第2巻 第26章

Greek Τῷ δὲ ἐπιγινομένῳ ἔτει Χοσρόης ὁ Καβάδου τὸ τέταρτον ἐς γῆν τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἐσέβαλλεν, ἐπὶ τὴν Μεσοποταμίαν τὸ στράτευμα ἄγων.

Dewing And in the following year, Chosroes, the son of Cabades, for the fourth time invaded the land of the Romans, leading his army towards Mesopotamia.

Greek αὕτη δὲ ἡ ἐσβολὴ τῷ Χοσρόῃ τούτῳ οὐ πρὸς Ἰουστινιανὸν τὸν Ῥωμαίων βασιλέα πεποίηται, οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ ἐπ’ ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων οὐδένα, ὅτι μὴ ἐπὶ τὸν θεὸν ὅνπερ Χριστιανοὶ σέβονται μόνον.

Dewing Now this invasion was made by this Chosroes not against Justinian, the Emperor of the Romans, nor indeed against any other man, but only against the God whom the Christians reverence.

Greek ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ ἐφόδῳ Ἐδέσσης ἀποτυχὼν ἀνεχώρησε, πολλή τις ἐγεγόνει αὐτῷ τε καὶ μάγοις, ἅτε πρὸς τοῦ τῶν Χριστιανῶν θεοῦ ἡσσημένοις, κατήφεια.

Dewing For when in the first invasion he retired, after failing to capture Edessa,⁠ both he and the Magi, since they had been worsted by the God of the Christians, fell into a great dejection.

Greek ἣν δὴ παρηγορῶν ὁ Χοσρόης ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις Ἐδεσσηνοὺς μὲν ἀνδραποδιεῖν ἠπείλησεν ἅπαντας ἐς τὰ Περσῶν ἤθη, τὴν δὲ πόλιν μηλόβοτον καταστήσεσθαι.

Dewing Wherefore Chosroes, seeking to allay it, uttered a threat in the palace that he would make slaves of all the inhabitants of Edessa and bring them to the land of Persia, and would turn the city into a pasture for sheep.

Greek παντὶ γοῦν τῷ στρατῷ ἀγχοῦ Ἐδέσσης γενόμενος, Οὔννων τῶν οἱ ἑπομένων τινὰς ἐπὶ τὸν τῆς πόλεως περίβολον ἔπεμψεν ὃς δὴ τοῦ ἱπποδρόμου καθύπερθέν ἐστιν, ἄλλο μὲν οὐδὲν κακουργήσοντας, πρόβατα δὲ ἁρπασομένους ἅπερ οἱ ποιμένες πολλὰ ἐνταῦθά πη παρὰ τὸ τείχισμα στήσαντες ἔτυχον, χωρίου τε ἰσχύϊ θαρσοῦντες, ὅτι δὴ ἄναντες ὑπερφυῶς ἦν, καὶ οὔποτε τολμήσειν τοὺς πολεμίους οἰόμενοι οὕτω πη ἄγχιστα τοῦ τείχους ἰέναι.

Dewing Accordingly when he had approached the city of Edessa with his whole army, he sent some of the Huns who were following him against that portion of the fortifications of the city which is above the hippodrome, with the purpose of doing no further injury than seizing the flocks which the shepherds had stationed there along the wall in great numbers: for they were confident in the strength of the place, since it was exceedingly steep, and supposed that the enemy would never dare to come so very close to the wall.

Greek οἱ μὲν οὖν βάρβαροι τῶν προβάτων ἥπτοντο ἤδη, οἱ δὲ ποιμένες καρτερώτατα ἀμυνόμενοι διεκώλυον.

Dewing So the barbarians were already laying hold of the sheep, and the shepherds were trying most valiantly to prevent them.⁠

Greek Περσῶν τε τοῖς Οὔννοις ἐπιβεβοηθηκότων πολλῶν, ἀγέλην μὲν ἐνθένδε ἀφελέσθαι τινὰ οἱ βάρβαροι ἴσχυσαν, Ῥωμαίων δὲ στρατιωτῶν τε καὶ τῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ δήμου ἐπεξελθόντων τοῖς πολεμίοις, ἡ μὲν μάχη ἐκ χειρὸς γέγονεν, ἡ δὲ ἀγέλη αὐτόματος ἐς τοὺς ποιμένας ἐπανῆκεν αὖθις.

Dewing And when a great number of Persians had come to the assistance of the Huns, the barbarians succeeded in detaching something of a flock from there, but Roman soldiers and some of the populace made a sally upon the enemy and the battle became a hand-to‑hand struggle; meanwhile the flock of its own accord returned again to the shepherds.

Greek τῶν τέ τις Οὔννων πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων μαχόμενος μάλιστα πάντων ἠνώχλει Ῥωμαίους.

Dewing Now one of the Huns who was fighting before the others was making more trouble for the Romans than all the rest.

Greek καί τις αὐτὸν ἀγροῖκος ἐς γόνυ τὸ δεξιὸν σφενδόνῃ ἐπιτυχὼν βάλλει, ὁ δὲ πρηνὴς ἀπὸ τοῦ ἵππου ἐς τὸ ἔδαφος εὐθὺς ἔπεσεν, ὃ δὴ Ῥωμαίους ἔτι μᾶλλον ἐπέρρωσεν.

Dewing And some rustic made a good shot and hit him on the right knee with a sling, and he immediately fell headlong from his horse to the ground, which thing heartened the Romans still more.

Greek ἥ τε μάχη πρωὶ ἀρξαμένη ἐτελεύτα ἐς μέσην ἡμέραν, ἐν ᾗ ἑκάτεροι τὸ πλέον ἔχειν οἰόμενοι διελύθησαν.

Dewing And the battle which had begun early in the morning ended at midday, and both sides withdrew from the engagement thinking that they had the advantage.

Greek καὶ Ῥωμαῖοι μὲν ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβόλου ἐγένοντο, οἱ δὲ βάρβαροι ἀπὸ σταδίων τῆς πόλεως ἑπτὰ διεσκηνημένοι ἐστρατοπεδεύσαντο ἅπαντες.

Dewing So the Romans went inside the fortifications, while the barbarians pitched their tents and made camp in a body about seven stades from the city.

Greek Τότε ὁ Χοσρόης εἴτε τινὰ ὄψιν ὀνείρου εἶδεν ἤ τις αὐτῷ ἔννοια γέγονεν, ὡς δὶς ἐγχειρήσας ἢν μὴ δυνατὸς εἴη Ἔδεσσαν ἐξελεῖν, πολλήν οἱ αἰσχύνην τινὰ περιβαλέσθαι ξυμβήσεται.

Dewing Then Chosroes either saw some vision or else the thought occurred to him that if, after making two attempts, he should not be able to capture Edessa, he would thereby cover himself with much disgrace.

Greek διὸ δὴ πολλῶν χρημάτων ἀποδόσθαι τὴν ἀναχώρησιν Ἐδεσσηνοῖς ἔγνω.

Dewing Accordingly he decided to sell his withdrawal to the citizens of Edessa for a great sum of money.

Greek τῇ γοῦν ἐπιγινομένῃ ἡμέρᾳ Παῦλος ἑρμηνεὺς παρὰ τὸ τεῖχος ἥκων ἔφασκε Ῥωμαίους χρῆναι παρὰ Χοσρόην σταλῆναι τῶν δοκίμων τινάς.

Dewing On the following day, therefore, Paulus the interpreter came along by the wall and said that some of the Roman notables should be sent to Chosroes.

Greek οἱ δὲ κατὰ τάχος τέσσαρας ἀπολεξάμενοι τῶν ἐν σφίσιν αὐτοῖς ἐπιφανῶν ἔπεμψαν.

Dewing And they with all speed chose out four of their illustrious men and sent them.

Greek οἶς δὴ ἐς τὸ Μήδων ἀφικομένοις στρατόπεδον ἐντυχὼν γνώμῃ βασιλέως ὁ Ζαβεργάνης ἀπειλαῖς τε πολλαῖς δεδιξάμενος ἀνεπυνθάνετο αὐτῶν ὁπότερα σφίσιν αἱρετώτερα τυγχάνει ὄντα, πότερον τὰ ἐς τὴν εἰρήνην, ἢ τὰ ἐς τὸν πόλεμον ἄγοντα.

Dewing When these men reached the Median camp, they were met according to the king's order by Zaberganes, who first terrified them with many threats and then enquired of them which course was the more desirable for them, whether that leading to peace, or that leading to war.

Greek τῶν δὲ τὴν εἰρήνην ἑλέσθαι ἂν πρὸ τῶν κινδύνων ὁμολογούντων, “Οὐκοῦν,” ἔφη ὁ Ζαβεργάνης, “ὠνεῖσθαι ὑμᾶς ταύτην ἀνάγκη χρημάτων πολλῶν.”

Dewing And when the envoys agreed that they would choose peace rather than the dangers of war, Zaberganes replied: "Therefore it is necessary for you to purchase this for a great sum of money."

Greek οἵ τε πρέσβεις ἔφασαν τοσαῦτα δώσειν ὅσα παρέσχοντο πρότερον, ἡνίκα τὴν Ἀντιόχειαν ἐξελὼν ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς ἦλθε.

Dewing And the envoys said that they would give as much as they had provided before, when he came against them after capturing Antioch.

Greek καὶ ὁ Ζαβεργάνης αὐτοὺς ξὺν γέλωτι ἀπεπέμψατο, ἐφ’ ᾧ ἐνδελεχέστατα βουλευσάμενοι ἀμφὶ τῇ σωτηρίᾳ οὕτω δὴ αὖθις παρ’ αὐτοὺς ἔλθωσιν.

Dewing And Zaberganes dismissed them with laughter, telling them to deliberate most carefully concerning their safety and then to come again to the Persians.

Greek ὀλίγῳ τε ὕστερον μεταπεμψάμενος αὐτοὺς ὁ Χοσρόης, ἐπειδὴ παρ’ αὐτὸν ἵκοντο, κατέλεξε μὲν ὅσα τε πρότερον καὶ ὅντινα τρόπον ἐξηνδραπόδισε Ῥωμαίων χωρία, ἠπείλησε δὲ τὰ δεινότερα Ἐδεσσηνοῖς πρὸς Περσῶν ἔσεσθαι, εἰ μὴ πάντα σφίσι τὰ χρήματα δοῖεν ὅσα τοῦ περιβόλου ἐντὸς ἔχουσιν· οὕτω γὰρ μόνως ἐνθένδε ἀπαλλαγήσεσθαι τὸν στρατὸν ἔφασκε.

Dewing And a little later Chosroes summoned them, and when they came before him, he recounted how many Roman towns he had previously enslaved and in what manner he had accomplished it; then he threatened that the inhabitants of Edessa would receive more direful treatment at the hands of the Persians, unless they should give them all the wealth which they had inside the fortifications; for only on this condition, he said, would the army depart.

Greek ταῦτα οἱ πρέσβεις ἀκούσαντες ὡμολόγουν μὲν παρὰ Χοσρόου τὴν εἰρήνην ὠνήσεσθαι, ἤν γε σφίσι μὴ τὰ ἀδύνατα ἐπαγγείλειε· τοῦ δὲ κινδύνου τὸ πέρας οὐδενὶ τῶν πάντων ἔφασαν πρὸ τῆς ἀγωνίας ἔνδηλον εἶναι.

Dewing When the envoys heard this, they agreed that they would purchase peace from Chosroes, if only he would not prescribe impossible conditions for them: but the outcome of a conflict, they said, was plainly seen by no one at all before the struggle.

Greek πόλεμον γὰρ τοῖς αὐτὸν διαφέρουσιν ἐπὶ τοῖς ὁμολογουμένοις οὐ μή ποτε εἶναι. τότε μὲν οὖν ξὺν ὀργῇ ὁ Χοσρόης τοὺς πρέσβεις ἐκέλευεν ὅτι τάχιστα ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι.

Dewing For there was never a war whose outcome might be taken for granted by those who waged it. Thereupon Chosroes in anger commanded the envoys to be gone with all speed.

Greek Ἡμέρᾳ δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς προσεδρείας ὀγδόῃ λόφον ἐπαναστῆσαι χειροποίητον τῷ τῆς πόλεως περιβόλῳ βουλόμενος, ἐπεὶ τὰ δένδρα ἐκτεμὼν αὐτοῖς φύλλοις πολλὰ ἐκ χωρίων ἐγγύς πη ὄντων πρὸ τοῦ τείχους ἐν τετραγώνῳ ξυνέθηκεν, οὗ δὴ βέλος ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ἐξικνεῖσθαι ἀδύνατα ἦν, χοῦν τε πολύν τινα ἀτεχνῶς ὕπερθεν τῶν δένδρων ξυναμησάμενος μέγα τι χρῆμα λίθων ἐπέβαλλεν, οὐκ ἐχόντων εἰς οἰκοδομίαν ἐπιτηδείως, ἀλλ’ εἰκῆ τμηθέντων, ἐκείνου μόνου ἐπιμελούμενος, ὅπως δὴ ὁ λόφος ὅτι τάχιστα ἐς ὕψος μέγα ἐπαίροιτο.

Dewing On the eighth day of the siege he formed the design of erecting an artificial hill against the circuit wall of the city; accordingly he cut down trees in great numbers from the adjacent districts and, without removing the leaves, laid them together in a square before the wall, at a point which no missile from the city could reach; then he heaped an immense amount of earth right upon the trees and above that threw on a great quantity of stones, not such as are suitable for building, but cut at random, and only calculated to raise the hill as quickly as possible to a great height.

Greek καὶ ξύλα μακρὰ τοῦ τε χοῦ καὶ τῶν λίθων μεταξὺ ἐς ἀεὶ ἐμβαλλόμενος ἔνδεσμον ἐποιεῖτο τοῦ ἔργου,

Dewing And he kept laying on long timbers in the midst of the earth and the stones, and made them serve to bind the structure together, in order that as it became high it should not be weak.

Greek ὅπως μὴ ὑψηλὸν γενόμενον ἀσθενὲς εἴη. Πέτρος δὲ ὁ Ῥωμαίων στρατηγὸς ʽἐνταῦθα γὰρ ξὺν Μαρτίνῳ καὶ Περανίῳ ἐτύγχανεν ὢν’ τοὺς ταῦτα ἐργαζομένους ἀναστέλλειν ἐθέλων Οὔννων τῶν οἱ ἑπομένων τινὰς ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς ἔπεμψεν.

Dewing But Peter, the Roman general (for he happened to be there with Martinus and Peranius), wishing to check the men who were engaged in this work, sent some of the Huns who were under his command against them.

Greek οἱ δὲ πολλοὺς ἐκ τοῦ αἰφνιδίου ἐπελθόντες ἀνεῖλον, καὶ πάντων μάλιστα τῶν τις δορυφόρων, Ἀργὴκ ὄνομα·

Dewing And they, by making a sudden attack, killed a great number; and one of the guardsmen, Argek by name, surpassed all others, for he alone killed twenty-seven.

Greek μόνος γὰρ ἑπτὰ καὶ εἴκοσιν ἔκτεινε. τῶν μέντοι βαρβάρων φυλακὴν ἀκριβῆ τὸ λοιπὸν ποιουμένων, οὐκέτι ἐπεξιέναι τινὲς ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς ἔσχον.

Dewing From that time on, however, the barbarians kept a careful guard, and there was no further opportunity for anyone to go out against them.

Greek ἐπεὶ δὲ προϊόντες ἐντὸς βέλους οἱ τεχνῖται τοῦ ἔργου τούτου ἐγένοντο, καρτερώτατα ἤδη ἀμυνόμενοι ἀπὸ τοῦ περιβόλου Ῥωμαῖοι τάς τε σφενδόνας ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς καὶ τὰ τόξα ἐνήργουν. διὸ δὴ οἱ βάρβαροι ἐπενόουν τάδε.

Dewing But when the artisans engaged in this work, as they moved forward, came within range of missiles, then the Romans offered a most vigorous resistance from the city wall, using both their slings and their bows against them. Wherefore the barbarians devised the following plan.

Greek προκαλύμματα ἐκ τραγείων τριχῶν, ἃ δὴ καλοῦσι Κιλίκια, πάχους τε καὶ μήκους διαρκῶς ἔχοντα, ἀρτήσαντες ἐκ ξύλων μακρῶν ἐπίπροσθεν ἀεὶ τὴν ἄγεσταν ἐργαζομένων ἐτίθεντο ʽοὕτω γὰρ τὸ ποιούμενον τῇ Λατίνων φωνῇ ἐκάλουν Ῥωμαῖοἰ.

Dewing They provided screens of goat's hair cloth, of the kind which are called Cilician, making them of adequate thickness and height, and attached them to long pieces of wood which they always set before those who were working on the "agesta"⁠ (for thus the Romans used to call in the Latin tongue the thing which they were making).

Greek ἐνταῦθα γὰρ οὔτε πυρφόροι οἰστοὶ οὔτε τὰ ἄλλα βέλη ἐξικνεῖσθαι εἶχον, ἀλλ’ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῶν προκαλυμμάτων ἀποκρουόμενα ξύμπαντα ἔμενε.

Dewing Behind this neither ignited arrows nor any other weapon could reach the workmen, but all of them were thrown back by the screens and stopped there.

Greek καὶ τότε Ῥωμαῖοι ἐς δέος μέγα ἐμπεπτωκότες τοὺς πρέσβεις παρὰ Χοσρόην σὺν θορύβῳ πολλῷ ἔπεμπον καὶ Στέφανον σὺν αὐτοῖς, ἔν γε τοῖς κατ’ αὐτὸν ἰατροῖς λόγιον, ὃς δὴ Καβάδην τὸν Περόζου νοσοῦντά ποτε ἰασάμενος κύριος χρημάτων μεγάλων πρὸς αὐτοῦ γέγονεν.

Dewing And then the Romans, falling into a great fear, sent the envoys to Chosroes in great trepidation, and with them Stephanus, a physician of marked learning among those of his time at any rate, who also had once cured Cabades, the son of Perozes, when ill, and had been made master of great wealth by him.

Greek ὃς δή, ἐπεὶ παρὰ Χοσρόην ξὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐγένετο, ἔλεξεν ὧδε, “Βασιλέως τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν ἀγαθοῦ γνώρισμα πάντες ἐκ παλαιοῦ νενομίκασιν.

Dewing He, therefore, coming into the presence of Chosroes with the others, spoke as follows: "It has been agreed by all from of old that kindness is the mark of a good king.

Greek οὐκοῦν, ὦ κράτιστε βασιλεῦ, φόνους σοι καὶ μάχας ἐργαζομένῳ καὶ πόλεων ἀνδραποδισμοὺς τῶν μὲν ἄλλων ἴσως ὀνομάτων παρέσται τυχεῖν, τὸ δὲ ἀγαθῷ εἶναι δοκεῖν οὐ μήποτε ἔσται.

Dewing Therefore, most mighty King, while busying thyself with murders and battles and the enslavement of cities it will perhaps be possible for thee to win the other names, but thou wilt never by any means have the reputation of being 'good.'

Greek καίτοι πασῶν γε ἥκιστα χρῆν τῇ Ἐδεσσηνῶν πόλει παρὰ σοῦ τι ξυμβῆναι φλαῦρον.

Dewing And yet least of all cities should Edessa suffer any adversity at thy hand.

Greek ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ ἔγωγε ὥρμημαι, ὅσπερ σε τῶν ἐσομένων οὐδὲν προειδὼς ἐξέθρεψά τε καὶ τῷ πατρὶ τῷ σῷ ξύμβουλος γεγονώς, ἐφ’ ᾧ σε τῆς ἀρχῆς διάδοχον καταστήσεται, σοὶ μὲν τῆς Περσῶν βασιλείας αἰτιώτατος γέγονα, τῇ δὲ πατρίδι τῶν παρόντων κακῶν.

Dewing For there was I born, who, without any foreknowledge of what was coming to pass, fostered thee from childhood and counselled thy father to appoint thee his successor to the kingdom, so that to thee I have proved the chief cause of the kingship of Persia, but to my fatherland of her present woes.

Greek οἱ γὰρ ἄνθρωποι τὰ πολλὰ τῶν ἀτυχημάτων σφίσιν αὐτοῖς ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον τῶν ξυμβησομένων προστρίβονται.

Dewing For men, as a general thing, bring down upon their own heads the most of the misfortunes which are going to befall them.

Greek ἀλλ’ εἴ τίς σε τῆς τοιαύτης εὐεργεσίας εἰσέρχεται μνήμη, μηδὲν ἡμᾶς ἐργάσῃ περαιτέρω κακόν, ταύτην διδούς μοι τὴν ἀμοιβήν, ἐξ ἧς σοι, ὦ βασιλεῦ, τὸ μὴ δοκεῖν ὠμοτάτῳ εἶναι ξυμβήσεται.” Στέφανος μὲν τοσαῦτα εἶπε.

Dewing But if any remembrance of such benefaction comes to thy mind, do us no further injury, and grant me this requital, by which, O King, thou wilt escape the reputation of being most cruel." Such were the words of Stephanus.

Greek Χοσρόης δὲ οὐ πρότερον ἀπαλλαγήσεσθαι ὡμολόγει ἐνθένδε, εἰ μὴ Πέτρον τε καὶ Περάνιον αὐτῷ παραδοῖεν Ῥωμαῖοι, ὅτι δή οἱ, δοῦλοί γε ὄντες πατρῷοι, τετολμήκασιν ἀντιτάξασθαι.

Dewing But Chosroes declared that he would not depart from there until the Romans should deliver to him Peter and Peranius, seeing that, being his hereditary slaves, they had dared to array themselves against him.

Greek τοῦτο δὲ ἢν μὴ δρᾶν Ῥωμαίοις ἐν ἡδονῇ ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ δυοῖν αὐτοὺς ἐπάναγκες ἑλέσθαι τὸ ἕτερον, ἢ πεντακόσια κεντηνάρια χρυσοῦ σφίσι διδόναι, ἢ δέξασθαι τῇ πόλει τῶν οἱ ἐπιτηδείων τινάς, οἳ τὰ χρήματα διερευνησάμενοι ἅπαντα τὸν μὲν χρυσόν τε καὶ ἄργυρον, ὅσον δὴ ἐνταῦθα ξυμβαίνει εἶναι, κομίζοντες ἐς αὐτὸν ἥξουσι,

Dewing And if it was not their pleasure to do this, the Romans must choose one of two alternatives, either to give the Persians five hundred centenaria of gold, or to receive into the city some of his associates who would search out all the money, both gold and silver, as much as was there, and bring it to him, allowing everything else to remain in the possession of the present owners.

Greek τἄλλα δὲ τοὺς κυρίους ἐάσουσιν ἔχειν. ταῦτα μὲν ὁ Χοσρόης ἀπέρριψεν, Ἔδεσσαν ἐξελεῖν πόνῳ οὐδενὶ ἐλπίδα ἔχων. οἱ δὲ πρέσβεις ʽἅπαντα γὰρ σφίσιν ἀδύνατα ἔδοξεν εἶναι ὅσα ἐκεῖνος ἀπήγγελλἐ διαπορούμενοί τε καὶ λίαν ἀσχάλλοντες ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν ἐβάδιζον.

Dewing Such then were the words which Chosroes hurled forth, being in hopes of capturing Edessa with no trouble. And the ambassadors (since all the conditions which he had announced to them seemed impossible), in despair and great vexation, proceeded to the city.

Greek ἐπεί τε ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβόλου γενόμενοι τὰ παρὰ Χοσρόου ἀπήγγελλον, θορύβου τε καὶ θρήνων ἡ πόλις ἔμπλεως ἐγένετο.

Dewing And when they had come inside the city-wall, they reported the message from Chosroes, and the whole city was filled with tumult and lamentation.

Greek Ἡ μὲν οὖν τοῦ λόφου κατασκευὴ ἐπί τε ὕψος ᾔρετο μέγα καὶ σπουδῇ πολλῇ ἐπίπροσθεν ᾔει. Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ οὐκ ἔχοντες ὅ τι καὶ δράσουσι, πάλιν τοὺς πρέσβεις παρὰ Χοσρόην ἀπέστελλον.

Dewing Now the artificial hill was rising to a great height and was being pushed forward with much haste. And the Romans, being at a loss what to do, again sent off the envoys to Chosroes.

Greek οἵπερ ἐπειδὴ ἐν τῷ τῶν πολεμίων στρατοπέδῳ ἐγένοντο, περί τε τῶν αὐτῶν δεησόμενοι ἔφασκον ἥκειν, λόγου μὲν οὐδ’ ὁπωστιοῦν πρὸς Περσῶν ἔτυχον, ὕβρει δὲ καὶ θορύβῳ πολλῷ ἐνθένδε ἐξελαυνόμενοι ἐς τὴν πόλιν ἐχώρουν.

Dewing And when they had arrived in the enemy's camp, and said that they had come to make entreaty concerning the same things, they did not even gain a hearing of any kind from the Persians, but they were insulted and driven out from there with a great tumult, and so returned to the city.

Greek τὰ μὲν οὖν πρῶτα Ῥωμαῖοι τὸ κατὰ τὸν λόφον τεῖχος ἑτέρᾳ ἐνεχείρουν οἰκοδομίᾳ τινὶ ὑπερβαλέσθαι· ὡς δὲ καὶ ταύτης τὸ Περσῶν ἔργον πολλῷ καθυπέρτερον ἐγίνετο ἤδη, τῆς μὲν οἰκοδομίας ἀπέστησαν, Μαρτῖνον δὲ πείθουσι τὰ ἀμφὶ τῇ ξυμβάσει τρόπῳ δὴ ὅτῳ βούλοιτο διοικήσασθαι. καὶ ὃς ἄγχιστα τοῦ τῶν πολεμίων στρατοπέδου γενόμενος τῶν τισιν ἐν Πέρσαις ἀρχόντων ἐς λόγους ἦλθεν.

Dewing At first, then, the Romans tried to overtop the wall opposite the hill by means of another structure. But since the Persian work was already rising far above even this, they stopped their building and persuaded Martinus to make the arrangements for a settlement in whatever way he wished. He then came up close to the enemy's camp and began to converse with some of the Persian commanders.

Greek οἱ δὲ τὸν Μαρτῖνον ἐξαπατῶντες εἰρηναῖα μὲν σφῶν τὸν βασιλέα βούλεσθαι ἔφασαν, αὐτὸν δὲ ὡς ἥκιστα οἷόν τε εἶναι τὸν Ῥωμαίων αὐτοκράτορα πείθειν τῆς πρὸς Χοσρόην φιλονεικίας ἀφέμενον τὴν εἰρήνην ποτὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν θήσεσθαι·

Dewing But they, completely deceiving Martinus, said that their king was desirous of peace, but that he was utterly unable to persuade the Roman Emperor to have done with his strife with Chosroes and to establish peace with him at last.

Greek ἐπεὶ καὶ Βελισάριον, ὅνπερ τῇ τε δυνάμει καὶ τῷ ἀξιώματι πολὺ Μαρτίνου προὔχειν οὐδ’ ἂν αὐτὸς ἀντείποι, πεῖσαι μὲν ἔναγχος τὸν Περσῶν βασιλέα, ὄντα δή που ἐν μέσοις Ῥωμαίοις, ἐνθένδε ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι ἐς τὰ Περσῶν ἤθη, ὑποσχόμενον πρέσβεις τε παρ’ αὐτὸν οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν ἐκ Βυζαντίου ἀφίξεσθαι καὶ τὴν εἰρήνην ἐν τῷ βεβαίῳ κρατύνασθαι, πρᾶξαι δὲ τῶν ὡμολογημένων οὐδέν, ἀδύνατον γεγονότα τὴν Ἰουστινιανοῦ βασιλέως βιάσασθαι γνώμην.

Dewing And they mentioned as evidence of this the fact that Belisarius, who in power and dignity was far superior to Martinus, as even he himself would not deny, had recently persuaded the king of the Persians, when he was in the midst of Roman territory, to withdraw from there into Persia, promising that envoys from Byzantium would come to him at no distant time and establish peace securely, but that he had done none of the things agreed upon, since he had found himself unable to overcome the determination of the Emperor Justinian.