第6巻 第24章

Greek Προϊόντος δὲ τοῦ χρόνου καὶ τῆς ἀπορίας οἱ βάρβαροι τῶν ἐπιτηδείων ἐπὶ μέγα χωρούσης, ἀνενεγκεῖν ἐς Οὐίττιγιν ἐβουλεύοντο τὰ παρόντα σφίσι.

Dewing As time went on and the barbarians saw that their supply of food was coming to be exceedingly scant, they purposed to report their situation to Vittigis.

Greek καὶ ἐπεὶ αὐτῶν οὐδεὶς στέλλεσθαι ἐς ταύτην δὴ τὴν πρᾶξιν ἐτόλμα ʽλήσειν γὰρ τοὺς πολιορκοῦντας οὐκ ἄν ποτε ᾤοντὀ, ἐπενόουν τάδε.

Dewing And since no one of them dared set out on this mission (for they thought that they would never elude their besiegers), they devised the following plan.

Greek ἀσέληνον νύκτα τηρήσαντες καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας ἐν παρασκευῇ ποιησάμενοι οὓς δὴ παρὰ τὸν Οὐίττιγιν πέμπειν διενοοῦντο, γράμματά τε αὐτοῖς ἐν χερσὶ θέμενοι, ἐπειδὴ πόρρω ἦν τῶν νυκτῶν, ἐβόων ἅπαντες πολλαχῆ τοῦ περιβόλου ἐξαίσιον.

Dewing They first put in readiness the men whom they were intending to send to Vittigis, and then waited for a moonless night; when this came they put a letter into their hands, when it was well on in the night, and thereupon all raised a mighty shout at many parts of the circuit-wall.

Greek εἴκασεν ἄν τις ἐς ταραχὴν αὐτοὺς καταστῆναι λίαν τε σφίσιν ἐγκειμένων τῶν πολεμίων καὶ παρὰ δόξαν ἁλισκομένης τῆς πόλεως·

Dewing One would have supposed that they had been thrown into confusion owing to a violent attack of the enemy and an unexpected capture of the city.

Greek οὐκ ἔχοντες δὲ παντάπασι Ῥωμαῖοι ξυμβαλεῖν τὸ γινόμενον, Βελισαρίου γνώμῃ ἐν τοῖς στρατοπέδοις ἡσυχῆ ἔμενον, ἔκ τε τῆς πόλεως ἐπιβουλήν τινα ὑποτοπάσαντες ἔσεσθαι καὶ στρατὸν ἐκ Ῥαβέννης ἐπιβεβοηθηκότα τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐπὶ σφᾶς ἥκειν. ἃ δὴ δεδιότες ᾤοντο ἄμεινον σφίσιν εἶναι ἐν τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ ἡσυχάζουσι διασώζεσθαι ἢ ἐς προὖπτόν τινα κίνδυνον ἐν νυκτὶ ἀσελήνῳ χωρεῖν.

Dewing And the Romans, utterly unable to understand what was taking place, by the will of Belisarius remained quietly in the camps, suspecting that some stratagem would be carried out from the city and that an army from Ravenna bringing assistance to the enemy had come against them. And moved as they were by these fears, they thought it better for them to remain quietly in a secure position and thus save themselves than to go on a moonless night into a danger which could, in a way, be foreseen.

Greek οὕτω γοῦν οἱ βάρβαροι λαθόντες τοὺς πολεμίους ἐπὶ Ῥαβέννης τοὺς ἄνδρας ἔπεμψαν. οἳ οὐδενὸς πολεμίου ἀνδρὸς ἐς ὄψιν ἐλθόντες παρά τε Οὐίττιγιν τριταῖοι ἀφίκοντο καὶ τὰ γράμματα ἔδειξαν.

Dewing By such means, therefore, the barbarians concealed their plan from the enemy and despatched the men on the way to Ravenna. And they, without being seen by a single one of the enemy, came before Vittigis on the third day and displayed the letter.

Greek ἐδήλου δὲ ἡ γραφὴ τάδε· “Ἡνίκα ἡμᾶς, ὦ βασιλεῦ, ἐς τὴν ἐν Αὐξίμῳ φρουρὰν καθίστης, τὰς κλεῖς ἔφησθα παρακαταθέσθαι ἡμῖν Ῥαβέννης τε αὐτῆς καὶ τῆς βασιλείας τῆς σῆς.

Dewing And the writing was as follows: "When you appointed us, O King, for the garrison of Auximus, you said that you had placed in our keeping the keys of Ravenna itself and of your kingdom.

Greek διὸ δὴ ἐπήγγελλες ἡμῖν παντὶ σθένει φυλάσσεσθαι, ὅπως μὴ τὸ καθ’ ἡμᾶς μέρος παραδῶμεν τοῖς πολεμίοις τὸ Γότθων κράτος, ἰσχυρίζου τε δεομένοις ἡμῖν παντὶ τῷ στρατῷ παρέσεσθαι αὐτεπάγγελτος.

Dewing And for this very reason you enjoined upon us to be on guard with every fibre of our being, that we should not by any act of ours betray the power of the Goths to the enemy, and you declared that, if we craved your assistance, you would be at hand with the whole army even before any messenger could announce your coming.

Greek ἡμεῖς μὲν οὖν ἄχρι τοῦδε λιμῷ τε καὶ Βελισαρίῳ μαχόμενοι πιστοὶ φύλακες τῆς σῆς βασιλείας γεγόναμεν, σὺ δὲ οὐδὲ ὁπωστιοῦν ἡμῖν βοηθεῖν ἔγνωκας.

Dewing Now as for us, we have, up to the present time, though fighting both with famine and with Belisarius, proved ourselves faithful guardians of your kingdom, but you have seen fit to aid us in no way whatsoever.

Greek λογίζου τοίνυν μή ποτε Αὔξιμον ἑλόντες Ῥωμαῖοι καὶ τὰς κλεῖς ἀνελόμενοι, ὧν αὐτὸς ἐνταῦθα κειμένων ὑπερορᾷς, οὐδενὸς τῶν σῶν ἀποκεκλεισμένοι τὸ λοιπὸν ὦσι.” τὰ γράμματα μὲν τοσαῦτα ἐδήλου.

Dewing You must consider, therefore, whether the Romans may not one day capture Auximus and take up the keys which you yourself are disregarding as they lie here, and thereby be excluded in future from none of your possessions." Such was the purport of the letter.

Greek Ἐπεὶ δὲ αὐτὰ Οὐίττιγις ἀπενεχθέντα εἶδεν, ἐν μὲν τῷ παραυτίκα τοὺς ἄνδρας πάσῃ τῇ Γότθων στρατιᾷ βοηθήσειν Αὐξίμῳ ὑποσχόμενος ἀπεπέμψατο, μετὰ δὲ πολλὰ λογισάμενος ἡσυχίαν ἦγε.

Dewing When it was brought to Vittigis and he saw it, he did at the moment send the men away with the promise that he would bring assistance to Auximus with the whole army of the Goths; but later, after long consideration, he continued to remain inactive.

Greek τούς τε γὰρ ἀμφὶ τὸν Ἰωάννην ὑπώπτευε μὴ κατὰ νώτου σφίσιν ἐπισπόμενοι ἐν ἀμφιβόλῳ ποιήσωνται, καὶ πολλὴν οἰόμενος ξὺν Βελισαρίῳ μαχίμων ἀνδρῶν δύναμιν εἶναι ἐς ἀμήχανόν τι δέος ἐξέπιπτε.

Dewing For, on the one hand, he suspected that the troops of John would follow up his rear and thus make him exposed to attack on two sides, and, on the other, he thought that Belisarius had with him a numerous force of able fighting men; consequently he fell into a sort of helpless fear.

Greek μάλιστα δὲ ἁπάντων ὁ λιμὸς αὐτὸν ξυνετάρασσεν, οὐκ ἔχοντα ὅθεν ἂν τὰ ἐπιτήδεια τῷ στρατοπέδῳ πορίζηται.

Dewing But chief among the many causes of his concern was the famine, which disturbed him greatly, since he had no source from which to provide supplies for his army.

Greek οἱ μὲν γὰρ Ῥωμαῖοι ἅτε θαλασσοκρατοῦντες καὶ τὸ ἐν Ἀγκῶνι φρούριον ἔχοντες, τὰ ἀναγκαῖα πάντα ἔκ τε Σικελίας καὶ Καλαβρίας ἐνταῦθα κατατιθέμενοι ἐς καιρὸν ἐνθένδε εὐπετῶς ἔφερον.

Dewing For the Romans, on the one hand, being as they were masters of the sea and holding the fortress in Ancon, brought all their supplies from Sicily and Calabria and stored them in that place, and, at the proper time, easily got them from there.

Greek Γότθοις δὲ στρατεύουσιν ἐς Πικηνῶν τὴν χώραν πόρον οὐδένα τῶν ἐπιτηδείων ἐννοῶν ἔσεσθαι ἐς ἀμηχανίαν καθίστατο.

Dewing The Goths, on the other hand, if they marched into the land of Picenum, would have no means of securing provisions; this he fully realized, and so he found himself completely at a loss.

Greek Οὐιττίγιδος μὲν οὖν τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν λαθόντες τοὺς πολεμίους ἐς Αὔξιμον ἤνεγκαν οἱ πρώην ἐς αὐτὸν ἐνθένδε σταλέντες καὶ βαρβάρους τοὺς ἐνταῦθα κεναῖς ἐλπίσιν ἐπέρρωσαν.

Dewing So the men who had lately been sent to Vittigis from Auximus brought back his promise to the city without being detected by their enemy, and thus fortified the barbarians there with empty hopes.

Greek Βελισάριος δὲ ταῦτα πρὸς τῶν αὐτομόλων ἀκούσας ἔτι μᾶλλον ἐς τὸ ἀκριβὲς φυλακὴν ἐκέλευε ποιεῖσθαι, ὅπως μή τι συμβαίη καὶ αὖθις τοιοῦτο. ταῦτα μὲν ἐγίνετο τῇδε.

Dewing And Belisarius, upon hearing this from the deserters, ordered that a still stricter guard should be kept in order that no such thing might happen again. Such was the course of these events.

Greek Οἱ δὲ ἀμφὶ Κυπριανὸν καὶ Ἰουστῖνον Φισούλαν πολιορκοῦντες τῷ μὲν περιβόλῳ προσβάλλειν ἢ ἄγχιστά που αὐτοῦ ἰέναι οὐδαμῆ εἶχον· δυσπρόσοδον γὰρ τοῦτο πανταχόθεν τὸ φρούριον ἦν. τῶν δὲ βαρβάρων σφίσι συχνὰ ἐπεξιόντων μάχῃ τε μᾶλλον διακρίνεσθαι πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐθελόντων ἢ τῶν ἀναγκαίων τῇ ἀπορίᾳ πιέζεσθαι, ἀγχώμαλοι μὲν αἱ ξυμβολαὶ τὰ πρῶτα ἐγίνοντο, ἔπειτα δὲ πλέον ἤδη Ῥωμαῖοι ἔχοντες ἔς τε τὸ τεῖχος τοὺς πολεμίους κατέκλεισαν καὶ ἀσφαλῶς διεφύλασσον,

Dewing Meanwhile the troops of Cyprian and Justinus who were besieging Fisula were quite unable to make an assault upon the fortifications or even to get very close to them; for this fortress was difficult of access on every side. But the barbarians made frequent sallies against them, wishing rather to reach a decision by battle with the Romans than to be hard pressed by lack of provisions; and the engagements at first, indeed, proved indecisive, but after a time the Romans, now having the advantage, shut the enemy up within their wall and continued to guard them securely, so that no one could leave the city.

Greek ὥστε μηδένα πη ἐνθένδε ἰέναι. οἱ μὲν οὖν βάρβαροι τῶν τε ἀναγκαίων σπανίζοντες καὶ τοῖς παροῦσιν ἀπορούμενοι, λαθόντες τοὺς πολεμίους παρὰ τὸν Οὐίττιγιν ἔπεμπον, βοηθεῖν σφίσιν αὐτοῖς κατὰ τάχος δεόμενοι, ὡς οὐκέτι πλείω τινὰ ἀνθέξουσι χρόνον.

Dewing So the barbarians, seeing that their provisions were failing, and finding themselves helpless in their present situation, sent to Vittigis without the knowledge of their enemy, begging him to bring them assistance with all speed, on the ground that they would not hold out very much longer.

Greek Οὐίττιγις δὲ Οὐραΐαν ἐκέλευε ξὺν τῷ ἐν Λιγούροις στρατῷ ἐς Τικινοὺς ἰέναι· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς ἰσχυρίζετο πάσῃ τῇ Γότθων δυνάμει τοῖς πολιορκουμένοις παρέσεσθαι.

Dewing And Vittigis commanded Uraias to go to Ticinum⁠ with the army then in Liguria; for, after that, he declared, he too would come to the aid of the besieged himself with the whole Gothic army.

Greek ὁ δὲ κατὰ ταῦτα ἐποίει καὶ ἅπαν κινήσας τὸ ξὺν αὐτῷ στράτευμα ἐς Τικινοὺς ᾔει· Πάδον τε ποταμὸν διαβάντες ἐγγύς που τοῦ τῶν Ῥωμαίων στρατοπέδου ἦλθον.

Dewing And Uraias, acting accordingly, set in motion the whole army he had with him and went to Ticinum. And crossing the river Po, they came to the vicinity of the Roman camp.⁠

Greek οὗ δὴ καὶ αὐτοὶ στρατοπεδευσάμενοι ἀντεκάθηντο τοῖς πολεμίοις, ἀπέχοντες αὐτῶν μάλιστα ὅσον σταδίους ἑξήκοντα. χειρῶν δὲ οὐδέτεροι ἦρχον.

Dewing There they too made camp and established themselves over against their enemy, at a distance of about sixty stades from them. And neither side began an attack.

Greek τοῖς τε γὰρ Ῥωμαίοις ἔδοξεν ἀποχρῆν, εἰ τοῖς ἐναντίοις ἐμποδὼν στήσονται, ὥστε μὴ ἐπὶ τοὺς πολιορκοῦντας πορεύεσθαι, καὶ οἱ βάρβαροι ἐνταῦθα ὤκνουν διαμάχεσθαι τοῖς πολεμίοις, λογιζόμενοι ὡς, ἢν ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ ξυμβολῇ ἀτυχήσωσιν, ἅπαντα Γότθων διαφθεροῦσι τὰ πράγματα.

Dewing For the Romans, on the one hand, deemed it sufficient if they should block the way for their enemy, so that they could not advance upon the besieging army, and the barbarians, on the other, were reluctant to fight a decisive battle with their enemy in that place, reasoning that, if they should fail in this engagement, they would ruin the whole cause of the Goths.

Greek οὐ γὰρ ἔτι τοῖς ἀμφὶ τὸν Οὐίττιγιν ἐπιμιγνύμενοι ἀμύνειν τοῖς πολιορκουμένοις ξὺν αὐτῷ ἕξουσι. τοιαύτῃ μὲν γνώμῃ ἑκάτεροι ἡσυχίαν ἦγον.

Dewing For, in that case, they would no longer be able to unite with the troops of Vittigis and with him to give assistance to the besieged. So both sides, reasoning thus, continued to remain quiet.