第6巻 第9章

Greek Γότθοι τε οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον ἐς Ῥώμης τὸν περίβολον κακουργεῖν ἤθελον. καὶ πρῶτα μέν τινας ἐς τῶν ὀχετῶν ἕνα νύκτωρ καθῆκαν, ὧν αὐτοὶ τὸ ὕδωρ κατ’ ἀρχὰς τοῦδε τοῦ πολέμου ἀφῄρηντο.

Dewing And the Goths not long after this wished to strike a blow at the fortifications of Rome. And first they sent some men by night into one of the aqueducts, from which they themselves had taken out the water at the beginning of this war.⁠

Greek οἱ δὲ λύχνα τε καὶ δᾷδας ἐν χερσὶν ἔχοντες ἀπεπειρῶντο τῆς ἐς τὴν πόλιν ἐνθένδε εἰσόδου. ἔτυχε δέ τινα διώρυχα οὐ μακρὰν Πιγκιανῆς πυλίδος τοῦ ὀχετοῦ τούτου κύρτωμα ἔχον,

Dewing And with lamps and torches in their hands they explored the entrance into the city by this way. Now it happened that not far from the small Pincian Gate an arch of this aqueduct⁠ had a sort of crevice in it,

Greek ὅθεν δὴ τῶν τις φυλάκων τὸ πῦρ κατιδὼν τοῖς ξυμφυλάσσουσιν ἔφρασεν· οἱ δὲ λύκον αὐτοῦ παριόντα ἰδεῖν ἔφασαν.

Dewing and one of the guards saw the light through this and told his companions; but they said that he had seen a wolf passing by his post.

Greek ταύτῃ γὰρ τὴν γῆν οὐχ ὑπερέχειν τὴν τοῦ ὀχετοῦ οἰκοδομίαν ξυνέβαινε, πυρὶ δὲ εἰκάζεσθαι τοὺς τοῦ λύκου ὀφθαλμοὺς ᾤοντο.

Dewing For at that point it so happened that the structure of the aqueduct did not rise high above the ground, and they thought that the guard had imagined the wolf's eyes to be fire.

Greek τῶν μὲν οὖν βαρβάρων ὅσοι τοῦ ὀχετοῦ ἀπεπειράσαντο, ἐπειδὴ ἐν μέσῃ πόλει ἐγένοντο, ἔνθα δὴ ἄνοδός τις ἦν ἐκ παλαιοῦ ἐς αὐτό που τὸ Παλάτιον φέρονσα, οἰκοδομίᾳ τινὶ ἐνταῦθα ἐνέτυχον οὔτε πρόσω ἰέναι τὸ λοιπὸν συγχωρούσῃ οὔτε τῇ ἀναβάσει τὸ παράπαν χρῆσθαι.

Dewing So those barbarians who explored the aqueduct, upon reaching the middle of the city, where there was an upward passage built in olden times leading to the palace itself, came upon some masonry there which allowed them neither to advance beyond that point nor to use the ascent at all.

Greek ταύτην δὲ τὴν οἰκοδομίαν Βελισάριος προμηθείᾳ τινὶ κατ’ ἀρχὰς τῆσδε τῆς πολιορκίας πεποίηται, ὥσπερ μοι ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν λόγοις δεδήλωται.

Dewing This masonry had been put in by Belisarius as an act of precaution at the beginning of this siege, as has been set forth by me in the preceding narrative.⁠

Greek λίθον οὖν ἕνα βραχὺν ἐνθένδε ἀφελόντες ὀπίσω τε ἀναστρέφειν εὐθὺς ἔγνωσαν καὶ παρὰ τὸν Οὐίττιγιν ἐπανήκοντες τόν τε λίθον ἐνδεικνύμενοι πάντα ἀπήγγελλον.

Dewing So they decided first to remove one small stone from the wall and then to go back immediately, and when they returned to Vittigis, they displayed the stone and reported the whole situation.

Greek καὶ ὁ μὲν τὰ τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς ἅμα τοῖς Γότθων ἀρίστοις ἐν βουλῇ εἶχε, Ῥωμαίων δὲ ὅσοι φρουρὰν ἀμφὶ πυλίδα Πιγκιανὴν εἶχον, μνήμην τῆς τοῦ λύκου ὑποψίας ἐν σφίσιν αὐτοῖς ἐποιοῦντο τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ.

Dewing And while he was considering his scheme with the best of the Goths, the Romans who were on guard at the Pincian Gate recalled among themselves on the following day the suspicion of the wolf.

Greek ἐπεὶ δὲ ὁ λόγος περιφερόμενος ἐς Βελισάριον ἦλθεν, οὐ παρέργως ὁ στρατηγὸς τὸ πρᾶγμα ἤκουσεν, ἀλλ’ ἄνδρας τε αὐτίκα τῶν ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ δοκίμων ξὺν Διογένει τῷ δορυφόρῳ ἐς τὸν ὀχετὸν καθῆκε καὶ διερευνήσασθαι ἅπαντα ξὺν πολλῷ τάχει ἐκέλευσεν.

Dewing But when the story was passed around and came to Belisarius, the general did not treat the matter carelessly, but immediately sent some of the notable men in the army, together with the guardsman Diogenes, down into the aqueduct and bade them investigate everything with all speed.

Greek οἱ δὲ τὰ λύχνα τῶν πολεμίων καὶ τῶν δᾴδων ὅσα διερρυήκει πανταχοῦ τοῦ ὀχετοῦ εὗρον, καὶ τὴν οἰκοδομίαν ᾗ ὁ λίθος πρὸς τῶν Γότθων ἀφῄρητο κατανενοηκότες Βελισαρίῳ ἀπήγγελλον.

Dewing And they found all along the aqueduct the lamps of the enemy and the ashes which had dropped from their torches, and after observing the masonry where the stone had been taken out by the Goths, they reported to Belisarius.

Greek διὸ δὴ αὐτός τε τὸν ὀχετὸν ἐν μεγάλῃ φυλακῇ ἔσχε καὶ οἱ Γότθοι αἰσθόμενοι ταύτης δὴ τῆς πείρας ἀπέσχοντο.

Dewing For this reason he personally kept the aqueduct under close guard; and the Goths, perceiving it, desisted from this attempt.

Greek Ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἐμφανοῦς ἔφοδον κατὰ τοῦ περιβόλου ἐμηχανῶντο οἱ βάρβαροι. τηρήσαντες οὖν τὸν τοῦ ἀρίστου καιρὸν κλίμακάς τε καὶ πῦρ ἐπαγόμενοι, ἥκιστα τῶν πολεμίων προσδεχομένων, ἐπὶ πυλίδα Πιγκιανὴν ᾔεσαν, ἐλπίδι θαρροῦντες ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς τὴν πόλιν αἱρήσειν, ἅτε οὐ πολλῶν στρατιωτῶν ἐνταῦθα λειφθέντων.

Dewing But later on the barbarians went so far as to plan an open attack against the fortifications. So they waited for the time of lunch, and bringing up ladders and fire, when their enemy were least expecting them, made an assault upon the small Pincian Gate, emboldened by the hope of capturing the city by a sudden attack, since not many soldiers had been left there.

Greek ἔτυχε δὲ Ἰλδίγερ τηνικαῦτα ξὺν τοῖς ἑπομένοις φυλακὴν ἔχων· ἕκαστοι γὰρ ἐκ περιτροπῆς ἐς τὴν φρουρὰν ἐτετάχατο.

Dewing But it happened that Ildiger and his men were keeping guard at that time; for all were assigned by turns to guard-duty.

Greek ἐπεὶ οὖν εἶδε προσιόντας οὐκ ἐν τάξει τοὺς πολεμίους, ἀπήντησέ τε οὐ ξυντεταγμένοις ἐς παράταξιν, ἀλλὰ ξὺν πολλῇ ἀκοσμίᾳ ἰοῦσι, καὶ τοὺς κατ’ αὐτὸν οὐδενὶ πόνῳ τρεψάμενος συχνοὺς ἔκτεινε.

Dewing So when he saw the enemy advancing in disorder, he went out against them before they were yet drawn up in line of battle and while they were advancing in great disarray, and routing those who were opposite him without any trouble he slew many.

Greek κραυγῆς δὲ μεγάλης καὶ ταραχῆς ἀνὰ τὴν πόλιν, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, γεγενημένης Ῥωμαῖοί τε ὡς τάχιστα πανταχόσε τοῦ περιβόλου ξυνέρρεον καὶ οἱ βάρβαροι ἄπρακτοι ἐς τὰ στρατόπεδα οὐκ ἐς μακρὰν ἐχώρησαν.

Dewing And a great outcry and commotion arose throughout the city, as was to be expected, and the Romans gathered as quickly as possible to all parts of the fortifications; whereupon the barbarians after a short time retired to their camp baffled.

Greek Οὐίττιγις δὲ αὖθις ἐς ἐπιβουλὴν τοῦ περιβόλου καθίστατο. καί, ἦν γάρ τις αὐτῷ ἐπιμαχωτάτη μάλιστα μοῖρα, ᾗ τοῦ Τιβέριδος ἡ ὄχθη ἐστίν, ἐπεὶ ταύτῃ οἱ πάλαι Ῥωμαῖοι θαρσοῦντες τοῦ ὕδατος τῷ ὀχυρώματι τὸ τεῖχος ἀπημελημένως ἐδείμαντο, βραχύ τε αὐτὸ καὶ πύργων ἔρημον παντάπασι ποιησάμενοι, ῥᾷον ἐνθένδε ἤλπιζε τὴν πόλιν αἱρήσειν. οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδέ τι φυλακτήριον λόγου ἄξιον ἐνταῦθα τετύχηκεν εἶναι.

Dewing But Vittigis resorted again to a plot against the wall. Now there was a certain part of it that was especially vulnerable, where the bank of the Tiber is, because at this place the Romans of old, confident in the protection afforded by the stream, had built the wall carelessly, making it low and altogether without towers; Vittigis therefore hoped to capture the city rather easily from that quarter. For indeed there was not even any garrison there of any consequence, as it happened.

Greek δύο οὖν Ῥωμαίους ἀμφὶ τὸν Πέτρου τοῦ ἀποστόλου νεὼν ᾠκημένους χρήμασιν ἀναπείθει οἴνου ἀσκὸν ἔχοντας παρὰ τοὺς ἐκείνῃ φρουροὺς ἰέναι περὶ λύχνων ἁφάς, καὶ αὐτοῖς τὸν οἶνον τρόπῳ ὅτῳ δὴ φιλοφροσύνην ἐνδεικνυμένους χαρίζεσθαι, εἶτα ξὺν αὐτοῖς πόρρω τῶν νυκτῶν καθημένους πίνειν, ἑκάστῳ τε ἐς τὴν κύλικα ὑπνωτικὸν ἐμβαλεῖν φάρμακον ὅπερ σφίσιν αὐτὸς ἐδεδώκει.

Dewing He therefore bribed with money two Romans who lived near the church of Peter the Apostle to pass along by the guards there at about nightfall carrying a skin full of wine, and in some way or other, by making a show of friendship, to give it to them, and then to sit drinking with them well on into the night; and they were to throw into the cup of each guard a sleep-producing drug which Vittigis had given them.

Greek ἀκάτους δὲ λάθρα ἐν τῇ ἑτέρᾳ ὄχθῃ ἐν παρασκευῇ ποιησάμενος εἶχεν, αἷς δὴ τῶν βαρβάρων τινάς, ἐπειδὰν τάχιστα οἱ φύλακες ὕπνῳ ἔχοιντο, ξὺν κλίμαξιν ἐκ σημείου ἑνὸς τὸν ποταμὸν διαβαίνοντας τὴν ἐπίθεσιν τῷ περιβόλῳ ποιήσασθαι.

Dewing And he stealthily got ready some skiffs, which he kept at the other bank; as soon as the guards should be overcome by sleep, some of the barbarians, acting in concert, were to cross the river in these, taking ladders with them, and make the assault on the wall.

Greek τό τε στράτευμα ἐς τοῦτο ἡτοίμαζεν ὅλον, ὅπως ἅπασα κατὰ κράτος ἡ πόλις ἁλῴη.

Dewing And he made ready the entire army with the intention of capturing the whole city by storm.

Greek τούτων δὲ οὕτω ξυγκειμένων σφίσι; τοῖν ἀνδροῖν ἅτερος τοῖν Οὐιττίγιδι ἐς ταύτην δὴ παρεσκευασμένοιν τὴν ὑπουργίαν ʽοὐ γὰρ ἔδει Ῥωμαίους τούτῳ τῷ Γότθων στρατοπέδῳ ἁλῶναἰ αὐτεπάγγελτος ἐλθὼν Βελισαρίῳ τε ἅπαντα φράζει καὶ τὸν ἕτερον ἐνδείκνυσιν.

Dewing After these arrangements were all complete, one of the two men who had been prepared by Vittigis for this service (for it was not fated that Rome should be captured by this army of the Goths) came of his own accord to Belisarius and revealed everything, and told who the other man was.

Greek ὃς δὴ αἰκιζόμενος ἐς φῶς τε ἅπαντα ἤνεγκεν ὅσα δρᾶν ἔμελλε καὶ τὸ φάρμακον ἐπεδείκνυεν ὅπερ Οὐίττιγις αὐτῷ ἐδεδώκει.

Dewing So this man under torture brought to light all that he was about to do and displayed the drug which Vittigis had given him.

Greek καὶ αὐτοῦ Βελισάριος τήν τε ῥῖνα καὶ τὰ ὦτα λωβησάμενος ἐς τῶν πολεμίων τὸ χαράκωμα ὄνῳ ὀχούμενον ἔπεμψε.

Dewing And Belisarius first mutilated his nose and ears and then sent him riding on an ass into the enemy's camp.

Greek καὶ κατιδόντες αὐτὸν οἱ βάρβαροι ἔγνωσαν ὡς ὁ θεὸς οὐκ ἐῴη σφῶν τὰ βουλεύματα ὁδῷ ἰέναι, καὶ δι’ αὐτὸ οὐκ ἄν ποτε ἡ πόλις σφίσιν ἁλώσιμος εἴη.

Dewing And when the barbarians saw him, they realised that God would not allow their purposes to have free course, and that therefore the city could never be captured by them.