第5巻 第21章

Greek Οὕτω μὲν δὴ οἱ πρέσβεις ἐς τὸ σφέτερον στρατόπεδον ἐκομίζοντο. καὶ ἐπεὶ αὐτῶν Οὐίττιγις ἐπυνθάνετο ὁποῖός τε ἀνὴρ Βελισάριος εἴη καὶ γνώμης ὅπως ποτὲ ἀμφὶ τῇ ἐνθένδε ἀναχωρήσει ἔχοι, ἀπεκρίναντο ὡς οὐκ εἰκότα Γότθοι ἐλπίζουσι, δεδίξεσθαι Βελισάριον ὅτῳ δὴ τρόπῳ οἰόμενοι.

Dewing The envoys then betook themselves to their own army. And when Vittigis enquired of them what manner of man Belisarius was and how his purpose stood with regard to the question of withdrawing from Rome, they replied that the Goths were hoping for vain things if they supposed that they would frighten Belisarius in any way whatsoever.

Greek Οὐίττιγις δὲ ταῦτα ἀκούσας τειχομαχεῖν τε πολλῇ σπουδῇ ἐβουλεύετο καὶ τὰ ἐς τὴν τοῦ περιβόλου ἐπιβουλὴν ἐξηρτύετο ὧδε.

Dewing And when Vittigis heard this, he began in great earnest to plan an assault upon the wall, and the preparation he made for the attempt upon the fortifications were as follows.

Greek πύργους ξυλίνους ἐποιήσατο ἴσους τῷ τείχει τῶν πολεμίων, καὶ ἔτυχέ γε τοῦ ἀληθοῦς μέτρου πολλάκις ξυμμετρησάμενος ταῖς τῶν λίθων ἐπιβολαῖς.

Dewing He constructed wooden towers equal in height to the enemy's wall, and he discovered its true measure by making many calculations based upon the courses of stone.

Greek τούτοις δὲ τοῖς πύργοις τροχοὶ ἐς τὴν βάσιν ἐμβεβλημένοι πρὸς γωνίᾳ ἑκάστῃ ὑπέκειντο, οἳ δὴ αὐτοὺς κυλινδούμενοι ῥᾷστα περιάξειν ἔμελλον ὅπη οἱ τειχομαχοῦντες ἀεὶ βούλοιντο, καὶ βόες τοὺς πύργους ξυνδεδεμένοι εἷλκον.

Dewing And wheels were attached to the floor of these towers under each corner, which were intended, as they turned, to move the towers to any point the attacking army might wish at a given time, and the towers were drawn by oxen yoked together.

Greek ἔπειτα δὲ κλίμακας πολλάς τε τὸ πλῆθος καὶ ἄχρι ἐς τὰς ἐπάλξεις ἐξικνουμένας ἡτοίμαζε καὶ μηχανὰς τέσσαρας αἳ κριοὶ καλοῦνται.

Dewing After this he made ready a great number of ladders, that would reach as far as the parapet, and four engines which are called rams.

Greek ἔστι δὲ ἡ μηχανὴ τοιαύτη. κίονες ὀρθοὶ ξύλινοι τέσσαρες ἀντίοι τε καὶ ἴσοι ἀλλήλοις ἑστᾶσι. τούτοις δὲ τοῖς κίοσι δοκοὺς ὀκτὼ ἐγκαρσίας ἐνείροντες τέσσαρας μὲν ἄνω, τοσαύτας δὲ πρὸς ταῖς βάσεσιν ἐναρμόζουσιν.

Dewing Now this engine is of the following sort. Four upright wooden beams, equal in length, are set up opposite one another. To these beams they fit eight horizontal timbers, four above and an equal number at the base, thus binding them together.

Greek οἰκίσκου τε σχῆμα τετραγώνου ἐργαζόμενοι προκάλυμμα πανταχόθεν ἀντὶ τοίχων τε καὶ τείχους διφθέρας αὐτῷ περιβάλλουσιν, ὅπως ἥ τε μηχανὴ τοῖς ἕλκουσιν ἐλαφρὰ εἴη καὶ οἱ ἔνδον ἐν ἀσφαλεῖ ὦσιν, ὡς πρὸς τῶν ἐναντίων ἥκιστα βάλλεσθαι.

Dewing After they have thus made the frame of a four-sided building, they surround it on all sides, not with walls of wood or stone, but with a covering of hides, in order that the engine may be light for those who draw it and that those within may still be in the least possible danger of being shot by their opponents.

Greek ἐντὸς δὲ αὐτῆς δοκὸν ἑτέραν ἄνωθεν ἐγκαρσίαν ἀρτήσαντες χαλαραῖς ταῖς ἁλύσεσι κατὰ μέσην μάλιστα τὴν μηχανὴν ἔχουσιν. ἧς δὴ ὀξεῖαν ποιούμενοι τὴν ἄκραν, σιδήρῳ πολλῷ καθάπερ ἀκίδα καλύπτουσι βέλους, ἢ καὶ τετράγωνον, ὥσπερ ἄκμονα, τὸν σίδηρον ποιοῦσι.

Dewing And on the inside they hang another horizontal beam from the top by means of chains which swing free, and they keep it at about the middle of the interior. They then sharpen the end of this beam and cover it with a large iron head, precisely as they cover the round point of a missile, or they sometimes make the iron head square like an anvil.

Greek καὶ τροχοῖς μὲν ἡ μηχανὴ τέσσαρσι πρὸς κίονι ἑκάστῳ κειμένοις ἐπῆρται, ἄνδρες δὲ αὐτὴν οὐχ ἧσσον ἢ κατὰ πεντήκοντα κινοῦσιν ἔνδοθεν.

Dewing And the whole structure is raised upon four wheels, one being attached to each upright beam, and men to the number of no fewer than fifty to each ram move it from the inside.

Greek οἳ ἐπειδὰν αὐτὴν τῷ περιβόλῳ ἐρείσωσι, τὴν δοκὸν ἧς δὴ ἄρτι ἐμνήσθην μηχανῇ τινι στρέφοντες ὀπίσω ἀνέλκουσιν, αὖθίς τε αὐτὴν ξὺν ῥύμῃ πολλῇ ἐπὶ τὸ τεῖχος ἀφιᾶσιν.

Dewing Then when they apply it to the wall, they draw back the beam which I have just mentioned by turning a certain mechanism, and then they let it swing forward with great force against the wall.

Greek ἡ δὲ συχνὰ ἐμβαλλομένη κατασεῖσαί τε ὅπη προσπίπτοι καὶ διελεῖν ῥᾷστα οἵα τέ ἐστι, καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν ταύτην ἡ μηχανὴ ἔχει, ἐπεὶ τῆς δοκοῦ ταύτης ἡ ἐμβολὴ προὔχουσα πλήσσειν ὅπου παρατύχοι, καθάπερ τῶν προβάτων τὰ ἄρρενα,

Dewing And this beam by frequent blows is able quite easily to batter down and tear open a wall wherever it strikes, and it is for this reason that the engine has the name it bears, because the striking end of the beam, projecting as it does, is accustomed to butt against whatever it may encounter, precisely as do the males among sheep.

Greek εἴωθε. τῶν μὲν οὖν τειχομαχούντων οἱ κριοὶ τοιοίδε εἰσί.

Dewing Such, then, are the rams used by the assailants of a wall.

Greek Γότθοι δὲ πάμπολύ τι φακέλλων χρῆμα ἔκ τε ξύλων καὶ καλάμων ποιησάμενοι ἐν παρασκευῇ εἶχον, ὅπως δὴ ἐς τὴν τάφρον ἐμβαλόντες ὁμαλόν τε τὸν χῶρον ἐργάσωνται καὶ ταύτῃ διαβαίνειν αἱ μηχαναὶ ἥκιστα εἴργωνται. οὕτω μὲν δὴ Γότθοι παρασκευασάμενοι τειχομαχεῖν ὥρμηντο.

Dewing And the Goths were holding in readiness an exceedingly great number of bundles of faggots, which they had made of pieces of wood and reeds in order that by throwing them into the moat they might make the ground level, and that their engines might not be prevented from crossing it. Now after the Goths had made their preparations in this manner, they were eager to make an assault upon the wall.

Greek Βελισάριος δὲ μηχανὰς μὲν ἐς τοὺς πύργους ἐτίθετο ἃς καλοῦσι βαλλίστρας. τόξου δὲ σχῆμα ἔχουσιν αἱ μηχαναὶ αὗται, ἔνερθέν τε αὐτοῦ κοίλη τις ξυλίνη κεραία προὔχει, αὐτὴ μὲν χαλαρὰ ἠρτημένη, σιδηρᾷ δὲ εὐθείᾳ τινὶ ἐπικειμένη.

Dewing But Belisarius placed upon the towers engines which they call "ballistae."⁠ Now these engines have the form of a bow, but on the under side of them a grooved wooden shaft projects; this shaft is so fitted to the bow that it is free to move, and rests upon a straight iron bed.

Greek ἐπειδὰν οὖν τοὺς πολεμίους ἐνθένδε βάλλειν ἐθέλουσιν ἄνθρωποι, βρόχου βραχέος ἐνέρσει τὰ ξύλα ἐς ἄλληλα νεύειν ποιοῦσιν ἃ δὴ τοῦ τόξου ἄκρα ξυμβαίνει εἶναι, τόν τε ἄτρακτον ἐν τῇ κοίλῃ κεραίᾳ τίθενται, τῶν ἄλλων βελῶν, ἅπερ ἐκ τῶν τόξων ἀφιᾶσι, μῆκος μὲν ἔχοντα ἥμισυ μάλιστα, εὖρος δὲ κατὰ τετραπλάσιον.

Dewing So when men wish to shoot at the enemy with this, they make the parts of the bow which form the ends bend toward one another by means of a short rope fastened to them, and they place in the grooved shaft the arrow, which is about one half the length of the ordinary missiles which they shoot from bows, but about four times as wide.

Greek πτεροῖς μέντοι οὐ τοῖς εἰωθόσιν ἐνέχεται, ἀλλὰ ξύλα λεπτὰ ἐς τῶν πτερῶν τὴν χώραν ἐνείροντες ὅλον ἀπομιμοῦνται τοῦ βέλους τὸ σχῆμα, μεγάλην αὐτῷ λίαν καὶ τοῦ πάχους κατὰ λόγον τὴν ἀκίδα ἐμβάλλοντες.

Dewing However, it does not have feathers of the usual sort attached to it, but by inserting thin pieces of wood in place of feathers, they give it in all respects the form of an arrow, making the point which they put on very large and in keeping with its thickness.

Greek σφίγγουσί τε σθένει πολλῷ οἱ ἀμφοτέρωθεν μηχαναῖς τισι, καὶ τότε ἡ κοίλη κεραία προϊοῦσα ἐκπίπτει μέν, ξὺν ῥύμῃ δὲ τοσαύτῃ ἐκπίπτει τὸ βέλος ὥστε ἐξικνεῖται μὲν οὐχ ἧσσον ἢ κατὰ δύο τῆς τοξείας βολάς, δένδρου δὲ ἢ λίθου ἐπιτυχὸν τέμνει ῥᾳδίως.

Dewing And the men who stand on either side wind it up tight by means of certain appliances, and then the grooved shaft shoots forward and stops, but the missile is discharged from the shaft,⁠ and with such force that it attains the distance of not less than two bow‑shots, and that, when it hits a tree or a rock, it pierces it easily.

Greek τοιαύτη μὲν ἡ μηχανή ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοῦ ὀνόματος τούτου, ὅτι δὴ βάλλει ὡς μάλιστα, ἐπικληθεῖσα. ἑτέρας δὲ μηχανὰς ἐπήξαντο ἐν ταῖς τοῦ περιβόλου ἐπάλξεσιν ἐς λίθων βολὰς ἐπιτηδείας.

Dewing Such is the engine which bears this name, being so called because it shoots with very great force.⁠ And they fixed other engines along the parapet of the wall adapted for throwing stones.

Greek σφενδόνῃ δὲ αὗταί εἰσιν ἐμφερεῖς καὶ ὄναγροι ἐπικαλοῦνται. ἐν δὲ ταῖς πύλαις λύκους ἔξω ἐπετίθεντο, οὓς δὴ ποιοῦσι τρόπῳ τοιῷδε.

Dewing Now these resemble slings and are called "wild asses."⁠ And outside the gates they placed "wolves,"⁠ which they make in the following manner.

Greek δοκοὺς δύο ἱστᾶσιν ἐκ γῆς ἄχρι καὶ ἐς τὰς ἐπάλξεις ἐξικνουμένας, ξύλα τε εἰργασμένα ἐπ’ ἄλληλα θέμενοι τὰ μὲν ὀρθά, τὰ δὲ ἐγκάρσια ἐναρμόζουσιν, ὡς τῶν ἐνέρσεων τὰ ἐν μέσῳ εἰς ἄλληλα τρυπήματα φαίνεσθαι.

Dewing They set up two timbers which reach from the ground to the battlements; then they fit together beams which have been mortised to one another, pla­cing some upright and other crosswise, so that the spaces between the intersections appear as a succession of holes. And from every joint there projects a kind of beak, which resembles very closely a thick goad.

Greek ἑκάστης δὲ ἁρμονίας ἐμβολή τις προὔχει, κέντρῳ παχεῖ ἐς τὰ μάλιστα ἐμφερὴς οὖσα. καὶ τῶν ξύλων τὰ ἐγκάρσια ἐς δοκὸν ἑκατέραν πηξάμενοι, ἄνωθεν ἄχρι ἐς μοῖραν διήκοντα τὴν ἡμίσειαν, ὑπτίας τὰς δοκοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν πυλῶν ἀνακλίνουσι.

Dewing Then they fasten the cross-beams to the two upright timbers, beginning at the top and letting them extend half way down, and then lean the timbers back against the gates.

Greek καὶ ἐπειδὰν αὐτῶν ἐγγυτέρω οἱ πολέμιοι ἵκωνται, οἱ δὲ ἄνωθεν ἄκρων δοκῶν ἁψάμενοι ὠθοῦσιν, αὗται δὲ ἐς τοὺς ἐπιόντας ἐκ τοῦ αἰφνιδίου ἐμπίπτουσαι τοῖς προέχουσι τῶν ἐμβολῶν, ὅσους ἂν λάβοιεν, εὐπετῶς κτείνουσι. Βελισάριος μὲν οὖν ταῦτα ἐποίει.

Dewing And whenever the enemy come up near them, those above lay hold of the ends of the timbers and push, and these, falling suddenly upon the assailants, easily kill with the projecting beaks as many as they may catch. So Belisarius was thus engaged.