第7巻 第19章

Greek Δείσας οὖν Βελισάριος ἀμφὶ τοῖς πολιορκουμένοις, μή τι ἀνήκεστον δράσωσι τῶν ἀναγκαίων τῇ ἀπορίᾳ, ὅτῳ δὴ τρόπῳ τὰ ἐπιτήδεια ἐς Ῥώμην εἰσκομίζειν διενοεῖτο.

Dewing Belisarius, therefore, dreading that the besieged would do something desperate because of the lack of provisions, began to make plans to convey his supplies into Rome by some means or other.

Greek καὶ ἐπεὶ δύναμιν ἀξιόμαχον πρός γε τοὺς πολεμίους οὐδαμῆ εἶχεν, ὥστε μάχῃ ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ πρὸς αὐτοὺς διακρίνεσθαι, πρότερον ἐπενόει τάδε.

Dewing And since he plainly had no force sufficient to pit against the enemy, so that he could fight a decisive battle with them in the plain, he first arranged the following plan.

Greek ἀκάτους δύο ἐσάγαν εὐρείας ζεύξας τε καὶ λίαν ἐς ἀλλήλας ξυνδήσας, πύργον ξύλινον ἐπ’ αὐταῖς ἐτεκτήνατο, πολλῷ καθυπέρτερον τῶν τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐν τῇ γεφύρᾳ πεποιημένων.

Dewing He chose two skiffs of very unusual breadth and, after tensioning them together and lashing them very firmly to one another, constructed a wooden tower upon them, making it much higher than those made by the enemy at their bridge.

Greek ξυμμετρησάμενος γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἐς τὸ ἀκριβὲς ἔτυχε πρότερον, πέμψας τῶν οἱ ἑπομένων τινάς, οἵπερ εἰς τοὺς βαρβάρους αὐτόμολοι δῆθεν τῷ λόγῳ ἐστέλλοντο.

Dewing For he had previously had them accurately measured by sending some of his men, who, as it was made to appear, were going over to the barbarians as deserters.

Greek δρόμωνάς τε διακοσίους τείχεσι ξυλίνοις περιβαλὼν ἐς Τίβεριν καθῆκε, πανταχόθι τῶν ξυλίνων τειχῶν τρυπήματα ποιησάμενος, ὅπως δὴ βάλλειν τοὺς πολεμίους ἐνθένδε σφίσι δυνατὰ εἴη. σῖτόν τε οὖν καὶ ἄλλα τῶν ἐπιτηδείων πολλὰ τοῖς δρόμωσι τούτοις ἐνθέμενος στρατιωτῶν αὐτοὺς τῶν μαχιμωτάτων ἐπλήρου.

Dewing Next he built wooden walls upon two hundred swift-sailing boats and launched them in the Tiber, having caused openings to be made in all parts of the wooden walls, in order that his men might be able to shoot at the enemy through them. Finally he loaded grain and many other kinds of provisions on these boats and manned them with his most warlike soldiers.

Greek στρατιώτας δὲ ἄλλους πεζούς τε καὶ ἱππεῖς ἑκατέρωθεν ἐν χωρίοις ἐχυροῖς τισιν ἀμφὶ τὰς τοῦ Τιβέριδος ἐκβολὰς ἔστησεν, οὓς δὴ ἐκέλευσε μένειν τε αὐτοῦ καί, ἢν τῶν πολεμίων τινὲς ἐπὶ τὸν Πόρτον ἴωσι, διακωλύειν δυνάμει τῇ πάσῃ.

Dewing He also stationed other troops, both infantry and cavalry, on either side of the river in certain strong positions near the mouth of the Tiber, commanding them to remain at their posts and, if any of the enemy should threaten Portus, to prevent them with all their strength.

Greek τὸν δὲ Ἰσαάκην ἐς τὸν Πόρτον ἐσαγαγὼν τήν τε πόλιν καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα παρέδωκε καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο ἐνταῦθα ἔχων ἐτύγχανε. καί οἱ ἐπέστελλε μηδεμιᾷ ἐνθένδε μηχανῇ ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι, μηδ’ ἢν Βελισάριον πύθηται πρὸς τῶν πολεμίων ἀπολωλέναι, ἀλλὰ τῆς φυλακῆς ἐς ἀεὶ ἔχεσθαι, ὅπως, ἤν τι σφίσιν ἐναντίωμα ὑπαντιάσῃ, ἕξουσιν ὅπη διαφυγόντες σωθήσονται.

Dewing But he stationed Isaac inside Portus, and it was to him that he entrusted both the city and his wife and whatever else he happened to possess there. And he directed him in no circumstances to go away from the city, not even if he learned that Belisarius had perished at the hand of the enemy, but to maintain a close and constant guard, so that, if any reverse should befall the Romans, they might have a place where they could take refuge and save themselves.

Greek ὀχύρωμα γὰρ ἄλλο ταύτης δὴ τῆς χώρας οὐδαμῆ εἶχον, ἀλλὰ πάντα σφίσι πανταχόσε πολέμια ἦν.

Dewing For they held no other stronghold at all in that region, but the whole country in every direction was hostile to them.

Greek Αὐτὸς δὲ ἐς ἕνα τῶν δρομώνων ἐσβὰς τοῦ τε στόλου ἡγεῖτο καὶ τὰς ἀκάτους ἐφέλκειν ἐκέλευεν,

Dewing Then he himself embarked on one of the swift boats and led on the fleet, giving orders to tow the boats on which he had constructed the tower.

Greek οὗ δὴ τὸν πύργον ἐτύγχανε τεκτηνάμενος. τοῦ δὲ πύργου ὕπερθεν λέμβον τινὰ ἔθετο, πίσσης τε καὶ θείου καὶ ῥητίνης αὐτὸν ἐμπλησάμενος καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων ὅσα δὴ τοῦ πυρὸς βρῶσις ὀξυτάτη γίνεσθαι πέφυκε.

Dewing Now he had placed on the top of the tower a little boat which he had caused to be filled with pitch, sulphur, resin, and all the other substances on which fire naturally feeds most fiercely.

Greek κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἑτέραν τοῦ ποταμοῦ ὄχθην, ἥ ἐστιν ἐκ τοῦ Πόρτου ἐς Ῥώμην ἰόντι ἐν δεξιᾷ, καὶ πεζὸς παραβεβοηθήκει στρατός.

Dewing And on the other bank of the river — that on the right as one goes from Portus to Rome — a force of infantry was also drawn up along the stream to support him.

Greek πέμψας δὲ καὶ παρὰ Βέσσαν τῇ προτεραίᾳ ἐκέλευε τῇ ἐπιγενησομένῃ ἡμέρᾳ πολλῷ στρατῷ ἐπεξιόντα ξυνταράξαι τὰ τῶν πολεμίων στρατόπεδα, ὅπερ οἱ καὶ πρότερον ἐπιστείλας πολλάκις ἤδη ἐτύγχανεν.

Dewing But he had sent word to Bessas the day before commanding that on the following day he should make a sally with a strong force and throw the enemy's camp into confusion; and indeed this was the same command that he had already sent him many a time before.

Greek ἀλλὰ Βέσσας οὔτε πρότερον οὔτε ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ μάχῃ ἐπιτελῆ ποιεῖν τὰ ἐπαγγελλόμενα ἔγνω.

Dewing But neither on previous occasions nor during the present battle did Bessas see fit to carry out his orders.

Greek ἔτι γάρ οἱ μόνῳ τι τοῦ σίτου ἐλέλειπτο, ἐπεὶ ὅσον ἐς Ῥώμην οἱ Σικελίας ἄρχοντες πρότερον ἔπεμψαν τοῖς τε στρατιώταις ἐπαρκέσοντα καὶ τῷ δήμῳ παντί, αὐτὸς ὀλίγον μὲν κομιδῇ τῷ δήμῳ ἀφῆκε, τὸν δὲ πλεῖστον κεκομισμένος ἐπὶ τῷ τῶν στρατιωτῶν λόγῳ ἀπέκρυψεν, ὅνπερ τοῖς ἐκ βουλῆς ἀποδιδόμενος χρημάτων μεγάλων διαλύεσθαι τὴν πολιορκίαν ἥκιστα ἤθελε.

Dewing For now he was the only one who still had any grain left, since of all the grain which the magistrates of Sicily had previously sent to Rome to suffice both for the soldiers and for the whole population, he had let an exceedingly small amount go to the populace, while he had taken for himself the largest part on the pretext of providing for the soldiers and had hidden it away; and since he was selling this reserve to the senators at high prices, he by no means wished the siege to be broken.

Greek Βελισάριος μὲν οὖν καὶ ὁ Ῥωμαίων στόλος πόνῳ ἀναπλέοντες ἅτε τοῦ ῥεύματος σφίσιν ἀντιστατοῦντος ᾔεσαν. Γότθοι δὲ οὐδαμῆ ὑπηντίαζον, ἀλλ’ ἐν τοῖς χαρακώμασιν ἡσυχῆ ἔμενον.

Dewing Meanwhile Belisarius and the Roman fleet were making their way upstream in spite of the difficulty caused by the adverse current. The Goths, however, offered no opposition, but remained quietly in their fortified camps.

Greek ἤδη δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι ἄγχιστα τῆς γεφύρας γενόμενοι φρουρᾷ πολεμίων ἐνέτυχον, οἳ δὴ ἐφ’ ἑκάτερα τοῦ ποταμοῦ σειρᾶς σιδηρᾶς ἐπὶ τῇ φυλακῇ ἐτετάχατο, ἣν οὐ πολλῷ πρότερον ἐνταῦθα ἐναποθέμενος Τουτίλας ἔτυχεν, ἐκ τῆς ἑτέρας τοῦ Τιβέριδος ὄχθης ἄχρι ἐς τὴν ἑτέραν ἐξικνουμένην, ὅπως δὴ μηδὲ ὅσον ἐς τὴν γέφυραν ἰέναι οἱ ἐναντίοι εὐπετῶς δύνωνται.

Dewing But immediately upon coming close to the bridge, the Romans encountered a hostile guard; this force had been stationed on either side of the river to protect an iron chain which Totila had put in place there not long before, the which chain reached from one bank of the Tiber to the other, and its purpose was to make it difficult for the enemy to get even as far as the bridge.

Greek καὶ αὐτῶν βάλλοντες τοὺς μὲν ἔκτειναν, τοὺς δὲ τρεψάμενοι καὶ τὴν ἅλυσιν ἀνελόμενοι εὐθὺ τῆς γεφύρας ἐχώρησαν. ἐπειδή τε τάχιστα ἐς αὐτὴν ἦλθον, ἔργου εἴχοντο, οἵ τε βάρβαροι ἐκ τῶν πύργων ἠμύνοντο καρτερώτατα.

Dewing And they killed some of the guards with their missiles and turned the rest to flight, then lifted out the chain and went straight on toward the bridge. And as soon as they came up to it, they odd their attack, while the barbarians, shooting from the towers, were striving most vigorously to drive them back.

Greek ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἐκ τῶν χαρακωμάτων ἐξαναστάντες ἐπὶ τὴν γέφυραν δρόμῳ ἐχώρουν. Τότε δὴ Βελισάριος τὰς ἀκάτους, ἐφ’ ὧν οἱ ό πύργος πεποίηται, ὡς ἀγχοτάτω ἀγαγὼν θατέρου τῶν πολεμίων πύργου, ὃς δὴ ἐπὶ τῆς κατὰ τὸν Πόρτον ὁδοῦ ἐπ’ αὐτο τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὸ ὕδωρ εἱστήκει, ἐκέλευε τὸν λέμβον ὑφάψαντας ὕπερθεν τῶν πολεμίων τοῦ πύργου ῥίπτειν.

Dewing By this time, too, the barbarians had started out from their fortified camps and were rushing to the bridge. Just at that moment Belisarius brought the skiffs on which the tower had been built as close as possible to one of the towers of the enemy — the one which stood on the road to Portus at the very edge of the water — and gave orders to set fire to the little boat and throw it on top of the enemy's tower.

Greek καὶ Ῥωμαῖοι μὲν κατὰ ταῦτα ἐποίουν. ἐμπεσὼν δὲ τῷ πύργῳ ὁ λέμβος αὐτόν τε αὐτίκα μάλα ἐνέπρησε καὶ ξὺν αὐτῷ Γότθους ἅπαντας, ἐς διακοσίους μάλιστα ὄντας.

Dewing And the Romans carried out this order. Now when this little boat fell upon the tower, it very quickly set fire to it, and not only was the tower itself consumed, but also all the Goths in it, to the number of about two hundred.

Greek ἐκαύθη δὲ καὶ Ὅσδας σὺν αὐτοῖς, ὃς αὐτῶν ἦρχε, Γότθων ἁπάντων μαχιμώτατος ὤν. θαρσήσαντες δὲ ἤδη Ῥωμαῖοι τοὺς ἐκ τῶν χαρακωμάτων ἐπιβεβοηθηκότας βαρβάρους ἔτι μᾶλλον ἢ πρότερον ἔβαλλον.

Dewing And among those thus burned was Osdas, their commander, who was the most warlike of all the Goths. Whereupon the Romans took courage and began to discharge their missiles still faster than before against the barbarians who had come to the support of their comrades.

Greek οἱ δὲ καταπεπληγμένοι τοῖς ξυμπεσοῦσι στρέψαντες τὰ νῶτα, ὡς ἕκαστός πη ἠδύνατο, ἐς φυγὴν ὥρμηντο· τῆς τε γεφύρας Ῥωμαῖοι ἥπτοντο καὶ αὐτὴν ἔμελλον αὐτίκα μάλα διαφθείραντες πρόσω ἰέναι, ἔς τε Ῥώμην κομίζεσθαι οὐδενὸς ἔτι ἀντιστατοῦντος.

Dewing As for the Goths, they were struck with consternation at the turn of events, and fa­cing about rushed off in flight, each man as best he could. The Roman then began to destroy the bridge and were ready, after wrecking it in a twinkling, to go ahead and proceed into Rome with no further opposition.

Greek ἀλλ’ ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἦν ταῦτα βουλομένῃ τῇ τύχῃ, τῶν τινος φθονερῶν δαιμόνων μηχανὴ γέγονεν, ἣ τὰ Ῥωμαίων πράγματα ἔφθειρε τρόπῳ τοιῷδε.

Dewing But, since this was not the will of fortune, some envious spirit interposed and contrived to ruin the cause of the Romans in the following manner.

Greek Ἐν ᾧ τὰ στρατόπεδα τῇδε, ᾗπερ ἐρρήθη, ἐφέρετο, ἐν τούτῳ τις φήμη ἐπὶ πονηρῷ τῷ Ῥωμαίων ἐς Πόρτον ἐλθοῦσα περιήγγελλεν, ὡς νικῴη μὲν Βελισάριος, ἀνέλοιτο δὲ τὴν ἅλυσιν, διαφθείρας τοὺς ταύτῃ βαρβάρους, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα, ἅπερ μοι ἔμπροσθεν εἴρηται.

Dewing While the two armies were engaged in the operations just described, meantime a report fraught with ill for the Romans reached Portus and the tidings spread that Belisarius was victorious and had taken up the chain after destroying the barbarians at that point, and all the rest which I have told above.

Greek Ἰσαάκης δὲ ταῦτα ἀκούσας οὐκέτι οἷός τε ἦν ἐν αὑτῷ μένειν, ἀλλὰ κλέους τοῦδε μεταλαχεῖν ἐν σπουδῇ εἶχε. τάς τε Βελισαρίου ἐντολὰς ἀλογήσας, ὅτι τάχιστα ἐς τὴν ἑτέραν τοῦ ποταμοῦ ὄχθην ἀπιὼν ᾤχετο.

Dewing Now when Isaac heard this, he could no longer contain himself, but was eager to have a hand in that glorious victory. So, disregarding the instructions of Belisarius, he was off as quickly as possible to the other side of the river.

Greek καὶ τῶν στρατιωτῶν, οὕσπερ ἐνταῦθα Βελισάριος καταστησάμενος ἔτυχεν, ἱππεῖς ἐπαγόμενος ἑκατὸν ἐπὶ τὸ τῶν πολεμίων χαράκωμα ἤλαυνεν, οὗ Ῥουδέριχος ἦρχεν, ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς τὰ πολέμια.

Dewing And he took with him a hundred horsemen from among the troops which Belisarius had stationed there, and advanced against the enemy's stockade, which was commanded by Ruderic, a capable warrior.

Greek ἐπελθών τε ἐκ τοῦ αἰφνιδίου τοῖς ἐκείνῃ βαρβάροις ἄλλους τέ τινας καὶ Ῥουδέριχον ὑπαντιάσαντα ἔπληξεν.

Dewing Then he made a sudden assault upon the barbarians in the camp and smote a certain number of them, including Ruderic who had come out against him.

Greek οἱ δὲ Γότθοι εὐθὺς λιπόντες τὸ στρατόπεδον ὑπεχώρησαν, ἢ πλῆθος πολεμίων ὑποτοπήσαντες ἀμφὶ τὸν Ἰσαάκην ὄπισθεν εἶναι, ἢ τοὺς ἐναντίους ἐξαπατῶντες, ὅπως δὴ αὐτούς, ὅπερ ἐγένετο, ἑλεῖν δύνωνται.

Dewing The Goths, for their part, immediately abandoned the camp and withdrew, either because they supposed that Isaac had a very large hostile force in the rear, or by way of deceiving their opponents so that they might be able to capture them, as actually happened.

Greek Οἱ μὲν οὖν ξὺν τῷ Ἰσαάκῃ εἰσδύσαντες ἐς τὸ τῶν πολεμίων χαράκωμα τόν τε ἄργυρον ὅσπερ ἐνταῦθα ἔκειτο καὶ τὰ ἄλλα χρήματα ἥρπαζον.

Dewing So Isaac's men penetrated the hostile camp, and began to plunder the silver which lay there and the other valuables.

Greek ἀναστρέψαντες δὲ αὐτίκα οἱ Γότθοι πολλοὺς μὲν κτείνουσι τῶν ἐναντίων, ζῶντα δὲ Ἰσαάκην ξὺν ἑτέροις τισὶν οὐ πολλοῖς εἷλον. ἥκοντές τε ἱππεῖς παρὰ Βελισάριον δρόμῳ ἀγγέλλουσιν ὅτι δὴ ἔχοιτο πρὸς τῶν πολεμίων Ἰσαάκης.

Dewing But the Goths immediately returned and slew many of their opponents, but took Isaac alive along with some few others. Horsemen then hastened to Belisarius and reported that Isaac was in the hands of the enemy.

Greek Βελισάριος δὲ καταπλαγεὶς οἷς ἠκηκόει καὶ οὐ διερευνησάμενος ὁποίᾳ ποτὲ μηχανῇ Ἰσαάκης ἁλῴη, ἀλλ’ οἰόμενος τόν τε Πόρτον καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα ἀπολωλέναι καὶ ἅπαντα διεφθάρθαι σφίσι τὰ πράγματα ἄλλο τε οὐδὲν ἀπολελεῖφθαι ὀχύρωμα, ὅποι ἂν καταφυγόντες τὸ λοιπὸν σώζοιντο, ἐς ἀφασίαν ἐμπέπτωκεν οὐ γεγονὸς αὐτῷ πρότερον τοῦτό γε.

Dewing Belisarius was thunderstruck at what he heard, and, without investigating in what manner Isaac could have been captured, but thinking that both Portus and his wife were lost and that complete disaster had fallen upon the Romans, in that no other stronghold remained where they could now take refuge and save themselves, he fell into a state of speechlessness, an experience which he had never had before.

Greek διὸ δὴ κατὰ τάχος ὀπίσω ὑπῆγε τὸ στράτευμα, ὡς ἐπιθησόμενος μὲν ἀτάκτοις ἔτι τοῖς πολεμίοις οὖσιν, ἀνασωσόμενος δὲ πάσῃ μηχανῇ τὸ χωρίον. Οὕτω μὲν ὁ Ῥωμαίων στρατὸς ἐνθένδε ἄπρακτοι ἀνεχώρησαν.

Dewing It was for this reason that he hastily withdrew his forces to the rear, with the intention of attacking the enemy while they were still in disorder and recovering the town at all costs. So the Roman army withdrew from the bridge without accomplishing its object.

Greek ἐν δὲ τῷ Πόρτῳ γενόμενος Βελισάριος, τήν τε Ἰσαάκου μανίαν ἔγνω καὶ τῆς οὐ δέον οἱ αὐτῷ ξυμβάσης ταραχῆς ᾔσθετο, τῷ τε τῆς τύχης ἐναντιώματι περιώδυνος γεγονὼς ἐνόσει τὸ σῶμα.

Dewing But when Belisarius reached Portus, he learned of the madness of Isaac and perceived that his own excitement had been without reason; whereupon he was so overcome with sorrow at the adversity of fortune that he fell sick.

Greek πυρετὸς γὰρ ἐπιγενόμενος ἐς χρόνου μῆκος ὑπερφυῶς τε αὐτὸν ἠνία καὶ ἐς κίνδυνον θανάτου ἦγεν.

Dewing For a fever came on which by its long continuance harassed him sorely and brought him into danger of death.

Greek ἡμέραιν δὲ δυοῖν ὕστερον Ῥουδερίχῳ τε ξυνέβη τελευτῆσαι τὸν βίον καὶ ὁ Τουτίλας περιαλγήσας τῇ ξυμφορᾷ τὸν Ἰσαάκην διέφθειρε.

Dewing Two days later it came about that Ruderic died, and Totila, being exceedingly grieved at his loss, put Isaac to death.