第6巻 第23章

Greek Βελισάριος δὲ Αὔξιμόν τε καὶ Φισούλαν ἐξελεῖν πρότερον ἤθελε, οὕτω τε ἐπί τε Οὐίττιγιν καὶ Ῥάβενναν ἰέναι, οὐδενὸς ἔτι τῶν πολεμίων οὔτε σφίσιν ἐμποδὼν ἵστασθαι δυναμένου, οὔτε τὰ ὄπισθε κακουργεῖν ἔχοντος.

Dewing Now Belisarius wished first to capture Auximus and Fisula,⁠ and after that to march against Vittigis and Ravenna, with no one of the enemy any longer able to oppose his advance or to harass his rear.

Greek Κυπριανὸν μὲν οὖν καὶ Ἰουστῖνον ξὺν τοῖς ἑπομένοις καὶ Ἰσαύρων τισὶν ἐς Φισούλαν ἔπεμψε, καὶ πεντακοσίους πεζοὺς ἐκ καταλόγου οὗ Δημήτριος ἦρχεν, οἳ δὴ τοὺς ἐκείνῃ βαρβάρους ἀμφὶ τὸ φρούριον στρατοπεδευσάμενοι ἐπολιόρκουν.

Dewing He accordingly sent Cyprian and Justinus with their men and some of the Isaurians to Fisula, together with five hundred foot-soldiers from the detachment commanded by Demetrius; and they made camp about the fortress and commenced a siege of the barbarian garrison.

Greek Μαρτῖνον δὲ καὶ Ἰωάννην ξὺν τοῖς ἑπομένοις καὶ στρατεύματι ἄλλῳ οὗπερ Ἰωάννης ἡγεῖτο ὃν καὶ Φαγᾶν ἐκάλουν, ἀμφὶ Πάδον ποταμὸν ἔστελλεν.

Dewing And Martinus and John with their troops and another army, commanded by John whom they called the Glutton, he sent to the country along the Po River.

Greek οὓς δὴ φροντίδα ἔχειν ἐκέλευεν ὅπως μὴ Οὐραΐας τε καὶ οἱ ξὺν αὐτῷ ἐκ Μεδιολάνου ἐπὶ σφᾶς ἴωσιν, ἢν δὲ τῶν πολεμίων τὴν ἔφοδον ἀποκρούεσθαι οὐχ οἷοί τε ὦσιν, ὄπισθεν αὐτοὺς λάθρα ἐπισπομένους κατὰ νώτου ἰέναι.

Dewing These officers he commanded to take care that Uraias with his forces should not advance from Milan against his own army; and if they were not able to repel the enemy's attack, they were secretly to follow behind them and assail their rear.

Greek καὶ οἱ μὲν πόλιν Δορθῶνα πρὸς τῷ ποταμῷ ἀτείχιστον οὖσαν καταλαβόντες, αὐτοῦ τε ἐνστρατοπεδευσάμενοι ἔμενον, αὐτὸς δὲ ἐς Αὔξιμον πόλιν χιλίους τε καὶ μυρίους ἔχων ἀφίκετο.

Dewing So they took possession of Dorthon,⁠ an unwalled city which lay on the river, and having established their camp remained there, while Belisarius himself went to the city of Auximus with eleven thousand men.

Greek Αὔξιμος δὲ αὕτη πρώτη μὲν τῶν ἐν Πικηνοῖς πόλεών ἐστιν, ἣν δὴ μητρόπολιν καλεῖν νενομίκασι Ῥωμαῖοι. ἀπέχει δὲ ἀκτῆς μὲν κόλπου τοῦ Ἰονίου σταδίους τέσσαράς τε καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα μάλιστα, Ῥαβέννης δὲ πόλεως ὁδὸν τριῶν ἡμερῶν καὶ σταδίους ὀγδοήκοντα.

Dewing Now this is the first of the cities in Picenum, being the metropolis, as the Romans are accustomed to call it. And it is about eighty-four stades distant from the shore of the Ionian Gulf,⁠ and from the city of Ravenna a journey of three days and eighty stades.⁠

Greek κεῖται δὲ ἐπὶ λόφου τινὸς ὑψηλοῦ, εἴσοδον ἐν τῷ ὁμαλεῖ οὐδαμῆ ἔχουσα, καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ ἀπρόσοδος τοῖς πολεμίοις παντάπασιν οὖσα.

Dewing And it is situated upon a very high hill, having no approach at all upon the level ground, and for this reason it is entirely inaccessible for an enemy.

Greek ἐνταῦθα Γότθων εἴ τι δόκιμον ἦν, Οὐίττιγις ἐς τὴν φρουρὰν κατεστήσατο, τεκμαιρόμενος ὅτι Ῥωμαῖοι, εἰ μὴ ταύτην ἐξέλωσι πρότερον, ἐπὶ Ῥάβενναν οὔποτε στρατεύειν τολμήσωσιν.

Dewing In that city Vittigis had assembled all the most notable troops among the Goths and had established them there as a garrison, conjecturing that the Romans, unless they should first capture this city, would never dare to march against Ravenna.

Greek Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ Ῥωμαίων στρατὸς ἐς Αὔξιμον ἦλθεν, ἐκέλευε Βελισάριος παρὰ τοῦ λόφου τὰ ἔσχατα πάντας στρατοπεδεύεσθαι κύκλῳ.

Dewing Now when the Roman army arrived at Auximus, Belisarius commanded them all to encamp in a circle about the base of the hill.

Greek καὶ οἱ μὲν κατὰ συμμορίας γενόμενοι καλύβας ἄλλος ἄλλῃ τοῦ χωρίου ἐπήγνυντο, κατιδόντες δὲ αὐτοὺς οἱ Γότθοι μακράν που ἀπολελειμμένους ἀλλήλων καὶ σφίσιν αὐτοῖς ἐπιβοηθεῖν ἅτε ἐν μεγάλῳ πεδίῳ οὐκ εὐπετῶς ἔχοντας, ἐκ τοῦ αἰφνιδίου ἀμφὶ δείλην ὀψίαν χωροῦσιν ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους, ἐς τὰ πρὸς ἕω τῆς πόλεως, ᾗ Βελισάριος στρατόπεδον ἔτι ποιούμενος ξύν τε δορυφόροις καὶ ὑπασπισταῖς τοῖς αὐτοῦ ἔτυχεν.

Dewing So they took their places by companies, and were setting up their huts at different points in the line; and the Goths, observing that the enemy were rather far apart from one another, and were not able easily to bring assistance to each other, since they were in a great plain, suddenly advanced upon them in the late afternoon, on the side to the east of the city, where Belisarius happened to be still engaged in making camp with his spearmen and guards.

Greek οἱ δὲ ἀράμενοι τὰ ὅπλα ἐκ τῶν παρόντων τοὺς ἐπιόντας ἠμύνοντο, ῥᾷστά τε αὐτοὺς ἀρετῇ ὠσάμενοι ἔτρεψαν, καὶ φεύγουσιν ἐπισπόμενοι κατὰ μέσον τοῦ λόφου ἐγίνοντο.

Dewing And the Romans took up their arms and began to defend themselves against their assailants as well as the circumstances permitted, and by their valour they forced them back with the greatest ease and routed them; and in following up their flight they reached the middle of the hill.

Greek ἔνθα οἱ βάρβαροι ἐπιστραφέντες καὶ χωρίου ἰσχύϊ πιστεύοντες ἀντίοι τοῖς διώκουσιν ἔστησαν, συχνούς τε αὐτῶν ἅτε κατὰ κορυφὴν βάλλοντες ἔκτειναν, ἕως νὺξ ἐπιλαβοῦσα ἐκώλυσεν. οὕτω τε διαλυθέντες ἑκάτεροι τὴν νύκτα ἐκείνην ηὐλίσαντο.

Dewing There the barbarians turned upon them, and, confident in the strength of their position, made a stand against their pursuers; and since they were shooting from above, they slew many of them, until night coming on put a stop to the fighting. Thus the two armies separated and bivouacked that night.

Greek ἔτυχον δὲ τῇ προτεραίᾳ τοῦ ἔργου τούτου Γότθων τινὲς ὄρθρου βαθέος τροφῶν ξυγκομιδῆς ἕνεκα ἐς τὰ ἐκείνῃ σταλέντες χωρία.

Dewing Now it happened that on the day before this encounter some of the Goths had been sent out to the country close by at early dawn in order to gather provisions.

Greek οἳ δὴ οὐδὲν ἀμφὶ τῶν πολεμίων τῇ παρουσίᾳ πυθόμενοι ἐς νύκτα ἐπανῆκον. ἄφνω τε τὰ Ῥωμαίων πυρὰ κατιδόντες ἐν θαύματί τε καὶ δέει μεγάλῳ ἐγένοντο.

Dewing These foraging parties, having learned nothing of the presence of the enemy, returned at night, and suddenly spying the fires of the Romans, they became greatly amazed and frightened.

Greek καὶ αὐτῶν πολλοὶ μὲν τὸν κίνδυνον ὑποστῆναι τολμήσαντες καὶ λαθόντες τοὺς πολεμίους ἐς Αὔξιμον ἐσῆλθον. ὅσοι δὲ κατορρωδήσαντες ἐν τῷ παραυτίκα ἐς ὕλας τινὰς σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἔκρυψαν, ἐφ’ ᾧ ἐπὶ Ῥαβέννης χωρήσουσιν, οὗτοι δὴ οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον ὑπὸ τοῖς ἐναντίοις γενόμενοι διεφθάρησαν.

Dewing And many of them, who plucked up courage to take the risk and escaped detection by their enemy, entered Auximus. But as many as were overcome by terror and hid themselves for the time in any convenient clumps of trees with the intention of proceeding to Ravenna, all these not long afterward fell into hostile hands and were destroyed.

Greek Βελισάριος δὲ κατιδὼν τὴν Αὔξιμον ἰσχυροτάτην ἐν τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ οὖσαν, παντελῶς τέ οἱ ἀμήχανα εἶναι προσβολὴν τῷ περιβόλῳ ποιήσασθαι, βίᾳ μὲν τὸ χωρίον ἑλεῖν οὐκ ἄν ποτε ᾤετο, πολιορκίᾳ δὲ ἀκριβεῖ ἔς τε ἀπορίαν τῶν ἀναγκαίων καταστήσεσθαι τοὺς πολεμίους ἐλπίδα εἶχε καὶ τῷ χρόνῳ ὑποχειρίους ποιήσασθαι.

Dewing And Belisarius, seeing that Auximus was exceedingly strong and securely placed, and that it was altogether impossible for him to make an attack upon the fortifications, was of the opinion that he could never take the place by storm, but he hoped by a close siege to reduce the enemy to want by cutting off their food supplies and thus to bring them into his power by the passage of time.

Greek Τοῦ δὲ περιβόλου οὐ μακρὰν ἄποθεν πόαν τινὰ πολλὴν ἡ γῆ ἀνιεῖσα ξυμβολῆς ἀφορμὴν ἐς ἡμέραν ἑκάστην Ῥωμαίοις τε καὶ Γότθοις ἔφερε.

Dewing Now not far from the fortifications there was a place where the ground was covered with an abundant growth of grass, and this gave rise every day to an encounter between the Romans and the Goths.

Greek ταύτην γὰρ ἀποτεμνομένους ἀεὶ τῶν ἵππων ἕνεκα τοὺς ἐναντίους ὁρῶντες Ῥωμαῖοι ἔν τε τῷ λόφῳ δρόμῳ πολλῷ ἀνιόντες ἐγίνοντο καὶ τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐς χεῖρας ἰόντες ἔργα τε ἀρετῆς ἄξια ἐνδεικνύμενοι, φέρεσθαι τὴν πόαν οὐδαμῆ εἴων, πολλούς τε ἀεὶ τῶν ἐναντίων ἐν τῷ χώρῳ τούτῳ διέφθειρον.

Dewing For every time the Romans saw their opponents cutting this grass for the sake of their horses, they would ascend the hill with a great rush, and, upon reaching the enemy, they would engage with them, and by making a display of valorous deeds, try to prevent them altogether from carrying off the grass; and they always slew many of the Goths in this place.

Greek οἱ δὲ βάρβαροι ἀρετῇ τῶν πολεμίων ἡσσώμενοι ἐπενόουν τάδε. τῶν ἁμαξῶν τοὺς τροχοὺς ξὺν μόνοις τοῖς ἄξοσιν ἀφελόμενοι ἐν παρασκευῇ εἶχον, τέμνειν τε τὴν πόαν ἀρξάμενοι, ἐπειδὴ ἀνιόντας ἤδη ἐς τοῦ λόφου τὰ μέσα τοὺς Ῥωμαίους εἶδον, τοὺς τροχοὺς ἀφῆκαν κατὰ κορυφὴν ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς φέρεσθαι.

Dewing Then the Goths, finding themselves no match for their enemy in valour devised the following plan. They removed the wheels along with the axles from their waggons and held them in readiness; then when they had commenced to cut the grass, as soon as they saw that the Romans, as they ascended, were at the middle of the hill, they released the wheels to rush down upon them from above.

Greek τύχῃ δέ τινι τούτους ξυνέπεσε τοὺς τροχοὺς ἄχρι ἐς τὸ ὁμαλὲς ἀνθρώπου οὐδενὸς ἁψαμένους ἐλθεῖν. ταύτης τε τῆς πείρας ἀποτυχόντες οἱ βάρβαροι, τότε μὲν φεύγοντες ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβόλου ἐγένοντο, ἔπειτα δὲ ἐποίουν τάδε.

Dewing But by some chance it so happened that these wheels went all the way to the level ground without touching a single man. And since they had failed in this attempt, the barbarians on that occasion took to flight and got inside the fortifications, but after that they adopted the following plan.

Greek τὰς φάραγγας, αἳ τοῦ περιβόλου εἰσὶν ἄγχιστα, ἐνέδραις τῶν ἐν σφίσι δοκίμων ἀνδρῶν προλοχίσαντες ὀλίγοι τοῖς πολεμίοις ἀμφὶ τὴν πόαν ἐφαίνοντο, ἡνίκα τε ἡ μάχη ἐν χερσὶ γένοιτο, ἐκπηδῶντες ἐκ τῶν ἐνεδρῶν οἱ κρυπτόμενοι, πλήθει τε τοὺς ἐναντίους παρὰ πολὺ ὑπεραίροντες καὶ αὐτοὺς τῷ μὴ προαισθέσθαι ἐκπλήσσοντες πλείστους μὲν ἔκτεινον, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς ἀεὶ ἐς φυγὴν ἔτρεπον.

Dewing After filling the ravines which are close to the fortifications with ambuscades of the men of note among them, a few soldiers would shew themselves near the grass to the enemy, and when the fighting had come to close quarters, those in concealment would leap out from their ambuscades, and, being greatly superior to their opponents in number, and striking terror into them because they had not previously seen their assailants, they used to kill great numbers of them and always turned the rest to flight.

Greek Ῥωμαίων δὲ ὅσοι ἐν τοῖς στρατοπέδοις εἱστήκεσαν ἔβλεπον μὲν ἐκ τῶν ἐνεδρῶν ὑπεξανισταμένους τοὺς πολεμίους, κραυγῇ δὲ πολλῇ τοὺς ἑταίρους ἀνακαλοῦντες οὐδὲν ἤνυον, ἐπεὶ οἱ μαχόμενοι τῆς ἐκείνων βοῆς ἥκιστα ἤκουον, μήκει τε τοῦ λόφου ἐπὶ πλεῖστον αὐτῶν διειργόμενοι καὶ τῶν βαρβάρων ἀεὶ ἐξεπίτηδες σφίσιν ἀντιπαταγούντων τοῖς ὅπλοις.

Dewing And although those of the Romans who had kept their position in the camps did see the enemy rising from the ambuscades, and tried, with much shouting, to call their companions back, still they failed utterly to do so, since those fighting could not in the least hear their call, because, in the first place, they were separated from them by a great expanse of hillside, and, in the second place, the barbarians purposely always made a din to drown the voices by beating their weapons together.

Greek Βελισαρίῳ δὲ τοῖς παροῦσιν ἀπορουμένῳ Προκόπιος, ὃς τάδε ξυνέγραψε, προσελθὼν εἶπεν· “Οἱ ταῖς σάλπιγξιν, ὦ στρατηγέ, τὸ παλαιὸν ἐν τῷ Ῥωμαίων στρατῷ χρώμενοι νόμους τινὰς ἠπίσταντο δύο, ὧν ἅτερος μὲν ἐγκελευομένῳ τε ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἐῴκει καὶ τοὺς στρατιώτας ἐς μάχην ὁρμῶντι, ὁ δὲ ἄλλος ἐπὶ τὸ στρατόπεδον ἀνεκάλει τοὺς μαχομένους, ἡνίκα ταῦτα ἐδόκει τῷ στρατηγῷ ὡς ἄριστα ἔχειν.

Dewing And when Belisarius was in perplexity because of this situation, Procopius, who wrote this history, came before him and said: "The men, General, who blew the trumpets in the Roman army in ancient times knew two different strains, one of which seemed unmistakably to urge the soldiers on and impel them to battle, while the other used to call the men who were fighting back to the camp, whenever this seemed to the general to be for the best.

Greek ταύτῃ τε ἀεὶ οἱ μὲν στρατηγοὶ τὰ καθήκοντα τοῖς στρατιώταις ἐκέλευον, ἐκεῖνοι δὲ τὰ παραγγελλόμενα ἔργα ἐπιτελεῖν ἴσχυον.

Dewing And by such means the generals could always give the appropriate commands to the soldiers, and they on their part were able to execute the commands thus communicated to them.

Greek κραυγὴ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς ξυμβολαῖς σημῆναί τι σαφὲς οὐδαμῶς πέφυκε, πατάγου τε, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, πανταχόσε ἀντικτυποῦντος καὶ τοῦ δέους ἐκπλήσσοντος τὰς τῶν μαχομένων αἰσθήσεις.

Dewing For during actual combat the human voice is in no way adapted to give any clear instructions, since it obviously has to contend with the clash of arms on every side, and fear paralyzes the senses of those fighting.

Greek ἐπεὶ δὲ τανῦν ἀμαθίᾳ τε ἡ τοιαύτη τέχνη ἐξώλισθε καὶ μιᾷ σάλπιγγι ἄμφω δηλῶσαι ἀμήχανον, αὐτὸς οὕτω τὸ λοιπὸν ποίει.

Dewing But since at the present time such skill has become obsolete through ignorance and it is impossible to express both commands by one trumpet, do you adopt the following course hereafter.

Greek σάλπιγξι μὲν ταῖς ἱππικαῖς ἐγκελεύου τοῖς στρατιώταις διαμάχεσθαι τοῖς πολεμίοις, ταῖς δὲ πεζικαῖς ἐπὶ τὴν ἀναχώρησιν ἀνακάλει τοὺς ἄνδρας.

Dewing With the cavalry trumpets urge on the soldiers to continue fighting with the enemy, but with those of the infantry call the men back to the retreat.

Greek ἑκατέρου γὰρ αὐτοὺς τοῦ ἤχου μὴ οὐχὶ ξυνεῖναι ἀδύνατον, ἐπεὶ ὁ μὲν ἐκ βύρσης τε καὶ ξύλου ὑπεράγαν λεπτοῦ, ὁ δὲ ἐκ παχέος τινὸς χαλκοῦ πρόεισι.”

Dewing For it is impossible for them to fail to recognize the sound of either one, for in the one case the sound comes forth from leather and very thin wood, and in the other from rather thick brass."

Greek Προκόπιος μὲν τοσαῦτα εἶπε. Βελισάριος δὲ ἥσθη τε τῇ ὑποθήκῃ καὶ ἅπαν ξυγκαλέσας τὸ στράτευμα ἔλεξε τοιάδε· “Προθυμίαν ἐς τόδε ξυμφέρειν τε οἶμαι καὶ πολλοῦ ἐπαίνου ἀξίαν εἶναι, μέχρις ἂν μετρία τις οὖσα οὐδὲν τοῖς ἔχουσι προσποιῆται βλάβος.

Dewing So spoke Procopius. And Belisarius was pleased by the suggestion, and calling together the whole army he spoke as follows: "consider that enthusiasm is beneficial and thoroughly praiseworthy, but only so long as it continues to be of a moderate sort and consequently brings no harm upon those under its spell.

Greek τῷ γὰρ ὑπερβάλλοντι τὰ ἀγαθὰ πάντα πρὸς τὸ χεῖρον ἀεὶ τρέπεσθαι εἴωθεν. ὑμεῖς οὖν μὴ τῷ φιλονείκῳ τὸ λοιπὸν σφάλλεσθε· φεύγειν γὰρ δή που τὸν κακουργοῦντα οὐδεμία αἰσχύνη.

Dewing For every good thing, when in excess, is wont to change for the worse. Do you, therefore, from this time forth, not allow your enthusiasm for battle to cause you to fail of success; for to flee from one who is inflicting loss upon you is, as you surely know, no disgrace.

Greek ἀλλ’ ὁ μὲν ἐς κακὸν προὖπτον ἀνεπισκέπτως ἰὼν καὶ σωθεὶς ἐνθένδε, ἂν οὕτω τύχῃ, ἄνοιαν ὀφλισκάνει· γενναῖος δὲ ὃς ἂν ἐν τοῖς ἀναγκαίοις ἀνδραγαθίζηται.

Dewing But he who without looking about him goes into trouble which is before his eyes and, should it so happen, escapes from it, still stands convicted of folly; but the man truly noble is he who plays the part of a brave man in dangers that cannot be avoided.

Greek οἱ μὲν οὖν βάρβαροι, ἐπεὶ ἐκ τοῦ εὐθέος ἡμῖν οὐχ οἷοί τέ εἰσι διαμάχεσθαι, προλοχίζοντες διαφθείρειν ἡμᾶς ἐγχειροῦσιν. ἡμῖν δὲ τοῦ διαφυγεῖν τὴν αὐτῶν ἐνέδραν τὸ τὸν κίνδυνον ὑποστῆναι μεμπτότερον.

Dewing Now the barbarians, since they are unable to fight a decisive battle with us in the open, are trying to destroy us by laying snares.

Greek τοῦ γὰρ ἐνδιδόναι ταῖς τῶν ἐχθρῶι γνώμαις οὐδὲν αἴσχιον. ἐμοὶ μὲν οὖν ὅπως μὴ προσπεσεῖσθε ταῖς τῶν πολεμίων ἐνέδραις μελήσει.

Dewing But for us it is more blameworthy to face the danger than to escape from their ambush. For nothing is more shameful than to fall in with the plans of the enemy.

Greek ἔργον δ’ ἂν ὑμέτερον εἴη, ἐπειδὰν σημήνω, ἐς τὴν ἀναχώρησιν κατὰ τάχος ἰέναι. αὕτη δὲ ὑμῖν ἡ δήλωσις ἐκ σάλπιγγος, ὦ στρατιῶται, τῆς πεζικῆς ἔσται.” Βελισάριος μὲν τοσαῦτα εἶπεν.

Dewing It will rest with me, accordingly, to see to it that you do not come unawares upon the ambuscades of the enemy. And it will be your duty, as soon as I give the signal, to retire with all speed. And this signal, soldiers, will be given by the trumpet of the infantry." So spoke Belisarius.

Greek οἱ δὲ στρατιῶται ἀμφὶ τὴν πόαν κατιδόντες τοὺς πολεμίους, δρόμῳ ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς ᾔεσαν, τινάς τε αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ ὁρμῇ ἔκτεινον.

Dewing And the soldiers, seeing the enemy near the grass, made a charge against them and killed a few of their number in the first onset.

Greek ἐν οἷς ἕνα χρυσοφοροῦντα τῶν τις Μαυρουσίων ἰδὼν λαβόμενός τε τῶν ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ τριχῶν, ὅπως ἀποδύοι, τὸν νεκρὸν ἐφεῖλκε.

Dewing And one of the Moors saw among these fallen Goths one in particular whose person was adorned with gold, and laying hold of the hair of his head, he began to drag the corpse after him in order to strip it.

Greek Γότθος δέ τις αὐτὸν ἀκοντίῳ βαλὼν μυώνων τε, οἳ ὄπισθέν εἰσι τῶν κνημῶν, ἑκατέρων ἐπιτυχών, ἐνέρσει τοῦ ἀκοντίου ἄμφω τὼ πόδε ξυνέδησεν.

Dewing But some Goth hurled a javelin at him, and with such a lucky aim that the weapon passed through both his legs, piercing the muscles which are behind the shins,⁠ with the result that his two legs were pinned together by means of the javelin.

Greek ἀλλ’ οὐδέν τι ἧσσον ὁ Μαυρούσιος τῶν τριχῶν ἐχόμενος τὸν νεκρὸν εἷλκεν. ἐν τούτῳ δὲ οἱ μὲν βάρβαροι τὰς ἐνέδρας ἐκίνουν, Βελισάριος δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ στρατοπέδου ὁρῶν τὰ ποιούμενα, ταῖς σάλπιγξι τοὺς πεζοὺς οἷς τὸ ἔργον τοῦτο ἐπέκειτο ἠχεῖν κατὰ τάχος ἐκέλευεν.

Dewing But nevertheless the Moor kept holding the hair of the corpse and dragging it along. At this point the barbarians roused their men from ambush, and Belisarius, seeing from the camp what was being done, commanded the foot-soldiers to whom this duty was assigned to sound the trumpets quickly.

Greek οἵ τε Ῥωμαῖοι αἰσθόμενοι κατὰ βραχὺ ἤδη ὑπεχώρουν, τὸν Μαυρούσιον ξὺν τῷ ἀκοντίῳ ἀράμενοι. οἷς δὴ οἱ Γότθοι ἕπεσθαι οὐκέτι ἐτόλμων, ἀλλ’ ἄπρακτοι ἀνεχώρησαν.

Dewing And the Romans, hearing it, began immediately to withdraw gradually, taking up and carrying the Moor, javelin and all. And the Goths dared follow them no further, but returned unsuccessful.