, let no such thought occur to thee; for I myself shall lead the army wherever it shall seem best."

Greek Ταῦτα ἀκούσας Καβάδης οὔτε ἀντιτείνειν οὔτε ἀπιστεῖν εἶχεν. ἦν γὰρ Ἀλαμούνδαρος ξυνετώτατός τε καὶ τῆς κατὰ πόλεμον ἐμπειρίας εὖ ἥκων, Πέρσαις τε πιστὸς ἐς τὰ μάλιστα καὶ διαφερόντως δραστήριος, ὃς δὴ ἐς πεντήκοντα ἐνιαυτῶν χρόνον ἐς γόνυ ἐλθεῖν τὰ Ῥωμαίων ἐποίησε πράγματα.

Dewing When Cabades heard this he could neither oppose nor distrust the plan. For Alamoundaras was most discreet and well experienced in matters of war, thoroughly faithful to the Persians, and unusually energetic, — a man who for a space of fifty years forced the Roman state to bend the knee.

Greek ἐκ γὰρ τῶν Αἰγύπτου ὁρίων ἀρξάμενος καὶ μέχρι ἐς Μεσοποταμίαν ληιζόμενος τὰ ἐκείνῃ χωρία, ἦγέ τε καὶ ἔφερεν ἐφεξῆς ἅπαντα, καίων τε τὰς ἐν ποσὶν οἰκοδομίας καὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους κατὰ πολλὰς ἀεὶ μυριάδας ἀνδραποδίζων, καὶ αὐτῶν τοὺς μὲν πλείστους ἀποκτείνων οὐδενὶ λόγῳ, τοὺς δὲ ἄλλους ἀποδιδόμενος χρημάτων μεγάλων.

Dewing For beginning from the boundaries of Aegypt and as far as Mesopotamia he plundered the whole country, pillaging one place after another, burning the buildings in his track and making captives of the population by the tens of thousands on each raid most of whom he killed without consideration, while he gave up the others for great sums of money.

Greek ἀπήντα δέ οἱ τῶν πάντων οὐδείς. οὐ γάρ ποτε ἀνεπισκέπτως ἐποιεῖτο τὴν ἔφοδον, ἀλλ᾽ οὕτως ἐξαπιναίως τε καὶ αὐτῷ ἐς τὰ μάλιστα ἐπιτηδείως, ὥστε ὁ μὲν ἤδη ὡς τὰ πολλὰ ξὺν τῇ λείᾳ πάσῃ ἀπιὼν ᾤχετο, οἱ δὲ στρατηγοί τε καὶ στρατιῶται πυνθάνεσθαί τε τὰ ξυμπεσόντα καὶ ἀγείρεσθαι ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ἤρχοντο.

Dewing And he was confronted by no one at all. For he never made his inroad without looking about, but so suddenly did he move and so very opportunely for himself, that, as a rule, he was already off with all the plunder when the generals and the soldiers were beginning to learn what had happened and to gather themselves against him.

Greek ἢν δέ που αὐτὸν καὶ καταλαβεῖν τύχῃ τινὶ ἔσχον, ἀλλ᾽ ἔτι ἀπαρασκεύοις τε οὖσι καὶ οὐ ξυντεταγμένοις ἐπιπεσὼν τοῖς διώκουσιν ὁ βάρβαρος οὗτος ἔτρεπέ τε καὶ διέφθειρεν οὐδενὶ πόνῳ, καὶ ποτε τοὺς διώκοντας στρατιώτας ξὺν τοῖς ἄρχουσιν ἐζώγρησεν ἅπαντας.

Dewing If, indeed, by any chance, they were able to catch him, this barbarian would fall upon his pursuers while still unprepared and not in battle array, and would rout and destroy them with no trouble; and on one occasion he made prisoners of all the soldiers who were pursuing him together with their officers.

Greek Τιμόστρατος δὲ ἦν ὁ Ῥουφίνου ἀδελφὸς καὶ Ἰωάννης ὁ τοῦ Λουκᾶ παῖς, οὓς δὴ ἀπέδοτο ὕστερον, πλοῦτον αὐτῶν οὐ φαῦλον οὐδὲ τὸν τυχόντα περιβαλλόμενος.

Dewing These officers were Timostratus, the brother of Rufinus, and John, the son of Lucas, whom he gave up indeed later, thereby gaining for himself no mean or trivial wealth.

Greek καὶ τὸ ξύμπαν εἰπεῖν χαλεπώτατός τε καὶ δεινότατος οὗτος ἀνὴρ γέγονε Ῥωμαίοις πολέμιος πάντων μάλιστα. αἴτιον δὲ ἦν ὅτι Ἀλαμούνδαρος μὲν βασιλέως ἀξίωμα ἔχων ἁπάντων μόνος τῶν ἐν Πέρσαις Σαρακηνῶν ἦρχε, παντί τε τῷ στρατῷ οἷός τε ἦν ἀεὶ τὴν ἔφοδον ποιεῖσθαι ὅπη βούλοιτο τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῆς:

Dewing And, in a word, this man proved himself the most difficult and dangerous enemy of all to the Romans. The reason was this, that Alamoundaras, holding the position of king, ruled alone over all the Saracens in Persia, and he was always able to make his inroad with the whole army wherever he wished in the Roman domain;

Greek οὐδεὶς δὲ οὔτε Ῥωμαίων στρατιωτῶν ἄρχων, οὓς δοῦκας καλοῦσιν, οὔτε Σαρακηνῶν τῶν Ῥωμαίοις ἐνσπόνδων ἡγούμενος, οἳ φύλαρχοι ἐπικαλοῦνται, ξὺν τοῖς ἑπομένοις Ἀλαμουνδάρῳ ἀντιτάξασθαι ἱκανῶς εἶχεν: ἐν χώρᾳ γὰρ ἑκάστῃ τοῖς πολεμίοις οὐκ ἀξιόμαχοι ἐτετάχατο.

Dewing and neither any commander of Roman troops, whom they call "duces," nor any leader of the Saracens allied with the Romans, who are called "phylarchs," was strong enough with his men to array himself against Alamoundaras; for the troops stationed in the different districts were not a match in battle for the enemy.

Greek διὸ δὴ βασιλεὺς Ἰουστινιανὸς φυλαῖς ὅτι πλείσταις Ἀρέθαν τὸν Γαβαλᾶ παῖδα ἐπέστησεν, ὃς τῶν ἐν Ἀραβίοις Σαρακηνῶν ἦρχεν, ἀξίωμα βασιλέως αὐτῷ περιθέμενος, οὐ πρότερον τοῦτο ἔν γε Ῥωμαίοις γεγονὸς πώποτε.

Dewing For this reason the Emperor Justinian put in command of as many clans as possible Arethas, the son of Gabalas, who ruled over the Saracens of Arabia, and bestowed upon him the dignity of king, a thing which among the Romans had never been done before.

Greek Ἀλαμούνδαρος μέντοι οὐδέν τι ἧσσον, εἰ μὴ καὶ μᾶλλον, τὰ Ῥωμαίων πράγματα ἔφθειρεν, Ἀρέθα ἐν πάσῃ ἐφόδῳ τε καὶ ἀγωνίᾳ ἢ ἀτυχοῦντος ὡς μάλιστα ἢ καταπροδιδόντος ὡς τάχιστα. οὐ γάρ πω σαφές τι ἀμφ᾽ αὐτῷ ἴσμεν. ταύτῃ τε ξυνέβη Ἀλαμουνδάρῳ, οὐδενός οἱ ἀντιστατοῦντος, ἐπὶ μήκιστον τὴν ἑῴαν ληίζεσθαι πᾶσαν, ἐπεὶ καὶ μακροβιώτατος ἀτεχνῶς γέγονε.

Dewing However Alamoundaras continued to injure the Romans just as much as before, if not more, since Arethas was either extremely unfortunate in every inroad and every conflict, or else he turned traitor as quickly as he could. For as yet we know nothing certain about him. In this way it came about that Alamoundaras, with no one to stand against him, plundered the whole East for an exceedingly long time, for he lived to a very advanced age.