第2巻 第18章

Greek Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ Βελισάριός τε καὶ ὁ Ῥωμαίων στρατός, οὐδέν τι πεπυσμένοι ὧν ταύτῃ ἐπράσσετο, κόσμῳ πολλῷ ἐκ Δάρας πόλεως ἐπὶ Νίσιβιν ᾔεισαν.

Dewing Meantime Belisarius and the Roman army, having learned nothing of what was being done there, were going in excellent order from the city of Daras toward Nisibis.

Greek ἐπειδὴ δὲ τῆς ὁδοῦ κατὰ μέσον ἐγένοντο, Βελισάριος μὲν ἐν δεξιᾷ τὸ στράτευμα ἦγεν, οὗ δὴ πηγαί τε ὑδάτων διαρκεῖς ἦσαν καὶ πεδίον ἅπασιν ἐνστρατοπεδεύσασθαι ἱκανῶς ἔχον.

Dewing And when they had reached the middle of their journey, Belisarius led the army to the right where there were abundant springs of water and level ground sufficient for all to camp upon.

Greek ἐνταῦθά τε στρατόπεδον ἐκέλευε ποιεῖσθαι ὅσον ἀπὸ σταδίων δύο καὶ τεσσαράκοντα Νισίβιδος πόλεως.

Dewing And there he gave orders to make a camp at about forty‑two stades from the city of Nisibis.

Greek οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι ξύμπαντες ἐν θαύματι μεγάλῳ ἐποιοῦντο, ὅτι δὴ οὐκ ἄγχιστά πη ἐθέλοι τοῦ περιβόλου στρατοπεδεύεσθαι, τινὲς δὲ ὡς ἥκιστά οἱ ἕπεσθαι ἤθελον.

Dewing But all the others marvelled greatly that he did not wish to camp close to the fortifications, and some were quite unwilling to follow him.

Greek διὸ δὴ Βελισάριος τῶν ἀρχόντων τοῖς ἀμφ’ αὐτὸν οὖσιν ἔλεξεν ὧδε “Ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐκ ἦν βουλομένῳ ἐς ἅπαντας ὅσα γινώσκω ἐξενεγκεῖν. λόγος γὰρ ἐν στρατοπέδῳ περιφερόμενος οὐκ οἶδε τηρεῖν τὰ ἀπόρρητα, ἐπεὶ κατὰ βραχὺ προϊὼν μέχρι καὶ ἐς τοὺς πολεμίους ἐκφέρεται.

Dewing Belisarius therefore addressed those of the officers who were about him thus: "It was not my wish to disclose to all what I am thinking. For talk carried about through a camp cannot keep secrets, for it advances little by little until it is carried out even to the enemy.

Greek ὁρῶν δὲ τούς τε πολλοὺς ὑμῶν ἀταξίᾳ πολλῇ εἴκοντας καὶ αὐτὸν ἕκαστον αὐτοκράτορα τοῦ πολέμου ἐθέλοντα εἶναι, λέξω τανῦν ἐν ὑμῖν ὅσα χρῆν σιωπᾶν, ἐκεῖνο μέντοι πρότερον ὑπειπών, ὡς πολλῶν ἐν στρατιᾷ γνώμῃ αὐτονόμῳ χρωμένων γενέσθαι τι τῶν δεόντων ἀδύνατον.

Dewing But seeing that the majority of you are allowing yourselves to act in a most disorderly manner, and that each one wishes to be himself supreme commander in the war, I shall now say among you things about which one ought to keep silence, mentioning, however, this first, that when many in an army follow independent judgments it is impossible that anything needful be done.

Greek οἶμαι τοίνυν Χοσρόην ἐφ’ ἑτέρους ἰόντα βαρβάρους ὡς ἥκιστα φυλακῆς τινος αὐτάρκους χωρὶς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀπολιπεῖν γῆν, ἄλλως τε καὶ τήνδε τὴν πόλιν, ἣ πρώτη τε τυγχάνει οὖσα καὶ πάσης τῆς ἐκείνου γῆς προβεβλημένη.

Dewing Now I think that Chosroes, in going against other barbarians, has by no means left his own land without sufficient protection, and in particular this city which is of the first rank and is set as a defence to his whole land.

Greek ἐν ᾗ στρατιώτας εὖ οἶδα ὅτι τοσούτους τε τὸ πλῆθος καὶ τοιούτους τὴν ἀρετὴν κατεστήσατο ὥστε ἱκανοὺς εἶναι ταῖς παρ’ ἡμῶν ἐφόδοις ἐμποδὼν στήσεσθαι. καὶ τὸ παράδειγμα ἐγγύθεν ὑμῖν.

Dewing In this city I know well that he has stationed soldiers in such number and of such valour as to be sufficient to stand in the way of our assaults. And the proof of this you have near at hand.

Greek Ναβέδην γὰρ στρατηγὸν τούτοις ἐπέστησεν, ὃς δὴ μετά γε τὸν Χοσρόην αὐτὸν δόξῃ τε καὶ τῷ ἄλλῳ ἀξιώματι πρῶτος ἐν Πέρσαις εἶναι δοκεῖ.

Dewing For he put in command of these men the general Nabedes, who, after Chosroes himself at least, seems to be first among the Persians in glory and in every other sort of honour.

Greek ὃν ἔγωγε οἶμαι καὶ ἀποπειράσεσθαι τῆς ἡμετέρας δυνάμεως καὶ τὴν πάροδον ἡμῖν οὐδενὶ ἄλλῳ τρόπῳ ἢ μάχῃ τινὶ πρὸς ἡμῶν ἡσσηθέντα ἐνδώσειν.

Dewing This man, I believe, will both make trial of our strength and will permit of our passing by on no other condition than that he be defeated by us in battle.

Greek εἰ μὲν οὖν ἄγχιστά που τῆς πόλεως ἡ ξυμβολὴ εἴη, οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ ἀντιπάλου ἡμῖν τε καὶ Πέρσαις ὁ ἀγὼν ἔσται.

Dewing If, therefore, the conflict should be close by the city, the struggle will not be even for us and the Persians.

Greek αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ ἐχυροῦ ἐπεξιόντες εὐημερήσαντές τε, ἂν οὕτω τύχῃ, ἐπὶ πλεῖστον θαρρήσουσιν ἐπιθήσεσθαι, καὶ ἡσσηθέντες εὐπετῶς διαφεύξονται τὴν ἡμετέραν ἐπίθεσιν.

Dewing For they, coming out from their stronghold against us, in case of success, should it so happen, will feel unlimited confidence in assailing us, and in case of defeat they will easily escape from our attack.

Greek δι’ ὀλίγου γὰρ ἡμῖν ἡ δίωξις ἔσται καὶ τῇ πόλει ἐνθένδε οὐδὲν γενήσεται βλάβος, ἣν τοῖς τειχομαχοῦσιν ἀνάλωτον οὖσαν στρατιωτῶν αὐτῆς ἀμυνομένων ὁρᾶτε δήπου.

Dewing For we shall only be able to pursue them a short distance, and from this no harm will come to the city, which you surely see cannot be captured by storming the wall when soldiers are defending it.

Greek ἢν δέ γε τῶν πολεμίων ἐνταῦθα ἡμῖν ἐς χεῖρας ἰόντων κρατήσωμεν, τὴν πόλιν ἐξελεῖν πολλήν τινα, ὦ ξυνάρχοντες, ἐλπίδα ἔχω.

Dewing But if the enemy engage with us here and we conquer them, I have great hopes, fellow officers, of capturing the city.

Greek φεύγουσι γὰρ τοῖς ἐναντίοις πολύν τινα δρόμον ἢ ἀναμιχθέντες εἴσω πυλῶν, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, ξυνεισπεσούμεθα, ἢ προτερήσαντες αὐτοὺς μὲν ἐφ’ ἑτέρας τινὸς ἀναγκάσομεν τετράφθαι τε καὶ διαφυγεῖν χώρας, ἡμῖν δὲ αὐτοῖς Νίσιβιν τῶν ἀμυνομένων χωρὶς εὐάλωτον καταστήσομεν.”

Dewing For while our antagonists are fleeing a long way, we shall either mingle with them and rush inside the gates with them, as is probable, or we shall anticipate them and compel them to turn and escape to some other place, and thus render Nisibis without its defenders easy of capture for us."

Greek Ταῦτα Βελισαρίου εἰπόντος οἱ μὲν ἄλλοι πάντες ἐπείθοντό τε καὶ ξὺν αὐτῷ στρατοπεδευσάμενοι ἔμενον. Πέτρος δὲ Ἰωάννην ἑταιρισάμενος, ὃς τῶν ἐν Μεσοποταμίᾳ καταλόγων ἄρχων μοῖραν οὐ φαύλην τινὰ τοῦ στρατοῦ εἶχεν, οὐκ ἄποθεν τοῦ περιβόλου, ἀλλ’ ὅσον ἀπὸ σταδίων δέκα ἐλθὼν ἡσυχῆ ἔμενε.

Dewing When Belisarius had said this, all the others except Peter were convinced, and they made camp and remained with him. He, however, associating with himself John, who commanded the troops in Mesopotamia and had no small part of the army, came up to a position not far removed from the fortifications, about ten stades away, and remained quietly there.

Greek Βελισάριος δὲ τούς τε ξὺν αὑτῷ ὡς εἰς παράταξιν ἔστησε καὶ τοῖς ἀμφὶ τὸν Πέτρον ἐπέστελλεν ὡς ἐπὶ ξυμβολῇ παρατάσσεσθαι μέχρι αὐτὸς σημήνῃ, εὖ τε εἰδέναι ὡς οἱ βάρβαροι περὶ μεσημβρίαν ἐπιθήσονται σφίσιν, ἐκεῖνο δηλονότι ἐν νῷ ἔχοντες, ὅτι δὴ αὐτοὶ μὲν τροφῆς ἐς δείλην ὀψίαν μεταλαγχάνειν εἰώθασι, Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ ἀμφὶ μεσημβρίαν.

Dewing But Belisarius marshalled the men who were with him as if for combat, and sent word to Peter and his men also to hold themselves in array for battle, until he himself should give the signal; and he said that he knew well that the barbarians would attack them about midday, remembering, as they surely would, that while they themselves are accustomed to partake of food in the late afternoon, the Romans do so about midday.

Greek Βελισάριος μὲν ταῦτα παρῄνει· οἱ δὲ ξὺν τῷ Πέτρῳ ἐν οὐδενὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς ποιησάμενοι ἀμφί τε ἡμέραν μέσην τῷ ἡλίῳ ἀχθόμενοι ʽἔστι γὰρ τὸ χωρίον ἐπιεικῶς αὐχμῶδεσ̓ τά τε ὅπλα κατέθεντο καὶ τῶν πολεμίων ἀφροντιστήσαντες σικύους ἐνταῦθά πη φυομένους κόσμῳ οὐδενὶ περιιόντες κατήσθιον.

Dewing So Belisarius gave this warning; but Peter and his men disregarded his commands, and about midday, being distressed by the sun (for the place is exceedingly dry and hot), they stacked their arms, and with never a thought of the enemy began to go about in disorderly fashion and eat gourds which grew there.

Greek ὅπερ κατιδὼν ὁ Ναβέδης δρόμῳ πολλῷ ἐπῆγεν ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς τὸ Περσῶν στράτευμα.

Dewing And when this was observed by Nabedes, he led the Persian army running at full speed against them.

Greek Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ ʽοὐ γὰρ ἔλαθον αὐτοὺς ἐκ τοῦ περιβόλου ἐξιόντες οἱ βάρβαροι, ἐπεὶ καθεωρῶντο λαμπρῶς ἅτε ἐν πεδίῳ ὑπτίῳ ἰόντεσ̓ παρά τε Βελισάριον ἔπεμπον, ἀμύνειν σφίσι παρακαλοῦντες, καὶ αὐτοὶ τὰ μὲν ὅπλα ἀνελόμενοι,

Dewing And the Romans, since they did not fail to observe that the Persians were coming out of the fortifications (for they were seen clearly because moving over a level plain), sent to Belisarius urging him to support them, and they themselves snatched up their arms, and in disorder and confusion confronted their foe.

Greek ἀκοσμίᾳ δὲ καὶ θορύβῳ ἐχόμενοι ὑπηντίαζον. οἱ δὲ ἀμφὶ Βελισάριον, οὔπω παρὰ σφᾶς τοῦ ἀγγέλου ἀφικομένου γνόντες διὰ τοῦ κονιορτοῦ τὴν Περσῶν ἔφοδον, ἐβοήθουν δρόμῳ.

Dewing But Belisarius and his men, even before the messenger had reached them, discovered by the dust the attack of the Persians, and went to the rescue on the run.

Greek ἐπελθόντες τε Πέρσαι Ῥωμαίους οὐχ ὑποστάντας τὴν ἔφοδον πόνῳ οὐδενὶ ἐς φυγὴν ἔτρεψαν, ἐπισπόμενοι δὲ πεντήκοντά τε διέφθειραν καὶ τὸ τοῦ Πέτρου σημεῖον ἁρπάσαντες ἔσχον.

Dewing And when the Persians came up, the Romans did not withstand their onset, but were routed without any difficulty, and the Persians, following close upon them, killed fifty men, and seized and kept the standard of Peter.

Greek ἅπαντάς τε ἂν ἐν ταύτῃ δὴ τῇ διώξει ἔκτειναν ἐς οὐδεμίαν ἀλκὴν ὁρῶντας, εἰ μὴ Βελισάριός τε καὶ ὁ ξὺν αὐτῷ στρατὸς καταλαβὼν διεκώλυσε.

Dewing And they would have slain them all in this pursuit, for the Romans had no thought of resistance, if Belisarius and the army with him had not come upon them and prevented it.

Greek πρώτους γὰρ ἁπάντων ξὺν δόρασι μακροῖς τε καὶ συχνοῖς Γότθους ἐπιόντας Πέρσαι οὐχ ὑπομείναντες ἐς φυγὴν ὥρμηντο.

Dewing For as the Goths, first of all, came up them with long spears in close array, the Persians did not await their attack but beat a hasty retreat.

Greek ἐπισπόμενοί τε Ῥωμαῖοι ξὺν Γότθοις πεντήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν ἔκτειναν. δι’ ὀλίγου γὰρ τῆς διώξεως γενομένης οἱ λοιποὶ κατὰ τάχος ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβόλου ἐγένοντο.

Dewing And the Romans together with the Goths followed them up and slew a hundred and fifty men. For the pursuit was only of short duration, and the others quickly got inside the fortifications.

Greek τότε μὲν οὖν Ῥωμαῖοι ξύμπαντες ἐς τὸ Βελισαρίου στρατόπεδον ἀπεχώρησαν, οἱ δὲ Πέρσαι τῇ ἐπιγινομένῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐν πύργῳ τινὶ ἔστησαν ἀντὶ τροπαίου τὸ Πέτρου σημεῖον, ἀλλᾶντάς τε αὐτοῦ ἀποκρεμάσαντες τοῖς πολεμίοις ξὺν γέλωτι ἐπετώθαζον, ἐπεξιέναι μέντοι οὐκέτι ἐτόλμων, ἀλλὰ τὴν πόλιν ἐν τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ διεφύλασσον.

Dewing Then indeed all the Romans withdrew to the camp of Belisarius, and the Persians on the following day set up on a tower instead of a trophy the standard of Peter, and hanging sausages from it they taunted the enemy with laughter; however, they no longer dared to come out against them, but they guarded the city securely.