第7巻 第4章

Greek Τουτίλας δὲ τὰ ἐν Βερώνῃ ξυμπεσόντα μαθὼν Γότθων τε τῶν ἐκ Βερώνης πολλοὺς μετεπέμπετο, καὶ ἐπεὶ παρῆσαν, παντὶ τῷ στρατῷ, ἐς πεντακισχιλίους ὄντι, ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐναντίους ᾔει. ὃ δὴ μαθόντες οἱ τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ ἄρχοντες τὰ παρόντα σφίσιν ἐν βουλῇ ἐποιοῦντο.

Dewing Totila, upon learning what had taken place at Verona, summoned many of the Goths from that city, and upon their arrival moved with his whole army, amounting to five thousand men, against his opponents. Now when the commanders of the Roman army learned this, they began to deliberate over their situation.

Greek καὶ παρελθὼν Ἀρταβάζης ἔλεξε τοιάδε· “Μηδεὶς ὑμῶν, ἄνδρες ἄρχοντες, ὑπερφρονεῖν τῶν πολεμίων ἅτε ἡμῶν τῷ πλήθει ἐλασσουμένων τανῦν ἀξιούτω, μηδέ, ὅτι πρὸς τοὺς Βελισαρίῳ δεδουλωμένους ἀγωνίζεται, λογισμῷ ἀναπεπτωκότι ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς ἴτω.

Dewing And Artabazes came forward and spoke as follows: "Fellow-commanders, let no one of you think fit at the present time to despise the enemy because they are inferior to us in number, nor, because he is fighting against men enslaved by Belisarius, let him advance against them in a reckless frame of mind.

Greek πολλοὶ γὰρ δόξῃ οὐκ ἀληθεῖ ἐξηπατημένοι σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἔσφηλαν, καὶ καταφρόνημά τισιν οὐκ ἐν δέοντι γινόμενον τὴν ὑπάρχουσαν αὐτοῖς καταλῦσαι δύναμιν ἴσχυσεν, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἄλλως ἡ προλαβοῦσα κακοπραγία τούσδε τοὺς ἄνδρας ἐς εὐτυχίαν παρακαλεῖ.

Dewing For many a man, deceived by a false estimate of a situation, has brought about his own downfall, while others who have been filled with unjustified contempt of their foes have seen their whole power ruined thereby; and even apart from this, the very fact of their previous ill fortune lures these men on to attain a fairer lot.

Greek τύχη γὰρ εἰς ἀπόγνωσιν ἀγαθῶν ἐλπίδων ἐλθοῦσα ἐς εὐτολμίας ὑπερβολὴν περιίσταται.

Dewing For when fortune has reduced a man to despair and robbed him of his fair hopes, it changes his nature and leads him to feel an extraordinary degree of daring.

Greek καὶ ταῦτα οὐχ ὑποψίᾳ τανῦν ἠγμένος ἐν ὑμῖν εἴρηκα, ἀλλ’ οἷς διακινδυνεύσας πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἔναγχος ἐκμεμάθηκα τὴν τῶν ἀνδρῶν τόλμαν.

Dewing And it is not because I am moved by mere suspicion that I have made these statements before you, but because of the thorough acquaintance I have recently made with the daring of these men while engaged in mortal combat with them.

Greek καί με νομιζέτω μηδεὶς ξὺν ὀλίγοις τισὶν ἡσσηθέντα τῶν πολεμίων θαυμάσαι τὴν δύναμιν. ἐπεὶ ἀνδρῶν ἀρετὴ καὶ πλήθει ὑπεραιρόντων καὶ τούτῳ ἐλασσουμένων τοῖς γε πρὸς αὐτοὺς διαμαχησομένοις ἔνδηλος γίνεται.

Dewing And let no one think that I now marvel at their power because I was defeated along with a handful of men. For it is to those who shall come to blows with them that men's valour becomes revealed, whether those men are superior in number or inferior.

Greek οἶμαι τοίνυν ἡμῖν μᾶλλον ξυνοίσειν τοῦ ποταμοῦ τηρήσασι τὴν διάβασιν τοῖς βαρβάροις, ἐπειδὰν ἐς ἥμισυ διαβαίνοιεν, ἐς χεῖρας ἰέναι ἢ πᾶσιν ἀθρόοις ἤδη γεγενημένοις.

Dewing My opinion then is that it will be more to our advantage to watch for the crossing of the river by the barbarians, and, while the crossing is in progress, and about half their men are across, to engage with them then, rather than after they have already assembled, all in one body.

Greek μηδενί τε ἄδοξος εἶναι ἡ τοιαύτη δεδόχθω νίκη. δόξαν τε γὰρ καὶ ἀδοξίαν ἡ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀπόβασις ὀνομάζειν φιλεῖ, καὶ τοὺς νενικηκότας εἰώθασιν ἐπαινεῖν ἄνθρωποι, οὐ διερευνώμενοι τῆς

Dewing And let no man consider such a victory inglorious. For the outcome of events alone is wont to decide whether a deed shall be named glorious or inglorious, and it is the victors whom men are accustomed to praise without investigating the manner of the victory."

Greek νίκης τὸν τρόπον.” Ἀρταβάζης μὲν τοσαῦτα εἶπεν. οἱ δὲ δὴ ἄρχοντες τῷ διαμαχομένῳ τῆς γνώμης τῶν δεόντων οὐδὲν ἔπρασσον, ἀλλ’ αὐτοῦ μένοντες τὸν καιρὸν ἔτριβον.

Dewing So spoke Artabazes. But the commanders, owing to the divergence of their opinions, did nothing that they should, but continued to remain where they were and lose their opportunity by delay.

Greek Ἤδη δὲ ὁ τῶν Γότθων στρατὸς ἄγχιστα ἐγεγόνει, καὶ ἐπεὶ διαβαίνειν τὸν ποταμὸν ἔμελλον, ξυγκαλέσας Τουτίλας ἅπαντας τοιαῦτα παρεκελεύσατο· “Αἱ μὲν ἄλλαι ξύμπασαι μάχαι, ὦ ἄνδρες ξυγγενεῖς, ὁμοίαν τινὰ μάχην ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἐπαγγελλόμεναι τοῖς στρατοπέδοις ἐς τὴν ἀγωνίαν ὁρμῶσιν, ἡμεῖς δὲ τοῖς πολεμίοις οὐκ ἐξ ἀντιπάλου τῆς τύχης, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ τῷ διαλλάσσοντι χρώμενοι ἐς τὸν ἀγῶνα καθιστάμεθα τόνδε.

Dewing And now the army of the Goths had come very near, and when they were about to cross the river, Totila called them all together and exhorted them as follows: "My kinsmen, all other battles give promise, as a general thing, of a contest that will be more or less even and thereby incite the contending armies to the struggle, but we are entering this combat, not on an equality with our enemy as regards the advantages of fortune, but fa­cing a very different situation.

Greek οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἡσσηθέντες, ἂν οὕτω τύχοι, οὐκ ἐς μακρὰν ἀναμάχεσθαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἕξουσιν. ἔν τε γὰρ τοῖς ὀχυρώμασιν Ἰταλίας ἁπάσης πλῆθος αὐτοῖς στρατιωτῶν ἀπολέλειπται καὶ ἄλλο στράτευμα ἐκ Βυζαντίου αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα ἐπιβοηθήσειν οὐδὲν ἀπεικός. ἡμῶν δὲ ταὐτὸ τοῦτο παθόντων τὸ Γότθων ὄνομα μετὰ τῆς ἐλπίδος ἀπολωλέναι λελείψεται.

Dewing For they, even in case of a possible defeat, will be able after no long time to renew the fight against us. For there is left behind for them a numerous army quartered in the island strongholds throughout the whole of Italy, and, furthermore, it is not at all improbable that another army will at a very early date come to their assistance from Byzantium. But if we, on the other hand, suffer this same fate, there will be a final end of the name and hopes of the Goths.

Greek ἐκ μυριάδων γὰρ εἴκοσιν ἐς πεντακισχιλίους ἡμᾶς ἀποκεκρίσθαι ξυμβέβηκε. τοσαῦτα ὑπειπὼν κἀκεῖνο ὑμᾶς ὑπομνῆσαι οὐκ ἀπὸ τρόπου οἴομαι εἶναι, ὡς ἡνίκα μὲν ξὺν Ἰλδιβάδῳ ὅπλα ἀνταίρειν βασιλεῖ ἔγνωτε, τὸ μὲν πλῆθος ὑμῖν οὐ πλέον ἢ ἐς χιλίους ξυμβιοῦν ἔτυχεν, ἡ δὲ χώρα περιίστατο ξύμπασα ἐς Τικινὸν πόλιν.

Dewing For from an army of two hundred thousand we have been reduced in the course of events to five thousand men. Having made such a preface, I think it not inappropriate to recall to your minds this fact also, that when you decided to take up arms with Ildibadus against the emperor, the number of your band amounted to no more than one thousand men, while your entire territory consisted of the city of Ticinum.

Greek ἐπεὶ δὲ τῇ ξυμβολῇ γεγόνατε κρείσσους, ἐπίπροσθεν ἡμῖν τά τε τῆς στρατιᾶς καὶ τῆς χώρας κεχώρηκεν. ὥστε ἢν καὶ νῦν ἀνδραγαθίζεσθαι ᾖ βουλομένοις ὑμῖν, προϊόντος, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, τοῦ πολέμου πάμπαν κρατήσειν τῶν ἐναντίων ἐλπίδα ἔχω.

Dewing But since you came off victors in the engagement, both our army and our territory have increased. So that if you are willing in this battle to display the same spirit of manly courage, I am hopeful that, as the war goes on, following its natural course, we shall accomplish the complete defeat of our opponents.

Greek τοῖς γὰρ νενικηκόσιν ἀεὶ τὸ πλείοσί τε καὶ δυνατωτέροις γεγονέναι ξυμβαίνει. προθυμείσθω τοίνυν ὑμῶν ἕκαστος παντὶ σθένει τοῖς πολεμίοις ὁμόσε χωρεῖν τὴν μάχην ἐξεπιστάμενος τὴν νῦν οὐκ εὐδοκιμηκόσιν ἡμῖν ἀναμάχεσθαι πρὸς τοὺς ἐναντίους ἀμήχανον.

Dewing For it always proves true that the victors increase both in numbers and in power. Let each one of you, therefore, be eager to join battle with the enemy with all your strength, understanding clearly that if we do not succeed in the present battle, it will be impossible to renew the struggle against our opponents.

Greek ἄξιον δὲ ἡμᾶς μετὰ τῆς ἀγαθῆς ἐλπίδος τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐς χεῖρας ἰέναι, τῇ τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀδικίᾳ θαρροῦντας.

Dewing It is reasonable, furthermore, for us to grapple with the enemy with high hopes, taking courage from the unjust acts committed by them.

Greek οὕτω γὰρ αὐτοῖς τὰ ἐς τοὺς κατηκόους βεβίωται ὥστε Ἰταλιώταις τανῦν τῆς τετολμημένης οὐ δέον αὐτοῖς ἐς Γότθους προδοσίας κολάσεως οὐδεμιᾶς ἑτέρας προσδεῖ. οὕτω ξυλλήβδην εἰπεῖν ξύμπαντα αὐτοῖς τὰ κακὰ πρὸς τῶν ὑποδεχθέντων γενέσθαι ξυνέβη.

Dewing For such has been their conduct towards their subjects that the Italians at the present time need no further punishment for the flagrant treason which they dared to commit against the Goths; so true is it that every form of evil, to put all in a word, has fallen to their lot from the hands of those whom they cordially received.

Greek τί δ’ ἂν πολεμίων εὐαλωτότερον γένοιτο οἷς γε τὰ ἐκ θεοῦ δῆτα πεπραγμένα οὐχ ὑγιῶς ἔχει; καὶ μὴν καὶ τῷ ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐς αὐτοὺς δέει εὐέλπιδας ἂν ἡμᾶς ἐς τὸν ἀγῶνα γίνεσθαι πρέποι.

Dewing And what enemy could be more easy to overcome than men whose deeds, even those done in God's name, are utterly wicked?⁠ Nay more, the very fear we inspire in them should properly be a further cause for confidence on our part as we enter the struggle.

Greek οὐ γὰρ ἐπ’ ἄλλους τινὰς ἀνθρώπων χωροῦμεν ἢ ὅσοι ἔναγχος ἐν μέσῃ Βερώνῃ γενόμενοι μεθέντες τε οὐδενὶ λόγῳ, καίπερ διώκοντος τῶν πάντων αὐτοὺς οὐδενός, οὕτω δὴ αἰσχρῶς ἐς φυγὴν ὥρμηντο.”

Dewing For those against whom we proceed are no other men than those who recently first penetrated into the middle of Verona, then abandoned it for no good reason, and, although not a man pursued them, yet even so rushed off in a disgraceful flight."

Greek Τοσαῦτα ὁ Τουτίλας παρακελευσάμενος τῶν οἱ ἑπομένων τριακοσίους ἐκέλευεν, ὅσον ἀπὸ σταδίων εἴκοσι τὸν ποταμὸν διαβαίνοντας, κατόπισθεν τοῦ τῶν πολεμίων στρατοπέδου γενέσθαι, καὶ ἐπειδὰν ἡ μάχη ἐν χερσὶ γένηται, κατὰ νώτου αὐτῶν ἰόντας βάλλειν τε καὶ ἐνοχλεῖν δυνάμει τῇ πάσῃ, ὅπως ἐκεῖνοι ξυνταραχθέντες οὐδεμιᾶς ἀλκῆς μνήσονται.

Dewing After delivering this exhortation Totila commanded three hundred of his troops to cross the river at a distance of about twenty stades from where he stood and get behind the enemy's camp, and when the battle should come to it is written away, to fall upon their rear, harassing them with their missiles and assailing them with all their strength, in order that the Romans might be thrown into confusion and abandon all thought of resistance.

Greek αὐτὸς δὲ παντὶ τῷ ἄλλῳ στρατῷ αὐτίκα τὸν ποταμὸν διαβὰς εὐθὺ τῶν ἐναντίων ἐχώρει·

Dewing He himself, meanwhile, with the rest of the army straightway crossed the river and advanced directly upon his opponents; and the Romans immediately came out to meet him.

Greek οἱ δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι εὐθὺς ὑπηντίαζον. ἐπειδή τε ἀμφότεροι ὁδῷ ἰόντες ἐγγυτέρω ἀλλήλων ἐγένοντο, Γότθος ἀνήρ, Οὐάλαρις ὄνομα, μέγας τε τὸ σῶμα καὶ τὸ εἶδος φοβερὸς ἄγαν, ἔτι μέντοι δραστήριός τε καὶ ἀγαθὸς τὰ πολέμια, τὸν ἵππον ἐξελάσας πρὸ τοῦ ἄλλου στρατοῦ ἐν μεταιχμίῳ ἔστη, τεθωρακισμένος τε καὶ κράνος ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ ἔχων, καὶ Ῥωμαίους ἅπαντας προὐκαλεῖτο, εἴ τίς οἱ βούλοιτο ἐς χεῖρας ἰέναι.

Dewing And when, as both armies advanced, they came nearer to each other, a Goth, Valaris by name, tall of stature and of most terrifying mien, an active man withal and a good fighter, rode his horse out before the rest of the army and took his stand in the open space between the armies, clad in a corselet and wearing a helmet on his head; and he challenged all the Romans, if anyone was willing to do battle with him.

Greek οἱ μὲν οὖν ἄλλοι κατωρρωδηκότες ἡσυχῆ ἔμενον, Ἀρταβάζης δὲ αὐτῷ ἐς ἀγῶνα κατέστη μόνος.

Dewing Whereupon all remained quiet, being stricken with terror, save Artabazes alone, who advanced to fight the man.

Greek ἄμφω τοίνυν τὼ ἵππω κατ’ ἀλλήλοιν ἐλάσαντε, ἐπειδὴ ἄγχιστα ἵκοντο, τὰ δόρατα ὤθουν, Ἀρταβάζης δὲ προτερήσας ἔφθασε τὸν Οὐάλαριν ἐς πλευρὰν τὴν δεξιὰν παίσας.

Dewing So they rode their horses toward each other, and when they came close, both thrust their spears, but Artabazes, anticipating his opponent, delivered the first blow and pierced the right side of Valaris.

Greek ὁ δὲ βάρβαρος καιρίαν τυπεὶς ὕπτιος ἐς τὴν γῆν πεσεῖν ἔμελλεν, ἀλλά οἱ τὸ δόρυ ἐξόπισθεν ἐπὶ τὸ ἔδαφος ἐπὶ πέτρας τινὸς ἐρεισθὲν πεσεῖν αὐτὸν οὐδαμῆ εἴα.

Dewing And the barbarian, mortally wounded, was about to fall backward to the earth, but his spear, resting on the ground behind him and being braced against a rock, did not permit him to fall.

Greek ὁ δὲ Ἀρταβάζης ἐνέκειτο ἔτι μᾶλλον τὸ δόρυ ἐς τὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ὠθῶν ἔγκατα. οὔπω γὰρ αὐτὸν ἤδη ἁλῶναι καιρίᾳ πληγῇ ὑπετόπαζεν.

Dewing As for Artabazes, he continued to press forward still more vigorously, driving the spear into the man's vitals; for as yet he did not suppose that he had already suffered a mortal wound.

Greek οὕτω τε ξυνέβη Οὐαλάριδος τὸ τοῦ δόρατος ἄκρον σιδήριον σχεδόν τι ὀρθὸν γεγενημένον τοῦ Ἀρταβάζου θώρακος ἅπτεσθαι, κατὰ βραχύ τε προϊὸν διελθεῖν μὲν τὸν θώρακα ὅλον, ὀλισθῆσαν δὲ τοῦ δέρματος ἀμφὶ τὸν Ἀρταβάζου αὐχένα ψαῦσαι.

Dewing Thus it came about that Valaris' spear stood practically upright and its iron point encountered the corselet of Artabazes, and first, engt little by little, it went clear through the corselet, and then, slipping further, grazed the skin of Artabazes' neck.

Greek τύχῃ τέ τινι ἀρτηρίαν ἐνταῦθά πη οὖσαν ἐπίπροσθεν ἰὼν ὁ σίδηρος τέμνει, καὶ ῥύσις αὐτίκα πολλοῦ αἵματος ἦν.

Dewing And by some chance the iron, as it pushed forward, cut an artery which lies in that region, and there was immediately a great flow of blood.

Greek αἴσθησις δὲ ὀδύνης οὐδεμία τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐγίνετο, ἀλλ’ αὐτὸς μὲν ἐς τὸ Ῥωμαίων στράτευμα τὸν ἵππον ἀπήλαυνεν,

Dewing However, the man experienced no feeling of pain, and he rode back to the Roman army, while Valaris fell dead on the spot.

Greek Οὐάλαρις δὲ νεκρὸς αὐτοῦ ἔπεσε. καὶ Ἀρταβάζης δέ, τοῦ αἵματος οὐκέτι λωφήσαντος, τρίτῃ ὕστερον ἡμέρᾳ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἠφάνιστο, Ῥωμαίοις τε κατέσεισε τὴν πᾶσαν ἐλπίδα, ἐπεὶ καὶ τότε ἀπόμαχος ἐν τῇ ξυμβολῇ ταύτῃ γενόμενος οὐκ ἐπὶ μικροῖς τὰ πράγματα αὐτὸς ἔσφηλεν.

Dewing But the flow of blood from Artabazes' wound did not abate and on the third day afterwards he departed from among men; and this mishap shattered all the hopes of the Romans, since he was rendered unfit for fighting in the engagement which followed, and himself injured their cause in no small degree.

Greek ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἔξω βελῶν γεγονὼς τοῦ τραύματος ἐπεμελεῖτο, τὰ δὲ στρατεύματα ἄμφω ἐς χεῖρας ἦλθον.

Dewing For while he went out of range of missiles and was caring for his wound, the two armies engaged with each other.

Greek Καρτερᾶς δὲ γενομένης τῆς ξυμβολῆς οἱ τριακόσιοι βάρβαροι κατόπισθεν τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ ὁδῷ ἰόντες ἐκ τοῦ αἰφνιδίου ἐφάνησαν, οὓς δὴ κατιδόντες Ῥωμαῖοι καὶ πολὺ πλῆθος εἶναι τῶν σφίσι μαχομένων οἰόμενοι ἔς τε ὀρρωδίαν ἔπεσον καὶ αὐτίκα ἐς φυγὴν ὥρμηντο,

Dewing But when the engagement was hottest, the three hundred barbarians suddenly appeared advancing behind the Roman army; and when the Romans saw these men, supposing as they did that their assailants were a great multitude, they fell into a panic and straightway rushed off in flight, each man as best he could.

Greek ὥσπερ ἑκάστῳ δυνατὰ γέγονε. φεύγοντάς τε οἱ βάρβαροι οὐδενὶ κόσμῳ Ῥωμαίους ἔκτεινον, καὶ πολλοὺς μὲν αὐτῶν ζωγρήσαντες ἐν φυλακῇ εἶχον, τὰ δὲ σημεῖα ξύμπαντα ἔλαβον, ὅπερ οὔπω πρότερον Ῥωμαίοις ξυνέπεσε. τῶν τε ἀρχόντων ὡς ἕκαστός πη ἐδύνατο ξὺν ὀλίγοις τισὶν ἔφευγε, καὶ τὰς πόλεις ὅπη ἔτυχον διασωθέντες ἐφύλασσον.

Dewing And the barbarians kept up a slaughter of Romans as they fled in complete disorder, and many of them they captured and held under guard, and they captured all the standards besides, a thing which had never before happened to the Romans.⁠ As for the commanders, each one of them as he could fled with only a few men, and finding safety in whatever cities they happened to reach they continued to guard them.