第7巻 第40章

Greek Γερμανοῦ δὲ τὸ στράτευμα ἐν Σαρδικῇ, τῇ Ἰλλυριῶν πόλει, ἀγείραντός τε καὶ διέποντος, ἅπαντά τε ἰσχυρότατα ἐξαρτυομένου τὰ ἐς τὴν τοῦ πολέμου παρασκευήν, Σκλαβηνῶν ὅμιλος ὅσος οὔπω πρότερον ἀφίκετο ἐς Ῥωμαίων τὴν γῆν· Ἴστρον τε ποταμὸν διαβάντες ἀμφὶ Νάϊσον ἦλθον.

Dewing But while Germanus was collecting and organising his army in Sardice,⁠ the city of Illyricum, and making all the necessary preparations for war with the great the thoroughness, a throng of Sclaveni such as never before was known arrived on Roman soil, having crossed the Ister River and come to the vicinity of Naïssus.⁠

Greek ὧν δὴ ὀλίγους τινὰς ἀποσκεδασθέντας μὲν τοῦ στρατοπέδου, πλανωμένους δὲ καὶ κατὰ μόνας περιιόντας τὰ ἐκείνῃ χωρία τῶν τινὲς Ῥωμαίων καταλαβόντες τε καὶ ξυνδήσαντες ἀνεπυνθάνοντο ὅτου δὴ ἕνεκα οὗτος δὴ ὁ τῶν Σκλαβηνῶν στρατὸς καὶ ὅ τι κατεργασόμενοι διέβησαν ποταμὸν Ἴστρον.

Dewing Now some few of these had scattered from their army and, wandering about the country there alone, were captured by certain of the Romans and made prisoners; and the Romans questioned them as to why this particular army of the Sclaveni had crossed the Ister and what they had in mind to accomplish.

Greek οἱ δὲ ἰσχυρίσαντο ὡς Θεσσαλονίκην τε αὐτὴν καὶ πόλεις τὰς ἀμφ’ αὐτὴν πολιορκίᾳ ἐξαιρήσοντες ἥκοιεν. ἅπερ ἐπεὶ βασιλεὺς ἤκουσεν, ἄγαν τε ξυνεταράχθη καὶ πρὸς Γερμανὸν εὐθὺς ἔγραψεν, ὁδὸν μὲν ἐν τῷ παραυτίκα τὴν ἐπὶ Ἰταλίαν ἀναβαλέσθαι, Θεσσαλονίκῃ δὲ καὶ πόλεσι ταῖς ἄλλαις ἀμῦναι, καὶ τὴν Σκλαβηνῶν ἔφοδον ὅση δύναμις ἀποκρούσασθαι. καὶ Γερμανὸς μὲν ἀμφὶ ταῦτα διατριβὴν εἶχε.

Dewing And they stoutly declared that they had come with the intention of capturing by siege both Thessalonice⁠ itself and the cities around it. When the emperor heard this, he was greatly agitated and straightway wrote to Germanus directing him to postpone for the moment his expedition to Italy and defend Thessalonice and the other cities, and to repel the invasion of the Sclaveni with all his power. So Germanus, for his part, was devoting himself to this problem.

Greek Σκλαβηνοὶ δὲ γνόντες διαρρήδην πρὸς τῶν αἰχμαλώτων Γερμανὸν ἐν Σαρδικῇ εἶναι ἐς δέος ἦλθον·

Dewing But the Sclaveni, upon learning definitely from their captives that Germanus was in Sardice, began to be afraid;

Greek μέγα γὰρ ὄνομα ἐς τούτους δὴ τοὺς βαρβάρους ὁ Γερμανὸς εἶχεν ἐξ αἰτίας τοιᾶσδε. ἡνίκα Ἰουστινιανὸς ὁ Γερμανοῦ θεῖος τὴν βασι· λείαν εἷχεν, Ἄνται, οἳ Σκλαβηνῶν ἄγχιστα ᾤκηνται, Ἴστρον ποταμὸν διαβάντες στρατῷ μεγάλῳ ἐσέβαλον ἐς Ῥωμαίων τὴν γῆν.

Dewing for Germanus had a great reputation among these particular barbarians for the following reason. During the reign of Justinian, the uncle of Germanus, the Antae, who dwell close to the Sclaveni, had crossed the Ister River with a great army and invaded the Roman domain.

Greek ἐτύγχανε δὲ Γερμανὸν βασιλεὺς Θρᾴκης ὅλης στρατηγὸν καταστησάμενος οὐ πολλῷ πρότερον. ὃς δὴ ἐς χεῖρας ἐλθὼν τῷ τῶν πολεμίων στρατῷ κατὰ κράτος τε μάχῃ νικήσας σχεδόν τι ἅπαντας ἔκτεινε, κλέος τε μέγα ἐκ τοῦ ἔργου τούτου ό Γερμανὸς ἐς πάντας ἀνθρώπους καὶ διαφερόντως ἐς τούτους δὴ τοὺς βαρβάρους περιεβάλετο.

Dewing Now the emperor had not long before this, as it happened, appointed Germanus General of all Thrace. He accordingly engaged with the hostile army defeated them decisively in battle and killed practically all of them; and Germanus, as a result of this achievement, had covered himself with great glory in the estimation of all men, including these same barbarians.

Greek δειμαίνοντες οὖν αὐτόν, ὥσπερ μοι εἴρηται, Σκλαβηνοί, ἅμα δὲ καὶ δύναμιν ἀξιολογωτάτην αὐτὸν ἐπάγεσθαι οἰόμενοι ἅτε πρὸς βασιλέως στελλόμενον ἐπὶ Τουτίλαν τε καὶ Γότθους, ὁδοῦ μὲν εὐθὺς τῆς ἐπὶ Θεσσαλονίκην ἀπέσχοντο, ἐς δὲ τὸ πεδίον καταβῆναι οὐκέτι ἐτόλμων, ἀλλὰ ξύμπαντα τὰ ὄρη τὰ Ἰλλυριῶν διαμείψαντες ἐν Δαλματίᾳ ἐγένοντο.

Dewing Consequently, on account of their dread of him, as I have said, and also because they supposed that he was conducting a very formidable force, seeing that he was being sent by the emperor against Totila and the Goths, the Sclaveni immediately turned aside from their march on Thessalonice and no longer dared to descend to the plain, but they crossed over all the mountain ranges of Illyricum and so came into Dalmatia.

Greek ὧν δὴ ὁ Γερμανὸς ἀφροντιστήσας πάσῃ ἐπήγγελλε τῇ στρατιᾷ ξυσκευάζεσθαι, ὡς ἡμέραιν δυοῖν ὕστερον ὁδοῦ ἐνθένδε τῆς ἐπὶ τὴν Ἰταλίαν ἀρξόμενος.

Dewing Germanus, accordingly, paid no further attention to them and issued orders to the entire army to prepare for marching, intending to commence the journey thence to Italy two days later.

Greek Ἀλλά τις αὐτῷ ξυνέπεσε τύχη νοσήσαντι ἐξαπιναίως τὸν βίον διαμετρήσασθαι. εὐθυωρόν τε ὁ Γερμανὸς ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἠφάνιστο, ἀνὴρ ἀνδρεῖός τε καὶ δραστήριος ἐς τὰ μάλιστα, ἐν μὲν τῷ πολέμῳ στρατηγός τε ἄριστος καὶ αὐτουργὸς δεξιός, ἐν δὲ εἰρήνῃ καὶ ἀγαθοῖς πράγμασι τά τε νόμιμα καὶ τὸν τῆς πολιτείας κόσμον βεβαιότατα φυλάσσειν ἐξεπιστάμενος, δικάσας μὲν ὀρθότατα πάντων μάλιστα, χρήματα δὲ τοῖς δεομένοις ἅπασι δεδανεικὼς μεγάλα καὶ τόκον οὐδ’ ὅσον λόγῳ κεκομισμένος πρὸς αὐτῶν πώποτε, ἐν Παλατίῳ μὲν καὶ τῇ ἀγορᾷ ἐμβριθέστατός τε καὶ σοβαρὸς ἄγαν, ἑστιάτωρ δὲ καθ’ ἡμέραν οἴκοι ἡδύς τε καὶ ἐλευθέριος καὶ ἐπίχαρις, οὐδέ τι ἐν Παλατίῳ ἁμαρτάνεσθαι παρὰ τὰ εἰωθότα ὅση δύναμις ξυγχωρῶν, οὐδὲ στασιώταις τοῖς ἐν Βυζαντίῳ τῆς βουλήσεως ἢ τῆς ὁμιλίας μεταλαχὼν πώποτε, καίπερ καὶ τῶν ἐν δυνάμει πολλῶν ἐς τοῦτο ἀτοπίας ἐληλακότων. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν τῇδε κεχώρηκε.

Dewing But by some chance it so befell that he was taken sick and abruptly reached the term of life. Thus did Germanus suddenly pass away, a man endowed with the finest qualities and remarkable for his activity; for in war, on the one hand, he was not only a most able general, but was also resourceful and independent in action, while in peace and prosperity, on the other hand, he well understood how to uphold with all firmness both the laws and the institutions of the state. As a judge he was conspicuously upright, while in private life he made loans of large sums of money to all who requested it, never so much as speaking of taking interest from them. Both in the palace and in the market-place he was a man of very impressive personality and exceedingly serious demeanour while in his daily home life he was a pleasant, open-hearted, and charming host He would not permit, as far as his strength allowed, any offence in the palace against established laws, nor did he ever share either in the purpose or in the conversations of the conspirators in Byzantium, though many even of those in power went so far in their unnatural conduct. Such then was the course of these events.

Greek Βασιλεὺς δὲ τοῖς ξυμπεσοῦσι περιώδυνος γεγονὼς Ἰωάννην ἐκέλευε, τὸν Βιταλιανοῦ μὲν ἀδελφιδοῦν. Γερμανοῦ δὲ γαμβρόν, ξὺν Ἰουστινιανῷ θατέρῳ τοῖν Γερμανοῦ παίδοιν τῷ στρατῷ τούτῳ ἐς τὴν Ἰταλίαν ἡγήσασθαι.

Dewing The emperor was deeply moved by this misfortune, and commanded John, the nephew of Vitalian and son-in‑law of Germanus, in company with Justinian, one of the two sons of magnanimous, to lead this army into Italy.

Greek καὶ οἱ μὲν τὴν ἐπὶ Δαλματίας ᾔεσαν, ὡς ἐν Σάλωσι διαχειμάσοντες, ἐπεὶ ἀδύνατα σφίσιν ᾤοντο εἶναι τηνικάδε τοῦ καιροῦ περιιοῦσι τὴν τοῦ κόλπου περίοδον ἐς Ἰταλίαν κομίζεσθαι· διαπορθμεύεσθαι γὰρ νηῶν σφίσιν οὐ παρουσῶν ἀμήχανα ἦν.

Dewing So they set out on the way to Dalmatia, intending to pass the winter in Salones, since it seemed to them impossible at that season to make the circuit of the gulf, as they would be obliged to do in travelling into Italy; for it was impossible for them to ferry across since they had no ships.

Greek Λιβέριος δέ, οὔπω τι πεπυσμένος ὧνπερ βασιλεῖ ἀμφὶ τῷ στόλῳ τούτῳ μετέμελε, Συρακούσαις προσέσχε πολιορκουμέναις πρὸς τῶν πολεμίων.

Dewing Meanwhile Liberius, not having as yet learned anything of the emperor's change of purpose regarding the fleet he commanded, put in at Syracuse while it was under siege by the enemy.

Greek βιασάμενός τε τοὺς ταύτῃ βαρβάρους ἔς τε τὸν λιμένα κατῆρε καὶ παντὶ τῷ στόλῳ ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβόλου ἐγένετο. καὶ

Dewing And he forced his way through the barbarian lines, sailed into the harbour, and so got inside the fortifications with the whole fleet.

Greek Ἀρταβάνης δὲ οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον ἐν Κεφαλωνίᾳ γενόμενος, ἐπειδὴ τοὺς ἀμφὶ Λιβέριον ἤδη ἐνθένδε ἀναχθέντας ἐπὶ Σικελίας κεχωρηκέναι ἔγνω, ἄρας ἐνθένδε πέλαγος αὐτίκα τὸ Ἀδριατικὸν καλούμενον διέβη.

Dewing Now Artabanes not long after this reached Cephallenia, and finding that Liberius and his army had already put out to sea and departed thence on the way to Sicily, he immediately set out from there and crossed the so‑called Adriatic Sea.

Greek ἐπεὶ δὲ Καλαβρῶν ἀγχοῦ ἐγένετο, χειμῶνός οἱ ἐξαισίου ἐπιπεσόντος καὶ τοῦ πνεύματος σκληροῦ τε ὑπεράγαν ὄντος καὶ ἀπ’ ἐναντίας σφίσιν ἰόντος, οὕτως ἁπάσας διασκεδάννυσθαι τὰς ναῦς ξυνηνέχθη, ὡς δοκεῖν ὅτι δὴ αἱ πολλαὶ ἐς τὴν Καλαβρίαν ἐξενεχθεῖσαι ὑπὸ τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐγένοντο.

Dewing But when he came near Calabria, he was said by a terrific storm and a head wind of extraordinary violence, and it so fell out that all the ships were scattered so completely that it appeared that the most of them had been driven on the shore of Calabria and fallen into the hands of the enemy.

Greek οὐκ ἦν δὲ οὕτως, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τοῦ πνεύματος ξὺν βίᾳ πολλῇ διωθούμεναι ἀνέστρεφόν τε βιαζόμεναι ὑπερφυῶς καὶ αὖθις ἐν Πελοποννήσῳ ἐγένοντο. καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις δέ, ὅπη παρατύχῃ, ἢ διεφθάρθαι ἢ διασεσῶσθαι τετύχηκε.

Dewing This, however, was not the case, but they had first been driven apart by the great violence of the wind, then had turned about, heavily buffeted meanwhile by the sea, and had reached the Peloponnesus again. As for the other ships, some were lost and some were saved, according to where chance carried them.

Greek ναῦς δὲ μία, ἐν ᾗ ἔπλει Ἀρταβάνης αὐτός, τοῦ ἱστοῦ οἱ ἐν τῷ σάλῳ τούτῳ ἀποκοπέντος, ἐς τοσόνδε κινδύνου ἐλθοῦσα, πρός τε τοῦ ῥοθίου φερομένη καὶ τῷ κλύδωνι ἐπισπομένη Μελίτῃ προσέσχε τῇ νήσῳ. οὕτω μὲν Ἀρταβάνην διασεσῶσθαι ἐκ τοῦ ἀπροσδοκήτου ξυνέπεσε.

Dewing But one ship, that in which Artabanes himself was sailing, had its mast broken off in this heavy sea, and yet, after coming to such a degree of danger, was carried by the surge and followed the swell until it came to land at the island of Melita.⁠ Thus did it come about contrary to expectation that Artabanes was saved.

Greek Λιβέριος δὲ οὔτε τοῖς πολιορκοῦσιν ἐπεξιέναι ἢ μάχῃ πρὸς αὐτοὺς οἷός τε ὢν διακρίνεσθαι, καὶ τῶν ἐπιτηδείων σφίσιν ἅτε πολλοῖς οὖσιν ἐς πλείω χρόνον οὐδαμῆ διαρκούντων, ἄρας ἐνθένδε ξὺν τοῖς ἑπομένοις καὶ τοὺς πολεμίους λαθὼν ἐς Πάνορμον ἀπεχώρησε.

Dewing Liberius now found himself unable to make sallies against the besiegers or to fight a decisive battle against them, while at the same time their provisions could not possibly suffice for any considerable time, seeing they were a large force, and so he set sail from there with his troops, and, eluding the enemy, withdrew to Panormus.

Greek Τουτίλας δὲ καὶ Γότθοι σχεδόν τι ἅπαντα ληϊσάμενοι τὰ ἐπὶ Σικελίας χωρία ἵππων μὲν ἐπαγόμενοι καὶ ζῴων ἄλλων μέγα τι χρῆμα, σῖτον δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους καρποὺς ἅπαντας ἐκ τῆς νήσου μετενεγκόντες καὶ πάντα τὰ χρήματα, μεγάλα κομιδῆ ὄντα, ἐν τοῖς πλοίοις ἐνθέμενοι, τήν τε νῆσον ἐξαπιναίως ἐξέλιπον καὶ ἐς τὴν Ἰταλίαν ἀνέστρεφον, τρόπῳ ὁρμώμενοι τοιῷδε.

Dewing Totila and the Goths, meanwhile, had plundered practically the whole land of Sicily; they had collected as booty a vast number of horses and other animals, and had stripped the island of grain and all its other crops; these, together with all the treasure, which amounted to a great sum indeed, they loaded on their ships, and then suddenly abandoned the island and returned to Italy, being impelled to do so for the following reason.

Greek τῶν τινὰ Ῥωμαίων, Σπῖνον ὄνομα, ἐκ Σπολιτίου ὁρμώμενόν οἱ αὐτῷ πάρεδρον οὐ πολλῷ πρότερον καταστησάμενος Τουτίλας ἔτυχεν.

Dewing Not long before this, as it happened, Totila had appointed one of the Romans, Spinus by name, a native of Spolitium, to be his personal adviser.

Greek οὗτος ἀνὴρ ἐν πόλει Κατάνῃ, ἀτειχίστῳ οὔσῃ, διατριβὴν εἶχε. τύχη τέ τις αὐτῷ ξυνέβη ὑπὸ τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐνταῦθα γενέσθαι.

Dewing This man was staying in Catana, which was an unwalled town. And, by some chance, it came about that he fell into the hands of the enemy there.

Greek ὃν δὴ ῥύεσθαι ὁ Τουτίλας ἐπειγόμενος τῶν τινὰ ἐπιφανῶν γυναῖκα, αἰχμάλωτον οὖσαν, ἀφεῖναι Ῥωμαίοις ἀντ’ αὐτοῦ ἤθελε.

Dewing Now Totila, being eager to rescue this man, wished to release to the Romans in his stead a notable's wife who was his prisoner.

Greek γυναῖκα δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι οὐδαμῆ ἐδικαίουν ἀνταλλάξασθαι ἀνδρὸς τὴν τοῦ καλουμένου κοιαίστωρος ἀρχὴν ἔχοντος.

Dewing But the Romans would not consent to accept a woman in exchange for man holding the position of quarter, as it is called.

Greek δείσας οὖν ὁ ἀνὴρ μὴ παρὰ τοῖς πολεμίοις διαφθαρείη, ὡμολόγησε Ῥωμαίοις αὐτίκα Τουτίλαν ἀναπείσειν Σικελίας μὲν ἀπανίστασθαι, παντὶ δὲ τῷ Γότθων στρατῷ ἐς Ἰταλίαν διαπορθμεύσασθαι.

Dewing The man consequently became fearful that he would be destroyed while in hostile hands, and so promised the Romans that he would persuade Totila to depart immediately from Sicily and cross over to Italy with the whole Gothic army.

Greek καὶ οἱ μὲν ὅρκοις αὐτὸν σφίσιν ἀμφὶ ταύτῃ τῇ ὁμολογίᾳ καταληφθέντα Γότθοις ἀπέσοσαν, ἀντ’ αὐτοῦ τὴν γυναῖκα κεκομισμένοι.

Dewing So they first bound him over by oaths to carry out this promise and then gave him up to the Goths, receiving the woman in return.

Greek ὁ δὲ Τουτίλᾳ ἐς ὄψιν ἥκων οὐκ ἐπὶ τῷ σφετέρῳ ξυμφόρῳ Γότθους ἔφασκε Σικελίαν ληϊσαμένους σχεδόν τι ὅλην ὀλίγων τινῶν φρουρίων διατριβὴν ἐνταῦθα ἔχειν.

Dewing He then went before Totila and asserted that the Goths were not consulting their own interests, now that they had plundered practically the whole of Sicily, in remaining there for a few insignificant fortresses.

Greek ἔναγχος γὰρ ἰσχυρίζετο ἀκηκοέναι, ἡνίκα παρὰ τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐτύγχανεν ὤν, Γερμανὸν μὲν τὸν βασιλέως ἀνεψιὸν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀφανισθῆναι, Ἰωάννην δὲ τὸν αὐτοῦ κηδεστὴν καὶ Ἰουστινιανὸν τὸν αὐτοῦ παῖδα παντὶ τῷ πρὸς Γερμανοῦ συλλεγέντι στρατῷ εἶναι μὲν ἤδη ἐν Δαλματίᾳ, εὐθὺ δὲ Λιγουρίας αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα ξυσκευαζομένους ἐνθένδε χωρήσειν, ἐφ’ ᾧ δὴ Γότθων ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς παῖδάς τε καὶ γυναῖκας ἀνδραποδίσουσι καὶ χρήματα ληΐσονται πάντα, οἷσπερ ἡμᾶς ὑπαντιάζειν ἄμεινον ἂν εἴη ἐν τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ ξὺν τοῖς οἰκείοις διαχειμάζοντας.

Dewing For he declared that he had recently heard, while he was among the enemy, that Germanus, the emperor's nephew, had passed from the world, and that John, his son-in‑law, and Justinian, his son, with the whole army collected by Germanus were already in Dalmatia and would move on from there, after completing their preparations in the briefest time, straight for Liguria, in order, obviously, to descend suddenly upon the Goths and make slaves of their women and children and to plunder all their valuables; and it would be better for the Goths, he said, to be there to meet them, passing the winter meanwhile in safety in company with their families.

Greek ἢν γὰρ ἐκείνων περιεσόμεθα, Σικελίας αὖθις ἅμα ἦρι ἀρχομένῳ παρέσται ἡμῖν ἀδεέστερον ἐπιβήσεσθαι πολέμιον οὐδὲν ἐν νῷ ἔχουσι.

Dewing "For," he went on, "if we overcome that you are, it will be possible for us at the opening of spring to renew our operations against Sicily free from anxiety and with no thought of an enemy in our minds."

Greek ταύτῃ ὁ Τουτίλας τῇ ὑποθήκῃ ἀναπεισθεὶς φρουροὺς μὲν ἐν ὀχυρώμασι τέτρασιν εἴασεν, αὐτὸς δὲ ξύμπασαν τὴν λείαν ἐπαγόμενος παντὶ τῷ ἄλλῳ στρατῷ ἐς Ἰταλίαν διεπορθμεύσατο. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐπράσσετο τῇδε.

Dewing Totila was convinced by this suggestion, and so, leaving guards in four strongholds, he himself, taking with him the entire booty, crossed over with all the rest of the army to Italy. Such was the course of these events.

Greek Ἰωάννης δὲ καὶ ὁ βασιλέως στρατὸς ἀφικόμενοι ἐς Δαλματίαν ἐν Σάλωσι διαχειμάζειν ἔγνωσαν, ἐνθένδε μετὰ τὴν τοῦ χειμῶνος ὥραν εὐθὺ Ῥαβέννης ὁδῷ ἰέναι διανοούμενοι.

Dewing Now John and temple emperor's army, upon reaching Dalmatia, decided to pass the winter in Salones, purposing to march from there straight for Ravenna after the winter season.

Greek Σκλαβηνοὶ δέ, οἵ τε τὰ πρότερα ἐν γῇ τῇ βασιλέως γενόμενοι, ὥσπερ μοι ἔναγχος δεδιήγηται, καὶ ἄλλοι οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον Ἴστρον ποταμὸν διαβάντες καὶ τοῖς προτέροις ἀναμιχθέντες, κατέθεον ἐν πολλῇ ἐξουσίᾳ τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἀρχήν.

Dewing But the Sclaveni now reappeared, both those who had previously come into the emperor's land, as I have recounted above, and others who had crossed the Ister not long afterwards and joined the first, and they began to overrun the Roman domain with complete freedom.

Greek καί τινες μὲν ἐν ὑποψίᾳ εἶχον ὡς Τουτίλας τούτους δὴ τοὺς βαρβάρους χρήμασι πολλοῖς ἀναπείσας ἐπιπέμψειε τοῖς ταύτῃ Ῥωμαίοις, ὅπως δὴ βασιλεῖ ἀδύνατα εἴη τὸν πρὸς Γότθους πόλεμον ἀσχολίᾳ τῇ ἐς τούτους δὴ τοὺς βαρβάρους εὖ διοικήσασθαι.

Dewing And some indeed entertained the suspicion that Totila had bribed these very barbarians with large gifts of money and so set them upon the Romans there, with the definite purpose of making it impossible for the emperor to manage the war against the Goths well because of his preoccupation with these barbarians.

Greek εἴτε δὲ Τουτίλᾳ χαριζόμενοι εἴτε ἄκλητοι Σκλαβηνοὶ ἐνταῦθα ἦλθον οὐκ ἔχω εἰπεῖν. ἐς τρία μέντοι τέλη σφᾶς αὐτοὺς διελόντες οἱ βάρβαροι οὗτοι ἀνήκεστα ἐν Εὐρώπῃ τῇ ὅλῃ ἔργα εἰργάσαντο, οὐκ ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς ληϊζόμενοι τὰ ἐκείνῃ χωρία, ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ ἐν χώρᾳ οἰκείᾳ διαχειμάζοντες οὐδέν τε δεδιότες πολέμιον.

Dewing But as to whether the Sclaveni were conferring a favour upon Totila, or whether they came there without invitation, I am unable to say. These barbarians did, in any case, divide themselves into three groups and wrought irreparable damage in all Europe, not merely plundering that country by sudden raids, but actually spending the winter as if in their own land and having no fear of the enemy.

Greek ὕστερον δὲ Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεὺς στρατιὰν ἀξιολογωτάτην ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς ἔπεμψεν, ἧς ἄλλοι τε καὶ Κωνσταντιανὸς καὶ Ἀράτιος καὶ Ναζάρης ἡγοῦντο καὶ Ἰουστῖνος ὁ Γερμανοῦ παῖς καὶ Ἰωάννης, ὅνπερ ἐπίκλησιν ἐκάλουν Φαγᾶν.

Dewing Afterwards, however, the Emperor Justinian sent a very considerable army against them, which was led by a number of commanders, including Constantianus, Aratius, Nazares, Justinus the son of Germanus and John who bore the epithet of the Glutton.

Greek ἐπιστάτην δὲ Σχολαστικὸν ἐφ’ ἅπασι κατεστήσατο, τῶν ἐν Παλατίῳ εὐνούχων ἕνα.

Dewing But he placed in supreme command over them all Scholasticus, one of the eunuchs of the palace.

Greek Οὗτος ὁ στρατὸς μοῖραν τῶν βαρβάρων καταλαμβάνουσιν ἀμφὶ Ἀδριανούπολιν, ἥπερ ἐπὶ Θράκης ἐν μεσογείοις κεῖται, πέντε ἡμερῶν ὁδὸν Βυζαντίου διέχουσα.

Dewing This army came upon a part of the barbarians near Adrianopolis,⁠ which is situated in the interior of Thrace, five days' journey distant from Byzantium.

Greek καὶ πρόσω μὲν χωρεῖν οἱ βάρβαροι οὐκέτι εἶχον· λείαν γὰρ ἐπήγοντο ἀνθρωπων τε καὶ ζῴων ἄλλων καὶ πάντων χρημάτων ἀριθμοῦ κρείσσονα.

Dewing And the barbarians were unable to proceed further; for they were taking with them a booty which surpassed all reckoning, consisting of men and animals and valuables of every description.

Greek μένοντες δὲ αὐτοῦ ἠπείγοντο τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐς χεῖρας ἰέναι, τούτου δὴ αὐτοῖς αἴσθησιν ὡς ἥκιστα παρεχόμενοι. καὶ οἱ μὲν Σκλαβηνοὶ ἐστρατοπεδεύοντο ἐς τὸ ὄρος ὃ ταύτῃ ἀνέχει, Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ οὐ πολλῷ ἄποθεν.

Dewing So they remained there, eager to come to an engagement with the enemy, but without letting this be known to them in any way. Now the Sclaveni were encamped on the hill which rises there, while the Romans were in the plain not far away.

Greek χρόνου δὲ σφίσιν ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ προσεδρείᾳ τριβομένου συχνοῦ ἤσχαλλόν τε οἱ στρατιῶται καὶ δεινὰ ἐποιοῦντο, τοῖς στρατηγοῖς ἐπικαλοῦντες ὅτι δὴ αὐτοὶ τὰ ἐπιτήδεια ξύμπαντα εὔπορα ἔχοντες ἅτε τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ ἄρχοντες τοὺς στρατιώτας περιορῶσι τῶν ἀναγκαίων τῇ ἀπορίᾳ πιεζομένους καὶ οὐ βούλονται τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐς χεῖρας ἰέναι.

Dewing And since a long time was consumed in thus blocking the enemy, the soldiers began to be resentful and made a great to‑do, laying against the generals the charge that while they themselves, as commanders of the Roman army, had all provisions in abundance, they were paying no heed to the soldiers, to whom the want of absolute necessities was causing hardship and who were unwilling to engage with the enemy.

Greek οἶς δὴ οἱ στρατηγοὶ ἀναγκασθέντες τοῖς ἐναντίοις ξυνέμιξαν. καὶ γίνεται μὲν καρτερὰ μάχη, ἡσσῶνται δὲ κατὰ κράτος Ῥωμαῖοι.

Dewing By these remonstrances the generals were compelled to join battle with the enemy. And the battle which followed was a fierce one, but the Romans were decisively vanquished.

Greek ἔνθα δὴ στρατιῶται μὲν πολλοί τε καὶ ἄριστοι θνήσκουσιν, οἱ δὲ στρατηγοὶ παρ’ ὀλίγον ἐλθόντες ὑπὸ τοῖς πολεμίοις γενέσθαι ξὺν τοῖς καταλοίποις μόλις διαφυγόντες ἐσώθησαν,

Dewing In that battle many of the best soldiers perished, and the generals came within a little of falling into the hands of the enemy, succeeding only with difficulty in making their escape with the remnant of the army and thus saving themselves, each as best he could.

Greek ὥς πη ἑκάστῳ δυνατὰ γέγονε. καὶ Κωνσταντιανοῦ δὲ τὸ σημεῖον οἱ βάρβαροι εἷλον, τοῦ τε Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ ἐς ὀλιγωρίαν τραπόμενοι πρόσω ἐχώρουν.

Dewing The standard of Constantianus was also captured by the barbarians, who now moved forward heedless of the Roman army.

Greek καὶ χώραν τὴν Ἀστικὴν καλουμένην ἐληΐζοντο κατ’ ἐξουσίαν, ἀδῄωτον ἐκ παλαιοῦ οὖσαν, καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ λείαν αὐτοὺς πολλήν τινα ἐνταῦθα εὑρεῖν ξυνηνέχθη· οὕτω δὲ χώραν πολλὴν ληϊζόμενοι ἄχρι ἐς τὰ μακρὰ τείχη ἀφίκοντο, ἅπερ ὀλίγῳ πλέον ἢ ἡμέρας ὁδὸν Βυζαντίου διέχει.

Dewing And they plundered the land of Astica,⁠ as it is called, without let or hindrance, a place which had not been ravaged since ancient times, and for this reason it turned out that they found there an enormous booty. Thus they devastated a wide expanse of country and came as far as the long walls, which are a little more than one day's journey,⁠ distant from Byzantium.

Greek οὐ πολλῷ δὲ ὕστερον ὁ Ῥωμαίων στρατὸς τούτοις δὴ ἐπισπόμενοι τοῖς βαρβάροις, μοίρᾳ τε αὐτῶν ἐντυχόντες τινὶ καὶ ἐξαπιναίως ἐς χεῖρας ἐλθόντες ἐτρέψαντο.

Dewing But not long afterwards the nearly, in following up these barbarians, came upon a portion of their force, engaged with them suddenly, and turned them to flight.

Greek καὶ τῶν μὲν πολεμίων πολλοὺς ἔκτειναν, Ῥωμαίων δὲ τῶν αἰχμαλώτων μέγα τι διεσώσαντο χρῆμα, τό τε Κωνσταντιανοῦ σημεῖον εὑρόντες ἀνείλοντο. οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ βάρβαροι ξὺν τῇ ἄλλῃ λείᾳ ἐπ’ οἴκου ἀπεκομίσθησαν.

Dewing And they not only slew many of the enemy, but also rescued a vast number of Roman captives, and they also found and recovered the standard of Constantianus. But the rest of the barbarians departed on the homeward way with the other booty. The Loeb Editor's Notes: 1 At the Tiber's mouth. ❦ 2 The Porta Ostiensis. Cf. Book VI.iv.3. ❦ 3 Modern Civita Vecchia. ❦ 4 Chap. xxxvi.6. ❦ 5 Cf. VII.xiv.22 ff. ❦ 6 Modern Maritza. ❦ 7 Bodyguards distinguished by a white tunic. ❦ 8 Modern Chorlou. ❦ 9 Opposite Thasos, in the region of modern Kavalla. ❦ 10 In connection with the palace plot, VII.xxxii. ❦ 11 Book IV.xvi, xvii. ❦ 12 Modern Sofia. ❦ 13 Modern Nish. ❦ 14 Modern Salonica. ❦ 15 Modern Meleda. ❦ 16 Modern Edirne or Adrianople. ❦ 17 Between Adrianople and Constantinople. ❦ 18 "Forty milestones," as stated by Procopius, On the Buildings, IV.9. The modern line of defence, passing through Chataldja, is •about ten miles nearer the city. The ancient wall, like the modern line, extended from the shore of the Black Sea to that of the Sea of Marmora, a distance of •twenty-eight miles, cutting off the end of the peninsula on which Byzantium stood. ◂ 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