第1巻 第9章

Greek Μετὰ δὲ Ἀρεόβινδος μὲν ἐς Βυζάντιον ὡς βασιλέα μετάπεμπτος ἦλθεν, οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ ἐς Ἄμιδαν ἀφικόμενοι χειμῶνος ὥρᾳ ἐς πολιορκίαν καθίσταντο. καὶ βίᾳ μὲν ἑλεῖν τὸ χωρίον, καίπερ πολλὰ ἐγκεχειρηκότες, οὐκ ἴσχυσαν, λιμῷ δὲ τοῦτο ποιεῖν ἔμελλον: πάντα γὰρ τοὺς πολιορκουμένους τὰ ἐπιτήδεια ἐπιλελοίπει.

Dewing After this Areobindus went to Byzantium at the summons of the emperor, while the other generals reached Amida, and, in spite of the winter season, invested it. And although they made many attempts they were unable to carry the fortress by storm, but they were on the point of accomplishing their object by starvation; for all the provisions of the besieged were exhausted.

Greek ἀλλ᾽ οἱ στρατηγοὶ οὐδὲν πεπυσμένοι ἀμφὶ τῶν πολεμίων τῇ ἀπορίᾳ, ἐπειδὴ τοὺς στρατιώτας τῇ προσεδρείᾳ καὶ τῷ χειμῶνι ἀχθομένους ἑώρων, ἅμα δὲ καὶ Περσῶν στράτευμα ἐπὶ σφᾶς ἥξειν οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν ὑπετόπαζον, τρόπῳ ὅτῳ δὴ ἐνθένδε ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι ἐν σπουδῇ εἶχον.

Dewing The generals, however, had ascertained nothing of the straits in which the enemy were; but since they saw that their own troops were distressed by the labour of the siege and the wintry weather, they were eager to quit the place on any terms whatever.

Greek οἵ τε Πέρσαι, οὐκ ἔχοντες τίνες ἂν ἐν τοῖσδε τοῖς δεινοῖς γένοιντο, τὴν μὲν ἀπορίαν τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐς τὸ ἀκριβὲς ἔκρυπτον, δόκησιν παρέχοντες ὡς πάντων σφίσι τῶν ἐπιτηδείων ἀφθονία εἴη, ἐς δὲ τὰ οἰκεῖα ξὺν τῷ εὐπρεπεῖ λόγῳ ἀναχωρεῖν ἤθελον.

Dewing The Persians, on their part, not knowing what would become of them in such terrible straits, continued to conceal scrupulously their lack of the necessities of life, and made it appear that they had an abundance of all provisions, wishing to return to their homes with the reputation of honour.

Greek γίνονται οὖν ἐν ἀμφοτέροις λόγοι, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ δὴ Πέρσαι λίτρας χρυσίου χιλίας λαβόντες ἀποδώσουσι Ῥωμαίοις τὴν πόλιν. ἑκάτεροί τε ἄσμενοι τὰ ξυγκείμενα ἐπιτελῆ ἐποίουν, τά τε χρήματα λαβὼν ὁ τοῦ Γλώνου υἱὸς Ἄμιδαν Ῥωμαίοις παρέδωκε. Γλώνης γὰρ ἤδη ἐτετελευτήκει τρόπῳ τοιῷδε.

Dewing So a proposal was discussed between them according to which the Persians were to deliver over the city to the Romans upon receipt of one thousand pounds of gold. Both parties then gladly executed the terms of the agreement, and the son of Glones, upon receiving the money, delivered over Amida to the Romans. For Glones himself had already died in the following manner.

Greek Οὔπω μὲν στρατοπεδευσαμένων ἐνταῦθα Ῥωμαίων, Ἀμίδης δὲ πόλεως ὄντων οὐ μακρὰν ἄποθεν, τῶν τις ἀγροίκων, ὅσπερ εἰώθει ἐς τὴν πόλιν ἐσιὼν λάθρα ὄρνις τε καὶ ἄρτους καὶ τῶν ὡραίων πολλὰ τῷ Γλώνῃ τούτῳ ἀποδίδοσθαι χρημάτων μεγάλων, Πατρικίῳ τῷ στρατηγῷ ἐς ὄψιν ἐλθὼν Γλώνην οἱ ἐς χεῖρας παραδώσειν ξὺν Πέρσαις διακοσίοις ὑπέσχετο, ἤν τινος ἀμοιβῆς ἐλπίδα λαβὼν παῤ αὐτοῦ εἴη.

Dewing When the Romans had not yet encamped before the city of Amida but were not far from its vicinity, a certain countryman, who was accustomed to enter the city secretly with fowls and loaves and many other delicacies, which he sold to this Glones at a great price, came before the general Patricius and promised to deliver into his hands Glones and two hundred Persians, if he should receive from him assurance of some requital.

Greek ὁ δὲ αὐτῷ ἅπαντα ὅσα ἦν βουλομένῳ ὑποσχόμενος ἔσεσθαι τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀπεπέμψατο. καὶ ὃς τά τε ἱμάτια δεινῶς διαρρήξας καὶ δεδακρυμένῳ ἐοικὼς ἐς τὴν πόλιν εἰσῆλθε.

Dewing And the general promised that he should receive everything he desired, and thus dismissed the fellow. He then tore his garments in a dreadful manner, and, assuming the aspect of one who had been weeping, entered the city.

Greek παρά τε τὸν Γλώνην ἥκων τάς τε τρίχας τίλλων, Ἐτύγχανον μέν, ὦ δέσποτα, εἶπεν, ἅπαντά σοι ἐκ τοῦ χωρίου τἀγαθὰ φέρων, ἐντυχόντες δὲ στρατιῶται Ῥωμαῖοι (καὶ γάρ που ἐς τὰ ταύτῃ χωρία κατ) ὀλίγους περιιόντες τοὺς οἰκτροὺς ἀγροίκους βιάζονταἰ πληγάς τέ μοι οὐ φορητὰς προσετρίψαντο καὶ πάντα ἀφελόμενοι οἱ λῃσταὶ ᾤχοντο, οἷς δὴ ἐκ παλαιοῦ Πέρσας τε δεδιέναι καὶ τοὺς γεωργοὺς βιάζεσθαι νόμος.

Dewing And coming before Glones, and tearing his hair he said: "O Master, I happened to be bringing in for you all the good things from my village, when some Roman soldiers chanced upon me (for, as you know, they are constantly wandering about the country here in small bands and doing violence to the miserable country-folk), and they inflicted upon me blows not to be endured, and, taking away everything, they departed, — the robbers, whose ancient custom it is to fear the Persians and to beat the farmers.

Greek ἀλλ᾽ ὅπως, ὦ δέσποτα, σαυτῷ τε καὶ ἡμῖν καὶ Πέρσαις ἀμύνῃς. ἢν γὰρ ἐς τῆς πόλεως τὰ προάστεια κυνηγετήσων ἴῃς, θήραμά σοι οὐ φαῦλον ἔσται. κατὰ πέντε γὰρ ἢ τέτταρας οἱ κατάρατοι περιιόντες λωποδυτοῦσιν. ὁ μὲν ταῦτα:

Dewing But do you, O Master, take thought to defend yourself and us and the Persians. For if you go having known into the outskirts of the city, you will find rare game. For the accursed rascals go about by fours or fives to do their robbery.

Greek εἶπεν. ἀναπεισθεὶς δὲ ὁ Γλώνης τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἀνεπυνθάνετο πόσους ποτὲ Πέρσας οἴεταί οἱ ἐς τὴν πρᾶξιν ἱκανοὺς ἔσεσθαι.

Dewing Thus he spoke. And Glones was persuaded, and enquired of the fellow about how many Persians he thought would be sufficient for him to carry out the enterprise.

Greek ὁ δὲ πεντήκοντα μὲν ἀποχρήσειν οἱ μάλιστα ἔφη: οὐ γὰρ ἂν αὐτῶν πλείοσί ποτε ἢ κατὰ πέντε ὁδῷ ἰοῦσιν ἐντύχοιεν, τοῦ δὲ μηδὲν ἀπροσδόκητον σφίσι ξυμβῆναι οὐδέν τι χεῖρον καὶ ἑκατὸν ἐς τὸ ἔργον ἐπαγαγέσθαι: ἢν δὲ καὶ τούτων διπλασίους, τῷ παντὶ ἄμεινον. βλάβος γὰρ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐκ τοῦ περιόντος οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο.

Dewing He said that about fifty would do for they would never meet more than five of them going together; however, in order to forestall any unexpected circumstance, it would do no harm to take with him even one hundred men; and if he should double this number it would be still better from every point of view; for no harm could come to a man from the larger number.

Greek Γλώνης μὲν οὖν ἱππέας διακοσίους ἀπολεξάμενος τὸν ἄνθρωπον σφίσιν ἐξηγεῖσθαι ἐκέλευεν.

Dewing Glones accordingly picked out two hundred horsemen and bade the fellow lead the way for them.

Greek ὁ δὲ ἄμεινον ἰσχυρίζετο εἶναι αὐτὸν ἐπὶ κατασκοπῇ στέλλεσθαι πρότερον, καὶ ἢν ἔτι ἐν χωρίοις τοῖς αὐτοῖς περιιόντας Ῥωμαίους ἰδὼν ἀπαγγείλῃ, οὕτω δὴ ἐν δέοντι ποιεῖσθαι τὴν ἔξοδον Πέρσας. εὖ τε οὖν εἰπεῖν ἔδοξε τῷ Γλώνῃ καὶ αὐτοῦ ἀφιέντος ἐστέλλετο.

Dewing But he insisted that it was better for him to be sent first to spy out the ground, and, if he should bring back word that he had seen Romans still going about in the same districts, that then the Persians should make their sally at the fitting moment. Accordingly, since he seemed to Glones to speak well, he was sent forward by his own order.

Greek παρά τε τὸν στρατηγὸν Πατρίκιον ἥκων ἅπαντα ἔφραζε: καὶ ὃς τῶν δορυφόρων τῶν αὑτοῦ δύο καὶ στρατιώτας χιλίους ξὺν αὐτῷ ἔπεμψεν.

Dewing Then he came before the general Patricius and explained everything; and the general sent with him two of his own body-guard and a thousand soldiers.

Greek οὓς δὴ ἀμφὶ κώμην Θιλασάμων σταδίους τεσσαράκοντα Ἀμίδης διέχουσαν ἐν νάπαις τε καὶ χωρίοις ὑλώδεσιν ἔκρυψε, καὶ αὐτοῦ μένειν ἐν ταύταις δὴ ταῖς ἐνέδραις ἐπέστελλεν, ἔς τε τὴν πόλιν δρόμῳ ἐχώρει.

Dewing These he concealed about a village called Thilasamon, forty stades distant from Amida, among valleys and woody places, and instructed them to remain there in this ambush; he himself then proceeded to the city on the run,

Greek καὶ τῷ Γλώνῃ ἕτοιμον εἰπὼν τὸ θήραμα εἶναι, αὐτῷ τε καὶ τοῖς διακοσίοις ἐξηγήσατο ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν πολεμίων ἐνέδραν. ἐπειδή τε διέβησαν τὸν χῶρον οὗ προλοχίζοντες Ῥωμαῖοι ἐκάθηντο, Γλώνην τε καὶ Πέρσας λαθὼν ἅπαντας, ἔκ τε τῆς ἐνέδρας τοὺς Ῥωμαίους ἀνέστησε καὶ αὐτοῖς τοὺς πολεμίους ἐπέδειξεν.

Dewing and telling Glones that the prey was ready, he led him and the two hundred horsemen upon the ambush of the enemy. And when they passed the spot where the Romans were lying in wait, without being observed by Glones or any of the Persians, he roused the Romans from their ambuscade and pointed out to them the enemy.

Greek οὕσπερ ἐπειδὴ ἐπὶ σφᾶς ἰόντας κατεῖδον Πέρσαι, κατεπλάγησάν τε τῷ ἀπροσδοκήτῳ καὶ ἀμηχανίᾳ πολλῇ εἴχοντο. οὔτε γὰρ ὀπίσω ἀπελαύνειν οἷοί τε ἦσαν, κατὰ νώτου ὄντων σφίσι τῶν ἐναντίων, οὔτε πη ἑτέρωσε φεύγειν ἐν γῇ πολεμίᾳ ἐδύναντο.

Dewing And when the Persians saw the men coming against them, they were astounded at the suddenness of the thing, and were in much distress what to do. For neither could they retire to the rear, since their opponents were behind them, nor were they able to flee anywhere else in a hostile land.

Greek ἐκ δὲ τῶν παρόντων ὡς ἐς μάχην ταξάμενοι τοὺς ἐπιόντας ἠμύνοντο, τῷ τε πλήθει παρὰ πολὺ ἐλασσούμενοι ἡσσήθησάν τε καὶ ξὺν τῷ Γλώνῃ ἅπαντες διεφθάρησαν.

Dewing But as well as they could under the circumstances, they arrayed themselves for battle and tried to drive back their assailants; but being at a great disadvantage in numbers they were vanquished, and all of them together with Glones were destroyed.

Greek ὅπερ ἐπειδὴ ὁ τοῦ Γλώνου υἱὸς ἔμαθε, περιαλγήσας τε καὶ τῷ θυμῷ ζέων ὅτι δὴ τῷ πατρὶ ἀμύνειν οὐκ εἶχε, τὸν Συμεώνου νεὼν ἔκαυσεν, ἁγίου ἀνδρός, ἵνα δὴ ὁ Γλώνης κατέλυε.

Dewing Now when the son of Glones learned of this, being deeply grieved and at the same time furious with anger because he had not been able to defend his father, he fired the sanctuary of Symeon, a holy man, where Glones had his lodging.

Greek καίτοι ἄλλην τινὰ οἰκοδομίαν οὔτε Γλώνης οὔτε Καβάδης, οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ Περσῶν τις ἄλλος οὔτε καθελεῖν ἔγνω οὔτε τῳ ἄλλῳ ἀφανίζειν τρόπῳ ἔν γε Ἀμίδῃ ταύτης ἐκτός. ἐγὼ δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν πρότερον λόγον ἐπάνειμι.

Dewing It must be said, however, that with the exception of this one building, neither Glones nor Cabades, nor indeed any other of the Persians, saw fit either to tear down or to destroy in any other way any building in Amida at any rate, or outside this city. But I shall return to the previous narrative.

Greek Οὕτω μὲν Ἄμιδαν Ῥωμαῖοι τὰ χρήματα δόντες ἀπέλαβον δύο ἐνιαυτοῖς ὕστερον ἢ πρὸς τῶν πολεμίων ἑάλω. καὶ ἐπεὶ ἐν ταύτῃ ἐγένοντο, ἥ τε αὐτῶν ὀλιγωρία καὶ Περσῶν τὸ καρτερὸν τῆς διαίτης ἐγνώσθη.

Dewing Thus the Romans by giving the money recovered Amida two years after it had been captured by the enemy. And when they got into the city, their own negligence and the hardships under which the Persians had maintained themselves were discovered.

Greek σιτίων γὰρ τῶν ἐνταῦθα λελειμμένων τὸ μέτρον καὶ βαρβάρων τῶν ἐξεληλυθότων τὸν ὅμιλον λογισάμενοι, ἑπτὰ μάλιστα ἡμερῶν ηὕρισκον δαπάνην ἐν τῇ πόλει ἀπολελεῖφθαι, καίπερ Γλώνου τε καὶ τοῦ ἐκείνου παιδὸς ἐνδεεστέρως ἢ κατὰ τὴν χρείαν πολλοῦ χρόνου ἐνδιδόντος τὰ σιτία Πέρσαις.

Dewing For upon reckoning the amount of grain left there and the number of barbarians who had gone out, they founded that rations for about seven days were left in the city, although Glones and his son had been for a long time doling out provisions to the Persians more springy than they were needed.

Greek Ῥωμαίοις γὰρ τοῖς ἐν τῇ πόλει, ὥσπερ μοι προδεδήλωται, ξὺν αὐτοῖς μείνασιν οὐδὲν τὸ παράπαν χορηγεῖν ἔγνωσαν, ἐξ ὅτου οἱ πολέμιοι ἐς τὴν πολιορκίαν κατέστησαν, οἳ δὴ ἐς βρώσεις ἀήθεις τὰ πρῶτα ἐλθόντες τῶν τε οὐ θεμιτῶν ἁψάμενοι πάντων,

Dewing For to the Romans who had remained with them in the city, as I have stated above, they had decided to dispense nothing at all from the time when their enemy began the siege; and so these men at first resorted to unaccustomed foods and laid hold on every forbidden thing, and at the last they even tasted each other's blood.

Greek εἶτα τελευτῶντες καὶ ἀλλήλων ἐγεύσαντο. διὸ δὴ ἐξηπατημένοι τε πρὸς τῶν βαρβάρων οἱ στρατηγοὶ ᾔσθοντο καὶ τοῖς στρατιώταις τὴν ἀκρασίαν ὠνείδιζον, ὅτι δὴ ἀπειθεστέρους αὑτοὺς παρεχόμενοι σφίσι, παρὸν δορυαλώτους Πέρσας τε τοσούτους τὸ πλῆθος καὶ Γλώνου τὸν υἱὸν σὺν τῇ πόλει ἑλεῖν, οἱ δὲ τὰ Ῥωμαίων χρήματα ἐς τοὺς πολεμίους μετενεγκόντες αἶσχός τε ἀνεδήσαντο μέγα καὶ Ἄμιδαν ἀργυρώνητον πρὸς Περσῶν ἔλαβον.

Dewing So the generals realized they had been deceived by the barbarians, and they reproached the soldiers for their lack of self-control, because they had shown themselves wanting in obeisance to them, when it was possible to capture as Peters of war such a multitude of Persians and the son of Glones and the city itself, while they had in consequence attached to themselves signal disgrace by carrying Roman money to the enemy, and had taken Amida from the Persians by purchasing it with silver.

Greek ὕστερον δὲ Πέρσαι, τοῦ πρὸς Οὔννους πολέμου σφίσι μηκυνομένου, ἐς σπονδὰς Ῥωμαίοις ξυνίασιν, αἵπερ αὐτοῖς ἐς ἑπτὰ ἔτη ἐγένοντο, Κέλερός τε τοῦ Ῥωμαίου καὶ Ἀσπεβέδου τοῦ Πέρσου αὐτὰς ποιησαμένων, ἐπ᾽ οἴκου τε ἀμφότεροι ἀναχωρήσαντες ἡσυχῆ ἔμενον.

Dewing After this the Persians, since their war with the Huns kept dragging on, entered into a treaty with the Romans, which was arranged by them for seven years, and was made by the Roman Celer and the Persian Aspebedes; both armies then retired homeward and remained at peace.

Greek οὕτω μέν, ὥσπερ ἐρρήθη, ἀρξάμενος ὁ Ῥωμαίων τε καὶ Περσῶν πόλεμος ἐς τόδε ἐτελεύτα. τὰ δὲ ἀμφὶ πύλας τὰς Κασπίας ξυνενεχθέντα ἐρῶν ἔρχομαι.

Dewing Thus, then, as has been told, began the war of the Romans and the Persians, and to this end did it come. But I shall now turn to the narration of the events touching the Caspian Gates. The Loeb Editor's Notes: 1 Cf. Iliad XI.385 τοξότα, λωβητήρ, κέραι ἀγλαέ, παρθενοπῖπα, the only place where τοξότης occurs in Homer. ❦ 2 Cf. Iliad V.192. ❦ 3 Cf. Iliad VIII.267l XI.371. ❦ 4 Cf. Iliad IV.113. ❦ 5 Cf. Iliad IV.123. ❦ 6 Cf. Iliad XI.390. ❦ 7 The trench crossed the plain in an approximately straight line. The army of the Ephthalitae were drawn up behind it, fa­cing the advancing Persians, while a few of them went out beyond the trench to draw the attack of the Persians. ❦ 8 Cf. Thuc. II.76.4. ❦ 9 Cf. Book VII.xxvi.4. ❦ 10 Cf. Thuc. I.128. ❦ 11 A division of no fixed number. 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