第1巻 第23章

Greek Εὐθὺς δὲ βασιλεῖ ἑκατέρῳ ἐπιβουλὴν γενέσθαι ξυνηνέχθη πρὸς τῶν ὑπηκόων: ὅντινα μέντοι τρόπον αὐτίκα δηλώσω. Χοσρόης ὁ Καβάδου ἄτακτός τε ἦν τὴν διάνοιαν καὶ νεωτέρων πραγμάτων ἐραστὴς ἄτοπος.

Dewing Straightway it came about that plots were formed against both rulers by their subjects; and I shall now explain how this happened. Chosroes, the son of Cabades, was a man of an unruly turn of mind and strangely fond of innovations.

Greek διὸ δὴ αὐτός τε ἀεὶ ἔμπλεως ταραχῆς τε καὶ θορύβων ἐγίνετο καὶ τῶν ὁμοίων τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασιν αἰτιώτατος.

Dewing For this reason he himself was always full of excitement and alarms, and he was an unfailing cause of similar feelings in all others.

Greek ἀχθόμενοι οὖν αὐτοῦ τῇ ἀρχῇ ὅσοι ἐν Πέρσαις δραστήριοι ἦσαν, ἕτερον σφίσι βασιλέα καταστήσασθαι ἐκ τῆς Καβάδου οἰκίας ἐν βουλῇ εἶχον.

Dewing All, therefore, who were men of action among the Persians, in vexation at his administration, were purposing to establish over themselves another king from the house of Cabades.

Greek καὶ (ἦν γὰρ αὐτοῖς πολύς τις πόθος τῆς Ζάμου ἀρχῆς ἣν δὴ ὁ νόμος αἰτίᾳ τῆς τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ λώβης, ὥσπερ μοι ἐρρήθη, ἐκώλυἐ λογισάμενοι ηὕρισκον σφίσιν αὐτοῖς ἄμεινον εἶναι Καβάδην μὲν τὸν αὐτοῦ παῖδα καὶ τῷ πάππῳ ὁμώνυμον ἐς τὴν ἀρχὴν καταστήσασθαι, Ζάμην δέ, ἅτε τῷ παιδὶ ἐπίτροπον ὄντα, διοικεῖσθαι ὅπη βούλοιτο τὰ Περσῶν πράγματα.

Dewing And since they longed earnestly for the rule of Zames, which was made impossible by the law by reason of the disfigurement of his eye, as has been stated, they found upon consideration that the best course for them was to establish in power his child Cabades, who bore the same name as his grandfather, while Zames, as guardian of the child, should administer the affairs of the Persians as he wished.

Greek γενόμενοί τε παρὰ τὸν Ζάμην τό τε βούλευμα ἐξήνεγκαν καὶ προθυμίᾳ πολλῇ ἐγκελευόμενοι ἐς τὴν πρᾶξιν ἐνῆγον. καὶ ἐπεὶ τὸν ἄνδρα ἡ βουλὴ ἤρεσκεν, ἐς καιρὸν τῷ Χοσρόῃ ἐπιθήσεσθαι διενοοῦντο. ἔκπυστος δὲ ἡ βουλὴ μέχρι ἐς τὸν βασιλέα γεγενημένη τὰ πρασσόμενα διεκώλυσε.

Dewing So they went to Zames and disclosed their plan, and, urging him on with great enthusiasm, they endeavoured to persuade him to undertake the thing. And since the plan pleased him, they were purposing to assail Chosroes at the fitting moment. But the plan was discovered and came to the knowledge of the king, and thus their proceedings were stopped. For

Greek Ζάμην τε γὰρ αὐτὸν ὁ Χοσρόης καὶ τοὺς αὑτοῦ τε καὶ Ζάμου ἀδελφοὺς ἅπαντας ξὺν γόνῳ παντὶ ἄρσενι ἔκτεινε, καὶ Περσῶν τῶν δοκίμων ὅσους τῶν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ βεβουλευμένων ἢ ἄρξαι ἢ μεταλαχεῖν τρόπῳ δὴ ὅτῳ τετύχηκεν. ἐν τοῖς καὶ Ἀσπεβέδης ἦν ὁ τῆς Χοσρόου μητρὸς ἀδελφός.

Dewing Chosroes slew Zames himself and all his own brothers and those of Zames together with all their male offspring, and also all the Persian notables who had either begun or taken part in any way in the plot against him. Among these was Aspebedes, the brother of Chosroes' mother.

Greek Καβάδην μέντοι τὸν Ζάμου υἱὸν αὐτὸς μὲν κτείνειν οὐδαμῆ εἶχεν. ἔτι γὰρ ὑπὸ χαναράγγῃ τῷ Ἀδεργουδουνβάδῃ ἐτρέφετο. αὐτῷ δὲ χαναράγγῃ τὸν παῖδα τοῦτον ὅνπερ ἐθρέψατο ἐπέστελλε διαχρήσασθαι. οὔτε γὰρ τῷ ἀνδρὶ ἀπιστεῖν ἐδικαίου οὔτε ἄλλως αὐτὸν βιάζεσθαι εἶχεν.

Dewing Cabades, however, the son of Zames, he was quite unable to kill; for he was still being reared under the chanaranges, Adergoudounbades. But he sent a message to the chanaranges, bidding him himself kill the boy he had reared; for he neither thought it well to show mistrust, nor yet had he power to compel him.

Greek ὁ μὲν οὖν χαναράγγης, ἐπεὶ τὰς Χοσρόου ἐντολὰς ἤκουσε, περιαλγήσας τε καὶ ἀποκλαύσας τὴν συμφορὰν ἐκοινολογεῖτο τῇ γυναικὶ καὶ Καβάδου τίτθῃ ὅσα οἱ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπιστείλειε. δακρύσασα δὲ ἡ γυνὴ καὶ τῶν γονάτων τοῦ ἀνδρὸς λαβομένη, ἔχρῃζε τέχνῃ μηδεμιᾷ Καβάδην κτεῖναι.

Dewing The chanaranges, therefore, upon hearing the commands of Chosroes, was exceedingly grieved and, lamenting the misfortune, he communicated to his wife and Cabades' nurse all that the king had commanded. Then the woman, bursting into tears and seizing the knees of her husband, entreated him by no means to kill Cabades.

Greek βουλευσάμενοι οὖν ἐν σφίσιν αὐτοῖς ἐλογίσαντο κρυπτόμενον μὲν ὡς ἀσφαλέστατα τὸν παῖδα ἐκτρέφειν, τῷ δὲ Χοσρόῃ κατὰ τάχος σημῆναι ὥς οἱ ὁ Καβάδης ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀφανισθείη.

Dewing They therefore consulted together, and planned to bring up the child in the most secure concealment, and to send word in haste to Chosroes that Cabades had been put out of the world for him.

Greek καὶ τῷ τε βασιλεῖ κατὰ ταῦτα ἐσήμαινον τόν τε Καβάδην οὕτως ἀπέκρυψαν ὥστε τούτου γε παρείχοντο οὐδενὶ αἴσθησιν, ὅτι μὴ Οὐαρράμῃ τε τῷ σφετέρῳ παιδὶ καὶ τῶν οἰκετῶν ἑνί, ὃς δὴ αὐτοῖς πιστότατος ἐς τὰ μάλιστα ἔδοξεν εἶναι.

Dewing And they sent word to the king to this effect, and concealed Cabades in such a way that the affair did not come to the notice of any one, except Varrames, their own child, and one of the servants who seemed to them to be in every way most trustworthy.

Greek ἐπεὶ δὲ προϊόντος τοῦ χρόνου ἐς ἡλικίαν ὁ Καβάδης ἦλθε, δείσας ὁ χαναράγγης μὴ τὰ πεπραγμένα ἐς φῶς ἄγοιτο, χρήματά τε τῷ Καβάδῃ ἐδίδου καὶ αὐτὸν ἀπαλλαγέντα ἐκέλευε διασώζεσθαι ὅπη οἱ φεύγοντι δυνατὰ εἴη. τότε μὲν οὖν Χοσρόην τε καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἅπαντας ταῦτα διαπεπραγμένος ὁ χαναράγγης ἐλάνθανε.

Dewing But when, as time went on, Cabades came of age, the chanaranges began to fear lest what had been done should be brought to light; he therefore gave Cabades money and bade him depart and save himself by flight wherever he could. At that time, then, Chosroes and all the others were in ignorance of the fact that the chanaranges had carried this thing through.

Greek Χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον ὁ μὲν Χοσρόης ἐς γῆν τὴν Κολχίδα στρατῷ μεγάλῳ ἐσέβαλλεν, ὥς μοι ἐν τοῖς ὄπισθεν λόγοις γεγράψεται.

Dewing At a later time Chosroes was making an invasion into the land of Colchis with a great army, as will be told in the following narrative.⁠

Greek εἵπετο δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ τούτου δὴ τοῦ χαναράγγου υἱὸς Οὐαρράμης, ἄλλους τε τῶν οἰκετῶν ἐπαγόμενος καὶ ὃς αὐτῷ τὰ ἐς τὸν Καβάδην ξυνεπιστάμενος ἔτυχεν: ἐνταῦθα τῷ βασιλεῖ Οὐαρράμης τὰ ἀμφὶ τῷ Καβάδῃ ἅπαντα ἔφραζε, καὶ τὸν οἰκέτην ἐφ᾽ ἅπασίν οἱ ὁμολογοῦντα παρείχετο.

Dewing And he was followed by the son of this same chanaranges, Varrames, who took with him a number of his servants, and among them the one who shared with him the knowledge of what had happened to Cabades; while there Varrames told the king everything regarding Cabades, and he brought forward the servant agreeing with him in every particular.

Greek ταῦτα ἐπεὶ ὁ Χοσρόης ἔγνω, τῷ τε θυμῷ ἤδη ὑπερφυῶς εἴχετο καὶ δεινὰ ἐποιεῖτο εἰ πρὸς δούλου ἀνδρὸς τοιαῦτα ἔργα πεπονθὼς εἴη, οὐκ ἔχων τε ὅπως οἱ ὑποχείριον τὸν ἄνδρα ποιοίη, ἐπενόει τάδε.

Dewing When Chosroes learned this he was forthwith exceedingly angry, and he counted it a dreadful thing that he had suffered such things at the hand of a man who was his slave; and since he had no other means of getting the man under his hand he devised the following plan.

Greek ἡνίκα ἐκ γῆς τῆς Κολχίδος ἐπ᾽ οἴκου ἀναχωρεῖν ἔμελλε, γράφει τῷ χαναράγγῃ τούτῳ ὅτι δὴ αὐτῷ βεβουλευμένα εἴη παντὶ τῷ στρατῷ ἐς γῆν τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἐσβάλλειν, οὐκ ἐν μιᾷ μέντοι τῆς χώρας εἰσόδῳ, ἀλλὰ δίχα ποιησαμένῳ τὸ Περσῶν στράτευμα, ὅπως οἱ ἐντός τε καὶ ἐκτὸς ποταμοῦ Εὐφράτου ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἡ ἐσβολὴ ἔσται.

Dewing When he was about to return homeward from the land of Colchis, he wrote to this chanaranges that he had decided to invade the land of the Romans with his whole army, not, however, by a single inroad into the country, but making two divisions of the Persian army, in order that the attack might be made upon the enemy on both sides of the River Euphrates.

Greek μιᾷ μὲν οὖν τῆς στρατιᾶς μοίρᾳ ἐς τὴν πολεμίαν αὐτόν, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, ἐξηγήσεσθαι, ἑτέρῳ δὲ οὐδενὶ ἐνδιδόναι τῶν αὐτοῦ δούλων ἴσα τῷ βασιλεῖ ἐν ταύτῃ δὴ τῇ τιμῇ ἔχειν, ὅτι μὴ αὐτῷ χαναράγγῃ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἕνεκα.

Dewing Now one division of the army he himself, as was natural, would lead into the hostile land, while to no one else of his subjects would he grant the privilege of holding equal honour with the king in this matter, except to the chanaranges himself on account of his valour.

Greek δεῖν τοίνυν αὐτὸν μὲν ἐν τῇ ἀποπορείᾳ κατὰ τάχος οἱ ἐς ὄψιν ἐλθεῖν, ὅπως αὐτῷ κοινολογησάμενος ἅπαντα ἐπιστέλλοι ὅσα ξυνοίσειν τῇ στρατιᾷ μέλλοι, τοὺς δὲ ξὺν αὐτῷ ὄπισθε κελεύειν ὁδῷ ἰέναι.

Dewing It was necessary, therefore, that the chanaranges should come speedily to meet him as he returned, in order that he might confer with him and give him all the directions which would be of advantage to the army, and that he should bid his attendants travel behind him on the road.

Greek ταῦτα ἐπεὶ ὁ χαναράγγης ἀπενεχθέντα εἶδε, περιχαρὴς γεγονὼς τῇ ἐς αὐτὸν τοῦ βασιλέως τιμῇ μακράν τε ἀπολελειμμένος τῶν οἰκείων κακῶν, αὐτίκα τὰ ἐντεταλμένα ἐπιτελῆ ἐποίει.

Dewing When the chanaranges received this message, he was overjoyed at the honour shown him by the king, and in complete ignorance of his own evil plight, he immediately carried out the instructions.

Greek ἐν δὲ τῇ ὁδῷ ταύτῃ ἀντέχειν τῷ πόνῳ οὐδαμῆ ἔχων (ἦν γάρ τις γέρων ὁ ἀνὴρ μάλιστἀ τόν τε χαλινὸν μεθεὶς τοῦ ἵππου ἐκπίπτει καί οἱ τὸ ἐν τῷ σκέλει ὀστέον ἐρράγη: διὸ δὴ αὐτῷ ἐπάναγκες ἦν ἐνταῦθα θεραπευομένῳ ἡσυχῆ μένειν, ἔς τε τὸ χωρίον τοῦτο τῷ βασιλεῖ ἥκοντι ἐς ὄψιν ἦλθε.

Dewing But in the course of this journey, since he was quite unable to sustain the toil of it (for he was a very old man), he relaxed his hold on the reins and fell off his horse, breaking the bone in his leg. It was therefore necessary for him to remain there quietly and be cared for, and the king came to that place and saw him.

Greek καὶ αὐτῷ Χοσρόης ἔφασκε ξυστρατεύειν σφίσιν οὕτως ἔχοντι τοῦ ποδὸς ἀδύνατα εἶναι, ἀλλὰ χρῆναι αὐτὸν ἔς τι τῶν ἐκείνῃ φρουρίων ἰόντα τῆς πρὸς τῶν ἰατρῶν ἐπιμελείας ἐνταῦθα τυχεῖν.

Dewing And Chosroes said to him that with his leg in such a plight it was not possible that he make the expedition with him, but he must go to one of the fortresses in that region and receive treatment there from the physicians.

Greek οὕτω μὲν ὁ Χοσρόης τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ θανάτῳ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀπεπέμψατο, καὶ ξὺν αὐτῷ ὄπισθεν εἵποντο οἵπερ αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ φρουρίῳ ἀπολεῖν ἔμελλον, ἄνδρα ἐν Πέρσαις ἀήττητον στρατηγὸν ὄντα τε καὶ λεγόμενον, ὅσπερ ἐπὶ δώδεκα ἔθνη βαρβάρων στρατεύσας ἅπαντα Καβάδῃ βασιλεῖ παρεστήσατο.

Dewing Thus then Chosroes sent the man away on the road to death, and behind him followed the very men who were to destroy him in the fortress, — a man who was in fact as well as in name an invincible general among the Persians, who had marched against twelve nations of barbarians and subjected them all to King Cabades.

Greek τοῦ δὲ Ἀδεργουδουνβάδου ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀφανισθέντος, Οὐαρράμης ὁ παῖς τὸ τοῦ χαναράγγου ἀξίωμα ἔσχε.

Dewing After Adergoudounbades had been removed from the world, Varrames, his son, received the office of chanaranges.

Greek χρόνῳ δὲ οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον εἴτε Καβάδης αὐτός, ὁ τοῦ Ζάμου υἱός, εἴτε τις ἄλλος ἐπιβατεύων τοῦ Καβάδου ὀνόματος ἐς Βυζάντιον ἦλθε: Καβάδῃ μέντοι βασιλεῖ τὴν ὄψιν ἐμφερέστατος ἦν.

Dewing Not long after this either Cabades himself, the son of Zames, or someone else who was assuming the name of Cabades came to Byzantium; certainly he resembled very closely in appearance Cabades, the king.

Greek καὶ αὐτὸν Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεὺς ἀμφιγνοῶν μέν, ἅτε δὴ Καβάδου βασιλέως υἱωνόν, ξὺν φιλοφροσύνῃ πολλῇ ἐν τιμῇ ἔσχε. τὰ μὲν οὖν ἀμφὶ Πέρσας τοὺς Χοσρόῃ ἐπαναστάντας ἐγένετο ὧδε.

Dewing And the Emperor Justinian, though in doubt concerning him, received him with great friendliness and honoured him as the grandson of Cabades. So then fared the Persians who rose against Chosroes.

Greek Ὕστερον δὲ καὶ τὸν Μεβόδην ὁ Χοσρόης διεχρήσατο ἐξ αἰτίας τοιᾶσδε. τῶν τι σπουδαίων διαχειρίζων, παρόντι τῷ Ζαβεργάνῃ ἐπέταττε τὸν Μεβόδην καλεῖν: ἐτύγχανε δὲ τῷ Μεβόδῃ ὁ Ζαβεργάνης διάφορος ὤν: ὃς δὴ παῤ αὐτὸν ἀφικόμενος εὕρισκε μὲν στρατιώτας τοὺς αὐτῷ ἑπομένους διέποντα, ἔλεγε δὲ ὅτι δὴ αὐτὸν ὡς τάχιστα ὁ βασιλεὺς καλοίη.

Dewing Later on Chosroes destroyed also Mebodes for the following reason. While the king was arranging a certain important matter, he directed Zaberganes who was present to call Mebodes. Now it happened that Zaberganes was on hostile terms with Mebodes. When he came to him, he found him marshalling the soldiers under his command, and he said that the king summoned him to come as quickly as possible.

Greek καὶ ὁ μὲν αὐτίκα μάλα, ἐπειδὰν τὰ ἐν ποσὶ διάθηται, ἕψεσθαι ὡμολόγει, ὁ δὲ τῷ ἐς αὐτὸν ἔχθει ἠγμένος ἀπήγγελλε Χοσρόῃ ὡς οὐ βούλοιτο Μεβόδης ἐν τῷ παρόντι ἥκειν, φάσκων οἵ τινα ἀσχολίαν εἶναι.

Dewing And Mebodes promised that he would follow directly as soon as he should have arranged the matter in hand; but Zaberganes, moved by his hostility to him, reported to Chosroes that Mebodes did not wish to come at present, claiming to have some business or other.

Greek θυμῷ τοίνυν ὁ Χοσρόης ἐχόμενος, στείλας τῶν οἱ ἑπομένων τινὰ παρὰ τὸν τρίποδα τὸν Μεβόδην ἐκέλευεν ἰέναι. ὅ τι δὲ τοῦτό ἐστιν, αὐτίκα δηλώσω.

Dewing Chosroes, therefore, moved with anger, sent one of his attendants commanding Mebodes to go to the tripod. Now as to what this is I shall explain forthwith.

Greek τρίπους σιδηροῦς πρὸ τῶν βασιλείων ἐσαεὶ ἕστηκεν. ἐπειδὰν οὖν τις τῶν Περσῶν πύθηται ὅτι δὴ αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεὺς χαλεπῶς ἔχοι, τούτῳ δὲ οὔτε πη ἐς ἱερὸν καταφυγεῖν θέμις οὔτε ἀλλχαόσε ἰέναι, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τοῦτον καθημένῳ τὸν τρίποδα τὴν βασιλέως προσδέχεσθαι ψῆφον, τῶν πάντων οὐδενὸς φυλάσσειν αὐτὸν ἀξιοῦντος.

Dewing An iron tripod stands always before the palace; and whenever anyone of the Persians learns that the king is angry with him, it is not right for such a man to flee for refuge to a sanctuary nor to go elsewhere, but he must seat himself by this tripod and await the verdict of the king, while no one at all dares protect him.

Greek ἐνταῦθα ὁ Μεβόδης ἐν σχήματι οἰκτρῷ ἐκάθητο ἡμέρας πολλάς, ἕως τις αὐτὸν Χοσρόου ἐπαγγείλαντος λαβὼν ἔκτεινεν. ἐς τοῦτό τε αὐτῷ τὰ τῆς ἐς Χοσρόην εὐεργεσίας ἐχώρησεν.

Dewing There Mebodes sat in pitiable plight for many days, until he was seized and put to death at the command of Chosroes. Such was the final outcome of his good deeds to Chosroes. The Loeb Editor's Notes: 1 Cf. chap. xvi.7. ❦ 2 Cf. Book II.xvii. Thayer's Note: a The Roman pound was about 330 grams, so the centenaria was 33 kg of gold, which in 2020 would be worth $2.2 million. Here the 110 centenaria represent about $240 million; leaving aside any questions as to purchasing power. ◂ previous next ▸ Images with borders lead to more information. The thicker the border, the more information. (Details here.) UP TO: Persian Wars Ancient Military History Military History Home Procopius Greek & Latin Texts LacusCurtius A page or image on this site is in the public domain ONLY if its URL has a total of one *asterisk. If the URL has two **asterisks, the item is copyright someone else, and used by permission or fair use. If the URL has none the item is © Bill Thayer. See my copyright page for details and contact information. Page updated: 14 Sep 20 Accessibility