第2巻 第29章

Greek Ἔς τε Λαζικὴν πρῶτα μὲν ξύλα παμπληθῆ ἐς νηῶν ποίησιν ἐπιτηδείως ἔχοντα ἔπεμψεν, οὐδενὶ φράσας ἐφ’ ὅτῳ δὴ αὐτὰ πέμψειεν, ἀλλὰ τῷ λόγῳ μηχανὰς ἐν Πέτρας τῷ περιβόλῳ καταστησόμενος ταῦτα ἔστελλεν.

Dewing His first move against Lazica was as follows. He sent into the country a great amount of lumber suitable for the construction of ships, explaining to no one what his purpose was in so doing, but ostensibly he was sending it in order to set up engines of war on the fortifications of Petra.

Greek ἔπειτα δὲ Περσῶν μαχίμους τριακοσίους ἀπολεξάμενος, Φάβριζόν τε, οὗπερ ἀρτίως ἐπεμνήσθην, αὐτοῖς ἐπιστήσας ἐνταῦθα στέλλει, ᾧ δὴ ἐπήγγελλε Γουβάζην ὡς λαθραιότατα διαχρήσασθαι· τὸ γὰρ ἐνθένδε αὐτῷ μελήσειν.

Dewing Next he chose out three hundred able warriors of the Persians, and sent them there under command of Phabrizus, whom I have lately mentioned, ordering him to make away with Goubazes as secretly as possible; as for the rest, he himself would take care.

Greek τὰ μὲν οὖν ξύλα ταῦτα ἐπεὶ ἐς Λαζικὴν ἐκομίσθη, κεραυνόβλητα ἐξαπιναίως γενόμενα τετεφρῶσθαι ξυνέβη· Φάβριζος δὲ ξὺν τοῖς τριακοσίοις ἐς Λαζικὴν ἀφικόμενος ἔπρασσεν ὅπως δὴ ἀμφὶ Γουβάζῃ τὰ πρὸς τοῦ Χοσρόου ἐπηγγελμένα ὑποτελοίη.

Dewing Now when this lumber had been conveyed to Lazica, it happened that it was struck suddenly by lightning and reduced to ashes. And Phabrizus, upon arriving in Lazica with the three hundred, began to contrive so that he might carry out the orders received by him from Chosroes regarding Goubazes.

Greek ἐτύγχανε δὲ τῶν τις ἐν Κόλχοις λογίμων, Φαρσάνσης ὄνομα, τῷ Γουβάζῃ προσκεκρουκὼς ἐς μέγα τέ οἱ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ ἐμπεπτωκὼς ἔχθος καὶ ὡς ἥκιστα θαρσῶν τῷ βασιλεῖ ἐς ὄψιν ἥκειν.

Dewing Now it happened that one of the men of note among the Colchians, Pharsanses by name, had quarrelled with Goubazes and in consequence had become exceedingly hostile to him, and now he did not dare at all to go into the presence of the king.

Greek ὅπερ ἐπεὶ ὁ Φάβριζος ἔγνω, τὸν Φαρσάνσην μεταπεμψάμενος ἐκοινολογεῖτό τε καὶ τὸν ἅπαντα λόγον ἐξενεγκὼν ἀνεπυνθάνετο τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὅπη οἱ ἐπιχειρητέα ἐς τὴν πρᾶξιν εἴη.

Dewing When this was learned by Phabrizus, he seemed Pharsanses and in a conference with him discussed the whole project, and enquired of the man in what way he ought to go about the execution of the deed.

Greek ἔδοξε τοίνυν σφίσιν ἐπὶ κοινῆς βουλευσαμένοις Φάβριζον μὲν ἐν Πέτρᾳ τῇ πόλει γενέσθαι, μεταπέμψασθαι δὲ Γουβάζην ἐνταῦθα, ὅπως οἱ ἀγγέλλοι ὅσα δὴ βασιλεῖ ἀμφὶ τῷ ξυνοίσοντι Λαζοῖς δοκοῦντα εἴη.

Dewing And it seemed best to them after deliberating together that Phabrizus should go into the city of Petra, and should summon Goubazes there, in order to announce to him what the king had decided concerning the interests of the Lazi.

Greek ἀλλ’ ὁ Φαρσάνσης κρύφα τῷ Γουβάζῃ ἐσήμηνε τὰ πρασσόμενα. διὸ δὴ Γουβάζης παρὰ μὲν Φάβριζον οὐδαμῆ ἦλθεν, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ἐμφανοῦς ἐς ἀπόστασιν εἶδε.

Dewing But Pharsanses secretly revealed to Goubazes what was being prepared. He, accordingly, did not come to Phabrizus at all, but began openly to plan a revolt.

Greek Φάβριζος δὲ Πέρσαις μὲν τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῦ ἐν Πέτρᾳ φυλακτηρίου ἐπιμελεῖσθαι πάσῃ δυνάμει ἐπέστελλε καὶ τὰ ἐς πολιορκίαν ὡς ἀσφαλέστατα ἐξαρτύεσθαι, αὐτὸς δὲ ξὺν τοῖς τριακοσίοις ἐπ’ οἴκου ἄπρακτος ἀνεχώρησε.

Dewing Then Phabrizus commanded the other Persians to attend as carefully as they could to the guarding of Petra, and to make everything as secure as possible against a siege, and he himself with the three hundred returned homeward without having accomplished his purpose.

Greek Γουβάζης δὲ ἀνενεγκὼν ἐς Ἰουστινιανὸν βασιλέα τὰ παρόντα σφίσι τῶν μὲν τὰ πρότερα πεπραγμένων Λαζοῖς ἐδεῖτο συγγνώμονα εἶναι, ἀμῦναι δὲ σφίσι δυνάμει τῇ πάσῃ ἀπαλλαξείουσι τῆς Μήδων ἀρχῆς. οὐ γὰρ κατὰ μόνας δυνήσεσθαι Κόλχους ἀποκρούσασθαι τὴν Περσῶν δύναμιν.

Dewing And Goubazes reported to the Emperor Justinian the condition in which they were, and begged him to grant forgiveness for what the Lazi had done in the past, and to come to their defence with all his strength, whence they desired to be rid of the Median rule. For if left by themselves the Colchians would not be able to repel the power of the Persians.

Greek Ταῦτα ἐπεὶ βασιλεὺς Ἰουστινιανὸς ἤκουσε, περιχαρὴς γενόμενος ἄνδρας ἑπτακισχιλίους καὶ Δαγισθαῖον ἄρχοντα καὶ Τζάνους χιλίους ἐς ἐπικουρίαν Λαζοῖς ἔπεμψεν.

Dewing When the Emperor Justinian heard this, he was overjoyed, and sent seven thousand men under the leader­ship of Dagisthaeus and a thousand Tzani to the assistance of the Lazi.

Greek οἳ δὴ ἐν γῇ τῇ Κολχίδι γενόμενοι ἅμα Λαζοῖς τε καὶ τῷ Γουβάζῃ ἐνστρατοπεδευσάμενοι ἀμφὶ τὸν Πέτρας περίβολον ἐς πολιορκίαν καθίσταντο.

Dewing And when this force reached the land of Colchis, they encamped together with Goubazes and Lazi about the fortifications of Petra and commenced a siege.

Greek Περσῶν δὲ τῶν ἐνταῦθα ὄντων καρτερώτατα ἐκ τοῦ περιβόλου ἀμυνομένων, χρόνον τῇ προσεδρείᾳ πολὺν τετρίφθαι ξυνέβη, ἐπεὶ καὶ τὰ ἐδώδιμα ἐναποθέμενοι σφίσιν οἱ Πέρσαι διαρκῶς ἔτυχον.

Dewing But since the Persians who were there made a most stalwart defence from the wall, it came about that much time was spent in the siege; for the Persians had put away an ample store of victuals in the town.

Greek τούτοις δὲ ὁ Χοσρόης ξυνταραχθεὶς στρατιὰν πολλὴν ἱππέων τε καὶ πεζῶν ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς ἔστελλεν, οἷς δὴ ἄρχοντα Μερμερόην ἐπέστησεν. ὧνπερ ὁ Γουβάζης αἰσθόμενος τῷ Δαγισθαίῳ ἐπίκοινα βουλευσάμενος ἐποίει τάδε.

Dewing And Chosroes, being greatly disturbed by these things, dispatched a great army of horse and foot against the besiegers, putting Mermeroes in command of them. And when Goubazes learned of this, he considered the matter together with Dagisthaeus and acted in the manner which I shall presently set forth.

Greek Βόας ὁ ποταμὸς ἔξεισιν ἄγχιστά πη τῶν Τζανικῆς ὁρίων ἐν Ἀρμενίοις οἳ δὴ ἀμφὶ τὸ Φαράγγιον ᾤκηνται. καὶ τὰ μὲν πρῶτα ἐν δεξιᾷ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον χωρεῖ, βραχύς τε ἰὼν καὶ πόνῳ οὐδενὶ γινόμενος ἐσβατὸς ἅπασιν ἄχρι ἐς χῶρον οὗ δὴ ἐν δεξιᾷ μὲν Ἰβήρων τὰ ὅριά ἐστι, καταντικρὺ δὲ τελευτᾷ ὄρος ὁ Καύκασος.

Dewing The river Boas rises close to the territory of the Tzani among the Armenians who dwell around Pharangium. And at first its course inclines to the right for a great distance, and its stream is small and can be forded by anyone with no trouble as far as the place where the territory of the Iberians lies on the right, and the end of the Caucasus lies directly opposite.

Greek ἐνταῦθα ἔθνη ἄλλα τε πολλὰ καὶ Ἀλανοί τε καὶ Ἀβασγοὶ ᾤκηνται Χριστιανοί τε καὶ Ῥωμαίοις φίλοι ἐκ παλαιοῦ ὄντες, Ζῆχοί τε καὶ μετ’ αὐτοὺς Οὖννοι,

Dewing In that place many nations have their homes, and among them the Alani and Abasgi, who are Christians and friends of the Romans from of old; also the Zechi, and after them the Huns who bear the name Sabeiri.

Greek οἳ Σάβειροι ἐπικαλοῦνται. ἐπειδὰν δὲ ὁ ποταμὸς οὗτος ἀφίκηται ἵνα δὴ τοῦ τε Καυκάσου καὶ Ἰβηρίας τὰ ὅριά ἐστιν, ἐνταῦθα ἐπιγινομένων οἱ καὶ ἄλλων ὑδάτων μείζων τε παρὰ πολὺ γίνεται καὶ Φᾶσις ἀντὶ Βόα τὸ ἐνθένδε καλούμενος φέρεται, ναυσίπορος γεγενημένος ἄχρι ἐς τὸν Εὔξεινον καλούμενον πόντον, οὗ δή οἱ καὶ τὰς ἐκβολὰς ξυμβαίνει εἶναι, καὶ αὐτοῦ ἐφ’ ἑκάτερα Λαζική ἐστιν.

Dewing But when this river reaches the point which marks the termination of the Caucasus and of Iberia as well, there other waters also are added to it and it becomes much larger and from there flows on bearing the name of Phasis instead of Boas;⁠ and it becomes a navigable stream as far as the so‑called Euxine Sea into which it empties; and on either side of it lies Lazica.

Greek ἀλλ’ ἐν δεξιᾷ μὲν ξύμπασα ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἡ χώρα πρὸς τῶν τῇδε ἀνθρώπων οἰκεῖται μέχρι τῶν Ἰβηρίας ὁρίων.

Dewing Now on the right of the stream particularly the whole country for a great distance is populated by the people of Lazica as far as the boundary of Iberia.

Greek κῶμαί τε γὰρ αἱ Λαζῶν πᾶσαι τοῦ ποταμοῦ ἐντὸς ἐνταῦθά εἰσι καὶ πολίσματα ἐκ παλαιοῦ σφίσι ταύτῃ πεποίηνται, ἐν τοῖς Ἀρχαιόπολις, ἐχυρωτάτη οὖσα, Σεβαστόπολίς τε ἐνταῦθα καὶ τὸ Πιτιοῦντος φρούριόν ἐστι Σκάνδα τε καὶ Σαραπανὶς πρὸς τοῖς Ἰβηρίας ὁρίοις. πόλεις μέντοι ἀξιολογώταται ἐνταῦθά εἰσι Ῥοδόπολις καὶ Μοχήρησις.

Dewing For all the villages of the Lazi are here beyond the river, and towns have been built there from of old, among which are Archaeopolis, a very strong place, and Sebastopolis, and the fortress of Pitius, and Scanda and Sarapanis over against the boundary of Iberia. Moreover there are two cities of the greatest importance in that region, Rhodopolis and Mocheresis.

Greek τοῦ δὲ ποταμοῦ ἐν ἀριστερᾷ Λαζικῆς μὲν τὰ ὅριά ἐστι μέχρι ἐς ἡμέρας ὁδὸν εὐζώνῳ ἀνδρί, ἔρημον δὲ ξυμβαίνει ἀνθρώπων τὴν χώραν εἶναι. ταύτην προσοικοῦσι Ῥωμαῖοι τὴν χώραν οἳ Ποντικοὶ ἐπικαλοῦνται.

Dewing But on the left of the river, while the country belongs to Lazica as far as one day's journey for an unencumbered traveller, the land is without human habitation. Adjoining the land is the home of the Romans who are called Pontic.

Greek ἐν μὲν οὖν τοῖς Λαζικῆς ὁρίοις, ἔνθα δὴ ἄνθρωποι οὐδαμῆ ᾤκηντο, Πέτραν Ἰουστινιανὸς ὁ βασιλεὺς τὴν πόλιν ἐν τοῖς κατ’ ἐμὲ χρόνοις ἐδείματο.

Dewing Now it was in the territory of Lazica, in the part which was altogether uninhabited, that the Emperor Justinian founded the city of Petra in my own time.

Greek οὗπερ Ἰωάννης, ὁ Τζίβος ἐπικαλούμενος, τὸ μονοπώλιον καταστησάμενος, ὥσπερ μοι ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν λόγοις ἐρρήθη, αἴτιος τῆς ἀποστάσεως Λαζοῖς γέγονεν.

Dewing This was the place where John, surnamed Tzibus, established the monopoly, as I have told in the previous narrative,⁠ and gave cause to the Lazi to revolt.

Greek ἐκ δὲ Πέτρας πόλεως ἰόντι εὐθὺς πρὸς ἄνεμον νότον οἱ Ῥωμαίων ὅροι ἐκδέχονται, χωρία τε πολυάνθρωπα ἐνταῦθά ἐστι, τό τε Ῥιζαῖον καλούμενον καὶ Ἀθῆναι ἄλλα τε ἄττα μέχρι Τραπεζουντίων.

Dewing And as one leaves the city of Petra going southward, the Roman territory commences immediately and there are populous towns there, and one which bears the name of Rhizaeum, also Athens and certain others as far as Trapezus.

Greek ἡνίκα μὲν οὖν ἐπηγάγοντο Χοσρόην Λαζοί, Βόαν ποταμὸν διαβάντες τόν τε Φᾶσιν ἐν δεξιᾷ ἔχοντες ἐς Πέτραν ἦλθον, τῷ μὲν λόγῳ προνοήσοντες ὡς μὴ χρόνῳ τε καὶ πόνῳ πολλῷ διαπορθμεύεσθαι ἀναγκάζωνται ποταμὸν Φᾶσιν, οὐ βουλόμενοι δὲ τὰ σφέτερα οἰκία Πέρσαις ἐνδείκνυσθαι.

Dewing Now when the Lazi brought in Chosroes, they crossed the River Boas and came to Petra keeping the Phasis on the right, because, as they said, they would thus provide against being compelled to spend much time and trouble in ferrying the men across the River Phasis, but in reality they did not wish to display their own homes to the Persians.

Greek καίτοι δύσοδος πανταχόθι Λαζική ἐστιν ἐντός τε καὶ ἐκτὸς ποταμοῦ Φάσιδος.

Dewing And yet Lazica is everywhere difficult to traverse both to the right and to the left of the River Phasis.

Greek σκόπελοι γὰρ ὑπερφυεῖς ἐφ’ ἑκάτερα τῆς χώρας ὄντες στενωποὺς ἐπὶ μακρότατον ἐνταῦθα ποιοῦνται· κλεισούρας ἑλληνίζοντες τὰς τοιαύτας ὁδοὺς Ῥωμαῖοι καλοῦσιν.

Dewing For there are on both sides of the river exceedingly high and jagged mountains, and as a result the passes are narrow and very long. (The Romans call the roads through such passes "clisurae" when they put their own word into a Greek form.)⁠

Greek ἀλλ’ ἐπεὶ τότε Λαζικὴ ἀφύλακτος ἐτύγχανεν οὖσα, ῥᾷστα δὴ ἐν Πέτρᾳ ξὺν τοῖς ἡγεμόσι Λαζοῖς ἐγένοντο Πέρσαι.

Dewing But since at that time Lazica happened to be unguarded, the Persians had reached Petra very easily with the Lazi who were their guides.

Greek Νῦν δὲ ὁ Γουβάζης μαθὼν τὴν Περσῶν ἔφοδον τῷ Δαγισθαίῳ ἐπέστελλε πέμψαι μέν τινας οἳ φυλάξουσι τὸν στενωπὸν ἰσχυρότατα ὃς ἐκτὸς Φάσιδος ποταμοῦ ἐστι, τὴν μέντοι προσεδρείαν ὡς ἥκιστα λύειν, ἕως τήν τε Πέτραν καὶ Πέρσας τοὺς ἐνταῦθα ἐξελεῖν δύνωνται.

Dewing But on this occasion Goubazes, upon learning of the advance of the Persians, directed Dagisthaeus to send some men to guard with all their strength the pass which is below the River Phasis, and he bade him not on any account to abandon the siege until they should be able to capture Petra and the Persians in it.

Greek αὐτὸς δὲ παντὶ τῷ Κόλχων στρατῷ ἐς τὰ Λαζικῆς ἔσχατα ἦλθεν, ὡς τὸν ἐνταῦθα στενωπὸν διαφυλάξων δυνάμει τῇ πάσῃ.

Dewing He himself meanwhile with the whole Colchian army came to the frontier of Lazica, in order to devote all his strength to guarding the pass there.

Greek ἐτύγχανε δὲ πολλῷ πρότερον Ἀλανούς τε καὶ Σαβείρους ἐς ξυμμαχίαν ἐπαγόμενος, οἵπερ ὡμολόγησαν κεντηναρίων τριῶν οὐχ ὅσον ἀδῄωτον Λαζοῖς ξυμφυλάξειν τὴν γῆν, ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἰβηρίαν οὕτω καταστήσεσθαι ἀνδρῶν ἔρημον ὡς μηδὲ Πέρσαις ἐνθένδε τὸ λοιπὸν ἰέναι δυνατὰ ἔσεσθαι. ταῦτά τε σφίσι τὰ χρήματα βασιλέα Γουβάζης ὑπέσχετο δώσειν.

Dewing Now it happened that long before he had persuaded the Alani and Sabeiri to form an alliance with him, and they had agreed for three centenaria not merely to assist the Lazi in guarding the land from plunder, but also to render Iberia so destitute of men that not even the Persians would be able to come in from there in the future. And Goubazes had promised that the emperor would give them this money.

Greek αὐτὸς μὲν οὖν ἀνενεγκὼν ἐς βασιλέα Ἰουστινιανὸν τὰ ξυγκείμενα τοῖς τε βαρβάροις τὰ χρήματα ταῦτα ἱκέτευε πέμπειν καὶ Λαζοῖς ἄγαν κεκακωμένοις παραψυχὴν προέσθαι τινά.

Dewing So he reported the agreement to the Emperor Justinian and besought him to send this money for the barbarians and afford the Lazi some consolation in their great distress.

Greek ἔφασκε δὲ καί οἱ αὐτῷ τὸ δημόσιον τὰς συντάξεις ὀφείλειν ἐνιαυτῶν δέκα, ἐπεὶ ἐν τοῖς σιλεντιαρίοις ἐν παλατίῳ τασσόμενος οὐδὲν κεκομισμένος ἐνθένδε εἴη, ἐξ οὗ δὴ ἐς γῆν τὴν Κολχίδα Χοσρόης ἦλθε.

Dewing He also stated that treasury owed him his salary for ten years, for though he was assigned a post among the privy counsellors in the palace, he had received no payment from it since the time when Chosroes came into the land of Colchis.

Greek βασιλεὺς δὲ Ἰουστινιανὸς ἐπιτελέσειν μὲν διενοεῖτο τὴν αἴτησιν, ἐπιγενομένης δέ οἱ ἀσχολίας τινὸς οὐκ ἔπεμψε τῷ καθήκοντι χρόνῳ τὰ χρήματα. Γουβάζης μὲν οὖν ταῦτα ἐποίει.

Dewing And the Emperor Justinian intended to fulfil this request, but some business came up to occupy his attention and he did not send the money at the proper time. So Goubazes was thus engaged.

Greek Δαγισθαῖος δὲ ʽἦν γάρ τις νεανίας πόλεμόν τε διενεγκεῖν Μηδικὸν οὐδαμῆ ἀξιόχρεωσ̓ τοῖς παροῦσιν οὐκ ἐπιτηδείως ἐχρῆτο.

Dewing But Dagisthaeus, being a rather young man and by no means competent to carry on a war against Persia, did not handle the situation properly.

Greek δέον οὖν ἀμέλει τὸ πλεῖστον τοῦ στρατοῦ ἐς τὸν στενωπὸν στεῖλαι, τάχα δ’ ἄν που καὶ αὐτὸν τῷ ἔργῳ τούτῳ παραγενέσθαι, ἐς ἑκατὸν ἄνδρας, ὥσπερ τι πάρεργον διαχειρίζων, ἔπεμψε μόνους· αὐτὸς δὲ Πέτραν πολιορκῶν παντὶ τῷ στρατῷ οὐδὲν ἤνυσε, καίπερ τῶν πολεμίων ὀλίγων ὄντων. κατ’ ἀρχὰς μὲν γὰρ οὐχ ἥσσους ἢ πεντακόσιοι καὶ χίλιοι ἦσαν,

Dewing For while he ought to have sent certainly the greater part of the army to the pass, and perhaps should have assisted in person in this enterprise, he sent only one hundred men, just as if he were managing a matter of secondary importance. He himself, moreover, though besieging Petra with the whole army, accomplished nothing, although the enemy were few. For while they had been at the beginning not less than fifteen hundred,

Greek πρὸς Ῥωμαίων δὲ καὶ Λαζῶν ἐν χρόνῳ πολλῷ τειχομαχούντων βαλλόμενοί τε καὶ ἀρετὴν ἐπιδεικνύμενοι μάλιστα πάντων ὧν ἡμεῖς ἴσμεν, θνήσκουσί τε πολλοὶ καὶ σφίσιν ἐς ὀλίγους κομιδῆ ἀποκεκρίσθαι ξυνέπεσε.

Dewing they had been shot at by Romans and Lazi in their fighting at the wall for a long time, and had made a display of valour such as no others known to us have made, so that many were falling constantly and they were reduced to an exceedingly small number.

Greek Πέρσαι μὲν οὖν ἐς ἀπόγνωσίν τε καὶ ἀπορίαν ἐμπεπτωκότες ἡσυχῆ ἔμενον, Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ ἀμφὶ τὸ τεῖχος διώρυχα ἐν χώρῳ ὀλίγῳ πεποίηνται, ὅ τε ταύτῃ περίβολος εὐθὺς ἔπεσεν.

Dewing So while the Persians, plunged in despair and at a loss what to do, were remaining quiet, the Romans made a trench along the wall for a short space, and the circuit-wall at this point fell immediately.

Greek ἀλλὰ ξυνέβη τούτου δὴ τοῦ χώρου ἐντὸς οἴκημα εἶναι οὐδὲν τοῦ περιβόλου διεστηκός, ὃ δὴ ἐξικνεῖτο ἐς τὸ πεπτωκὸς ἐφεξῆς ὅλον·

Dewing But it happened that inside this space there was a building which did not stand back at all from the circuit-wall, and this reached to the whole length of the fallen portion;

Greek καὶ ἀντὶ τοῦ τείχους πολιορκουμένοις γενόμενον ἐν τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ οὐδέν τι ἧσσον αὐτοὺς καθίστη.

Dewing thus, taking the place of the wall for the besieged, it rendered them secure none the less.

Greek ὅπερ Ῥωμαίους ξυνταράξαι οὐδαμῆ ἔσχεν. εὖ γὰρ εἰδότες ὡς αὐτὸ δὴ τοῦτο ἑτέρωθι ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν πόλιν ῥᾷστα αἱρήσουσιν, εὐέλπιδες πολλῷ ἔτι μᾶλλον ἐγένοντο.

Dewing But this was not sufficient greatly to disturb the Romans. For knowing well that by doing the same thing elsewhere they would capture the city with the greatest ease, they became still more hopeful than before.

Greek διὸ δὴ ὁ Δαγισθαῖος βασιλεῖ μὲν τὰ ξυνενεχθέντα ἐδήλου, ἆθλα δέ οἱ τῆς νίκης ἐν παρασκευῇ εἶναι προὐτείνετο, σημήνας ὅσοις δὴ αὐτόν τε καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν τὸν αὐτοῦ χρῆν βασιλέα δωρήσασθαι· Πέρσαν γὰρ αἱρήσειν οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον.

Dewing For this reason Dagisthaeus sent word to the emperor of what had come to pass, and proposed that prizes of victory should be in readiness for him, indicating what rewards the emperor should bestow upon himself and his brother; for he would capture Petra after no great time.

Greek Πέρσαι μὲν οὖν Ῥωμαίους τε καὶ Τζάνους καρτερώτατα τειχομαχοῦντας παρὰ δόξαν ὑφίσταντο, καίπερ ὀλίγοι ἀπολελειμμένοι ἐς ἄγαν.

Dewing So the Romans and the Tzani made a most vigorous assault upon the wall, but the Persians unexpectedly withstood them, although only a very few were left.

Greek ἐπεὶ δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι τειχομαχοῦντες οὐδὲν ἤνυον, ἐπὶ τὸ διορύσσειν αὖθις ἐτράποντο. ἐς τόσον τε τοῦ ἔργου τούτου ἀφίκοντο ὡς μηκέτι ἐπ’ ἐδάφους τὰ τοῦ περιβόλου θεμέλια εἶναι, ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ κενοῦ ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἑστάναι, πεσούμενα, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα.

Dewing And since the Romans were accomplishing nothing by assaulting the wall, they again turned to digging. And they went so far in this work that the foundations of the circuit-wall were no longer on solid ground, but stood for the most part over empty space, and, in the nature of things, would fall almost immediately.

Greek καὶ εἰ μὲν Δαγισθαῖος εὐθὺς ἤθελε πῦρ τοῖς θεμελίοις ἐνάψαι, οἶμαι εὐθυωρὸν σφίσι τὴν πόλιν ἁλῶναι· νῦν δὲ τὰς ἐκ βασιλέως καραδοκῶν ἐλπίδας μέλλων τε ἀεὶ καὶ τρίβων τὸν χρόνον ἡσυχῆ ἔμενε. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐν τῷ Ῥωμαίων στρατοπέδῳ ἐπράσσετο τῇδε.

Dewing And if Dagisthaeus had been willing immediately to apply fire to the foundations, I think that the city would have been captured by them straightway; but, as it was, he was awaiting encouragement from the emperor, and so, always hesitating and wasting time, he remained inactive. Such, then, was the course of events in the Roman camp.