第5巻 第7章

Greek Ἐν ᾧ δὲ ταῦτά τε βασιλεὺς ἔπρασσε καὶ οἱ πρέσβεις οὗτοι ἐς Ἰταλίαν ἐστέλλοντο, ἐν τούτῳ Γότθοι, ἄλλων τε καὶ Ἀσιναρίου καὶ Γρίπα σφίσιν ἡγουμένων, στρατῷ πολλῷ ἐς Δαλματίαν ἧκον.

Dewing But meantime, while the emperor was engaged in these negotiations and these envoys were travelling to Italy, the Goths, under command of Asinarius and Gripas and some others, had come with a great army into Dalmatia.

Greek ἐπειδή τε Σαλώνων ἄγχιστα ἵκοντο, Μαυρίκιος σφίσιν, ὁ Μούνδου υἱός, οὐκ ἐς παράταξιν, ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ κατασκοπῇ ἥκων ξὺν ὀλίγοις τισὶν ὑπηντίαζε.

Dewing And when they had reached the neighbourhood of Salones, Mauricius, the son of Mundus, who was not marching out for battle but, with a few men, was on a scouting expedition, encountered them.

Greek καρτερᾶς δὲ γενομένης τῆς ξυμβολῆς Γότθων μὲν οἱ πρῶτοι καὶ ἄριστοι ἔπεσον, Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ σχεδὸν ἅπαντες καὶ Μαυρίκιος ὁ στρατηγός.

Dewing A violent engagement ensued in which the Goths lost their foremost and noblest men, but the Romans almost their whole company, including their general Mauricius.

Greek ἅπερ ἐπεὶ ἤκουσε Μοῦνδος περιώδυνός τε γενόμενος τῇ ξυμφορᾷ καὶ θυμῷ πολλῷ ἤδη ἐχόμενος, αὐτίκα μάλα ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους οὐδενὶ κόσμῳ ᾔει.

Dewing And when Mundus heard of this, being overcome with grief at the misfortune and by this time dominated by a mighty fury, he went against the enemy without the least delay and regardless of order.

Greek τῆς τε μάχης κρατερᾶς γεγενημένης τὴν Καδμείαν νίκην Ῥωμαίοις νικῆσαι ξυνέπεσε. τῶν μὲν γὰρ πολεμίων ἐνταῦθα οἱ πλεῖστοι ἔπεσον καὶ ἡ τροπὴ λαμπρὰ ἐγεγόνει, Μοῦνδος δὲ κτείνων τε καὶ ὅπῃ παρατύχοι ἑπόμενος καὶ κατέχειν τὴν διάνοιαν τῇ τοῦ παιδὸς ξυμφορᾷ ὡς ἥκιστα ἔχων ὑφ’ ὅτου δὴ τῶν φευγόντων πληγεὶς ἔπεσε, καὶ ἥ τε δίωξις ἐς τοῦτο ἐτελεύτα καὶ τὰ στρατόπεδα ἑκάτερα διελέλυτο.

Dewing The battle which took place was stubbornly contested, and the result was a Cadmean victory⁠ for the Romans. For although the most of the enemy fell there and their rout had been decisive, Mundus, who went on killing and following up the enemy wherever he chanced to find them and was quite unable to restrain his mind because of the misfortune of his son, was wounded by some fugitive or other and fell. Thereupon the pursuit ended and the two armies separated.

Greek τότε Ῥωμαῖοι ἀνεμνήσθησαν τοῦ Σιβύλλης ἔπους, ὅπερ ᾀδόμενον ἐν τῷ πρὶν χρόνῳ τέρας αὐτοῖς ἔδοξεν εἶναι. ἔλεγε γὰρ τὸ λόγιον ἐκεῖνο ὡς, ἡνίκα ἂν Ἀφρικὴ ἔχηται, ὁ κόσμος ξὺν τῷ γόνῳ ὀλεῖται.

Dewing And at that time the Romans recalled the verse of the Sibyl, which had been pronounced in earlier times and seemed to them a portent. For the words of the saying were that when Africa should be held, the "world" would perish together with its offspring.

Greek τὸ μέντοι χρηστήριον οὐ τοῦτο ἐδήλου, ἀλλ’ ὑπειπὸν ὅτι δὴ αὖθις ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίοις Λιβύη ἔσται καὶ τοῦτο ἐπεῖπεν, ὅτι τότε ξὺν τῷ παιδὶ ἀπολεῖται Μοῦνδος. λέγει γὰρ ὧδε· Αφριξα ξαπτα μυνδυς ξυμ νατο περιβιτ.

Dewing This, however, was not the real meaning of the oracle, but after intimating that Libya would be once more subject to the Romans, it added this statement also, that when that time came Mundus would perish together with his son. For it runs as follows: "Africa capta Mundus cum nato peribit."⁠

Greek ἐπεὶ δὲ κόσμον τῇ Λατίνων φωνῇ Μοῦνδος δύναται, ᾤοντο ἀμφὶ τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ λόγιον εἶναι. ταῦτα μὲν δὴ ὧδέ πη ἔσχεν. ἐς δὲ Σάλωνας εἰσῆλθεν οὐδείς.

Dewing But since "mundus" in the Latin tongue has the force of "world," they thought that the saying had reference to the world. So much, then, for this. As for Salones, it was not entered by anyone.

Greek οἵ τε γὰρ Ῥωμαῖοι ἐπ’ οἴκου ἀνεχώρησαν, ἐπεὶ ἄναρχοι τὸ παράπαν ἐλείποντο, καὶ οἱ Γότθοι τῶν ἀρίστων οὐδενὸς σφίσιν ἀπολελειμμένου ἐς δέος ἐλθόντες τὰ ἐκείνῃ φρούρια ἔσχον·

Dewing For the Romans went back home, since they were left altogether without a commander, and the Goths, seeing that not one of their nobles was left them, fell into fear and took possession of the strongholds in the neighbourhood;

Greek οὐδὲ γὰρ Σαλώνων τῷ περιβόλῳ ἐπίστευον, ἄλλως τε καὶ οὐ λίαν αὐτοῖς εὐνοϊκῶς ἐχόντων Ῥωμαίων οἵ ταύτῃ ᾤκηντο.

Dewing for they had no confidence in the defences of Salones, and, besides, the Romans who lived there were not very well disposed towards them.

Greek Ταῦτα ἐπεὶ Θευδάτος ἤκουσε, τοὺς πρέσβεις ἤδη παρ’ αὐτὸν ἥκοντας ἐν οὐδενὶ ἐποιήσατο λόγῳ. ἐς γὰρ ἀπιστίαν ἱκανῶς ἐπεφύκει καὶ βέβαιον τὴν διάνοιαν οὐδαμῆ εἶχεν, ἀλλ’ ἀεὶ αὐτὸν ἡ παροῦσα τύχη ἀλόγως τε καὶ τῶν καθεστώτων οὐκ ἐπαξίως ἔς τε ὀρρωδίαν ἀπῆγε μέτρον οὐκ ἔχουσαν καὶ αὖθις ἐς ἄφατόν τι ἀντικαθίστη θράσος.

Dewing When Theodatus heard this, he took no account of the envoys who by now had come to him. For he was by nature much given to mistrust, and he by no means kept his mind steadfast, but the present fortune always reduced him now to a state of terror which knew no measure, and this contrary to reason and the proper understanding of the situation, and again brought him to the opposite extreme of unspeakable boldness.

Greek καὶ τότε γοῦν τοῦ θανάτου πέρι Μούνδου τε ἀκούσας καὶ Μαυρικίου ἐπήρθη τε ὑπεράγαν καὶ οὐ κατὰ λόγον τῶν πεπραγμένων, καὶ τοὺς πρέσβεις ἤδη παρ’ αὐτὸν ἥκοντας ἐρεσχελεῖν ἠξίου.

Dewing And so at that time, when he heard of the death of Mundus and Mauricius, he was lifted up exceedingly and in a manner altogether unjustified by what had happened, and he saw fit to taunt the envoys when they at length appeared before him.

Greek καὶ ἐπειδὴ αὐτῷ Πέτρος ποτὲ ἅτε ὑπερβάντι τὰ βασιλεῖ ὡμολογημένα ἐλοιδορεῖτο, ἄμφω Θευδάτος δημοσίᾳ καλέσας ἔλεξε τοιάδε·

Dewing And when Peter on one occasion remonstrated with him because he had transgressed his agreement with the emperor, Theodatus called both of them publicly and spoke as follows:

Greek “Σεμνὸν μὲν τὸ χρῆμα τῶν πρέσβεων καὶ ἄλλως ἔντιμον καθέστηκεν ἐς πάντας ἀνθρώπους, τοῦτο δὲ τὸ γέρας ἐς τόδε οἱ πρέσβεις ἐν σφίσιν αὐτοῖς διασώζουσιν, ἐς ὃ τῇ σφετέρᾳ ἐπιεικείᾳ φυλάξωσι τὸ τῆς πρεσβείας ἀξίωμα.

Dewing "The position of envoys is a proud one and in general has come to be held in honour among all men; but envoys preserve for themselves these their progressives only so long as they guard the dignity of their embassy by the propriety of their own conduct.

Greek κτεῖναι γὰρ ἄνδρα πρεσβευτὴν ἐνδίκως νενομίκασιν ἄνθρωποι, ὅταν ἢ ἐς βασιλέα ὑβρίσας φαίνηται, ἢ γυναικὸς ἄλλῳ ξυνοικούσης ἐς

Dewing For men have sanctioned as just the killing of an envoy whenever he is either found to have insulted a sovereign or has had knowledge of a woman who is the wife of another."

Greek εὐνὴν ἔλθοι.” Θευδάτος μὲν ταῦτα ἐς Πέτρον ἀπέρριψεν, οὐχ ὅτι γυναικὶ ἐπλησίασεν, ἀλλ’ ὅπως ἰσχυρίσηται ἐγκλήματα, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, γίνεσθαι ἐς πρεσβευτοῦ θάνατον ἄγοντα. οἱ δὲ πρέσβεις ἀμείβονται τοῖσδε·

Dewing Such were the words with which Theodatus inveighed against Peter, not because he had approached a woman, but, apparently, in order to make good his claim that there were charges which might lead to the death of an ambassador. But the envoys replied as follows:

Greek “Οὔτε ταῦτα, ὦ Γότθων ἀρχηγέ, ταύτῃ ᾗπερ εἴρηκας ἔχει, οὐτ’ ἂν σὺ παραπετάσμασιν οὐχ ὑγιέσιν ἀνόσια ἔργα ἐς ἀνθρώπους πρέσβεις ἐνδείξαιο.

Dewing "The facts are not, O Ruler of the Goths, as thou hast stated them, nor canst thou, under cover of flimsy pretexts, wantonly perpetrate unholy deeds upon men who are envoys.

Greek μοιχῷ μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲ βουλομένῳ πρεσβευτῇ πάρεστι γίνεσθαι, ᾧ γε οὐδὲ ὕδατος μεταλαγχάνειν ὅτι μὴ γνώμῃ τῶν φυλασσόντων ῥᾴδιόν ἐστι.

Dewing For it is not possible for an ambassador, even if he wishes it, to become an adulterer, since it is not easy for him even to partake of water except by the will of those who guard him.

Greek λόγους δέ, ὅσους ἂν ἐκ τοῦ πέμψαντος ἀκηκοὼς εἴπῃ, οὐκ αὐτὸς τὴν ἐντεῦθεν αἰτίαν, ἤν γε οὐκ ἀγαθοὶ τύχωσιν ὄντες, εἰκότως ἂν λάβοι, ἀλλ’ ὁ μὲν κελεύσας φέροιτο ἂν δικαίως τὸ ἔγκλημα τοῦτο, τῷ δὲ πρεσβευτῇ τὸ τὴν ὑπουργίαν ἐκτελέσαι περίεστι μόνον.

Dewing And as for the proposals which he has received from the lips of him who has sent him and then delivers, he himself cannot reasonably incur the blame which arises from them, in case they be not good, but he who has given the command would justly bear this charge, while the sole responsibility of the ambassador is to have discharged his mission.

Greek ὥστε ἡμεῖς μὲν ἅπαντα ἐροῦμεν ὅσα ἀκούσαντες πρὸς βασιλέως ἐστάλημεν, σὺ δὲ ὅπως ἀκούσῃ πρᾴως· ταραττομένῳ γάρ σοι ἀδικεῖν ἀνθρώπους πρέσβεις λελείψεται.

Dewing We, therefore, shall say all that we were instructed by the emperor to say when we were sent, and do thou hear us quickly; for if thou art stirred to excitement, all thou canst do will be to wrong men who are ambassadors.

Greek οὐκοῦν ὥρα σοι ἑκόντι ἐπιτελεῖν ὅσα βασιλεῖ ὡμολόγησας. ἐπ’ αὐτὸ γὰρ τοῦτο ἡμεῖς ἥκομεν. καὶ τὴν μὲν ἐπιστολὴν ἥν σοι ἔγραψεν ἤδη λαβὼν ἔχεις, τὰ δὲ γράμματα ἃ τοῖς Γότθων πρώτοις ἔπεμψεν, οὐκ ἄλλοις τισὶν ἢ

Dewing It is time, therefore, for thee of thine own free will to perform all that thou didst promise the emperor. This, indeed, is the purpose for which we have come. And the letter which he wrote to thee thou hast already received, but as for the writing which he sent to the foremost of the Goths, to no others shall we give it than to them."

Greek αὐτοῖς δώσομεν.” ταῦτα τῶν πρέσβεων εἰπόντων ἐπεὶ παρόντες οἱ τῶν βαρβάρων ἄρχοντες ἤκουσαν, Θευδάτῳ ἐγχειρίσαι τὰ γεγραμμένα σφίσιν ἐπέστελλον.

Dewing When the leading men of the barbarians, who were present, heard this speech of the envoys, they bade them give to Theodatus what had been written to them.

Greek εἶχε δὲ ὧδε· “Ἐπιμελὲς γέγονεν ἡμῖν ἐς πολιτείαν ὑμᾶς ἀνελέσθαι τὴν ἡμετέραν, ᾧπερ ὑμᾶς ἡσθῆναι εἰκός. οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῷ ἐλασσοῦσθαι, ἀλλ’ ὅπως ἀξιώτεροι ἔσεσθε, ἐς ἡμᾶς ἥξετε.

Dewing And it ran as follows: "It has been the object of our care to receive you back into our state, whereat you may well be pleased. For you will come to us, not in order to be made of less consequence, but that you may be more honoured.

Greek ἄλλως τε οὐκ ἐς ἤθη ξένα ἢ ἀλλόγνωτα Γότθους καλοῦμεν, ἀλλ’ ὧν ἠθάσι γενομένοις ὑμῖν εἶτα ἐπὶ καιροῦ διεστάναι τετύχηκε. διὰ ταῦτα νῦν Ἀθανάσιός τε καὶ Πέτρος ἐστάλησαν αὐτόσε,

Dewing And, besides, we are not bidding the Goths enter into strange or alien customs, but into those of a people with whom you were once familiar, though you have by chance been separated from them for a season. For these reasons Athanasius and Peter have been sent to you, and you ought to assist them in all things."

Greek οἶς ὑμᾶς ἐς ἅπαντα ξυλλαβέσθαι χρεών.” τοσαῦτα μὲν ἡ γραφὴ ἐδήλου. Θευδάτος δὲ ἅπαντα ἀναλεξάμενος οὔτε τι ἔργῳ ἐπιτελεῖν ὧν βασιλεῖ ὑπέσχετο ἔγνω καὶ τοὺς πρέσβεις ἐν φυλακῇ οὐ μετρίᾳ εἶχε.

Dewing Such was the purport of this letter. But after Theodatus had read everything, he not only decided not to perform in deed the promises he had made to the emperor, but also put the envoys under a strict guard.

Greek Βασιλεὺς δὲ Ἰουστινιανὸς ἐπεὶ ταῦτά τε καὶ τὰ ἐν Δαλματίᾳ ξυνενεχθέντα ἠκηκόει, Κωνσταντιανὸν μέν, ὃς τῶν βασιλικῶν ἱπποκόμων ἦρχεν, εἰς Ἰλλυριοὺς ἔπεμψε, στρατιάν τε αὐτῷ ἐπιστείλας ἐνθένδε ἀγεῖραι καὶ Σαλώνων ἀποπειρᾶσθαι, ὅπη ἂν αὐτῷ δυνατὰ εἴη· Βελισάριον δὲ ἐς Ἰταλίαν τε κατὰ τάχος ἐκέλευσεν ἰέναι καὶ Γότθοις ὡς πολεμίοις χρῆσθαι.

Dewing But when the Emperor Justinian heard these things and what had taken place in Dalmatia, he sent Constantianus, who commanded the royal grooms, into Illyricum, bidding him gather an army from there and make an attempt on Salones, in whatever manner he might be able; and he commanded Belisarius to enter Italy with all speed and to treat the Goths as enemies.

Greek Κωνσταντιανὸς μὲν οὖν ἐς Ἐπίδαμνόν τε ἀφίκετο καὶ χρόνον τινὰ διατρίψας ἐνταῦθα στρατιὰν ἤγειρεν. ἐν τούτῳ δὲ Γότθοι, Γρίπα σφίσιν ἡγουμένου, στρατῷ ἑτέρῳ ἐς Δαλματίαν ἀφικόμενοι Σάλωνας ἔσχον·

Dewing So Constantianus came to Epidamnus and spent some time there gathering an army. But in the meantime the Goths, under the leader­ship of Gripas, came with another army into Dalmatia and took possession of Salones;

Greek Κωνσταντιανός τε, ἐπεί οἱ τὰ τῆς παρασκευῆς ὡς ἄριστα εἶχεν, ἄρας ἐξ Ἐπιδάμνου τῷ παντὶ στόλῳ ὁρμίζεται ἐς Ἐπίδαυρον, ἥ ἐστιν ἐν δεξιᾷ ἐσπλέοντι τὸν Ἰόνιον κόλπον· ἔνθα δὴ ἄνδρας οὓς ἐπὶ κατασκοπῇ Γρίπας ἔπεμψε τετύχηκεν εἶναι.

Dewing and Constantianus, when all his preparations were as complete as possible, departed from Epidamnus with his whole force and cast anchor at Epidaurus,⁠ which is on the right as one sails into the Ionian Gulf. Now it so happened that some men were there whom Gripas had sent out as spies.

Greek καὶ αὐτοῖς τάς τε ναῦς ἐπισκοποῦσι καὶ τὸ Κωνσταντιανοῦ στρατόπεδον ἔδοξε θάλασσά τε καὶ ἡ γῆ ξύμπασα στρατιωτῶν ἔμπλεως εἶναι, παρά τε τὸν Γρίπαν ἐπανήκοντες μυριάδας ἀνδρῶν οὐκ ὀλίγας Κωνσταντιανὸν ἐπάγεσθαι ἰσχυρίζοντο.

Dewing And when they took note of the ships and the army of Constantianus it seemed to them that both the sea and the whole land were full of soldiers, and returning to Gripas they declared that Constantianus was bringing against them an army of men numbering many tens of thousands.

Greek ὁ δὲ ἐς δέος μέγα τι ἐμπεσὼν ὑπαντιάζειν τε τοῖς ἐπιοῦσιν ἀξύμφορον ᾤετο εἶναι καὶ πολιορκεῖσθαι πρὸς τοῦ βασιλέως στρατοῦ, οὕτω δὴ θαλασσοκρατοῦντος, ἥκιστα ἤθελε·

Dewing And he, being plunged into great fear, thought it inexpedient to meet their attack, and at the same time he was quite unwilling to be besieged by the emperor's army, since it so completely commanded the sea;

Greek μάλιστα δὲ αὐτὸν ξυνετάρασσεν ὅ τε Σαλώνων περίβολος, ἐπεὶ αὐτοῦ τὰ πολλὰ ἤδη καταπεπτώκει, καὶ τῶν ταύτῃ ᾠκημένων τὸ ἐς Γότθους κομιδῆ ὕποπτον.

Dewing but he was disturbed most of all by the fortifications of Salones (since the greater part of them had already fallen down), and by the exceedingly suspicious attitude on the part of the inhabitants of the place toward the Goths.

Greek καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐνθένδε παντὶ τῷ στρατῷ ἀπαλλαγεὶς ὅτι τάχιστα ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ στρατοπεδεύεται ὃ μεταξὺ Σαλώνων τε καὶ Σκάρδωνος πόλεώς ἐστι. Κωνσταντιανὸς δὲ ταῖς ναυσὶν ἁπάσαις πλέων ἐξ Ἐπιδαύρου, Λυσίνῃ προσέσχεν, ἣ ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ κεῖται.

Dewing And for this reason he departed thence with his whole army as quickly as possible and made camp in the plain which is between Salones and the city of Scardon.⁠ And Constantianus, sailing with all his ships from Epidaurus, put in at Lysina,⁠ which is an island in the gulf.

Greek ἐνθένδε τε τῶν ἑπομένων τινὰς ἔπεμψεν, ἐφ’ ᾦ τὰ ἀμφὶ τῷ Γρίπᾳ διερευνώμενοι ὁποῖά ποτε ᾖ ἐσαγγείλωσιν. ἀφ’ ὧν δὴ τὸν πάντα λόγον πυθόμενος εὐθὺ Σαλώνων κατὰ τάχος ἔπλει.

Dewing Thence he sent forward some of his men, in order that they might make enquiry concerning the plans of Gripas and report them to him. Then, after learning from them the whole situation, he sailed straight for Salones with all speed.

Greek καὶ ἐπειδὴ αὐτῆς ἄγχιστα ἐγεγόνει, ἀποβιβάσας τὸ στράτευμα ἐς τὴν ἤπειρον αὐτὸς μὲν ἐνταῦθα ἡσύχαζε, πεντακοσίους δὲ τοῦ στρατοῦ ἀπολέξας Σιφίλαν τε αὐτοῖς ἄρχοντα ἐπιστήσας, τῶν δορυφόρων τῶν αὑτοῦ ἕνα, ἐκέλευε τὴν στενοχωρίαν καταλαβεῖν ἣν δὴ ἐν τῷ τῆς πόλεως προαστείῳ ἐπύθετο εἶναι. καὶ Σιφίλας μὲν κατὰ ταῦτα ἐποίει.

Dewing And when he had put in at a place close to the city, he disembarked his army on the mainland and himself remained quiet there; but he selected five hundred from the army, and setting over them as commander Siphilas, one of his own bodyguards, he commanded them to seize the narrow pass⁠ which, as he had been informed, was in the outskirts of the city. And this Siphilas did.

Greek Κωνσταντιανὸς δὲ καὶ ἡ στρατιὰ πᾶσα ἐς Σάλωνας τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ ἐσελάσαντες τῷ πεζῷ καὶ ταῖς ναυσὶ προσωρμίσαντο.

Dewing And Constantianus and his whole land army entered Salones on the following day, and the fleet anchored close by.

Greek Κωνσταντιανὸς μὲν οὖν Σαλώνων τοῦ περιβόλου ἐπεμελεῖτο, ἀνοικοδομούμενος σπουδῇ ἅπαντα ὅσα αὐτοῦ κατεπεπτώκει· Γρίπας δὲ καὶ ὁ τῶν Γότθων στρατός, ἐπειδὴ Ῥωμαῖοι Σάλωνας ἔσχον, ἑβδόμῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐνθένδε ἀναστάντες ἐπὶ Ῥαβέννης ἀπεκομίσθησαν, οὕτω τε Κωνσταντιανὸς Δαλματίαν τε καὶ Λιβουρνίαν ξύμπασαν ἔσχε, Γότθους προσαγαγόμενος ἅπαντας οἳ ταύτῃ ἵδρυντο.

Dewing Then Constantianus proceeded to look after the fortifications of the city, building up in haste all such parts of them as had fallen down; and Gripas, with the Gothic army, on the seventh day after the Romans had taken possession of Salones, departed from there and betook themselves to Ravenna; and thus Constantianus gained possession of all Dalmatia and Liburnia, bringing over to his side all the Goths who were settled there.

Greek τὰ μὲν οὖν ἀμφὶ Δαλματίαν ταύτῃ πη ἔσχε. καὶ ὁ χειμὼν ἔληγε, καὶ πρῶτον ἔτος ἐτελεύτα τῷ πολέμῳ τῷδε ὃν Προκόπιος συνέγραψε.

Dewing Such were the events in Dalmatia. And the winter drew to a close, and thus ended the first year of this war, the history of which Procopius has written. The Loeb Editor's Notes: 1 Book III.ii.7 ff., iv.29 ff. ❦ 2 Odoacer was defeated and shut up in Ravenna by Theoderic in 489, surrendered to him in 493, and was put to death in the same year. His independent rule (τυραννίς) therefore lasted thirteen years. ❦ 3 Meaning the whole Adriatic; cf. chap. xv.16, note. ❦ 4 Modern Cesena. ❦ 5 He means that an estuary (πορθμός) is formed by the rising tide in the morning, and the water flows out again as the tide falls in the evening. ❦ 6 From the first until the third quarter. ❦ 7 See note in Bury's edition of Gibbon, Vol. IV p180, for an interesting account of this event. ❦ 8 This is a general observation; the title "rex" was current among the barbarians to indicate a position inferior to that of a βασιλεύς or "imperator"; cf. VI.xiv.38. ❦ 9 Probably a reminiscence of the "princeps senatus" of classical times. ❦ 10 See Book I.xxii.4; III.vi.2 and note. ❦ 11 Book IV.v.11 ff. ❦ 12 Near modern Mitrowitz. ❦ 13 Cf. Book III.xiv.5, 6. ❦ 14 Modern Bolsena. ❦ 15 Marta; "now entirely uninhabited, but with a few steps cut in the rock which are said to have led to the prison of Amalasuntha." — Hodgkin. ❦ 16 Modern Avlona in Albania. ❦ 17 Chap. ii.3. ❦ 18 See Gibbon's note (chap. xli), amplified in Bury's edition, Vol. IV p304, for additional light on the part played by Justinian and Peter in this affair. ❦ 19 Or Salona, near modern Spalato. ❦ 20 Auxiliaries; see Book III.xi.3, 4, and note. ❦ 21 Corresponding roughly to modern Georgia, just south of the Caucasus. ❦ 22 Modern Palermo. ❦ 23 The captivity of Gelimer is described in Book IV.vii.12‑17; ix.11‑14. ❦ 24 At present values "worth about £12,000." — Hodgkin. ❦ 25 Modern Albano; on the Appian Way. Cf. Book VI.iv.8. ❦ 26 See Book I.xxii.4; III.iv.2, note. ❦ 27 Chap. iii.13. ❦ 28 Chap. iii.30 , iv.17 ff. ❦ 29 Proverbial for a victory in which the victor is slain; probably from the story of the Theban, or "Cadmean," heroes Eteocles and Polynices. ❦ 30 See Bury's edition of Gibbon, Vol. IV App. 15, for a discussion of the oracle. ❦ 31 Modern Ragusa Vecchia. Thayer's Note: The town has now reverted to its Croatian name, Cavtat. ❦ 32 Near Sebenico. ❦ 33 Modern Lesina. ❦ 34 An important approach to the city from the west. Thayer's Note: a The straight-line distance from Cesena to Ravenna (measured from the Rocca Malatestiana to the Mausoleum of Theodoric, taken as approximations to the center of each town respectively) is 21.8 Roman miles, over remarkably flat terrain. By the usual rough reckoning of 8 stadia to the mile, the distance is more like 175 stadia; calling the distance 300 stadia would make the mile equal to more than 13½ stadia. ◂ previous next ▸ Images with borders lead to more information. The thicker the border, the more information. (Details here.) UP TO: Gothic 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