第1巻 第5章

Greek Μετὰ δὲ Καβάδης ἐπὶ τὸ βιαιότερον τῇ ἀρχῇ χρώμενος ἄλλα τε νεώτερα ἐς τὴν πολιτείαν εἰσῆγε καὶ νόμον ἔγραψεν ἐπὶ κοινὰ ταῖς γυναιξὶ μίγνυσθαι Πέρσας: ὅπερ τὸ πλῆθος οὐδαμῆ ἤρεσκε. διὸ δὴ αὐτῷ ἐπαναστάντες παρέλυσάν τε τῆς ἀρχῆς καὶ δήσαντες ἐν φυλακῇ εἶχον.

Dewing But as time went on Cabades became more high-handed in the administration of the government, and introduced innovations into the constitution, among which was a law which he promulgated providing that Persians would have communal intercourse with their women, a measure which by no means pleased the common people. Accordingly they rose against him, removed him from the throne, and kept him in prison in chains.

Greek καὶ βασιλέα μὲν σφίσι Βλάσην τὸν Περόζου ἀδελφὸν εἵλοντο, ἐπειδὴ γόνος μὲν οὐδεὶς ἔτι ἄρρην Περόζῃ, ὥσπερ ἐρρήθη, ἐλέλειπτο, Πέρσαις δὲ οὐ θέμις ἄνδρα ἐς τὴν βασιλείαν καθίστασθαι ἰδιώτην γένος, ὅτι μὴ ἐξιτήλου παντάπασι γένους τοῦ βασιλείου ὄντος:

Dewing They then chose Blases, the brother of Perozes, to be their king, since, as has been said, no male offspring of Perozes was left, and it is not lawful among the Persians for any man by birth a common citizen to be set upon the throne, except in case the royal family be totally extinct.

Greek Βλάσης δὲ τὴν βασιλείαν παραλαβὼν Περσῶν τε τοὺς ἀρίστους ξυνέλεξε καὶ τὰ ἀμφὶ τῷ Καβάδῃ ἐν βουλῇ ἐποιεῖτο: τὸν γὰρ ἄνθρωπον ἀποκτιννύναι οὐκ ἦν βουλομένοις τοῖς πλείοσιν.

Dewing Blases, upon receiving the royal power, gathered together the nobles of the Persians and held a conference concerning Cabades; for it was not the wish of the majority to put the man to death.

Greek ἔνθα δὴ πολλαὶ μὲν ἐλέχθησαν γνῶμαι ἐφ᾽ ἑκάτερα φέρουσαι, παρελθὼν δὲ τῶν τις ἐν Πέρσαις λογίμων, ὄνομα μὲν Γουσαναστάδης, χαναράγγης δὲ τὸ ἀξίωμα (εἴη δ) ἂν ἐν Πέρσαις στρατηγὸς τοῦτό γἐ, πρὸς αὐταῖς που ταῖς ἐσχατιαῖς τῆς Περσῶν γῆς τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔχων ἐν χώρᾳ ἣ τοῖς Ἐφθαλίταις ὅμορός ἐστι, καὶ τὴν μάχαιραν ἐπιδείξας ᾗ τῶν ὀνύχων τὰ προὔχοντα Πέρσαι εἰώθασιν ἀποτέμνεσθαι, μῆκος μὲν ὅσον δακτύλου ἀνδρός, πάχος δὲ οὐδὲ τριτημόριον δακτύλου ἔχουσαν Ταύτην ὁρᾶτε, εἶπε,

Dewing After the expression of many opinions on both sides there came forward a certain man of repute among the Persians, whose name was Gousanastades, and whose office that of "chanaranges" (which would be the Persian term for general): his official province lay on the very frontier of the Persian territory in a district which adjoins the land of the Ephthalitae. Holding up his knife, the kind with which the Persians were accustomed to trim their nails, of about the length of a man's finger, but not one‑third as wide as a finger, he said:

Greek τὴν μάχαιραν, βραχεῖαν παντάπασιν οὖσαν: αὕτη μέντοι ἔργον ἐν τῷ παρόντι ἐπιτελεῖν οἵα τέ ἐστιν, ὅπερ εὖ ἴστε ὀλίγῳ ὕστερον, ὦ φίλτατοι Πέρσαι, μυριάδες δύο τεθωρακισμένων ἀνδρῶν ἐξεργάζεσθαι οὐκ ἂν δύναιντο. ὁ μὲν ταῦτα εἶπε,

Dewing "You see this knife, how extremely small it is; nevertheless it is able to accomplish a deed, which, be assured, my dear Persians, a little later two myriads of mail-clad men could not bring to pass."

Greek παραδηλῶν ὡς, ἢν μὴ Καβάδην ἀνέλωσιν, αὐτίκα πράγματα Πέρσαις περιὼν παρέξει.

Dewing This he said hinting that, if they did not put Cabades to death, he would straightway make trouble for the Persians.

Greek οἱ δὲ κτεῖναι ἄνδρα τοῦ βασιλείου αἵματος οὐδ᾽ ὅλως ἔγνωσαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν φρουρίῳ καθεῖρξαι ὅπερ τῆς Λήθης καλεῖν νενομίκασιν.

Dewing But they were altogether unwilling to put to death a man of the royal blood, and decided to confine him on a castle which it is their habit to call the "Prison of Oblivion."

Greek ἢν γάρ τις ἐνταῦθα ἐμβληθεὶς τύχῃ, οὐκέτι ὁ νόμος ἐφίησι μνήμην αὐτοῦ εἶναι, ἀλλὰ θάνατος τῷ ὠνομακότι ἡ ζημία ἐστί: διὸ δὴ καὶ τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν ταύτην πρὸς Περσῶν ἔλαχεν.

Dewing For if anyone is cast into it, the law permits no mention of him to be made thereafter, but death is the penalty for the man who speaks his name; for this reason it has received this title among the Persians.

Greek ἅπαξ δὲ ἡ τῶν Ἀρμενίων ἱστορία φησὶ νόμου τοῦ ἀμφὶ τῷ Λήθης φρουρίῳ παραλελύσθαι τὴν δύναμιν Πέρσαις τρόπῳ τοιῷδε.

Dewing On one occasion, however, the History of the Armenians relates that the operation of the law regarding the Prison of Oblivion was suspended by the Persians in the following way.

Greek Πόλεμός ποτε Πέρσις τε καὶ Ἀρμενίοις ἀκήρυκτος γέγονεν εἰς δύο καὶ τριάκοντα ἔτη ἐπὶ Πακουρίου μὲν Περσῶν βασιλεύοντος, Ἀρμενίων δὲ Ἀρσάκου Ἀρσακίδου ἀνδρός. τούτῳ τε τῷ πολέμῳ μηκυνομένῳ κεκακῶσθαι μὲν ἐς ἄγαν ἀμφοτέρους ξυνέβη καὶ διαφερόντως τοὺς Ἀρμενίους.

Dewing There was once a truceless war, lasting two and thirty years, between the Persians and the Romans, when Pacurius was king of the Persians, and of the Armenians, Arsaces, of the line of the Arsacidae. And by the long continuance of this war it came about that both sides suffered beyond measure, and especially the Armenians.

Greek ἀπιστίᾳ δὲ πολλῇ ἐς ἀλλήλους ἐχόμενοι ἐπικηρυκεύεσθαι παρὰ τοὺς ἐναντίους οὐδέτεροι εἶχον. ἐν τούτῳ δὲ Πέρσας τετύχηκε πόλεμον πρὸς ἄλλους βαρβάρους τινὰς οὐ πόρρω Ἀρμενίων ᾠκημένους διενεγκεῖν.

Dewing But each nation was possessed by such great distrust of the other that neither of them could make overtures of peace to their opponents. In the meantime it happened that the Persians became engaged in a war with certain other barbarians who lived not far from the Armenians.

Greek οἵ τε Ἀρμένιοι ἐν σπουδῇ ἔχοντες ἐπίδειξιν ἐς Πέρσας τῆς ἐς αὐτοὺς εὐνοίας τε καὶ εἰρήνης ποιήσασθαι, ἐσβαλεῖν ἐς τούτων δὴ τῶν βαρβάρων τὴν γῆν ἔγνωσαν, δηλώσαντες τοῦτο πρότερον Πέρσαις.

Dewing Accordingly the Armenians, in their eagerness to make a display to the Persians of their goodwill and desire for peace, decided to invade the land of these barbarians, first revealing their plan to the Persians.

Greek ἀπροσδόκητοί τε αὐτοὶ ἐπιπεσόντες σχεδόν τι ἅπαντας ἡβηδὸν ἔκτειναν. ὅ τε Πακούριος τοῖς πεπραγμένοις ὑπερησθείς, πέμψας παρὰ τὸν Ἀρσάκην τῶν οἱ ἐπιτηδείων τινὰς τά τε πιστά οἱ παρασχόμενος τὸν ἄνθρωπον μετεπέμψατο.

Dewing Then they fell upon them unexpectedly and killed almost the whole population, old and young alike. Thereupon Pacurius, who was overjoyed at the deed, sent certain of his trusted friends to Arsaces, and giving him pledges of security, invited him to his presence.

Greek καὶ ἐπεὶ παῤ αὐτὸν Ἀρσάκης ἀφίκετο, τῆς τε ἄλλης αὐτὸν φιλοφροσύνης ἠξίωσε καὶ ἅτε ἀδελφὸν ἐπὶ τῇ ἴσῃ καὶ ὁμοίᾳ ἔσχε.

Dewing And when Arsaces came to him he showed him every kindness, and treated him as a brother on an equal footing with himself.

Greek καὶ τότε μὲν ὅρκοις δεινοτάτοις τόν τε Ἀρσάκην καταλαβὼν καὶ αὐτὸς οὐδέν τι ἧσσον ὀμωμοκὼς ἦ μὴν εὔνους τε καὶ ξυμμάχους Πέρσας τε τὸ λοιπὸν καὶ Ἀρμενίους ἀλλήλοις εἶναι, αὐτίκα δὴ αὐτὸν ἐς τὰ πάτρια ἤθη ἀφῆκεν ἰέναι.

Dewing Then he bound him by the most solemn oaths, and he himself swore likewise, that in very truth the Persians and Armenians should thenceforth be friends and allies to each other; thereafter he straightway dismissed Arsaces to return to his own country.

Greek Χρόνῳ δὲ οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον διέβαλον τὸν Ἀρσάκην τινὲς ὡς δὴ πράγμασι νεωτέροις ἐγχειρεῖν βούλοιτο. οἷσπερ ἀναπεισθεὶς ὁ Πακούριος αὖθις αὐτὸν μετεπέμπετο, ὑπειπὼν ὅτι δὴ αὐτῷ τι κοινολογεῖσθαι ὑπὲρ τῶν ὅλων ἐπιμελὲς εἴη.

Dewing Not long after this certain persons slandered Arsaces, saying that he was purposing to undertake some seditious enterprise. Pacurius was persuaded by these men and again summoned him, intimating that he was anxious to confer with him on general matters.

Greek καὶ ὃς οὐδέν τι μελλήσας ἐς αὐτὸν ἦλθεν, ἄλλους τε τῶν ἐν Ἀρμενίοις μαχιμωτάτων ἐπαγόμενος καὶ Βασσίκιον ὅσπερ αὐτῷ στρατηγός τε καὶ ξύμβουλος ἦν: ἀνδρίας τε γὰρ καὶ ξυνέσεως ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἀφῖκτο.

Dewing And he, without any hesitation at all, came to the king, taking with him several of the most warlike among the Armenians, and among them Bassicius, who was at once his general and counsellor; for he was both brave and sagacious to a remarkable degree.

Greek εὐθὺς οὖν ὁ Πακούριος ἄμφω, τόν τε Ἀρσάκην καὶ Βασσίκιον, πολλὰ ὀνειδίζων ἐκάκιζεν, εἰ τὰ ὀμωμοσμένα ἠλογηκότε οὕτω δὴ τάχιστα ἐς ἀπόστασιν ἴδοιεν. οἱ δὲ ἀπηρνοῦντό τε καὶ ἀπώμνυον ἐνδελεχέστατα μηδὲν σφίσιν αὐτοῖς βεβουλεῦσθαι τοιοῦτο.

Dewing Straightway, then, Pacurius heaped reproach and abuse upon both Arsaces and Bassicius, because, disregarding the sworn compact, they had so speedily turned their thoughts toward secession. They, however, denied the charge, and swore most insistently that no such thing had been considered by them.

Greek τὰ μὲν οὖν πρῶτα ὁ Πακούριος αὐτοὺς ἐν ἀτιμίᾳ ἐφύλασσεν, ἔπειτα δὲ τῶν μάγων ἀνεπυνθάνετο ὅ τί οἱ ποιητέα ἐς αὐτοὺς εἴη.

Dewing At first, therefore, Pacurius kept them under guard in disgrace, but after a time he enquired of the Magi what should be done with them.

Greek οἱ δὲ μάγοι τῶν μὲν ἀρνουμένων καὶ οὐ διαρρήδην ἐληλεγμένων καταγινώσκειν οὐδαμῆ ἐδικαίουν, ὑποθήκην δὲ αὐτῷ τινα ἔφραζον, ὅπως ἂν Ἀρσάκης αὐτὸς ἄντικρυς αὑτοῦ κατηγορεῖν ἀναγκάζοιτο.

Dewing Now the Magi deemed it by no means just to condemn men who denied their guilt and had not been explicitly found guilty, but they suggested to him an artifice by which Arsaces himself might be compelled to become openly his own accuser.

Greek τὸ γὰρ τῆς βασιλικῆς σκηνῆς ἔδαφος κόπρῳ καλύπτειν ἐκέλευον, ἥμισυ μὲν ἐκ τῆς Περσῶν χώρας, θάτερον δὲ ἥμισυ ἐκ τῆς Ἀρμενίας. καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς κατὰ ταῦτα ἐποίει.

Dewing They bade him cover the floor of the royal tent with earth, one half from the land of Persia, and the other half from Armenia. This the king did as directed.

Greek τότε δὴ οἱ μάγοι τὴν σκηνὴν ὅλην μαγείαις τισὶ καταλαβόντες ἐκέλευον τὸν βασιλέα ξὺν τῷ Ἀρσάκῃ τοὺς περιπάτους ἐνταῦθα ποιεῖσθαι, ἐπικαλοῦντα τοῖς τε ξυγκειμένοις καὶ ὀμωμος μένοις λυμήνασθαι.

Dewing Then the Magi, after putting the whole tent under a spell by means of some magic rites, bade the king take his walk there in company with Arsaces, reproaching him meanwhile with having violated the sworn agreement.

Greek δεῖν δὲ καὶ αὐτοὺς τῷ διαλόγῳ παραγενέσθαι. οὕτω γὰρ ἂν τῶν λόγων μάρτυρες ἁπάντων εἶεν. αὐτίκα γοῦν ὁ Πακούριος τὸν Ἀρσάκην μεταπεμψάμενος διαύλους ἐν τῇ σκηνῇ ξὺν αὐτῷ ἐποιεῖτο, παρόντων σφίσιν ἐνταῦθα τῶν μάγων, καὶ ἀνεπυνθάνετο τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὅτου δὴ ἕνεκα τὰ ὀμωμοσμένα ἠλογηκὼς εἶτα Πέρσας τε καὶ Ἀρμενίους αὖθις τρίβειν ἀνηκέστοις κακοῖς ἐγχειροίη:

Dewing They said, further, that they too must be present at the conversation, for in this way there would be witnesses of all that was said. Accordingly Pacurius straightway summoned Arsaces, and began to walk to and fro with him in the tent in the presence of the Magi: he enquired of the man why he had disregarded his sworn promises, and was setting about to harass the Persians and Armenians once more with grievous troubles.

Greek ὁ δὲ Ἀρσάκης, ἕως μὲν ἐν τῷ χώρῳ οἱ λόγοι ἐγίνοντο οὗ δὴ ὁ χοῦς ἐκ γῆς τῆς Περσίδος ἐπέκειτο, ἀπηρνεῖτό τε καὶ ὅρκοις τοῖς δεινοτάτοις πιστούμενος ἀνδράποδον ἰσχυρίζετο εἶναι Πακουρίου πιστόν:

Dewing Now as long as the conversation took place on the ground which was covered with the earth from the land of Persia, Arsaces continued to make denial, and, pledging himself with the most fearful oaths, insisted that he was a faithful subject of Pacurius.

Greek ἐπειδὴ δὲ μεταξὺ λέγων ἐς τῆς σκηνῆς τὸ μέσον ἀφῖκτο, ἵνα δὴ κόπρου τῆς Ἀρμενίας ἐπέβησαν, ἐνταῦθα οὐκ οἶδα ὅτῳ ἀναγκασθεὶς λόγους μὲν τούτους ἐπὶ τὸ θρασύτερον ἐξαπιναίως μεταβιβάζει, ἀπειλῶν δὲ τῷ τε Πακουρίῳ καὶ Πέρσαις οὐκέτι ἀνίει, ἀλλὰ τίσασθαι αὐτοὺς ἐπηγγέλλετο ὕβρεως τῆσδε ἐπειδὰν αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ τάχιστα κύριος γένοιτο.

Dewing But when, in the midst of his speaking, he came to the centre of the tent where they stepped upon Armenian earth, then, compelled by some unknown power, he suddenly changed the tone of his words to one of defiance, and from then on ceased not to threaten Pacurius and the Persians, announcing that he would have vengeance upon them for this insolence as soon as he should become his own master.

Greek καὶ ταῦτα λέγων τε καὶ νεανιευόμενος ἐποιεῖτο τὸν περίπατον ὅλον, ἕως ἀναστρέψας ἐς κόπρον αὖθις τὴν ἐκ γῆς τῆς Περσίδος ἀφίκετο. ἐνταῦθα γὰρ πάλιν ὥσπερ τινὰ παλινῳδίαν ᾅδων ἱκέτης τε ἦν καὶ οἰκτρούς τινας τῷ Πακουρίῳ προὔφερε λόγους.

Dewing These words of youthful folly he continued to utter as they walked all the way, until turning back, he came again to the earth from the Persian land. Thereupon, as if chanting a recantation, he was once more a suppliant, offering pitiable explanations to Pacurius.

Greek ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐς χοῦν αὖθις τὸν Ἀρμενίων ἦλθεν, ἐς τὰς ἀπειλὰς ἀπεχώρησε. καὶ πολλάκις οὕτω μεταβληθεὶς ἐφ᾽ ἑκάτερα ἔκρυψε τῶν οἱ ἀπορρήτων οὐδέν.

Dewing But when he came again to the Armenian earth, he returned to his threats. In this way he changed many time to one side and the other, and concealed none of his secrets.

Greek τότε δὴ οἱ μὲν μάγοι κατέγνωσαν αὐτοῦ ἔς τε τὰς σπονδὰς καὶ τοὺς ὅρκους ἠδικηκέναι. Πακούριος δὲ Βασσικίου μὲν τὸ δέρμα ἐκδείρας ἀσκόν τε αὐτὸ πεποιημένος καὶ ἀχύρων ἐμπλησάμενος ὅλον ἀπεκρέμασεν ἐπὶ δένδρου τινὸς ὑψηλοῦ λίαν.

Dewing Then at length the Magi passed judgment against him as having violated the treaty and the oaths. Pacurius flayed Bassicius, and, making a bag of his skin, filled it with chaff and suspended it from a lofty tree.

Greek τὸν μέντοι Ἀρσάκην (ἀποκτεῖναι γὰρ ἄνδρα τοῦ βασιλείου αἵματος ὄντα οὐδαμῆ εἶχεν) ἐν τῷ τῆς Λήθης φρουρίῳ καθεῖρξε.

Dewing As for Arsaces, since Pacurius could by no means bring himself to kill a man of the royal blood, he confined him in the Prison of Oblivion.

Greek Χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον τῶν τις Ἀρμενίων τῷ τε Ἀρσάκῃ ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα ἐπιτηδείων καί οἱ ἐπισπομένων ἐς τὰ Περσῶν ἤθη ἰόντι, Πέρσαις ἐπί τι ἔθνος ἰοῦσι βαρβαρικὸν ξυνεστράτευσεν: ὃς δὴ ἀνήρ τε ἀγαθὸς ἐν τῷ πόνῳ τούτῳ, ὁρῶντος Πακουρίου τὰ ποιούμενα, γέγονε καὶ τῆς νίκης αἰτιώτατος Πέρσαις.

Dewing After a time, when the Persians were marching against a booty nation, they were accompanied by an Armenian who had been especially intimate with Arsaces and had followed him when he went into the Persian land. This man proved himself a capable warrior in this campaign, as Pacurius observed, and was the chief cause of the Persian victory.

Greek διὸ δὴ αὐτὸν ὁ Πακούριος ὅ τι ἂν βούλοιτο αἰτεῖσθαι ἠξίου, ἰσχυρισάμενος ὅτι δὴ οὐδενὸς πρὸς αὐτοῦ ἀτυχήσει.

Dewing For this reason Pacurius begged him to make any request he wished, assuring him that he would be refused nothing by him.

Greek ὁ δὲ ἄλλο οἱ οὐδὲν γενέσθαι ἠξίου ἢ ὥστε τὸν Ἀρσάκην ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ θεραπεῦσαι ᾗ βούλοιτο.

Dewing The Armenian asked for nothing else than that he might for one day pay homage to Arsaces in the way he might desire.

Greek τοῦτο τὸν βασιλέα ἠνίασε μὲν ἐς τὰ μάλιστα, εἰ λύειν νόμον οὕτω δὴ παλαιὸν ἀναγκάζοιτο, ὅπως μέντοι παντάπασιν ἀληθίζηται, ξυνεχώρει τὴν δέησιν ἐπιτελῆ γενέσθαι.

Dewing Now it annoyed the king exceedingly, that he should be compelled to set aside a law so ancient; however, in order to be wholly true to his word, he permitted that the request be granted.

Greek ἐπεὶ δὲ βασιλέως ἐπαγγείλαντος γέγονεν ἐν τῷ τῆς Λήθης φρουρίῳ, ἠσπάσατο μὲν τὸν Ἀρσάκην, ἄφμω δὲ ἀλλήλοιν περιβαλόντε ἐθρηνησάτην τε ἡδύν τινα θρῆνον καὶ ἀπολοφυραμένω τὴν παροῦσαν τύχην μόλις ἀπ᾽ ἀλλήλοιν διαλύειν τὰς αὑτοῦ χεῖρας ἑκάτερος ἔσχεν.

Dewing When the man found himself by the king's order in the Prison of Oblivion, he greeted Arsaces, and both men, embra­cing each other, joined their voices in a sweet lament, and, bewailing the hard fate that was upon them, were able only with difficulty to release each other from the embrace.

Greek ἐπεὶ δὲ τῶν ὀδυρμῶν ἐς κόρον ἐλθόντες ἐπαύσαντο, ἔλουσε μὲν ὁ Ἀρμένιος τὸν Ἀρσάκην καὶ τἄλλα οὐκ ἀπημελημένως ἐκόσμησε, σχῆμα δὲ αὐτῷ περιθέμενος τὸ βασίλειον ἐπὶ στιβάδος ἀνέκλινεν.

Dewing Then, when they had sated themselves with weeping and ceased from tears, the Armenian bathed Arsaces, and completely adorned his person, neglecting nothing, and, putting on him the royal robe, caused him to recline on a bed of rushes.

Greek ἐνταῦθά τε τοὺς παρόντας Ἀρσάκης βασιλικῶς εἱστία ᾗπερ εἰώθει τὰ πρότερα.

Dewing Then Arsaces entertained those present with a royal banquet just as was formerly his custom.

Greek ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ θοίνῃ πολλοὶ μὲν ἐπὶ κύλικι λόγοι ἐλέχθησαν οἵπερ τὸν Ἀρσάκην ἱκανῶς ἤρεσκον, πολλὰ δὲ ἄλλα ἐς μέσον ἦλθεν ἅπερ αὐτῷ ἐν ἡδονῇ ἦν: μηκυνομένου τε τοῦ πότου ἄχρι ἐς νύκτα τῇ πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὁμιλίᾳ ὑπερφυῶς ἥσθησαν, μόλις δὲ ἀλλήλων ἀπαλλαγέντες διελύθησαν,

Dewing During this feast many speeches were made over the cups which greatly pleased Arsaces, and many incidents occurred which delighted his heart. The drinking was prolonged until nightfall, all feeling the keenest deluge in their mutual intercourse; at length they parted from each other with great reluctance, and separated imbued a happiness.

Greek καταβεβρεγμένοι τῇ εὐπαθείᾳ. τότε δὴ λέγουσι τὸν Ἀρσάκην εἰπεῖν ὡς ἡμέραν τὴν ἡδίστην διατελέσας ἐν ταύτῃ τε ξυγγενόμενος τῷ ποθεινοτάτῳ ἀνθρώπων ἁπάντων, οὐκ ἂν ἔτι ἑκών γε εἶναι ὑποσταίη τὰ φλαῦρα τοῦ βίου,

Dewing Then they tell how Arsaces said that after spending the sweetest day of his life, and enjoying the company of the man he had missed most of all, he would no longer willingly endure the miseries of life;

Greek καὶ ταῦτα εἰπόντα μαχαίρᾳ ἑαυτὸν διαχειρίσασθαι ἥνπερ ἐν τῇ θοίνῃ ἐξεπίτηδες κεκλοφὼς ἔτυχεν, οὕτω τε αὐτὸν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀφανισθῆναι.

Dewing and with these words, they say, he dispatched himself with a knife which, as it happened, he had purposely stolen at the banquet, and thus departed from among men.

Greek τὰ μὲν οὖν κατὰ τοῦτον δὴ τὸν Ἀρσάκην ἡ τῶν Ἀρμενίων συγγραφὴ λέγει ταύτῃ, ᾗπερ ἐρρήθη, κεχωρηκέναι, καὶ τὸν νόμον τότε ἀμφὶ τῷ τῆς Λήθης φρουρίῳ λελύσθαι. ἐμοὶ δὲ ὅθενπερ ἐξέβην ἰτέον.

Dewing Such then is the story concerning this Arsaces, related in the Armenian History just as I have told it, and it on that occasion that the law regarding the Prison of Oblivion was set aside. But I must return to the point from which I have strayed.