第2巻 第30章

Greek Μερμερόης δέ, ἐπεὶ τοὺς Ἰβηρίας ὅρους παντὶ τῷ Μήδων στρατῷ ἤμειψε, πρόσω ἐχώρει, ποταμὸν Μήδων στρατῷ ἤμειψε, πρόσω ἐχώρει, ποταμὸν Φᾶσιν ἐν δεξιᾷ ἔχων· διὰ γὰρ τῶν ἐπὶ Λαζικῆς χωρίων ἰέναι οὐδαμῆ ἤθελε, τοῦ μή τί οἱ ταύτῃ ἐμπόδισμα ὑπαντιάσαι.

Dewing But Mermeroes, after passing the Iberian frontier with the whole Median army, was moving forward with the River Phasis on his right. For he was quite unwilling to go through the country of Lazica, lest any obstacle should confront him there.

Greek Πέτραν γὰρ πόλιν καὶ Πέρσας τοὺς ἐνταῦθα διασώσασθαι ἐν σπουδῇ εἶχε, καίτοι καὶ μοῖρά τις τοῦ περιβόλου καταπεπτώκει ἐξαπιναίως.

Dewing For he was eager to save the city of Petra and the Persians in it, even though a portion of the circuit-wall had fallen down suddenly.

Greek ᾐώρητο γάρ, ὥσπερ μοι εἴρηται· ἄνδρες τε τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ ἐς πεντήκοντα ἐθελούσιοι ἐν τῇ πόλει γενόμενοι βασιλέα Ἰουστινιανὸν ἀνεβόων καλλίνικον.

Dewing For it had been hanging in the air, as I have said; and volunteers from the Roman army to the number of fifty got inside the city, and raised the shout proclaiming the Emperor Justinian triumphant.

Greek ἡγεῖτο δὲ αὐτῶν νεανίας τις Ἀρμένιος γένος, Ἰωάννης ὄνομα, Θωμᾶ υἱός, ὅνπερ Γούζην ἐπίκλησιν ἐκάλουν.

Dewing These men were led by a young man of Armenian birth, John by name, the son of Thomas whom they used to call by the surname Gouzes.

Greek οὗτος ὁ Θωμᾶς πολλὰ τῶν ἀμφὶ τὴν Λαζικὴν ὀχυρωμάτων ἐδείματο, βασιλέως οἱ ἐπαγγείλαντος, καὶ τῶν ἐκείνῃ στρατιωτῶν ἦρξεν, ἔμφρων τε βασιλεῖ ἔδοξεν εἶναι.

Dewing This Thomas had built many of the strongholds about Lazica at the direction of the emperor, and he commanded the soldiers there, seeming to the emperor an intelligent person.

Greek ὁ μὲν οὖν Ἰωάννης, Περσῶν σφίσιν ἐς χεῖρας ἐλθόντων, πληγεὶς αὐτίκα ξὺν τοῖς ἑπομένοις ἐς τὸ στρατόπεδον ἀνεχώρησεν, ἐπεὶ οὐδείς οἱ τῶν ἐκ τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ ἕτερος ἀμύνων ἦλθε·

Dewing Now John, when the Persians joined battle with his men, was wounded and straightway withdrew to the camp with his followers, since no one else of the Roman army came to support him.

Greek Πέρσης δὲ ἀνήρ, Μιρράνης ὄνομα, ὅσπερ τοῦ ἐν Πέτρᾳ φυλακτηρίου ἦρχεν, ἀμφὶ τῇ πόλει δείσας, Πέρσαις μὲν πᾶσιν ἐπέστελλε τῆς φυλακῆς ἐς τὸ ἀκριβὲς μάλιστα ἔχεσθαι, αὐτὸς δὲ παρὰ Δαγισθαῖον σταλεὶς θῶπάς τε καὶ ἀπατηλοὺς προὐτείνετο λόγους, οὐδενὶ πόνῳ ὁμολογῶν οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον ἐνδώσειν τὴν πόλιν. ταύτῃ τε παρακρούσασθαι ἴσχυσεν, ὡς μὴ ἐς τὴν πόλιν αὐτίκα τῷ Ῥωμαίων στρατῷ ἐσιτητὰ εἶναι.

Dewing Meanwhile the Persian Mirranes who commanded the garrison in Petra, fearing for the city, directed all the Persians to keep guard with the greatest diligence, and he himself went to Dagisthaeus, and addressed him with fawning speeches and deceptive words, agreeing readily to surrender the city not long afterwards. In this way he succeeded in deceiving him so that the Roman army did not immediately enter the city.

Greek Οἱ δ’ ἀμφὶ Μερμερόην ἐπειδὴ ἀφίκοντο ἐς τὸν στενωπόν, ἐνταῦθα σφίσι τὸ Ῥωμαίων φυλακτήριον ὑπηντίαζον ἐς ἑκατὸν ὄντες, καρτερῶς τε ἠμύνοντο, καὶ τοὺς τῆς εἰσόδου ἀποπειρωμένους ἀνέστελλον.

Dewing Now when the army of Mermeroes came to the pass, the Roman garrison, numbering one hundred men, confronted them there and offered a stalwart resistance, and they held in check their opponents who were attempting the entrance.

Greek Πέρσαι δὲ οὐδαμοῦ ὑπεχώρουν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς κτεινομένους ἀεὶ ἕτεροι ἐκδεχόμενοι πρόσω ἐχώρουν, παντὶ σθένει τὴν εἴσοδον βιαζόμενοι.

Dewing But the Persians by no means withdrew, but those who fell were constantly replaced by others, and they kept advancing, trying with all their strength to force their way in.

Greek θνήσκουσι μὲν Πέρσαι πλέον ἢ χίλιοι, κτείνοντες δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι ἀπεῖπον, τοῦ τε ὁμίλου σφᾶς βιαζομένου ὑπεχώρησάν τε καὶ ἐς τῶν ἐκείνῃ ὀρῶν τὰς ὑπερβολὰς ἀναδραμόντες ἐσώθησαν.

Dewing Among the Persians more than a thousand perished, but at last the Romans were worn out with killing, and, being forced back by the throng, they withdrew, and running up to the heights of the mountain there were saved.

Greek ταῦτα Δαγισθαῖος μαθὼν αὐτίκα τὴν προσεδρείαν διέλυσεν, οὐδὲν τῷ στρατῷ ἐπιστείλας, ἐπὶ Φᾶσίν τε ποταμὸν ἤλαυνε· καὶ οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι ξύμπαντες εἵποντο, τὰ σφέτερα αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ ἀπολιπόντες.

Dewing Dagisthaeus, upon learning this, straightway abandoned the siege without giving any commands to the army, and proceeded to the River Phasis; and all the Romans followed him, leaving their possessions behind in the camp.

Greek Πέρσαι δὲ τὰ ποιούμενα κατιδόντες τάς τε πύλας ἀνέῳγον καὶ ἐπεξελθόντες ἀμφὶ τὰς καλύβας τῶν πολεμίων ἦλθον, ὡς τὸ στρατόπεδον ἐξαιρήσοντες.

Dewing And when the Persians observed what was being done, they opened their gates and came forth, and approached the tents of the enemy in order to capture the camp.

Greek Τζάνοι δὲ ʽοὐ γὰρ Δαγισθαίῳ ἐπισπόμενοι ἔτυχον’ ἐβοήθουν ἐνταῦθα δρόμῳ, τρεψάμενοί τε πόνῳ οὐδενὶ τοὺς πολεμίους πολλοὺς ἔκτειναν.

Dewing But the Tzani, who had not followed after Dagisthaeus, as it happened, rushed out to defend the camp, and they routed the enemy without difficulty and killed many.

Greek Πέρσαι μὲν οὖν φεύγοντες ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβόλου ἐγένοντο, Τζάνοι δὲ ληισάμενοι τὸ Ῥωμαίων στρατόπεδον εὐθὺ τοῦ Ῥιζαίου ἐχώρησαν. ἔνθεν δὲ ἐς Ἀθήνας ἐλθόντες διὰ Τραπεζουντίων ἐπ’ οἴκου ἀπεκομίσθησαν.

Dewing So the Persians fled inside their fortifications, and the Tzani, after plundering the Roman camp proceeded straight for Rhizaeum. And from there they came to Athens and betook themselves to their homes through the territory of the Trapezuntines.

Greek Μερμερόης δὲ καὶ ὁ Μήσων στρατὸς ἐνταῦθα ἦλθον ἡμέρᾳ μετὰ τὴν Δαγισθαίου ὑπαγωγὴν ἐνάτῃ· οὗ δὴ ἀπολελειμμένους ἐκ τοῦ Περσῶν φυλακτηρίου τραυματίας μὲν καὶ ἀπομάχους γεγενημένους πεντήκοντα καὶ τριακοσίους εὗρον, ἀκραιφνεῖς δὲ πεντήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν μόνους· οἱ γὰρ ἄλλοι ἅπαντες ἐτεθνήκεσαν.

Dewing And Mermeroes and the Median army came there on the ninth day after the withdrawal of Dagisthaeus and in the city they found left of the Persian garrison three hundred and fifty men wounded and unfit for fighting, and only one hundred and fifty men unhurt; for all the rest had perished.

Greek ὧνπερ τὰ σώματα οἱ περιόντες τοῦ περιβόλου ἐκτὸς οὐδαμῆ ἔρριψαν, ἀλλὰ τῷ τῆς ὀσμῆς δυσώδει ἀποπνιγόμενοι παρὰ δόξαν ἀντεῖχον, ὡς μή τινα ἐς τὸ πολιορκεῖν προθυμίαν τοῖς πολεμίοις, ἅτε τῶν πλείστων ἀπολωλότων σφίσι, παρέχωνται.

Dewing Now the survivors had in no case thrown the bodies of the fallen outside the fortifications but though stifled by the evil stench, they held out in a manner beyond belief, in order that they might not afford the enemy any encouragement for the prosecution of the siege, by letting them know that most of their number had perished.

Greek ὅ τε Μερμερόης ἐπιτωθάζων δακρύων τε καὶ θρήνων ἀξίαν Ῥωμαίων τὴν πολιτείαν ἔφασκεν εἶναι, οἷς γε δὴ ἐς τοῦτο ἀσθενείας περιεστήκει τὰ πράγματα, ὡς πεντήκοντά τε καὶ ἑκατὸν ἀτειχίστους Πέρσας μηδεμιᾷ μηχανῇ ἐξελεῖν δεδυνῆσθαι.

Dewing And Mermeroes remarked by way of a taunt that the Roman state was worthy of tears and lamentation, because they have come to such a state of weakness that they had been unable by any device to capture one hundred and fifty Persians without a wall.

Greek καὶ τοῦ μὲν περιβόλου ἀνοικοδομήσασθαι ὅσα καταπεπτώκει ἐν σπουδῇ ἐποιεῖτο· ἐπεὶ δὲ οὔτε τίτανον ἐν τῷ παραυτίκα οὔτε τι ἄλλο τῶν ἐς τὴν οἰκοδομίαν ἐπιτηδείων ἐν παρασκευῇ εἶχεν, ἐπενόει τάδε.

Dewing And he was eager to build up the portions of the circuit wall which had fallen down; but since at the moment he had neither lime nor any of the other necessary materials for the building ready at hand, he devised the following plan.

Greek θυλάκους λινοῦς, οἷς δὴ Πέρσαι τὰ ἐπιτήδεια σφίσιν ἐσεκομίσαντο ἐς γῆν τὴν Κολχίδα, ψάμμου ἐμπλησάμενος ἐς τῶν λίθων τὴν χώραν ἐτίθετο, οἳ δὴ ἐνταῦθα βαλλόμενοι ἀντὶ τοῦ τοίχου ἐγίνοντο.

Dewing Filling with sand the linen bags in which the Persians had carried their provisions into the land of Colchis, he laid them in the place of the stones, and the bags thus arranged took the place of the wall.

Greek καὶ τρισχιλίους μὲν τῶν μαχίμων ἀπολεξάμενος αὐτοῦ εἴασεν, οἷσπερ τὰ ἐδώδιμα οὐκ ἐς χρόνου κατέθετο μῆκος, ἐπιστείλας τοῦ περιβόλου τῆς οἰκοδομίας ἐπιμελεῖσθαι· αὐτὸς δὲ παντὶ τῷ ἄλλῳ στρατῷ ὀπίσω ἀπήλαυνεν.

Dewing And choosing out three thousand of his able fighting men, he left them there, depositing with them victuals for no great length of time, and commanding them to attend to the building of the fortifications; then he himself with all the rest of the army turned back and marched away.

Greek Ἐπεί τέ οἱ ὁδῷ τῇ αὐτῇ ἐνθένδε ἰόντι οὐδεὶς τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐγίνετο πόρος, ἅπαντα ἐν Πέτρᾳ λιπόντι ἅπερ ἐπιφερόμενος ἐξ Ἰβηρίας ὁ στρατὸς ἔτυχεν, ἄλλην τινὰ πορείαν ἰέναι διὰ τῶν ταύτῃ ὀρῶν διενοεῖτο, ἵνα δὴ ἀνθρώπους οἰκεῖν ἔμαθεν,

Dewing But since, if he went from there by the same road, no means of provisioning his army was available, since he had left everything in Petra which had been brought in by the army from Iberia, he planned to go by another route through the mountains, where he learned that the country was inhabited, in order that by foraging there he might be able to live off the land.

Greek ὅπως ληιζόμενοι ἀποζῆν δύνωνται. ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ πορείᾳ τῶν τις ἐν Λαζοῖς λογίμων, Φούβελις ὄνομα, Πέρσας αὐλιζομένους ἐνήδρευσε, Δαγισθαῖον ἅμα Ῥωμαίων δισχιλίοις ἐπαγόμενος, οἳ δὴ τῶν Περσῶν ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς ἵππους νέμοντάς τινας ἔκτειναν, ἵππους τε ληισάμενοι δι’ ὀλίγου τὴν ἀναχώρησιν ἐποιήσαντο. οὕτω μὲν ὁ Μερμερόης τῷ Μήδων στρατῷ ἐνθένδε ᾔει.

Dewing In the course of this journey one of the notables among the Lazi, Phoubelis by name, laid an ambush for the Persians while camping for the night, bringing with him Dagisthaeus with two thousand of the Romans; and these men, making a sudden attack, killed some of the Persians who were grazing their horses and after securing the horses as plunder they shortly withdrew. Thus, then, Mermeroes with the Median army departed from there.

Greek Ὁ δὲ Γουβάζης, μαθὼν ὅσα δὴ Ῥωμαίοις ἔν τε τῇ Πέτρᾳ καὶ τῷ στενωπῷ ξυνηνέχθη γενέσθαι, οὐδ’ ὣς ἔδεισεν, οὐδὲ τὴν ἐν τῷ κατ’ αὐτὸν στενωπῷ φυλακὴν εἴασεν, ἐνταῦθα σφίσι τὴν κεφαλὴν τῆς ἐλπίδος οἰόμενος εἶναι.

Dewing But Goubazes, upon learning what had befallen the Romans both at Petra and at the pass, did not even so become frightened, nor did he give up the guarding of the pass where he was, considering that their hope centred in that place.

Greek ἐξηπίστατο γὰρ ὡς, ἢν καὶ Ῥωμαίους ἐκτὸς Φάσιδος ποταμοῦ βιασάμενοι Πέρσαι τὸν στενωπὸν διαβῆναι καὶ ἐν Πέτρᾳ γενέσθαι δεδύνηνται, οὐδὲν ἂν ἐνθένδε Λαζῶν τῇ χώρᾳ προστρίψαιντο βλάβος, Φᾶσιν διαβῆναι οὐδεμιᾷ μηχανῇ ἔχοντες, ἄλλως τε καὶ νηῶν οὐ παρουσῶν σφίσιν.

Dewing For he understood that, even if the Persians had been able by forcing back the Romans on the left of the River Phasis to cross over the pass and get into Petra, they could thereby inflict no injury upon the land of the Lazi since they were utterly unable to cross the Phasis, in particular because no ships were at their disposal.

Greek ὁ γὰρ ποταμὸς οὗτος βάθους μὲν εἴπερ τις ἄλλος ἱκανώτατα ἔχει, εὔρους δὲ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον διήκει.

Dewing For in depth this river is not inferior to the deepest rivers, and it spreads out to a great width.

Greek τῆς μέντοι ῥύμης αὐτῷ τοσοῦτον περίεστιν ὥστε δὴ ἐς τὴν θάλασσαν ἐκβαλὼν ἐπὶ μακρότατον κατὰ μόνας χωρεῖ, οὐδαμῆ ταύτῃ ἐπιμιγνύμενος. ὕδωρ ἀμέλει πότιμον τοῖς ἐκείνῃ ναυτιλλομένοις ὑδρεύεσθαι πάρεστιν ἐν μέσῳ πελάγει.

Dewing Moreover it has such a strong current that when it empties into the sea, it goes on as a separate stream for a very great distance, without mingling at all with the sea‑water. Indeed, those who navigate in those parts are able to draw up drinking water in the midst of the sea.

Greek καὶ φυλακτήρια μέντοι τοῦ ποταμοῦ ἐντὸς πεποίηνται πανταχόθι Λαζοί, τοῦ μηδὲ ναυσὶ διαπορθμευομένοις τοῖς πολεμίοις ἀπόβασιν ἐς τὴν γῆν εἶναι.

Dewing Moreover, the Lazi have erected fortresses all along the right bank of the river in order that, even when the enemy are ferried across in boats, they may not be able to disembark on the land.

Greek Βασιλεὺς δὲ Ἰουστινιανὸς Σαβείρων μὲν τῷ ἔθνει τὰ ξυγκείμενα χρήματα ἔπεμψε, Γουβάζην δὲ καὶ Λαζοὺς χρήμασιν ἄλλοις δεδώρηται.

Dewing The Emperor Justinian at this time sent to the nation of the Sabeiri the money which had been agreed upon, and he rewarded Goubazes and the Lazi with additional sums of money.

Greek ἐτύγχανε δὲ πολλῷ πρότερον καὶ ἄλλο στράτευμα λόγου ἄξιον ἐς Λαζικὴν πέμψας, οἳ οὔπω ἀφικόμενοι ἐνταῦθα ἔτυχον. ἦρχε δὲ αὐτῶν Ῥεκίθαγγος ἐκ Θρᾴκης, ἀνὴρ ξυνετός τε καὶ ἀγαθὸς τὰ πολέμια. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ταύτῃ πη εἶχε.

Dewing And it happened that long before this time he had sent another considerable army also to Lazica, which had not yet arrived there. The commander of this army was Rhecithancus, from Thrace, a man of discretion and a capable warrior. Such then was the course of these events.

Greek Γενόμενος δὲ ὁ Μερμερόης ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσιν, ὥσπερ μοι εἴρηται, Πέτραν ἐνθένδε τῶν ἐπιτηδείων ἐμπιπλάναι ἐν σπουδῇ εἶχεν. ἐπαρκέσειν γὰρ τῷ ἐνταῦθα φυλακτηρίῳ ἐς τρισχιλίους ὄντι τὰ ἐδώδιμα οὐδαμῆ ᾤετο ἅπερ εἰσκομισάμενοι ξὺν αὐτοῖς ἔτυχον.

Dewing Now when Mermeroes got into the mountains, as I have said, he was anxious to fill Petra with provisions from there. For he did not by any means think that the victuals which they had brought in with them would suffice for the garrison there, amounting to three thousand men.

Greek ἀλλ’ ἐπεὶ τὰ ἐν ποσὶ σφίσι γινόμενα μόλις ἀπέχρη ἐς τὴν δαπάνην τῇ στρατιᾷ ταύτῃ, οὐχ ἧσσον ἢ τρισμυρίοις οὖσι, καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ οὐδὲν ὅ τι καὶ λόγου ἄξιον πέμπειν ἐς τὴν Πέτραν οἷοί τε ἦσαν, λογισάμενος εὕρισκε σφίσιν ἄμεινον εἶναι τὸ μὲν πλέον τοῦ στρατοῦ ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι ἐκ γῆς τῆς Κολχίδος, ὀλίγους δέ τινας ἐνταῦθα μεῖναι, οἳ δὴ ἔμελλον τῶν ἐπιτηδείων οἷς ἂν ἐντύχοιεν πολλὰ μὲν ἐς τὸ ἐν Πέτρᾳ φυλακτήριον ἐσκομίζεσθαι, τοῖς δὲ ἄλλοις αὐτοὶ διαρκῶς χρῆσθαι·

Dewing But since the supplies they found along the way barely sufficed for the provisioning of that army, which numbered no less than thirty thousand, and since on this account they were able to send nothing at all of consequence to Petra, upon consideration he found it better for them that the greater part of the army should depart from the land of Colchis, and that some few should remain there, who were to convey to the garrison in Petra the most of the provisions which they might find, while using the rest to maintain themselves comfortably.

Greek ἄνδρας οὖν ἐς πεντακισχιλίους ἀπολεξάμενος αὐτοῦ εἴασεν, οἷς δὴ ἄρχοντας ἄλλους τε τρεῖς καὶ Φάβριζον κατεστήσατο.

Dewing He therefore selected five thousand men and left them there, appointing as commanders over them Phabrizus and three others.

Greek πλείους γὰρ ἐνταῦθα λείπεσθαι οὔ οἱ ἔδοξεν ἐπάναγκες εἶναι, πολεμίων οὐδαμῆ ὄντων. αὐτὸς δὲ τῷ ἄλλῳ στρατῷ ἐς τὴν Περσαρμενίαν ἐλθὼν ἡσύχαζεν ἐν τοῖς ἀμφὶ Δούβιος χωρίοις.

Dewing For it seemed to him unnecessary to leave more men there, since there was no enemy at all. And he himself with the rest of the army came into Persarmenia and remained quietly in the country around Doubios.

Greek Οἱ δὲ πεντακισχίλιοι, ἐπεὶ ἐγγυτέρω τῶν Λαζικῆς ἐσχάτων ἦλθον, παρὰ ποταμὸν Φᾶσιν ἐστρατοπεδεύσαντο ἅπαντες, ἔνθεν τε κατ’ ὀλίγους περιιόντες ἐληίζοντο τὰ ἐκείνῃ χωρία.

Dewing Now the five thousand, upon coming nearer to the frontier of Lazica, encamped in a body beside the Phasis River, and from there they went about in small bands and plundered the neighbouring country.

Greek ὧν δὴ ὁ Γουβάζης αἰσθόμενος τῷ Δαγισθαίῳ ἐπέστελλε βοηθεῖν ἐνταῦθα σπουδῇ· δράσειν γὰρ σφίσι τοὺς πολεμίους κακόν τι μέγα δυνατὰ ἔσεσθαι.

Dewing Now when Goubazes perceived this, he sent word to Dagisthaeus to hasten there to his assistance; for it would be possible for them to do the enemy some great harm.

Greek ὁ δὲ κατὰ ταῦτα ἐποίει, παντί τε τῷ Ῥωμαίων στρατῷ ἐπίπροσθεν ᾔει, ἐν ἀριστερᾷ ἔχων ποταμὸν Φᾶσιν, ἕως ἐς χῶρον ἀφίκετο ἵνα δὴ οἱ Λαζοὶ ἐστρατοπεδεύοντο ἐν τῇ ἑτέρα τοῦ ποταμοῦ ὄχθῃ.

Dewing And he did as directed, moving forward with the whole Roman army with the River Phasis on the left, until he came to the place where the Lazi encamped on the opposite bank of the river.

Greek ἐτύγχανε δὲ ταύτῃ ὁ Φᾶσις διαβατὸς ὤν, ὅπερ Ῥωμαῖοι μὲν καὶ Πέρσαι ἀπειρίᾳ τῶν ἐκείνῃ χωρίων ὡς ἥκιστα ὑπετόπαζον, Λαζοὶ μέντοι ἐξεπιστάμενοι ἐνταῦθα διέβησαν ἐξαπιναίως καὶ ἀνεμίγνυντο τῷ Ῥωμαίων στρατῷ· Πέρσαι δὲ ἄνδρας χιλίους τῶν ἐν σφίσι δοκίμων ἀπολεξάμενοι ἔπεμψαν, ὡς μή τις ἐπὶ τὸ στρατόπεδον κακουργήσων ἴοι.

Dewing Now it happened that the Phasis could be forded at this point, a fact which neither the Romans nor the Persians suspected in the least because of their lack of familiarity with these regions; but the Lazi knew it well, and they made the crossing suddenly and joined the Roman army. And the Persians chose out a thousand men of repute among them and sent them forth, that no one might advance against the camp to harm it.

Greek ὧνπερ δύο ἐπὶ κατασκοπῇ προτερήσαντες καὶ παρὰ δόξαν ἐς τοὺς πολεμίους ἐμπεπτωκότες τὸν πάντα λόγον ἐσήγγειλαν.

Dewing And two of this force, who had gone out ahead of their fellows to reconnoitre, fell unexpectedly into the hands of the enemy and informed them of the whole situation.

Greek διὸ δὴ Ῥωμαῖοί τε καὶ Λαζοὶ τοῖς χιλίοις ἐξαπιναίως ἐπέστησαν, οὐδείς τε αὐτῶν διαφυγεῖν ἔσχεν, ἀλλ’ οἱ μὲν πολλοὶ διεφθάρησαν, τινὰς δὲ αὐτῶν καὶ ζωγρήσαντες οἵ τε ἀμφὶ Γουβάζην καὶ Δαγισθαῖον τό τε μέτρον τοῦ Μήδων στρατοῦ καὶ τὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ μῆκος μαθεῖν ἴσχυσαν, καὶ ὅπη ποτὲ αὐτοῖς τὰ παρόντα ἔχοι.

Dewing The Romans, therefore, and the Lazi fell suddenly upon the thousand men, and not one of them succeeded in escaping, but the most of them were slain, while some also were captured; and through these the men of Goubazes and Dagisthaeus succeeded in learning the numbers of the Median army and the length of the journey to them and the condition in which they then were.

Greek ἄραντες οὖν παντὶ τῷ στρατῷ ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς ᾔεσαν, διαριθμούμενοι ὅπως πόρρω που τῶν νυκτῶν ἐπιπέσοιεν σφίσι· τετρακισχίλιοι δὲ καὶ μύριοι ἦσαν.

Dewing They therefore broke camp and marched against them with their whole army, calculating so that they would fall upon them well on in the night; their own force amounted to fourteen thousand men.

Greek οἱ μὲν οὖν Πέρσαι πολέμιον οὐδὲν ἐν νῷ ἔχοντες μακρόν τινα ὕπνον ἐκάθευδον· τόν τε γὰρ ποταμὸν ἀπόρευτον ᾤοντο εἶναι καὶ τοὺς χιλίους, οὐδενὸς σφίσιν ὑπαντιάσαντος,

Dewing Now the Persians, having no thought of an enemy in their minds, were enjoying a long sleep; for they supposed that the river was impassable, and that the thousand men, with no one to oppose them, were making a long march somewhere.

Greek ἐπὶ μακρότατόν πη ὁδῷ ἰέναι. Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ Λαζοὶ ὄρθρου βαθέος ἀπροσδόκητοι ἐπιπεσόντες τοὺς μὲν ἔτι ὕπνον αἱρουμένους εὗρον, τοὺς δὲ ἄρτι ἐξ ὕπνου ἐγηγερμένους καὶ γυμνοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν στρωμάτων κειμένους.

Dewing But the Romans and Lazi at early dawn unexpectedly fell upon them, and they found some still buried in slumber and others just roused from sleep and lying defenceless upon their beds.

Greek διὸ δὴ αὐτῶν οὐδενὶ ἐς ἀλκὴν ἰδεῖν ξυνηνέχθη, ἀλλ’ οἱ μὲν πλεῖστοι καταλαμβανόμενοι ἔθνησκον, τινὰς δὲ καὶ ἐζώγρησαν οἱ πολέμιοι, ἐν τοῖς καὶ τῶν ἀρχόντων ἕνα τετύχηκεν εἶναι, ὀλίγοι δέ τινες ἐν σκότῳ διαφεύγοντες ἐσώθησαν.

Dewing Not one of them, therefore, thought of resistance, and the majority were caught and killed, while some also were captured by the enemy, among whom happened to be one of the commanders; only a few escaped in the darkness and were saved.

Greek τό τε στρατόπεδον Ῥωμαῖοι καὶ Λαζοὶ αἱροῦσι καὶ τὰ σημεῖα πάντα, ὅπλα τε πολλὰ καὶ χρήματα μεγάλα ἐληίσαντο, καὶ ἵππων τε καὶ ἡμιόνων μέγα τι χρῆμα.

Dewing And the Romans and Lazi captured the camp and all the standards, and they also secured many weapons and a great deal of money as plunder, besides great numbers of horses and mules.

Greek ἐπὶ μακρότατον δὲ τὴν δίωξιν ποιησάμενοι καὶ Ἰβηρίας πόρρω ἀφίκοντο. ἔνθα δὴ καὶ ἄλλοις τισὶ Περσῶν ἐντυχόντες πολλοὺς ἔκτειναν.

Dewing And pursuing them for a very great distance they came well into Iberia. There they happened upon certain others of the Persians also and slew a great number.

Greek οὕτω μὲν ἐκ Λαζικῆς Πέρσαι ἀπήλλαξαν, Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ καὶ Λαζοὶ τά τε ἄλλα ἐπιτήδεια καὶ ἄλευρα παμπληθῆ ἐνταῦθα εὑρόντες ἅπαντα ἔκαυσαν ἅπερ ἐξ Ἰβηρίας οἱ βάρβαροι ἐπηγάγοντο ἐφ’ ᾧ ἐς Πέτραν ἐσκομίσονται.

Dewing Thus the Persians departed from Lazica; and the Romans and Lazi found there all the supplies, including great quantities of flour, which the barbarians had brought in from Iberia, in order to transport them to Petra, and they burned them all.

Greek Λαζῶν τε πολλοὺς ἐλίποντο ἐν τῷ στενωπῷ, ὡς μηκέτι Πέρσαις ἐς Πέτραν τὰ ἐπιτήδεια ἐσκομίζεσθαι δυνατὰ εἴη, ξύν τε τῇ ἄλλῃ λείᾳ καὶ τοῖς αἰχμαλώτοις ἀνέστρεφον.

Dewing And they left a large number of Lazi in the pass, so that it might no longer be possible for the Persians to carry in supplies to Petra, and they returned with all the plunder and the captives.

Greek καὶ τέταρτον ἔτος ἐτελεύτα Ῥωμαίοις τῆς ἐς Πέρσας ἐκεχειρίας, τρίτον καὶ εἰκοστὸν ἔτος Ἰουστινιανοῦ βασιλέως τὴν αὐτοκράτορα ἀρχὴν ἔχοντος.

Dewing And the fourth year of the truce between the Romans and Persians came to an end, being the twenty-third year of the reign of the Emperor Justinian.

Greek Ἰωάννης δὲ ὁ Καππαδόκης ἐνιαυτῷ πρότερον βασιλεῖ ἐς Βυζάντιον μετάπεμπτος ἦλθε. τηνικάδε γὰρ Θεοδώρᾳ τῇ βασιλίδι ἐπεγένετο ἡ τέλειος ἡμέρα τοῦ βίου.

Dewing And John the Cappadocian one year before this came to Byzantium at the summons of the emperor. For at that time the Empress Theodora had reached the term of her life.

Greek τῶν μέντοι πρόσθεν ἀξιωμάτων ἀνασώσασθαι οὐδ’ ὁτιοῦν ἔσχεν, ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀκουσίου τιμῆς ἱερεὺς ἔμεινε· καίτοι φάντασμα τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐγεγόνει πολλάκις ὡς εἰς βασιλείαν ἀφίξεται.

Dewing However, he was quite unable to recover any of his former dignities, but he continued to hold the priestly honour against his will; and yet the vision had often come to the man that he would arrive at royalty.

Greek φιλεῖ γὰρ τὸ δαιμόνιον, ὅπερ ἐς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ὡραΐζεσθαι πέφυκεν, ἀπὸ μειζόνων τε καὶ ὑψηλοτέρων ἐλπίδων κρεμᾶν οἷς δὴ οὐκ ἐπὶ στερρᾶς φύσεως τὴν διάνοιαν ἑστάναι ξυμβαίνει.

Dewing For the divine power is accustomed to tempt those whose minds are not solidly grounded by nature, by holding before their vision, on great and lofty hopes, that which is counted splendid among men.

Greek καὶ τούτῳ γοῦν τῷ Ἰωάννῃ ἄλλας τε πολλὰς τερατολόγοι φαντάσεις ἐς ἀεὶ προὔλεγον καὶ ὡς χρῆν αὐτὸν τὸ τοῦ Αὐγούστου ἀμπίσχεσθαι σχῆμα.

Dewing At any rate the marvel-mongers were always predicting to this John many such imaginary things, and especially that he was bound to be clothed in the garment of Augustus.

Greek ἦν δέ τις ἱερεὺς ἐν Βυζαντίῳ, Αὔγουστος ὄνομα, ὃς δὴ τῶν κειμηλίων τοῦ τῆς Σοφίας ἱεροῦ φυλακὴν εἶχεν.

Dewing Now there was a certain priest in Byzantium, Augustus by name, who guarded the treasures of temple of Sophia.

Greek ἡνίκα τοίνυν Ἰωάννης ἀποθριξάμενος τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἠξίωτο βίᾳ, οὐ γὰρ ἦν αὐτῷ ἐσθὴς ἱερεῖ πρέπουσα, τούτου δὴ τοῦ Αὐγούστου, ἐγγύς πη ὄντος, τόν τε φαινόλην καὶ τὸν χιτῶνα ἐνδιδύσκεσθαι πρὸς τῶν τῷ ἔργῳ ἐφεστώτων ἠνάγκαστο, ἐς τοῦτό τε αὐτῷ ἀπεκρίθη, οἶμαι, ἡ πρόρρησις.

Dewing So when John had been shorn and declared worthy of the priestly dignity by force, inasmuch as he had no garment becoming a priest, he had been compelled by those who were in charge of this business to put on the cloak and the tunic of this Augustus who was near by, and in this, I suppose, his prophecy reached its fulfilment. The Loeb Editor's Notes: 1 Cf. Book I.xii.5 ff. ❦ 2 Book II.xix.23. ❦ 3 Procopius seems to have confused two separate and distinct rivers. ❦ 4 Cf. Book II.xv.11. ❦ 5 Latin clausura, "a narrow shut‑in road." ◂ previous 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