第6巻 第29章

Greek Τότε δὲ καὶ πρέσβεις ἐκ βασιλέως ἀφίκοντο, Δόμνικός τε καὶ Μαξιμῖνος, ἐκ βουλῆς ἄμφω, ἐφ’ ᾧ τὴν εἰρήνην κατὰ τάδε ποιήσονται·

Dewing It was in these circumstances that envoys arrived from the emperor, Domnicus and Maximinus, both members of the senate, in order to make peace on the following terms.

Greek Οὐίττιγιν μὲν πλούτου τὸ ἥμισυ τοῦ βασιλικοῦ φέρεσθαι, χώρας τε ἄρχειν ἣ ἐκτὸς Πάδου ποταμοῦ ἐστι· τῶν δὲ δὴ χρημάτων τὸ ἥμισυ βασιλέως εἶναι, καὶ αὐτὸν ὅσα ἐντὸς Πάδου ποταμοῦ ἐστιν ὑπήκοα ἐς ἀπαγωγὴν φόρου ποιήσασθαι.

Dewing Vittigis was to receive one-half of the royal treasure, and to rule over the territory which is north of the river Po; but the other half of the money was to fall to the emperor, and he was to make subject and tributary to himself all that lay south of the Po.

Greek Βελισαρίῳ τε οἱ πρέσβεις τὰ βασιλέως γράμματα δείξαντες ἐς Ῥάβενναν ἐκομίσθησαν. μαθόντες δὲ Γότθοι καὶ Οὐίττιγις ἐφ’ ᾧ ἥκοιεν, ἄσμενοι κατὰ ταῦτα ὡμολόγησαν τὰς σπονδὰς θήσεσθαι.

Dewing So the envoys, having shewn the emperor's letter to Belisarius, betook themselves to Ravenna. And when the Goths and Vittigis had learned the purpose of their coming, they gladly agreed to make the treaty on these terms.

Greek ἅπερ ἀκούσας Βελισάριος ἤσχαλλεν, ἐν ξυμφορᾷ μεγάλῃ ποιούμενος, εἰ μή τις αὐτὸν ἐῴη, παρὸν οὐδενὶ πόνῳ, τό τε κράτος τοῦ πολέμου παντὸς φέρεσθαι καὶ δορυάλωτον Οὐίττιγιν ἐς Βυζάντιον ἀγαγεῖν.

Dewing But Belisarius, upon hearing this, was moved with vexation, counting it a great calamity that anyone should prevent him from winning the decisive victory of the whole war, when it was possible to do so with no trouble, and from leading Vittigis a captive to Byzantium.

Greek ἐπειδή τε οἱ πρέσβεις ἐκ Ῥαβέννης πρὸς αὐτὸν ἵκοντο, γράμμασιν οἰκείοις ἐπιρρῶσαι τὰς ξυνθήκας ἥκιστα ἤθελεν.

Dewing So when the envoys returned to him from Ravenna, he refused absolutely to ratify the agreement by his own signature.

Greek ὧνπερ οἱ Γότθοι αἰσθόμενοι νῷ τε δολερῷ τὴν εἰρήνην σφίσι Ῥωμαίους προτείνεσθαι ὑπετόπαζον, καὶ ὑποψίᾳ ἐς αὐτοὺς μεγάλῃ ἐχρῶντο, ἄντικρύς τε ἤδη ἔφασκον ἄνευ τῶν Βελισαρίου γραμμάτων τε καὶ ὅρκων οὔποτε ξυνθήκας πρὸς αὐτοὺς θήσεσθαι.

Dewing And when the Goths became aware of this, they began to feel that the Romans were offering them peace with treacherous intent, and became very suspicious of them; and they forthwith declared flatly that without both the signature and the oath of Belisarius they would never make a compact with the Romans.

Greek Ἀκούσας δὲ βελισάριος λοιδορεῖσθαί οἱ τῶν ἀρχόντων τινάς, ὡς δὴ ἐπιβουλεύων τοῖς βασιλέως πράγμασι τὸν πόλεμον καταλύειν οὐδαμῶς Βούλοιτο, ξυγκαλέσας ἅπαντας, Δομνίκου τε καὶ Μαξιμίνου παρόντων, ἔλεξε τοιάδε·

Dewing And Belisarius, upon hearing that some of the commanders were criticizing him bitterly, on the ground that he was plainly plotting against the emperor's cause, and for this reason was quite unwilling to bring the war to an end, called them all together, and, in the presence of Domnicus and Maximinus, spoke as follows.

Greek “Τὴν μὲν τοῦ πολέμου τύχην ἐν τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ ὡς ἥκιστα ἑστάναι αὐτός τε οἶδα καὶ ὑμῶν ἕκαστον ταὐτά μοι γινώσκειν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς οἶμαι.

Dewing "I am not alone in knowing that the fortune of war is by no means fixed and firm, but I think that each one of you shares this same view with me regarding it.

Greek πολλούς τε γὰρ ἐπίδοξος, ὅτι δὴ ἐς αὐτοὺς ἀφίξεται, οὖσα ἡ τῆς νίκης ἐλπὶς ἔσφηλε, καὶ τοῖς ἠτυχηκέναι δοκοῦσι τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἤδη παρὰ δόξαν περιεῖναι ξυνέβη.

Dewing For many men have been deceived by the hope of victory when it seemed certain that it would come to them, while men who, to all appearances, have met with disaster, have many a time had the fortune to triumph unexpectedly over their adversaries.

Greek διὸ δή φημι χρῆναι τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰρήνης βουλευομένους οὐ τὴν ἀγαθὴν ἐλπίδα προβάλλεσθαι μόνον, ἐφ’ ἑκάτερα δὲ τὴν ἀπόβασιν ἔσεσθαι σφίσιν ἐν νῷ ἔχοντας, οὕτω τὴν αἵρεσιν ποιεῖσθαι τῆς γνώμης.

Dewing Consequently I say that men deliberating with regard to peace should not put before them only the expectation of success, but reflecting that the result will be either way,2 they should make their choice of policy on this basis.

Greek τούτων δὲ τοιούτων ὄντων, ὑμᾶς τε τοὺς ξυνάρχοντας καὶ τούσδε τοὺς βασιλέως πρέσβεις ξυνεισάγειν ἔδοξεν ἔμοιγε, ὅπως ἐν τῷ παρόντι κατ’ ἐξουσίαν ἑλόμενοι ὅ τι ἂν βασιλεῖ ξυνοίσειν δοκῇ, μήποτέ τινα ὀπίσω τῶν πραγμάτων κατ’ ἐμοῦ ποιήσησθε μέμψιν.

Dewing In view of this, it has seemed best to me, at any rate, to bring to a conference you, my colleagues, and these envoys of the emperor, to the end that the present occasion may afford an opportunity to choose at our leisure whatever course may seem destined to be of advantage to the emperor, that after the event you may never bring any reproach against me.

Greek τῶν γὰρ ἀτοπωτάτων ἂν εἴη σιωπᾶν μὲν ἕως ἔξεστιν ἐξελέσθαι τὰ κρείσσω, σκοπουμένοις δὲ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς τύχης ἀπόβασιν τὰς αἰτίας ποιεῖσθαι.

Dewing For it would be a thing most monstrous, first to be silent as long as it is possible to choose the better course, and later upon surveying the outcome decreed by fortune, to bring accusations.

Greek ὅσα μὲν οὖν ἐς τὴν τοῦ πολέμου διάλυσιν βασιλεῖ τε δέδοκται καὶ Οὐιττίγιδι βουλομένῳ ἐστίν, ἐπίστασθε δή που.

Dewing Now as to the emperor's decision with a view to the conclusion of the war, and as to the wishes of Vittigis, you are of course well informed.

Greek εἰ δὲ καὶ ὑμῖν ξύμφορα ταῦτα εἶναι δοκεῖ, λεγέτω παρελθὼν ἕκαστος. εἰ μέντοι πᾶσάν τε Ἰταλίαν οἴεσθε Ῥωμαίοις ἀνασώσασθαι οἷοί τε εἶναι καὶ τῶν πολεμίων τὴν ἐπικράτησιν ποιήσασθαι, οὐδὲν κωλύσει μηδὲν ὑποστειλαμένους εἰπεῖν.” ταῦτα ἐπεὶ Βελισάριος εἶπεν,

Dewing And if you, too, think this course advantageous, let each man come forward and speak. If, however, you think that you are able to recover the whole of Italy for the Romans and to gain the mastery over the enemy, nothing will prevent you from speaking with complete frankness."

Greek ἅπαντες ἄντικρυς ἀπεφήναντο τὰ βασιλέως βουλεύματα βέλτιστα εἶναι, καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτοὺς οἵους τε ἔσεσθαι περαιτέρω τοὺς πολεμίους ἐργάζεσθαι.

Dewing When Belisarius had thus spoken, all expressed the opinion with certainty that the emperor's decision was best, and that they would be unable to do the enemy any further harm.

Greek Βελισάριος δὲ ἡσθεὶς τῶν ἀρχόντων τῇ γνώμῃ γράμμασιν αὐτὴν ἠξίου δηλῶσαι, ὡς μήποτε αὐτὴν ἀρνηθεῖεν. οἱ δὲ καὶ γράψαντες ἐν βιβλιδίῳ ἐδήλουν οὐχ οἷοί τε εἶναι περιέσεσθαι τῷ πολέμῳ τῶν ἐναντίων.

Dewing And Belisarius was pleased with the expression of the commanders' opinion, and asked them to set it down in writing, in order that they might never deny it. They accordingly wrote a document stating that they were unable to achieve superiority over their opponents in the war.

Greek Ταῦτα μὲν ἐν τῷ Ῥωμαίων στρατοπέδῳ ἐγίνετο. Γότθοι δὲ τῷ λιμῷ πιεζόμενοι οὐκέτι τε ἀντέχειν τῇ ταλαιπωρίᾳ δυνάμενοι Οὐιττίγιδος μὲν τῇ ἀρχῇ ἤχθοντο ἅτε ὡς μάλιστα δεδυστυχηκότος, βασιλεῖ δὲ προσχωρεῖν ὤκνουν, δεδιότες ἄλλο μὲν οὐδέν, ὅπως δὲ μὴ δοῦλοι βασιλέως γενόμενοι ἔκ τε Ἰταλίας ἀνίστασθαι ἀναγκάζοιντο καὶ ἐς Βυζάντιον ἰόντες ἐνταῦθα ἱδρύσεσθαι.

Dewing These deliberations, then, were being carried forward in the Roman camp. But the Goths, hard pressed by the famine and no longer able to endure their suffering, were in a state of suspense; for while they were hostile to the rule of Vittigis, seeing that he had been unfortunate in the extreme, still they were reluctant to yield to the emperor fearing only this, that upon becoming slaves of the emperor they would be compelled to remove from Italy and go to Byzantium and settle there.

Greek ἐν σφίσιν οὖν αὐτοῖς βουλευσάμενοι, εἴ τι ἐν Γότθοις καθαρὸν ἦν, βασιλέα τῆς ἑσπερίας βελισάριον ἀνειπεῖν ἔγνωσαν. πέμψαντες δὲ παρ’ αὐτὸν λάθρα ἐδέοντο ἐς τὴν βασιλείαν καθίστασθαι· ταύτῃ γὰρ αὐτῷ ἄσμενοι ἕψεσθαι ἰσχυρίζοντο.

Dewing So after deliberating among themselves, all the best of the Goths decided to declare Belisarius Emperor of the West. And sending to him secretly, they begged him to assume the royal power; for upon this condition, they declared, they would follow him gladly.

Greek Βελισάριος δὲ καταστῆναι μὲν ἐς τὴν ἀρχὴν οὐχ ἑκόντος βασιλέως ἥκιστα ἤθελε·

Dewing But Belisarius was quite unwilling to assume the ruling power against the will of the emperor;

Greek τῷ τε γὰρ τοῦ τυράννου ὀνόματι ὑπερφυῶς ἤχθετο καὶ ὅρκοις δεινοτάτοις πρὸς βασιλέως καταληφθεὶς πρότερον ἔτυχε, μήποτε αὐτοῦ περιόντος νεωτεριεῖν· ὅπως δὲ τὰ παρόντα ὡς ἄριστα διοικήσηται, ἀσμένως ἔδοξε τοὺς τῶν βαρβάρων λόγους ἐνδέχεσθαι.

Dewing for he had an extraordinary loathing for the name of tyrant, and furthermore he had, in fact, been bound by the emperor previously by most solemn oaths never during his lifetime to organize a revolution; still, in order to turn the situation before him to the best advantage, he let it appear that he received the proposals of the barbarians gladly.

Greek ὧν δὴ αἰσθόμενος Οὐίττιγις ἔδεισέ τε καὶ Γότθους ὡς βέλτιστα βεβουλεῦσθαι εἰπὼν Βελισαρίῳ καὶ αὐτὸς λάθρα παρῄνει ἐς τὴν βασιλείαν ἰέναι·

Dewing And Vittigis, perceiving this, became fearful, and saying that the deliberations of the Goths had arrived at the best possible result, he too secretly urged Belisarius to enter upon the royal power; for no one, he said, would stand in his way.

Greek οὐδένα γάρ οἱ ἐμποδὼν στήσεσθαι. καὶ τότε δὴ Βελισάριος αὖθις τούς τε βασιλέως πρέσβεις καὶ πάντας ξυγκαλέσας τοὺς ἄρχοντας ἠρώτα, εἰ αὐτοῖς λόγου πολλοῦ ἄξιον εἶναι δοκεῖ Γότθους τε ἅπαντας ξὺν Οὐιττίγιδι δορυαλώτους ποιήσασθαι, καὶ χρήματα μὲν πάντα ληΐσασθαι,

Dewing Then indeed Belisarius again called together the envoys of the emperor and all the commanders and asked them whether it seemed to them a matter of great importance to make all the Goths with Vittigis captives, and to secure as plunder all their wealth, and recover the whole of Italy for the Romans.

Greek Ἰταλίαν δὲ Ῥωμαίοις ξύμπασαν ἀνασώσασθαι. οἱ δὲ ὑψηλόν τε καὶ ὑπέρογκον τοῦτο Ῥωμαίοις εὐτύχημα ἔφασκον ἔσεσθαι, καὶ πράσσειν αὐτὸν ὅπη ἂν δύνηταί τι ὡς τάχιστα ἠξίουν.

Dewing And they said that this would be for the Romans a great and overwhelming piece of good fortune, and they begged him to bring it about as quickly as possible, by whatever means he could.

Greek αὐτίκα γοῦν παρά τε Οὐίττιγιν καὶ Γότθων τοὺς δοκίμους Βελισάριος τῶν ἐπιτηδείων τινὰς ἔπεμψε, κελεύων ἐπιτελῆ ποιήσειν ὅσα ὑπέσχοντο.

Dewing Accordingly Belisarius at once sent to Vittigis and the notables of the Goths some of his intimates, bidding them carry out what they had promised.

Greek οὐδὲ γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἐς ἄλλον τινὰ χρόνον τὴν πρᾶξιν ἀποτίθεσθαι ὁ λιμὸς ξυνεχώρει, ἀλλ’ ἔτι μᾶλλον ἐγκείμενος ἐς ταύτην ἐνῆγε.

Dewing And indeed the famine would not permit them to put off the matter to any other time, but, by its increasing pressure, was driving them to this decision.

Greek διὸ καὶ πρέσβεις ἐς τὸ Ῥωμαίων στρατόπεδον στέλλουσιν αὖθις, ἄλλο μὲν ὅτι δὴ ἐς τὸ πλῆθος ἐροῦντας, ἐν παραβύστῳ δὲ πρὸς Βελισαρίου τὰ πιστὰ ληψομένους, ὡς ἄχαρί τε αὐτῶν ἐργάσεται οὐδένα καὶ βασιλεὺς τὸ λοιπὸν Ἰταλιωτῶν αὐτὸς καὶ Γότθων εἴη, οὕτω τε ξὺν αὐτῷ καὶ τῷ Ῥωμαίων στρατῷ ἐς Ῥάβενναν ἥξοντας.

Dewing Consequently they again sent envoys to the camp of the Romans, with instructions to make some vague statement openly, but in secret to receive pledges from Belisarius, both that he would do no harm to anyone of the Goths, and that thenceforth he himself would be king of the Goths and Italians; this accomplished, they were to come with him and the Roman army into Ravenna.

Greek Βελισάριος δὲ τὰ μὲν ἄλλα ὤμοσεν ἅπαντα, καθάπερ οἱ πρέσβεις ἠξίουν, ὑπὲρ δὲ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτῷ Οὐιττίγιδι καὶ Γότθων τοῖς ἄρχουσιν ὀμεῖσθαι ἔφη.

Dewing As for Belisarius, he swore to everything else, just as the envoys required of him, but concerning the kingship he said that he would swear to Vittigis himself and the rulers of the Goths.

Greek καὶ αὐτὸν οἱ πρέσβεις οὐκ ἄν ποτε ἀποσείεσθαι τὴν βασιλείαν οἰόμενοι, ἀλλ’ ἐφίεσθαι αὐτῆς πάντων μάλιστα, αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα ἐς Ῥάβενναν ξὺν αὐτοῖς ἐκέλευον ἰέναι.

Dewing And the envoys, thinking that he would never reject the kingship, but that he would strive for it above all other things, made not the least hesitation in urging him to come with them into Ravenna.

Greek καὶ τότε δὴ Βελισάριος Βέσσαν τε καὶ Ἰωάννην καὶ Ναρσῆν καὶ Ἀράτιον ʽτούτους γάρ οἱ ὡς μάλιστα δύσνους εἶναι ὑπώπτευεν’ ἄλλον ἀλλαχόσε ξὺν τοῖς ἑπομένοις ἐκέλευεν ἰέναι τά τε ἀναγκαῖα σφίσι πορίζεσθαι· αὐτῷ γὰρ οὐκέτι ἔφασκε δυνατὰ εἶναι ἐς τοῦτο δὴ τὸ χωρίον παντὶ τῷ στρατῷ τὰ ἐπιτήδεια ἐσκομίζεσθαι.

Dewing Then Belisarius ordered Bessas and John and Narses and Aratius to go with their several commands to different places (for these were the men whom he suspected of being exceedingly hostile to him), and to provide provisions for themselves; for he alleged that it was no longer possible for him, in the place where he was, to bring in provisions for the whole army.

Greek καὶ οἱ μὲν κατὰ ταῦτα ἐποίουν, ξὺν Ἀθανασίῳ τῷ τῶν πραιτωρίων ὑπάρχῳ, ἄρτι ἥκοντι ἐκ Βυζαντίου, αὐτὸς δὲ τῷ ἄλλῳ στρατεύματι σὺν Γότθων τοῖς πρέσβεσιν ἐς Ῥάβενναν ᾔει.

Dewing So these officers, as well as Athanasius, the pretorian prefect, who had recently come from Byzantium, proceeded to carry out the instructions given them, but he himself with the remainder of the army marched into Ravenna with the envoys of the Goths.

Greek καὶ νηῶν στόλον ἐμπλησάμενος σίτου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπιτηδείων ἐκέλευε κατὰ τάχος ἐς Κλάσσες τὸν λιμένα ἐσπλεῖν· οὕτω γὰρ Ῥωμαῖοι τὸ Ῥαβέννης προάστειον καλοῦσιν οὗ ὁ λιμήν ἐστιν.

Dewing And loading a fleet of ships with grain and other provisions, he gave orders that they should sail with all speed into the harbour of Classes; for thus the Romans call the suburb of Ravenna where the harbour is.

Greek Ἐμοὶ δὲ τότε διασκοπουμένῳ τὴν ἐς Ῥάβενναν εἴσοδον τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ ἔννοιά τις ἐγένετο, ἀνθρώπων μὲν ξυνέσει ἢ τῇ ἄλλῃ ἀρετῇ ὡς ἥκιστα περαίνεσθαι τὰ πρασσόμενα, εἶναι δέ τι δαιμόνιον, ὅπερ αὐτῶν ἀεὶ στρέφον τὰς διανοίας ἐνταῦθα ἄγει οὗ δὴ κωλύμη τις τοῖς περαινομένοις οὐδεμία ἔσται.

Dewing And while I watched the entry of the Roman army into Ravenna at that time, an idea came to me, to the effect that it is not at all by the wisdom of men or by any other sort of excellence on their part that events are brought to fulfilment, but that there is some divine power which is ever warping their purposes and shifting them in such a way that there will be nothing to hinder that which is being brought to pass.

Greek τοὺς γὰρ ἐναντίους οἱ Γότθοι πλήθει καὶ δυνάμει παρὰ πολὺ ὑπεραίροντες καὶ οὔτε μάχῃ διακριθέντες, ἐπεὶ ἐν Ῥαβέννῃ ἐγένοντο, οὔτε ἄλλῳ ὁτῳοῦν δεδουλωμένοι τὸ φρόνημα, δορυάλωτοί τε πρὸς τῶν ἐλασσόνων ἐγίνοντο καὶ τὸ τῆς δουλείας ὄνομα ἐν ὕβρει οὐδεμιᾷ ἦγον.

Dewing For although the Goths were greatly superior to their opponents in number and in power, and had neither fought a decisive battle since they had entered Ravenna nor been humbled in spirit by any other disaster, still they were being made captives by the weaker army and were regarding the name of slavery as no insult.

Greek αἱ δὲ γυναῖκες ʽἐτύγχανον γὰρ πρὸς τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀκηκουῖαι μεγάλους τε τὰ σώματα καὶ ἀριθμοῦ κρείσσους τοὺς πολεμίους εἶναἰ ἐπειδὴ ἅπαντας ἐπὶ τῆς πύλης καθήμεναι εἶδον, ἔς τε τὰ πρόσωπα τῶν ἀνδρῶν πᾶσαι ἀπέπτυον, καὶ ταῖς χερσὶν ἐνδεικνύμεναι τοὺς νενικηκότας τὴν ἀνανδρίαν ὠνείδιζον.

Dewing But when the women, as they sat at the gate, had seen the whole army (for they had heard from their husbands that the enemy were men of great size and too numerous to be counted), they all spat upon the faces of their husbands, and pointing with their hands to the victors, reviled them for their cowardice.

Greek Βελισάριος δὲ Οὐίττιγιν μὲν οὐ ξὺν ἀτιμίᾳ ἐν φυλακῇ εἶχε, τῶν δὲ βαρβάρων ὅσοι ἐντὸς Πάδου ποταμοῦ ᾤκηντο, ἐς ἀγροὺς τοὺς σφετέρους ἰόντας,

Dewing As for Belisarius, he held Vittigis under guard, but not in disgrace, and urged those of the barbarians who lived south of the river Po to go to their own lands and care for them unmolested.

Greek ἐκέλευεν αὐτῶν κατ’ ἐξουσίαν ἐπιμελεῖσθαι. πολέμιον γάρ οἱ οὐδὲν ἐνταῦθα ὑπώπτευεν ἔσεσθαι, οὐδὲ Γότθους ποτὲ ταύτῃ ξυστήσεσθαι, ἐπεὶ πολλοὺς πρότερον τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ ἐς τὰ ἐκείνῃ χωρία καταστησάμενος ἔτυχεν. οἱ δὲ κατὰ τάχος ἄσμενοι ᾔεσαν.

Dewing This he did because he felt that he would have no hostile force to deal with in that quarter, and that the Goths of that region would never unite, because he had, as it happened, previously established a large number of Roman troops in the towns there. So these Goths gladly made haste to return.

Greek οὕτω τε Ῥωμαῖοι ἐν τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ ἤδη ἐγίνοντο· οὐ γὰρ ἔτι Γότθων ἔν γε Ῥαβέννῃ πλήθει ἡσσῶντο. μετὰ δὲ τὰ ἐν Παλατίῳ χρήματα ἔλαβεν, ἅπερ διακομίζειν βασιλεῖ ἔμελλε.

Dewing And thus the Romans were now making their position secure, for in Ravenna at least they were no longer outnumbered by the Goths. He next took possession of the money in the palace, which he intended to convey to the emperor.

Greek Γότθων γὰρ οὐδένα οὔτε αὐτὸς ἐληΐσατο οὔτε ἄλλῳ τῳ ληΐσασθαι ξυνεχώρησεν, ἀλλ’ αὐτῶν ἕκαστος τὴν οὐσίαν κατὰ τὰ ξυγκείμενα διεσώσατο.

Dewing But as for the private property of the Goths, neither did he take plunder from any individual, nor would he permit any other Roman to take such plunder, but each one of them preserved his property according to the terms of the agreement.

Greek ἐπεὶ δὲ τῶν βαρβάρων ὅσοι ἐς τῶν χωρίων τὰ ἐχυρώτατα φυλακὴν εἶχον Ῥάβεννάν τε καὶ Οὐίττιγιν πρὸς Ῥωμαίων ἔχεσθαι ἤκουσαν, πρέσβεις παρὰ Βελισάριον ἔπεμπον, σφᾶς τε αὐτοὺς ὁμολογίᾳ παραδιδόναι καὶ ἅπερ ἐφύλασσον ἀξιοῦντες.

Dewing Now when those of the barbarians who were keeping guard in the strongest of the towns heard that both Ravenna and Vittigis were held by the Romans, they began to send envoys to Belisarius, craving permission to submit themselves by surrender and the places they guarded.

Greek καὶ ὅς, ἅπασι τὰ πιστὰ προθυμότατα παρασχόμενος, Ταρβήσιόν τε καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο ἐν Βενετίοις ὀχύρωμα ἦν παρεστήσατο. Καισῆνα γὰρ ἐν Αἰμιλίᾳ μόνη ἐλέλειπτο, ἣν δὴ πρότερον ξὺν Ῥαβέννῃ παραστησάμενος ἔτυχε.

Dewing And he most willingly furnished pledges to them all, and thus took over Tarbesium⁠ and such other strongholds as there were in Venetia. For Caesena was the only one remaining in Aemilia, and this he had previously taken over along with Ravenna.

Greek καὶ Γότθοι μὲν ἅπαντες ὅσοι τούτων δὴ τῶν χωρίων ἦρχον, ἐπειδὴ τάχιστα τὰ πιστὰ ἔλαβον, παρὰ Βελισάριον ἥκοντες αὐτοῦ ἔμενον· Ἰλδίβαδος δέ, ἀνὴρ δόκιμος, ὅσπερ φρουρᾶς τῆς ἐν Βερώνῃ ἦρχε, πρέσβεις μὲν ἐς Βελισάριον ἐφ’ οἷσπερ οἱ ἄλλοι καὶ αὐτὸς ἔπεμψεν, ἐπεὶ καὶ τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐν Ῥαβέννῃ εὑρὼν Βελισάριος ἔσχεν, οὐ μὴν οὔτε ἐς Ῥάβενναν ἦλθεν οὔτε Βελισαρίῳ ὑποχείριος γέγονε. τύχη γάρ τις αὐτῷ ξυνέβη ἣν δὴ ἐγὼ αὐτίκα δηλώσω.

Dewing And the Goths who commanded these towns, as soon as they received the pledges, came to Belisarius and remained with him — all except Ildibadus, a man of note, who commanded the garrison in Verona; for though he too sent envoys to Belisarius on the same mission as the others, especially because Belisarius had found his children in Ravenna and taken possession of them, still he did not either come to Ravenna or submit himself to Belisarius. For fortune brought him to a situation which I shall now describe.