第7巻 第15章

Greek Βασιλεὺς μὲν ταῦτα ἅπερ μοι δεδήλωται ἔπρασσεν. ἐν τούτῳ δὲ Βελισάριος Βαλεντῖνόν τε καὶ τῶν δορυφόρων τῶν αὑτοῦ ἕνα, Φωκᾶν ὄνομα, διαφερόντως ἀγαθὸν τὰ πολέμια, ξὺν στρατεύματι ἐς τὸν Ῥωμαίων λιμένα ἔπεμψεν, ἐφ’ ᾧ τό τε ἐν Πόρτῳ φρούριον ξυμφυλάξουσι τοῖς ἐνταῦθα φρουροῖς, ὧνπερ Ἰννοκέντιος ἦρχε, καὶ ὅπη ἂν σφίσι δυνατὰ ᾖ ἐπεκδρομὰς ποιούμενοι ξυνταράξουσι τὸ τῶν πολεμίων στρατόπεδον.

Dewing While the emperor was taking such measures as have been described, Belisarius on his part sent an army to the harbour of Rome under command of Valentinus and one of his own bodyguards, Phocas by name, an exceptionally able warrior, with instructions to join the garrison in Portus, which was commanded by Innocentius, and to assist them in guarding that fortress; and wherever they found it possible, they were to make excursions and harass the enemy's camp.

Greek οἱ μὲν οὖν ἀμφὶ Βαλεντῖνόν τε καὶ Φωκᾶν πέμψαντες λάθρα ἐς Ῥώμην σημαίνουσι Βέσσᾳ ὡς αὐτίκα δὴ ἐπιέναι τῶν ἐναντίων τῷ χαρακώματι ἐκ τοῦ αἰφνιδίου μέλλουσι· δεήσει οὖν καὶ αὐτὸν τῶν ἐν Ῥώμῃ στρατιωτῶν τοὺς μαχιμωτάτους ἀπολεξάμενον, ἡνίκα αἴσθηται τῆς ἐπιδρομῆς, βοηθεῖν δρόμῳ, ὅπως τι καὶ δρᾶν τοὺς βαρβάρους ἑκάτεροι δυνήσονται μέγα.

Dewing Consequently, Valentinus and Phocas secretly sent a messenger into Rome bearing the intelligence to Bessas that they were at that moment about to make a sudden attack upon the stockade of their opponents; he should, therefore, on his part, select the most warlike of the soldiers in Rome, and, whenever he observed their assault, rush to their assistance, so that each of the two forces might be able to inflict some great injury upon the barbarians.

Greek Βέσσᾳ δὲ ταῦτα οὐδαμῆ ἤρεσκε, καίπερ ἐς τρισχιλίους στρατιώτας ξὺν αὑτῷ ἔχοντι. διὸ δὴ καὶ Βαλεντῖνός τε καὶ Φωκᾶς ξὺν πεντακοσίοις ἐκ τοῦ ἀπροσδοκήτου ἐπισκήψαντες τῷ τῶν πολεμίων στρατοπέδῳ ὀλίγους μέν τινας ἔκτειναν, αἴσθησίς τε τοῦ ἐνθένδε θορύβου τοῖς πολιορκουμένοις ταχὺ γέγονεν.

Dewing Bessas, however, was by no means taken with this plan, notwithstanding the fact that he had as many as three thousand soldiers under him. Thus it was that Valentinus and Phocas with a force of five hundred descended unexpectedly upon the enemy's camp and killed a few men, and the tumult occasioned thereby soon reached the ears of the besieged.⁠

Greek ὡς δὲ οὐδεὶς ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ἐπεξῄει, κατὰ τάχος ἐς τὸν λιμένα κακῶν παντάπασιν ἀπαθεῖς ἀνεχώρησαν.

Dewing But seeing that no one came out from the city against the camp, they quickly retired to the harbour without suffering any loss.

Greek Πέμψαντές τε παρὰ Βέσσαν αὖθις ᾐτιῶντο μὲν ὄκνησίν τινα οὐ δέον αὐτῷ ἐμπεπτωκέναι, ἰσχυριζόμενοι δὲ ὡς ὀλίγῳ ὕστερον ἑτέραν ἐπεκδρομὴν ἐς τοὺς πολεμίους ποιήσονται παρεκάλουν καὶ αὐτὸν ἐς καιρὸν τοῖς βαρβάροις ἐπιθέσθαι δυνάμει τῇ πάσῃ.

Dewing So they sent to Bessas a second time, and first charging him with having had a regrettable attack of timidity, they declared that they would soon make another assault upon the enemy and urged that he too should fall upon the barbarians with all his strength at the proper moment.

Greek ὁ δὲ οὐδέν τι ἧσσον τὸ μὴ τοῖς ἐναντίοις ἐπεξιόντα διακινδυνεύειν ἀπεῖπεν. οἱ μέντοι ἀμφὶ Βαλεντῖνόν τε καὶ Φωκᾶν ξὺν στρατῷ πλείονι τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐμπεσεῖσθαι διενοοῦντο καὶ ἐν παρασκευῇ ἤδη ἐγένοντο.

Dewing Bessas, however, still refused to make a sally against his opponents and risk a battle. Still Valentinus and Phocas were purposing to assail the enemy in larger force and had already made their preparations.

Greek στρατιώτης δέ τις ὑπὸ Ἰννοκεντίῳ ταττόμενος αὐτόμολος παρὰ Τουτίλαν ἥκων ἀγγέλλει ὡς ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἐπιγενησομένῃ ἔφοδος ἐκ τοῦ Πόρτου ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς ἔσται.

Dewing But a certain soldier of Innocentius' command went as a deserter to Totila and carried the news that on the following day there would be an attack upon them from Portus.

Greek καὶ ὃς τῶν χωρίων ὅσα ἐπιτηδείως ἐς τοῦτο εἶχεν ἐνέδραις ἔγνω προλοχίζειν ἀνδρῶν μαχίμων. οὗ δὴ τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ Βαλεντῖνός τε καὶ Φωκᾶς ξὺν τοῖς ἑπομένοις ἐμπεπτωκότες τούς τε πλείστους ἀποβάλλουσι καὶ αὐτοὶ θνήσκουσιν. ὀλίγοι δέ τινες μόλις διαφυγόντες ἐς τὸν Πόρτον κομίζονται.

Dewing So Totila decided to fill with ambuscades of soldiers all the places which were adapted for this purpose. On the following day, therefore, Valentinus and Phocas fell into these ambuscades, and not only lost the most of their men, but were also killed themselves. And only a small handful made their escape with difficulty and betook themselves to Portus.

Greek Τότε καὶ Βιγίλιος, ὁ τῆς Ῥώμης ἀρχιερεύς, ἐν Σικελίᾳ διατριβὴν ἔχων ναῦς ὅτι πλείστας σίτου ἐμπλησάμενος ἔπεμψεν, οἰόμενος ὅτῳ δὴ τρόπῳ τοῖς τὰ φορτία παραπέμπουσιν ἐς τὴν Ῥώμην ἐσιτητὰ εἶναι.

Dewing It was at this time that Vigilius, the chief priest of Rome,⁠ who was then sojourning in Sicily, filled with grain as many ships as he could and sent them off, thinking that in some way or other those who were conveying the cargoes would be able to get into Rome.

Greek αἱ μὲν οὖν νῆες αὗται ἔπλεον ἐπὶ τὸν Ῥωμαίων λιμένα, αἰσθόμενοι δὲ οἱ πολέμιοι χρόνῳ τε βραχεῖ προτερήσαντες ἐν τῷ λιμένι ἐγένοντο καὶ τῶν τειχῶν ἐντὸς σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἔκρυψαν, ὅπως, ἐπειδὰν τάχιστα αἱ νῆες ἐνταῦθα κατάρωσι, κρατήσωσιν αὐτῶν οὐδενὶ πόνῳ.

Dewing So these ships were sailing toward the Roman harbour, but the enemy spied them and got to the harbour a short time before the ships arrived; there they concealed themselves inside the walls, their purpose being that, as soon as the ships should come to the land there, they might capture them with no difficulty.

Greek ὅπερ κατιδόντες ὅσοι φρουρὰν ἐν Πόρτῳ εἶχον, ἔς τε τὰς ἐπάλξεις ἀνέβαινον ἅπαντες καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια σείοντες τοῖς ἐν ταῖς ναυσὶ σημαίνειν ἐβούλοντο μὴ πρόσω ἰέναι, ἀλλ’ ἑτερωσε, ὅπη παρατύχῃ,

Dewing And when all the men keeping guard in Portus observed this, they went up to the battlement, every man of them, and by waving their cloaks strove to signal the men on the ships not to come ahead, but to turn aside and go elsewhere — anywhere in fact, where chance might lead them.

Greek ἐκτρέπεσθαι. οἱ δὲ τῶν ποιουμένων οὐ ξυνιέντες, ἀλλὰ χαίρειν τε τοὺς ἐν τῷ Πόρτῳ Ῥωμαίους οἰόμενοι καὶ σφᾶς ἐπὶ τὸν λιμένα παρακαλεῖν, τοῦ πνεύματος αὐτοῖς ἐπιφόρου ὄντος, ἐντὸς τοῦ λιμένος κατὰ τάχος ἐγένοντο.

Dewing But the men on the ships failed to comprehend what they were doing, supposing that the Romans in Portus were rejoi­cing and inviting them to the harbour, and since they had a favouring wind they quickly got inside the harbour.

Greek ἔπλεον δὲ ταῖς ναυσὶν ἄλλοι τε Ῥωμαίων πολλοὶ καί τις ἐπίσκοπος Βαλεντῖνος ὄνομα. ἔκ τε τῶν ἐνεδρῶν ἀναστάντες οἱ βάρβαροι τῶν πλοίων ἁπάντων οὐδενὸς ἀμυνομένου ἐκράτησαν.

Dewing Now there were many Romans on board the ships, and among them a certain bishop named Valentinus. Then the barbarians arose from their hiding place and took possession of all the boats without encountering any resistance.

Greek καὶ τὸν μὲν ἐπίσκοπον ζωγρήσαντες παρὰ τὸν Τουτίλαν ἤγαγον, τοὺς δὲ ἄλλους ἅπαντας ἔκτειναν, καὶ τὰς ναῦς σὺν τοῖς φορτίοις ἐφέλκοντες ᾤχοντο.

Dewing And as for the bishop, they took him prisoner and led him before Totila, but all the rest they killed, and drawing the boats up on shore with their cargoes still in them, they departed.

Greek τούτου ὁ Τουτίλας ἀνεπυνθάνετο τοῦ ἱερέως ὅσα ἐβούλετο, ἐπενεγκών τε αὐτῷ, ὅτι δὴ ὡς ἥκιστα ἀληθίζεται, ἄμφω τὼ χεῖρε ἀπέκοψε.

Dewing And Totila made such enquiries of the priest as he wished, and then accused him of not telling the truth in any respect and so cut off both his hands.

Greek ταῦτα μὲν δὴ οὕτω γενέσθαι τετύχηκε. καὶ ὁ χειμὼν ἔληγε, καὶ τὸ ἑνδέκατον ἔτος ἐτελεύτα τῷ πολέμῳ τῷδε, ὃν Προκόπιος ξυνέγραψε.

Dewing Such was the course of these events. And the winter drew to a close, and the eleventh year ended in this war, the history of which Procopius has written. The Loeb Editor's Notes: 1 "The soul of an hero is deeply impressed on the letter, nor can we confound such genuine and original acts with the elaborate and often empty speeches of the Byzantine historian." — Gibbon, c. 43. ❦ 2 Modern Spoleto. ❦ 3 Modern Assisi. ❦ 4 Modern Piacenza. ❦ 5 Modern Civita-Vecchia. ❦ 6 Dyrrachium: modern Durazzo. ❦ 7 Cf. Book II.xix.15, etc. ❦ 8 i.e. in Rome. ❦ 9 Vigilius was Pope from 537‑555. ◂ previous next ▸ Images with borders lead to more information. The thicker the border, the more information. (Details here.) UP TO: Gothic Wars Ancient Military History Military History Home Procopius Greek & Latin Texts LacusCurtius A page or image on this site is in the public domain ONLY if its URL has a total of one *asterisk. If the URL has two **asterisks, the item is copyright someone else, and used by permission or fair use. If the URL has none the item is © Bill Thayer. See my copyright page for details and contact information. Page updated: 14 Sep 20 Accessibility