第7巻 第5章

Greek Χρόνῳ δὲ Τουτίλας οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον στράτευμα ἐπί τε Ἰουστῖνον καὶ Φλωρεντίαν ἔπεμψεν, οἷς δὴ ἄρχοντας Γότθων τοὺς μαχιμωτάτους ἐπέστησε, Βλέδαν καὶ Ῥουδέριχον καὶ Οὐλίαριν. οἵπερ ἐπειδὴ ἐς Φλωρεντίαν ἦλθον, ἐγκαθεζόμενοι ἀμφὶ τὸ τεῖχος ἐς πολιορκίαν καθίσταντο.

Dewing Not long after this Totila sent an army against Justinus and Florentia,⁠ putting in command of the force the most warlike of the Goths, Vledas, Roderic, and Uliaris. And when they came up to Florentia, they established themselves in camp about the wall and entered upon a siege.

Greek Ἰουστῖνος δὲ ξυνταραχθεὶς ἐπεὶ τῶν ἐπιτηδείων ἐσκομισάμενος οὐδὲν ἔτυχεν, ἔπεμψεν ἐς Ῥάβενναν πρὸς τοὺς τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ ἄρχοντας,

Dewing Thereupon Justinus, in great agitation because, as it happened, he had brought no provisions at all into the city, sent to Ravenna to the commanders of the Roman army, begging them to come to his assistance with all speed.

Greek βοηθεῖν σφίσι κατὰ τάχος δεόμενος. νύκτωρ τε ὁ σταλεὶς τοὺς πολεμίους λαθὼν ἐς Ῥάβεννάν τε ἀφίκετο καὶ τὰ παρόντα σφίσιν ἀπήγγειλε.

Dewing And the messenger slipped unobserved through the enemy's lines by night, and upon reaching Ravenna reported the situation which confronted the garrison.

Greek διὸ δὴ στράτευμα Ῥωμαίων λόγου ἄξιον εὐθὺς ἐς Φλωρεντίαν ᾔει, ὧν δὴ Βέσσας τε καὶ Κυπριανὸς καὶ Ἰωάννης ὁ Βιταλιανοῦ ἀδελφιδοῦς ἡγοῦντο ὅπερ ἐπεὶ Γότθοι πρὸς τῶν κατασκόπων ἐπύθοντο,

Dewing As a result of this intelligence a considerable Roman army immediately started on the way to Florentia, under command of Bessas, Cyprian and John the nephew of Vitalian.

Greek λύσαντες τὴν προσεδρείαν, ἀνεχώρησαν εἰς χωρίον Μουκέλλιν ὄνομα, Φλωρεντίας διέχον ἡμέρας ὁδόν.

Dewing When the Goths learned of this army through their scouts, they broke up the siege and withdrew to a place called Mucellis,⁠ one day's journey distant from Florentia.

Greek ἐπεὶ δὲ ὁ Ῥωμαίων στρατὸς Ἰουστίνῳ ξυνέμιξεν, ὀλίγους μέν τινας τῶν αὐτῷ ἑπομένων ἐπὶ φυλακῇ τῆς πόλεως αὐτοῦ εἴασαν, αὐτοὶ δὲ τοὺς ἄλλους ἐπαγόμενοι ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἐχώρουν.

Dewing And when the Roman army had joined forces with Justinus, the commanders left there a few of his men to guard the city, but took the rest along with them and proceeded against the enemy.

Greek Καὶ αὐτοῖς ὁδῷ πορευομένοις ξυμφορώτατον ἔδοξεν εἶναι τῶν ἀρχόντων ἕνα παντὸς τοῦ στρατοῦ τοὺς λογιμωτάτους ἀπολεξάμενον πρόσω ἰέναι καὶ αὐτὸν μὲν ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς τοῖς πολεμίοις ἀπροσδόκητον ἐς χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν, τὸ δὲ ἄλλο στράτευμα σχολῇ βαδίζον ἐνταῦθα ἰέναι. κλήρους τε ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐμβεβλημένοι τὴν τῆς τύχης ἐκαραδόκουν ἐς τοῦτο γνώμην.

Dewing And as they proceeded on their way it was decided that the most advantageous plan was for one of the commanders to choose out the most famous fighters in the whole army and with them go in advance of the others, and make a sudden and unexpected attack upon the enemy, while the rest of the army should proceed without quickening its pace and come upon the scene later.

Greek ὁ μὲν οὖν κλῆρος ἐκπεπήδηκεν ἐς Ἰωάννην, οὐκέτι δὲ βουλομένοις τοῖς ἄρχουσιν ἦν ἐπιτελεῖν τὰ ξυγκείμενα.

Dewing So they cast lots with this plan in view and awaited the decision of fortune in this matter. Now the lot fell out for John, but the commanders were no longer willing to carry out the agreement.

Greek διὸ δὴ ξὺν τοῖς ἑπομένοις Ἰωάννης ἠνάγκαστο ἐπίπροσθεν ἰὼν ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους χωρεῖν. οἱ δὲ βάρβαροι τὴν τῶν ἐναντίων ἔφοδον γνόντες τὸ μὲν πεδίον, οὗ δὴ ἐνστρατοπεδευσάμενοι ἐτύγχανον, δέει πολλῷ ἀπολιπεῖν ἔγνωσαν, ἐς λόφον δὲ μέγαν τινὰ ὃς ταύτῃ ἀνέχει ξὺν θορύβῳ ἀνέδραμον.

Dewing Thus it was that John was compelled with his own troops alone to go in advance of the others and make an account upon the enemy. But the barbarians, learning that their opponents were advancing upon them and being greatly terrified, decided to abandon the plain where they had established their camp, and in confusion ran to the top of a high hill which rises near by.

Greek ἐπεὶ δὲ οἱ ἀμφὶ τὸν Ἰωάννην ἐνταῦθα ἐγένοντο, ἀναδραμόντες καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἔργου εἴχοντο.

Dewing And when the force of John arrived there, they too ran up against the enemy and opened the attack.

Greek καρτερῶς δὲ τῶν βαρβάρων ἀμυνομένων ὠθισμός τε πολὺς γέγονε καὶ πολλοὶ ἑκατέρωθεν ἔργα ἐνδεικνύμενοι θαυμαστὰ ἔπιπτον.

Dewing But since the barbarians defended themselves vigorously, a violent struggle took place and many men on both sides, while making a remarkable display of heroism, were beginning to fall.

Greek Ἰωάννου δὲ κραυγῇ τε καὶ ταραχῇ πολλῇ ἐπὶ τοὺς κατ’ αὐτὸν πολεμίους ὁρμήσαντος ξυνέβη τῶν δορυφόρων τῶν αὐτοῦ ἕνα πρός του τῶν πολεμίων ἀκοντίῳ βληθέντα πεσεῖν· ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ τε Ῥωμαῖοι ἀποκρουσθέντες ὀπίσω ἐχώρουν.

Dewing Now though John had led a charge with loud shouting and tumult against the enemy opposite him, it so happened that one of his bodyguards was hit by a javelin thrown by one of the enemy and fell, as a result of this the Romans, now repulsed, began to retire to the rear.

Greek Ἤδη δὲ καὶ ὁ λοιπὸς τῶν Ῥωμαίων στρατὸς ἐς τὸ πεδίον ἀφικόμενοι φάλαγγά τε ποιησάμενοι ἵσταντο. καὶ εἰ μὲν φυγόντας τοὺς ἀμφὶ τὸν Ἰωάννην ἐδέξαντο, ξὺν αὐτοῖς ἂν ὁμόσε τοῖς πολεμίοις χωρήσαντες ἐνίκησάν τε τῇ ξυμβολῇ καὶ σχεδόν τι ἅπαντας ἑλεῖν ἴσχυσαν.

Dewing By this time the remainder of the Roman army also had reached the plain, where they formed a phalanx and stood waiting. And if they had stood fast to give support to John's troops, which were now in full flight, they could advanced all together upon the enemy, and not only would they have defeated them in the battle, but they would have been able also to capture practically the whole force.

Greek ἀλλὰ τύχῃ τινὶ ξυνέβη ἐς τὸ Ῥωμαίων στρατόπεδον φήμην οὐκ ἀληθῆ περιφέρεσθαι, ὡς δὴ Ἰωάννης πρός του τῶν αὐτοῦ δορυφόρων ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ τούτῳ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀφανισθείη.

Dewing But by some chance it so fell out that an untrue report was circulated through the Roman army to the effect that John had perished at the hand of one of his own bodyguards during the action then in progress.

Greek ἐπεί τε ὁ λόγος ἐς τοὺς ἄρχοντας ἦλθε, μένειν ἐνταῦθα οὐκέτι ἠξίουν, ἀλλ’ ἐς ὑπαγωγὴν αἰσχράν τινα ξύμπαντες ᾔεσαν.

Dewing And when the report came to the commanders, they were no longer willing to hold their position, but they one and all began to retire in a disgraceful sort of retreat.

Greek οὐδὲ γὰρ ξυντεταγμένοι οὐδὲ κατὰ ξυμμορίας τινάς, ἀλλ’ αὐτὸς ἕκαστος ὥς πη ἐδύνατο ἐς φυγὴν ὥρμητο. καὶ πολλοὶ μὲν ἐν τῇ φυγῇ ταύτῃ ἀπώλοντο, ὅσοι μέντοι διεσώθησαν ἡμέρας πολλὰς οὐδαμῆ διωκόμενοι ἔφευγον.

Dewing For neither did they keep their troops in order, nor did they move off in any kind of groups, but each man for himself, just as he could, rushed off in headlong flight. And many indeed perished in this flight, and as for the rest, all such as were saved continued their flight for many days although they were not pursued at all.

Greek χρόνῳ τε ὕστερον ὡς ἑκάστῳ ἔτυχεν ἐς ὀχυρώματά τινα ἐσελθόντες ἄλλο οὐδὲν ἀπήγγελλον τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσιν ἢ ὅτι τεθνεὼς Ἰωάννης εἴη.

Dewing And some time afterwards they entered such strongholds as each one happened upon, and the report they carried to those they chanced to meet was only this, that John was dead.

Greek καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ οὔτε ξυνεμίγνυντο ἔτι ἀλλήλοις οὔτε ξυνίστασθαι τὸ λοιπὸν ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους διενοοῦντο, ἀλλ’ ἕκαστος τοῦ κατ’ αὐτὸν περιβόλου ἐντὸς ἔμενε καὶ τὰ ἐς πολιορκίαν ἡτοίμαζε, δεδιὼς μὴ οἱ βάρβαροι ἐπ’ αὐτὸν ἴωσι.

Dewing And consequently they were no longer in contact with each other, nor had they any purpose of uniting thereafter against the enemy, but each remained inside the circuit-wall of his own fort and began to prepare for a siege, fearing that the barbarians would come against him.

Greek Τουτίλας δὲ φιλοφροσύνην ἐς τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους πολλὴν ἐνδεικνύμενος, προσποιεῖσθαί τε αὐτοὺς ἴσχυσε καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν ἐθελούσιοι ξὺν αὐτῷ οἱ πλεῖστοι ἐπὶ Ῥωμαίους ἐστράτευον. καὶ ὁ χειμὼν ἔληγε, καὶ ἕβδομον ἔτος ἐτελεύτα τῷ πολέμῳ τῷδε, ὃν Προκόπιος ξυνέγραψεν.

Dewing Totila, meanwhile, was shewing great kindness to his prisoners, and thereby succeeded in winning their allegiance, and henceforth the most of them voluntarily served under him against the Romans. And the winter drew to its close, and the seventh year ended in this war, the history of which Procopius has written.