第6巻 第22章

Greek Ταῦτα μὲν δὴ ὧδέ πη ἔσχε. Βελισάριος δὲ οὔπω τι πεπυσμένος τῶν ἐν Λιγουρίᾳ ξυμπεπτωκότων, ἐπειδὴ ὁ χειμὼν ἐτελεύτα ἤδη, τῷ παντὶ στρατῷ ἐς Πικηνὸν ᾔει.

Dewing Such was the course of events in Liguria. And Belisarius, having not yet learned anything of what had happened in that field, was moving with his whole army into Picenum, since the winter was now coming to an end.

Greek τά τε ἀμφὶ Μεδιολάνῳ τετυχηκότα ἐν ταύτῃ δὴ τῇ πορείᾳ μαθὼν ἐν μεγάλῳ ἐποιήσατο πένθει.

Dewing But learning in the course of this journey what had befallen Milan, he grieved exceedingly.

Greek καὶ Οὐλίαριν μὲν ἐς ὄψιν οἱ ἐλθεῖν οὐκέτι τὸ λοιπὸν εἴασεν, ἅπαντα δὲ τὰ ξυμπεσόντα βασιλεῖ ἔγραψε.

Dewing And never after that time would he allow Uliaris to come into his presence; but he wrote to the emperor everything which had taken place.

Greek βασιλεὺς δὲ τούτων μὲν ἕνεκα δεινόν τι εἰργάσατο οὐδένα, τὴν δὲ Βελισαρίου τε καὶ Ναρσοῦ διαφορὰν ἀκούσας Ναρσῆν τε αὐτίκα μεταπεμψάμενος αὐτοκράτορα παντὸς τοῦ πολέμου Βελισάριον κατεστήσατο.

Dewing And the emperor treated no one with severity on account of these things, but upon hearing of the disagreement between Belisarius and Narses, he recalled Narses immediately and appointed Belisarius commander-in‑chief for the whole war.

Greek ὧδε μὲν ἐς Βυζάντιον Ναρσῆς ἐπανῆκε, τῶν στρατιωτῶν ὀλίγους τινὰς ἄγων. Ἔρουλοι δὲ μένειν ἐν Ἰταλίᾳ Ναρσοῦ ἐνθένδε ἀναχωροῦντος οὐκέτι ἠξίουν, καίτοι Βελισαρίου πολλὰ ὑποσχομένου σφίσι πρός τε αὐτοῦ καὶ βασιλέως ἀγαθὰ μένουσιν ἔσεσθαι, ἀλλὰ συσκευασάμενοι ἅπαντες τὰ μὲν πρῶτα ἐπὶ Λιγουρίας ἀπεχώρησαν.

Dewing Thus it was that Narses returned to Byzantium, bringing some few of the soldiers. But the Eruli, seeing that Narses was departing from Italy, refused to remain there longer, although Belisarius promised that they would receive many benefits both from himself and from the emperor, if they remained; but they all packed up their luggage and withdrew going first to Liguria.

Greek οὗ δὴ ἐντυχόντες τῷ Οὐραΐα στρατῷ, ἀνδράποδά τε καὶ ἄλλα ζῷα ὅσα ἐπῆγον τοῖς πολεμίοις ἀπέδοντο, καὶ χρήματα πολλὰ κεκομισμένοι ἀπώμοσαν, μήποτε Γότθοις ἀντιτάξεσθαι ἢ εἰς χεῖρας ἰέναι.

Dewing There they happened upon the army of Uraias, and they sold all the slaves and the animals they were taking with them to the enemy, and, having thus acquired a great amount of money, they took an oath that they would never array themselves against Goths or do battle with them.

Greek οὕτω τε εἰρηναίαν τὴν ἀναχώρησιν ποιησάμενοι ἐς τὰ ἐπὶ Βενετίας χωρία ἦλθον. ἐνταῦθα αὐτοῖς Βιταλίῳ ξυγγενομένοις τῶν ἐς βασιλέα Ἰουστινιανὸν ἡμαρτημένων μετέμελεν.

Dewing Thus they made their withdrawal in peace and came into the land of the Veneti. But upon meeting Vitalius there, they forthwith began to repent of the wrong they had done the Emperor Justinian.

Greek ἀφοσιούμενοί τε τὸ ἔγκλημα Οὐίσανδον μὲν τῶν ἀρχόντων ἕνα ξὺν τοῖς ἑπομένοις αὐτοῦ εἴασαν, οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ ἐς Βυζάντιον ἀπεκομίσθησαν ἅπαντες, Ἀλουίθ τε ἡγουμένου σφίσι καὶ Φιλιμούθ, ὅσπερ Φανιθέου τετελευτηκότος ἐν Καισήνῃ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔσχεν.

Dewing And seeking to clear themselves of the charge against them, they left there Visandus, one of their commanders, with his forces, but all the rest betook themselves to Byzantium under the leader­ship of Aluith and Philemuth, the latter having taken the command after Phanitheus was killed at Caesena.

Greek Οὐίττιγις δὲ καὶ οἱ ξὺν αὐτῷ Γότθοι Βελισάριον ἅμα ἦρι ἀρχομένῳ ἐπὶ σφᾶς τε καὶ Ῥάβενναν ἥξειν ἀκούοντες ἐν δείματι μεγάλῳ καθίσταντο καὶ τὰ παρόντα σφίσιν ἐν βουλῇ ἐποιοῦντο· καὶ αὐτοῖς πολλὰ βουλευσαμένοις ʽοὐ γὰρ ἀξιόμαχοι τοῖς πολεμίοις κατὰ μόνας ᾤοντο εἶναἰ ἔδοξεν ἄλλων τινῶν βαρβάρων ἐπικουρίαν ἐπάγεσθαι.

Dewing Now Vittigis and the Goths with him, hearing that Belisarius at the beginning of spring would come against them and Ravenna, were plunged into great fear, and they began to take counsel regarding the situation which confronted them; and realizing as they did that they alone were not a match for their enemy in battle, they decided, after long deliberation, to invite the assistance of some other barbarians.

Greek Γερμανῶν μὲν οὖν τοῦ τε δολεροῦ καὶ ἀπίστου ἤδη ἐν πείρᾳ γεγενημένοι ἀπέσχοντο, ἀγαπῶντες, ἢν μὴ καὶ αὐτοὶ ξὺν Βελισαρίῳ ἐπὶ σφᾶς ἴωσιν,

Dewing In carrying out this purpose, however, they avoided the Germans, having already had experience of their crafty and untrustworthy character, being well content if they too should not come against the Goths with Belisarius, but should stand aside for both.

Greek ἀλλ’ ἀμφοτέροις ἐκποδὼν στήσωνται. ἐς δὲ Λαγγοβαρδῶν τὸν ἄρχοντα Οὐάκην πρέσβεις ἔπεμψαν, χρήματά τε μεγάλα προτεινόμενοι καὶ ἐς τὴν ὁμαιχμίαν παρακαλοῦντες.

Dewing But they sent envoys to Vaces, the ruler of the Lombards, offering great sums of money and inviting him to an offensive and defensive alliance.

Greek οἳ δή, ἐπεὶ βασιλεῖ φίλον τε καὶ ξύμμαχον τὸν Οὐάκην ἔγνωσαν εἶναι, ἄπρακτοι ἀνεχώρησαν.

Dewing But these envoys, upon learning that Vaces was a friend and ally of the emperor, returned unsuccessful.

Greek Οὐίττιγις τοίνυν τοῖς παροῦσιν, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, ἀπορούμενος τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἀεὶ ξυνεκάλει πολλούς. παρ’ ὧν δὴ συχνὰ ἐπυνθάνετο ὅ τί ποτέ οἱ βουλευομένῳ τε καὶ πράσσοντι ἄμεινον τὰ πράγματα ἕξει.

Dewing It was natural, therefore, that Vittigis should be at a loss in these circumstances, and he was constantly calling together many of the elders. And from them he made many inquiries as to how he should form his plans and act in order that he might achieve the greatest success.

Greek γνῶμαι οὖν πολλαὶ πρὸς τῶν ἐς τὴν βουλὴν ξυνιόντων ἐλέγοντο, αἱ μὲν ἐπιτηδείως τοῖς παροῦσιν οὐδαμῆ ἔχουσαι, αἱ δέ τι καὶ λόγου ἄξιον φέρουσαι.

Dewing Accordingly many opinions were expressed by those who gathered for the council, some of them in no way adapted to the situation, and some too which contained suggestions worthy of some consideration.

Greek ἐν αἷς καὶ τόδε ἐς τὸν λόγον ἦλθεν, ὡς οὐ πρότερόν ποτε Ῥωμαίων βασιλεὺς τοῖς ἐν τῇ ἑσπερίᾳ βαρβάροις πολεμεῖν ἴσχυσε, πλήν γε δὴ ὅτε αἱ σπονδαὶ ἐς Πέρσας γεγένηνται.

Dewing And among these suggestions this idea also was advanced, that the emperor of the Romans had plainly never been able to make war upon the barbarians in the West before the time when the treaty had been made with the Persians.

Greek τούς τε γὰρ Βανδίλους καὶ Μαυρουσίους τηνικαῦτα ἀπολωλέναι καὶ Γότθοις τὰ παρόντα ξυμπεπτωκέναι. ὥστε, ἤν τις καὶ νῦν Ἰουστινιανῷ αὐτοκράτορι τὸν Μήδων βασιλέα ξυγκρούῃ, οὐ μήποτε Ῥωμαῖοι, τούτου δὴ ἐκπεπολεμωμένου σφίσι τοῦ ἔθνους, πόλεμον ἄλλον διενεγκεῖν πρὸς οὐδένας ἀνθρώπων τὸ λοιπὸν ἕξουσι.

Dewing For it was only then that the Vandals and Moors had been destroyed, and the Goths had suffered their present misfortunes. Consequently, if someone should once more rouse the hostility of the king of the Medes against the Emperor Justinian, the Romans thereafter would never be able, when once that nation had been stirred up to war against them, to carry on another war against any people in the world.

Greek ταῦτα Οὐιττίγιδί τε αὐτῷ ἤρεσε καὶ Γότθοις τοῖς ἄλλοις. Ἔδοξεν οὖν πρέσβεις παρὰ τὸν Μήδων βασιλέα Χοσρόην στέλλεσθαι, οὐ Γότθους μέντοι, ὅπως μὴ κατάδηλοι αὐτόθεν γινόμενοι ξυγχέωσι τὰ πρασσόμενα, ἀλλὰ Ῥωμαίους, οἵπερ αὐτὸν Ἰουστινιανῷ βασιλεῖ πολέμιον καταστήσουσι.

Dewing This suggestion pleased both Vittigis himself and the other Goths. It was decided, therefore, that envoys⁠ should be sent to Chosroes, the king of the Medes, but that they should not be Goths, in order that the real character of the embassy might not be at once obvious and the negotiations be made useless, but Romans,⁠ who were to make him hostile to the Emperor Justinian.

Greek διὸ δὴ τῶν ἐν Λιγούροις ἱερέων δύο χρήμασι πολλοῖς ἐς ταύτην ἀναπείθουσι τὴν ὑπουργίαν.

Dewing Accordingly they bribed two priests of Liguria with great sums of money to undertake this service.

Greek ὧν ἅτερος μέν, ὅσπερ ἀξιώτερος ἔδοξεν εἶναι, ἐπισκόπου δόκησίν τε καὶ ὄνομα περιβεβλημένος, οὐδὲν αὐτῷ προσῆκον, ἐς τὴν πρεσβείαν καθίστατο, ὁ δὲ ἕτερος αὐτῷ ὑπηρετῶν εἵπετο.

Dewing One of these men, who seemed to be the more worthy, undertook the embassy, assuming the appearance and the title of bishop, which did not belong to him at all, while the other followed as his attendant.

Greek γράμματά τε αὐτοῖς ἐγχειρίσας πρὸς Χοσρόην γεγραμμένα Οὐίττιγις ἔπεμψεν. οἷς δὴ Χοσρόης ἠγμένος ἀνήκεστα ἐν σπονδαῖς ἔργα Ῥωμαίους εἰργάσατο, ὥσπερ μοι ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν λόγοις ἐρρήθη.

Dewing Vittigis also entrusted to them a letter written to Chosroes and sent them off. And Chosroes, influenced by this very letter, committed acts of an outrageous character against the Romans in time of peace, as has been told by me in the preceding narrative.⁠

Greek ταῦτα δὲ ἐπεὶ Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεὺς Χοσρόην τε καὶ Πέρσας βουλεύεσθαι ἤκουσε, καταλύειν μὲν τὸν ἐν τῇ ἑσπερίᾳ πόλεμον ὡς τάχιστα ἔγνω, Βελισάριον δὲ μεταπέμψασθαι ἐφ’ ᾧ ἐπὶ Πέρσας στρατεύσειε.

Dewing Now when the Emperor Justinian heard that Chosroes and the Persians were planning to this end, he decided to bring the war in the West to an end as quickly as possible, and to recall Belisarius in order that he might take the field against the Persians.

Greek τοὺς μὲν οὖν Οὐιττίγιδος πρέσβεις ʽἔτι γὰρ ὄντες ἐν Βυζαντίῳ ἐτύγχανον’ αὐτίκα δὴ ἀπεπέμψατο, ἄνδρας παρ’ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ Ῥαβέννης σταλήσεσθαι ὑποσχόμενος, οἵπερ ἐς Γότθους τὰς σπονδὰς θήσονται ὅπη ἂν ἑκατέροις ξυνοίσειν μέλλῃ.

Dewing So he immediately dismissed the envoys of Vittigis (for they happened to be still in Byzantium), promising that men would be sent by him to Ravenna who would draw up the treaty with the Goths in such form that the interests of both sides would be furthered.

Greek τούτους δὲ τοὺς πρέσβεις οὐ πρότερον μεθῆκε Βελισάριος τοῖς πολεμίοις ἕως καὶ αὐτοὶ τοὺς ἀμφὶ Ἀθανάσιόν τε καὶ Πέτρον ἀφῆκαν.

Dewing But Belisarius did not release these envoys to the enemy until they, in turn, had released the embassy of Athanasius and Peter.⁠

Greek οὓς δὴ ἐς Βυζάντιον ἀφικομένους γερῶν βασιλεὺς τῶν μεγίστων ἠξίωσεν, Ἀθανάσιον μὲν ὕπαρχον τῶν ἐν Ἰταλίᾳ πραιτωρίων καταστησάμενος, Πέτρῳ δὲ τὴν τοῦ μαγίστρου καλουμένου ἀρχὴν παρασχόμενος.

Dewing And when these men arrived at Byzantium, the emperor counted them worthy of the greatest gifts of honour, appointing Athanasius prefect of the pretorians in Italy, and giving Peter the office of "magister"⁠ as it is called.

Greek καὶ ὁ χειμὼν ἔληγε καὶ τέταρτον ἔτος ἐτελεύτα τῷ πολέμῳ τῷδε, ὃν Προκόπιος ξυνέγραψε.

Dewing And the winter drew to a close, and the fourth year ended in this war, the history of which Procopius has written.