第1巻 第4章

Greek Χρόνῳ δὲ οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον ἀλογήσας τὰ ὀμωμοσμένα τίσασθαι Οὔννους τῆς ἐς αὐτὸν ὕβρεως ἤθελε.

Dewing Not long after this, disregarding the oath he had sworn, he was eager to avenge himself upon the Huns for the insult done him.

Greek πάντας οὖν αὐτίκα ἐκ πάσης γῆς Πέρσας τε καὶ ξυμμάχους ἀγείρας ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἐφθαλίτας ἦγε, τῶν παίδων ἕνα μὲν Καβάδην ὄνομα μόνον ἀπολιπὼν (τηνικαῦτα γὰρ ἡβηκὼς ἔτυχἐ, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς ἅπαντας ἐπαγόμενος τριάκοντα μάλιστα.

Dewing He therefore straightway gathered together from the whole land all the Persians and their allies, and led them against the Ephthalitae; of all his sons he left behind him only one, Cabades by name, who, as it happened, was just past the age of boyhood; all the others, about thirty in number, he took with him.

Greek Ἐφθαλῖται δὲ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἔφοδον γνόντες ἀχθόμενοί τε οἶς δὴ πρὸς τῶν πολεμίων ἠπάτηντο τὸν βασιλέα ἐκάκιζον, ἅτε προέμενον Μήδοις τὰ πράγματα.

Dewing The Ephthalitae, upon learning of his invasion, were aggrieved at the deception they had suffered at the hands of their enemy, and bitterly reproached their king as having abandoned them to the Medes.

Greek καὶ ὃς αὐτῶν ξὺν γέλωτι ἐπυνθάνετο τί ποτε ἄρα σφῶν προέμενος εἴη, πότερον τὴν γῆν ἢ τὰ ὅπλα ἢ ἄλλο τι τῶν πάντων χρημάτων.

Dewing He, with a laugh, enquired of them what in the world of theirs he had abandoned, whether their land or their arms or any other part of their possessions.

Greek οἱ δὲ ὑπολαβόντες οὐκ ἄλλο οὐδὲν πλήν γε δὴ ὅτι τὸν καιρὸν ἔφασαν, οὗ τἄλλα πάντα ἠρτῆσθαι ξυμβαίνει.

Dewing They thereupon retorted that he had abandoned nothing, except, forsooth, the one opportunity on which, as it turned out, everything else depended.

Greek οἱ μὲν οὖν τοῖς ἐπιοῦσιν ὑπαντιάζειν πάσῃ προθυμίᾳ ἠξίουν, ὁ δὲ αὐτοὺς μὲν ἔν γε τῷ παρόντι ἐκώλυεν. οὐ γάρ πω σαφές τι ἀμφὶ τῇ ἐφόδῳ ἰσχυρίζετο γεγονέναι σφίσιν, ἐπεὶ οἱ Πέρσαι ἔτι ἐν γῇ τῇ οἰκείᾳ τυγχάνουσιν ὄντες: μένων δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐποίει τάδε.

Dewing Now the Ephthalitae with all zeal demanded that they should go out to meet the invaders, but the king sought to restrain them at any rate for the moment. For he insisted that as yet they had received no definite information as to the invasion, for the Persians were sit within their own boundaries. So, remaining where he was, he busied himself as follows.

Greek ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ ᾗ ἔμελλον Πέρσαι ἐς τὰ Ἐφθαλιτῶν ἤθη ἐσβάλλειν χώραν πολλήν τινα ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἀποτεμών, τάφρον εἰργάσατο βαθεῖάν τε καὶ εὔρους ἱκανῶς ἔχουσαν, ὀλίγον τινὰ ἐν μέσῳ ἀκραιφνῆ χῶρον ἀπολιπὼν ὅσον ἵππων ὁδῷ ἐπαρκεῖν δέκα.

Dewing In the plain where the Persians were to make their irruption into the land of the Ephthalitae head marked off a tract of very great extent and made a deep trench of sufficient width; but in the centre he left a small portion of ground intact, enough to serve as a way for ten horses.

Greek καλάμους τε τῇ τάφρῳ ὕπερθεν ἐπιθεὶς καὶ γῆν ἐπὶ τοὺς καλάμους συναμησάμενος, ταύτῃ ἐπιπολῆς ἔκρυψεν, Οὔννων τε τῷ ὁμίλῳ ἐπέστελλεν, ἐπειδὰν ἐνθένδε ὀπίσω ἀπελαύνειν μέλλωσι, διὰ χώρου τοῦ χέρσου ἐς ὀλίγους σφᾶς ξυναγαγόντας σχολαιτέρους ἰέναι, φυλασσομένους ὅπως μὴ ἐς τὰ ἐσκαμμένα ἐμπίπτοιεν:

Dewing He then directed the forces of the Huns that, when the time came to retire inside the trench, they should draw themselves together into a narrow column and pass rather slowly across this neck of land, taking care that they should not fall into the ditch.⁠

Greek τοὺς δὲ ἅλας ἄκρου σημείου τοῦ βασιλείου ἀπεκρέμασεν ἐς οὓς τὸν ὅρκον Περόζης ὤμοσε πρότερον, ὃν δὴ ἀλογήσας εἶτα ἐπὶ Οὔννους ἐστράτευσεν.

Dewing And he hung from the top of the royal banner the salt over which Perozes had once sworn the oath which he had disregarded in taking the field against the Huns.

Greek ἕως μὲν οὖν ἐν γῇ τῇ σφετέρᾳ τοὺς πολεμίους ἤκουεν εἶναι, ἡσυχῇ ἔμενεν, ἐπεὶ δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐς Γοργὼ πόλιν ἔμαθεν ἀφικέσθαι πρὸς: τῶν κατασκόπων, ἥπερ ἐν τοῖς ἐσχάτοις Περσῶν ὁρίοις τυγχάνει οὖσα, ἐνθένδε τε ἀπαλλαγέντας ὁδῷ ἐπὶ σφᾶς ἤδη ἰέναι, αὐτὸς μὲν τῷ πλείονι τοῦ στρατοῦ τῆς τάφρου ἐντὸς ἔμεινεν, ὀλίγους δὲ πέμψας ὀφθῆναι μὲν τοῖς ἐναντίοις ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ ἐκέλευε μακρὰν ἄποθεν, ὀφθέντας δὲ μόνον εἶτα ἀνὰ κράτος φεύγειν ὀπίσω, ἐν μνήμῃ τὰς αὐτοῦ ἐντολὰς ἀμφὶ τῇ κατώρυχι ἔχοντας, ἡνίκα δὴ αὐτῆς ἄγχιστα ἵκοιντο.

Dewing Now as long as he heard that the enemy were in their own territory, he remained at rest; but when he learned from his scouts that they had reached the city of Gorgo which lies on the extreme Persian frontier, and that departing thence they were now advancing against his army, trembling himself with the greater part of his troops inside the trench, he sent forward a small detachment with instructions to allow themselves to be seen at a distance by the enemy in the plain, and, when once they had been seen, to flee at full speed to the rear, keeping in mind his command concerning the trench as soon as they drew near to it.

Greek οἱ δὲ κατὰ ταῦτα ἐποίουν, καὶ ἐπεὶ τῆς διώρυχος ἀγχοτάτω ἐγένοντο, ἐς ὀλίγους σφᾶς ξυναγαγόντες διέβησαν ἅπαντες καὶ τῷ ἄλλῳ στρατῷ ἀνεμίγνυντο.

Dewing They did as directed, and, as they approached the trench, they drew themselves into a narrow column, and all passed over and joined the rest of the army.

Greek οἱ δὲ Πέρσαι ξυνεῖναι τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς οὐδαμῆ ἔχοντες κατὰ κράτος ἐν πεδίῳ λίαν ὑπτίῳ ἐδίωκον, θυμῷ πολλῷ ἐς τοὺς πολεμίους ἐχόμενοι, ἔς τε τὴν τάφρον ἐμπεπτώκασιν ἅπαντες, οὐχ οἱ πρῶτοι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅσοι ὄπισθεν εἵποντο:

Dewing But the Persians, having no means of perceiving the stratagem, gave chase at full speed across a very level plain, possessed as they were by a spirit of fury against the enemy, and fell into the trench, every man of them, not alone the first but also those who followed in the rear.

Greek ἅτε γὰρ τὴν δίωξιν ξὺν θυμῷ μεγάλῳ, καθάπερ ἐρρήθη, ποιούμενοι, ὡς ἥκιστα ᾔσθοντο τοῦ κακοῦ ὃ δὴ ξυντετύχηκε τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἰοῦσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ αὐτοὺς ξὺν τοῖς ἵπποις τε καὶ δόρασιν ἐμπεπτωκότες ἐκείνους τε, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, ἔκτειναν καὶ αὐτοὶ οὐδέν τι ἧσσον ξυνδιεφθάρησαν.

Dewing For since they entered into the pursuit with great fury, as I have said, they failed to notice the catastrophe which had befallen their leaders, but fell in on top of them with their horses and lacs, so that, as was natural, they both destroyed them, and were themselves no less involved in ruin.

Greek ἐν οἷς καὶ Περόζης ἦν ξὺν παισὶ τοῖς αὑτοῦ ἅπασι. καὶ αὐτὸν μέλλοντα ἐς τὸ βάραθρον τοῦτο ἐμπεσεῖσθαί φασι τοῦ τε δεινοῦ ᾐσθῆσθαι καὶ τὸ μάργαρον, ὅ οἱ λευκότατόν τε καὶ μεγέθους ὑπερβολῇ ἔντιμον ἐξ ὠτὸς τοῦ δεξιοῦ ἀπεκρέματο, ἀφελόντα ῥῖψαι, ὅπως δὴ μή τις αὐτὸ ὀπίσω φοροίη, ἐπεὶ ἀξιοθέατον ὑπερφυῶς ἦν, οἷον οὔπω πρότερον ἑτέρῳ τῳ βασιλεῖ γέγονεν, ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐ πιστὰ λέγοντες.

Dewing Among them were Perozes and all his sons. And just as he was about to fall into this pit, they say that he realized the danger, and seized and threw from him the pearl which hung from his right ear, — a gem of wonderful whiteness and greatly prized on account of its extraordinary size — in order, no doubt, that no one might wear it after him; for it was a thing exceedingly beautiful to look upon, such as no king before him had possessed. This story, however, seems to me untrustworthy,

Greek οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐνταῦθα γενόμενος τοῦ κακοῦ ἄλλου ὁτουοῦν ἐς φροντίδα ἦλθεν, ἀλλ᾽ οἶμαι τό τε οὖς αὐτῷ ἐν τούτῳ ξυγκεκόφθαι τῷ πάθει καὶ τὸ μάργαρον ὅπη ποτὲ ἀφανισθῆναι.

Dewing because a man who found himself in such peril would have thought of nothing else; but I suppose that his ear was crushed in this disaster, and the pearl disappeared somewhere or other.

Greek ὅπερ ὁ Ῥωμαίων βασιλεὺς τότε πρίασθαι πρὸς τῶν Ἐφθαλιτῶν ἐν σπουδῇ ποιησάμενος ἥκιστα ἴσχυσεν. οὐ γὰρ αὐτὸ εὑρέσθαι οἱ βάρβαροι εἶχον, καίπερ πόνῳ πολλῷ τὴν ζήτησιν ποιησάμενοι. φασὶ μέντοι Ἐφθαλίτας εὑρομένους αὐτὸ ὕστερον τῷ Καβάδῃ ἀποδόσθαι.

Dewing This pearl the Roman Emperor then made every effort to buy from the Ephthalitae, but was utterly unsuccessful. For the barbarians were not able to find it although they sought it with great labour. However, they say that the Ephthalitae found it later and sold it to Cabades.

Greek Ὅσα δὲ ἀμφὶ τῷ μαργάρῳ τούτῳ Πέρσαι λέγουσιν εἰπεῖν ἄξιον: ἴσως γὰρ ἄν τῳ καὶ οὐ παντάπασιν ἄπιστος ὁ λόγος δόξειεν εἶναι.

Dewing The story of this pearl, as told by the Persians, is worth recounting, for perhaps to some it may not seem altogether incredible.

Greek λέγουσιν οὖν Πέρσαι εἶναι μὲν ἐν τῷ κτενὶ τὸ μάργαρον τοῦτο ἐν θαλάσσῃ ἣ ἐν Πέρσαις ἐστί, νήχεσθαι δὲ τὸν κτένα τῆς ταύτῃ ἠιόνος οὐ πολλῷ ἄποθεν: ἀνεωγέναι τε αὐτοῦ ἄμφω τὰ ὄστρακα, ὧν δὴ κατὰ μέσον τὸ μάργαρον εἱστήκει θέαμα λόγου πολλοῦ ἄξιον. ἄλλο γὰρ αὐτῷ εἰκασθῆναι οὐδαμῆ ἔσχεν οὔτε τῷ μεγέθει οὔτε τῷ κάλλει ἐκ τοῦ παντὸς χρόνου.

Dewing For they say that it was lodged in its oyster in the sea which warships the Persian coast, and that the oyster was swimming not far from the shore; both its valves were standing open and the pearl lay between them, a wonderful sight and notable, for no pearl in all history could be compared with it at all, either in size or in beauty.

Greek κύνα δὲ θαλάσσιον ὑπερφυᾶ τε καὶ δεινῶς ἄγριον ἐραστὴν τοῦ θεάματος τούτου γενόμενον ἕπεσθαι κατ᾽ ἴχνος αὐτῷ, οὔτε νύκτα ἀνιέντα οὔτε ἡμέραν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡνίκα τροφῆς ἐπιμελεῖσθαι ἀναγκασθείη, ἐνταῦθα μέν τι περισκοπεῖσθαι τῶν ἐδωδίμων, εὑρόντα δέ τι καὶ ἀνελόμενον ἐσθίειν μὲν ὅτι τάχιστα, καταλαβόντα δὲ αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα τὸν κτένα θεάματος αὖθις τοῦ ἐρωμένου ἐμπίπλασθαι.

Dewing A shark, then, of enormous size and dreadful fierceness, fell in love with this sight and followed close upon it, leaving it neither day nor night; even when he was compelled to take thought for food, he would only look about for something eatable where he was, and when he found some bit, he should snatch it up and eat it hurriedly; then overtaking the oyster immediately, he would sate himself again with the sight he loved.

Greek καί ποτε τῶν τινα γριπέων φασὶ τὰ μὲν ποιούμενα ἐπιδεῖν, ἀποδειλιάσαντα δὲ τὸ θηρίον ἀποκνῆσαι τὸν κίνδυνον, ἔς τε τὸν βασιλέα Περόζην ἅπαντα τὸν λόγον ἀνενεγκεῖν.

Dewing At length a fisherman, they say, noticed what was passing, but in terror of the monster he recoiled from the danger; however, he reported the whole matter to the king, Perozes.

Greek ἃ δὴ τῷ Περόζῃ ἀκούσαντι πόθον φασὶ τοῦ μαργάρου γενέσθαι μέγαν, πολλαῖς τε ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ θωπείαις τὸν ἀσπαλιέα τοῦτον καὶ ἀγαθῶν ἐλπίσιν ἐπᾶραι.

Dewing Now when Perozes heard his account, they say that a great longing for the pearl came over him, and he urged on this fisherman with many flatteries and hopes of reward.

Greek ὃν δὴ ἀντιτείνειν αἰτουμένῳ δεσπότῃ οὐκ ἔχοντα λέγουσι τάδε τῷ Περόζῃ εἰπεῖν Ὠ δέσποτα, ποθεινὰ μὲν ἀνθρώπῳ χρήματα, ποθεινοτέρα δὲ ἡ ψυχή, πάντων μέντοι ἀξιώτατα τέκνα.

Dewing Unable to resist the importunities of the monarch, he is said to have addressed Perozes as follows: "My master, precious to a man is money, more precious still is his life, but most prized of all are his children;

Greek ὧν δὴ τῇ στοργῇ ἀναγκασθεὶς φύσει ἴσως ἄν τις καὶ πάντα τολμήσειεν. ἐγὼ τοίνυν τοῦ τε θηρίου ἀποπειράσεσθαι καὶ τοῦ μαργάρου σε κύριον:

Dewing and being naturally constrained by his love for them a man might perhaps dare anything. Now I intend to make trial of the monster, and hope to make thee master of the pearl.

Greek θήσεσθαι ἐλπίδα ἔχω. καὶ ἢν μὲν κρατήσω τοῦ ἀγῶνος τούτου, εὔδηλον ὡς ἐν τοῖς καλουμένοις ὀλβίοις τὸ ἐνθένδε τετάξομαι. σέ τε γὰρ πᾶσιν ἀγαθοῖς με δωρήσεσθαι ἅτε βασιλέων βασιλέα οὐδὲν ἀπεικός, καὶ ἐμοὶ ἀποχρήσει, καίπερ οὐδέν, ἂν οὕτω τύχοι, κεκομισμένῳ, τὸ δεσπότου εὐεργέτην τοῦ ἐμοῦ γεγενῆσθαι.

Dewing And if I succeed in this struggle, it is plain that henceforth I shall be ranked among those who are counted blessed. For it is not unlikely that thou, as King of Kings, will reward me with all good things; and for me it will be sufficient, even if it so fall out that I gain no reward, to have shown myself a benefactor of my mayor.

Greek εἰ δὲ ἐμὲ δεῖ τῷ θηρίῳ τούτῳ ἁλῶναι, σὸν δὴ ἔργον ἔσται, ὦ βασιλεῦ, τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ἐμοὺς θανάτου τοῦ πατρῴου ἀμείψασθαι.

Dewing But if it must needs be that I become the prey of this monster, thy task indeed it will be, O King, to requite my children for their father's death.

Greek οὕτω γὰρ ἐγὼ μὲν καὶ τετελευτηκὼς ἐν τοῖς ἀναγκαιοτάτοις ἔμμισθος ἔσομαι, σὺ δὲ ἀρετῆς δόξαν ἀποίσῃ μείζω. τὰ παιδία γὰρ ὠφελῶν εὖ ποιήσεις ἐμὲ ὅσπερ σοι τῆς εὐεργεσίας τὴν χάριν οὐδαμῆ εἴσομαι. αὕτη γὰρ ἂν εὐγνωμοσύνη ἀκίβδηλος γένοιτο μόνη ἡ ἐς τοὺς ἀποθανόντας ἐπιδειχθεῖσα.

Dewing Thus even after my death I shall still be a wage-earner among those closest to me, and thou wilt win greater fame for thy goodness, — for in hoping my children thou wilt confer a boon upon me, who shall have no power to thank thee for the benefit — because generosity is seen to be without alloy only when it is displayed towards the dead." With these words he departed.

Greek τοσαῦτα εἰπὼν ἀπηλλάσσετο. καὶ ἐπεὶ ἐς τὸν χῶρον ἀφίκετο ἵνα δὴ ὅ τε κτεὶς νήχεσθαι καὶ ὁ κύων αὐτῷ εἴθιστο ἕπεσθαι, ἐνταῦθα ἐπὶ πέτρας ἐκάθητό τινος, καιροφυλακῶν εἴ πως ἔρημόν ποτε τὸ μάργαρον τοῦ ἐραστοῦ λάβοι.

Dewing And when he came to the place where the oyster was accustomed to swim and the shark to follow, he seated himself there upon a rock, watching for an opportunity of catching the pearl alone without its admirer.

Greek ἐπειδὴ δὲ τῷ κυνὶ τάχιστα τῶν τινι ἐς τὴν θοίνην οἱ ἐπιτηδείως ἐχόντων ἐντετυχηκέναι ξυνέπεσε καὶ περὶ τοῦτο διατριβὴν ἔχειν, ἀπολιπὼν ἐπὶ τῆς ἀκτῆς ὁ ἁλιεὺς τούς οἱ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ δὴ ἑπομένους τῇ ὑπουργίᾳ εὐθὺ τοῦ κτενὸς σπουδῇ πολλῇ ᾔει, καὶ αὐτοῦ ἤδη λαβόμενος ἔξω γενέσθαι κατὰ τάχος ἠπειγετο.

Dewing As soon as it came about that the shark hand had happened upon something which would serve him for food, and was delaying over it, the fisherman left upon the beach those who were following him for this service, and made straight for the oyster with all his might; already he had seized it and was hastening with all speed to get out of the water, when the shark noticed him and rushed to the rescue.

Greek οὗ δὴ ὁ κύων αἰσθόμενος ἐβοήθει ἐνταῦθα. ἰδών τε αὐτὸν ὁ σαγηνευτής, ἐπεὶ καταλαμβάνεσθαι τῆς ἠιόνος οὐ μακρὰν ἔμελλε, τὸ μὲν θήραμα ἠκόντισεν ἐς τὴν γῆν δυνάμει τῇ πάσῃ, αὐτὸς δὲ ἁλοὺς διεφθάρη οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον.

Dewing The fisherman saw him coming, and, when he was about to be overtaken not far from the beach, he hurled his booty with all his force upon the land, and was himself soon afterwards seized and destroyed.

Greek ἀνελόμενοι δὲ τὸ μάργαρον οἱ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀκτῆς λελειμμένοι τῷ τε βασιλεῖ ἀπεκόμισαν καὶ τὰ ξυνενεχθέντα πάντα ἐσήγγειλαν.

Dewing But the men who had been left upon the beach picked up the pearl, and, conveying it to the king, reported all that had happened.

Greek τὰ μὲν οὖν ἀμφὶ τῷ μαργάρῳ τούτῳ τῇδε, ᾗπερ ἐρρήθη, Πέρσαι ξυνενεχθῆναί φασιν. ἐγὼ δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν πρότερον λόγον ἐπάνειμι.

Dewing Such, then, is the story which the Persians relate, just as I have set it down, concerning this pearl. But I shall return to the previous narrative.

Greek Οὕτω μὲν Περόζης τε διεφθάρη καὶ ξύμπασα ἡ Περσῶν στρατιά. εἰ γάρ τις οὐκ ἐμπεπτωκὼς ἐς τὴν διώρυχα ἔτυχεν, ὅδε ὑπὸ τῶν πολεμίων ταῖς χερσὶ γέγονε.

Dewing Thus Perozes was destroyed and the whole Persian army with him. For the few who by chance did not fall into the ditch found themselves at the mercy of the enemy.

Greek καὶ ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ νόμος τέθειται Πέρσαις μή ποτε σφᾶς ἐν γῇ πολεμίᾳ ἐλαύνοντας δίωξιν ποιεῖσθαί τινα, ἢν καὶ κατὰ κράτος τοὺς ἐναντίους σφίσι τραπῆναι ξυμβαίη.

Dewing As a result of this experience a law was established among the Persians that, while marching in hostile territory, they should never engage in any , even if it should happened that the enemy had been driven back by force.

Greek ὅσοι μέντοι Περόζῃ οὐ ξυστρατεύσαντες ἐν χώρᾳ τῇ αὑτῶν ἔμειναν, οὗτοι δὴ βασιλέα σφίσι Καβάδην εἵλοντο τὸν νεώτατον Περόζου υἱόν, ὅσπερ τηνικαῦτα περιῆν μόνος.

Dewing Thereupon those who had not marched with Perozes and had remained in their own land chose as their king Cabades, the youngest son of Perozes, who was then the only one surviving.

Greek τότε δὴ Ἐφθαλίταις κατήκοοι ἐς φόρου ἀπαγωγὴν ἐγένοντο Πέρσαι, ἕως Καβάδης τὴν ἀρχὴν ἰσχυρότατα κρατυνάμενος φόρον αὐτοῖς ἀποφέρειν τὸν ἐπέτειον οὐκέτι ἠξίου. ἦρξαν δὲ Περσῶν οἱ βάρβαροι οὗτοι ἐνιαυτοὺς δύο.

Dewing At that time, then, the Persians became subject and tributary to the Ephthalitae, until Cabades had established his power most securely and no longer deemed it necessary to pay the annual tribute to them. And the time these barbarians ruled over the Persians was two years.