第7巻 第7章

Greek Ὕστερον δὲ καὶ Μαξιμῖνος πάσαις ταῖς ναυσὶ Σικελίᾳ προσέσχεν, ἔς τε τὰς Συρακούσας ἀφικόμενος ἡσυχῆ ἔμενε, κατορρωδῶν τὰ πολέμια.

Dewing Later on Maximinus also put in at Sicily with all his ships, and upon reaching Syracuse he remained quiet, being terrified at the perils of war.

Greek ἃ δὴ μαθόντες οἱ τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ ἄρχοντες σπουδῇ πολλῇ ἐς αὐτὸν ἔπεμπον, βοηθεῖν κατὰ τάχος δεόμενοι οἵ τε ἄλλοι καὶ Κόνων ἐκ Νεαπόλεως ἰσχυρότατα πρὸς τῶν βαρβάρων πολιορκούμενος· ἤδη γὰρ ἅπαντα σφᾶς τὰ ἐπιτήδεια ἐπελελοίπει.

Dewing Now when the commanders of the Roman army learned of his coming, they all sent to him with great eagerness, begging him to come to the rescue with all speed; and Conon sent a particularly urgent message from Naples, where he was most vigorously besieged by the barbarians; for by this time all their provisions had been exhausted.

Greek ὁ δὲ τὸν καιρὸν ἅπαντα ἐν ταύτῃ δὴ κατατρίψας τῇ ὀρρωδίᾳ, ἐπειδὴ τάς τε βασιλέως ἀπειλὰς ἔδεισε καὶ κακιζόμενος πρὸς τῶν ἄλλων ἀπεῖπεν, αὐτὸς μὲν οὐδέν τι ἧσσον αὐτοῦ ἔμεινε, τὸν δὲ στρατὸν ἅπαντα ξύν τε Ἡρωδιανῷ καὶ Δημητρίῳ καὶ Φάζᾳ ἐς Νεάπολιν ἔπεμψε, σφοδρότατα ἐγκειμένης ἤδη τῆς τοῦ χειμῶνος ὥρας.

Dewing But Maximinus, after delaying through the whole critical period in such a state of terror, was finally moved by his fear of the emperor's threats and gave way before the abuse of the other commanders; so, while he himself still remained just where he was, he sent the whole army to Naples with Herodian, Demetrius and Phazas, the winter season being already very close upon them.

Greek Ἐπεὶ δὲ Νεαπόλεως ὁ Ῥωμαίων στόλος ἀγχοῦ ἐγένετο, κατέβαινε σκληρὸς ἄνεμος, ἐξαίσιόν τινα χειμῶνα ἐγείρων.

Dewing But when the Roman fleet had reached a point close to Naples, a violent wind came down upon them, raising an extraordinarily severe tempest.

Greek καὶ ὁ μὲν ζόφος ἅπαντα ἐνεδίδου, ὁ δὲ κλύδων τὰς κώπας ἀνασπᾶν ἢ ἄλλο τι ἐνεργεῖν τοὺς ναύτας οὐκ εἴα. διά τε τῶν ῥοθίων τὸν κτύπον ἔτι ἀλλήλων κατακούειν οὐκ ἦν, ἀλλὰ ξύγχυσίς τε λαμπρῶς ἐκράτει καὶ ἡ τοῦ πνεύματος ἐπρυτάνευε βία, ἥπερ αὐτοὺς ὡς ἥκιστα ἐθελουσίους ἐς τὴν ἀκτὴν ἤνεγκεν οὗ δὴ ἐστρατοπεδεύοντο οἱ πολέμιοι.

Dewing And the darkness covered⁠ everything, while the surging waters prevented the sailors from pulling their oars or handling the ships in any other way. And because of the roar of foaming waves they were no longer able to hear one another, but complete confusion prevailed and they were at the mercy of the wind's violence, which carried them, little as they wished it, to the very shore where the enemy were encamped.

Greek ἐπιβαίνοντες οὖν κατ’ ἐξουσίαν οἱ βάρβαροι τοῖς σκάφεσι τῶν ἐναντίων, ἔκτεινόν τε καὶ κατέδυον οὐδενὸς σφίσιν ἀντιστατοῦντος. ἐζώγρησαν δὲ ἄλλους τε πολλοὺς καὶ Δημήτριον τὸν στρατηγόν.

Dewing The barbarians, therefore, boarding the craft of their opponents at their leisure, began to kill the men and sink the ships without meeting any opposition. And they also captured along with many others the general Demetrius.

Greek Ἡρωδιανὸς δὲ καὶ Φάζας ξὺν ὀλίγοις τισὶ διαφυγεῖν ἴσχυσαν, ἐπεὶ αὐτῶν αἱ νῆες οὐ λίαν που ἄγχιστα τοῦ τῶν πολεμίων στρατοπέδου ἦλθον. τὰ μὲν οὖν ἀμφὶ τῷ Ῥωμαίων στόλῳ ταύτῃ πη ἔσχε.

Dewing But Herodian and Phazas with some few men succeeded in making their escape, because the ships did not come very close to the enemy's camp. Such was the fate of the Roman fleet.

Greek Τουτίλας δὲ καλώδιον ἀναψάμενος ἐς τὸν Δημητρίου αὐχένα, ἔς τε τὸν Νεαπόλεως περίβολον εἷλκε καὶ παραινεῖν τοῖς πολιορκουμένοις ἐκέλευε μηκέτι ἀνονήτοις ἐλπίσι πιστεύοντας διαφθείρεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὴν πόλιν ὅτι τάχιστα Γότθοις ἐνδιδόντας μεγάλων ἀπηλλάχθαι κακῶν.

Dewing And Totila fastened a cord about Demetrius' neck and so dragged him up to the wall of Naples, where he ordered him to advise the besieged no longer to ruin themselves by trusting in hopes of no avail, but to hand the city over as quickly as possible to the Goths and thus rid themselves of bitter hardships;

Greek ἀδύνατον γὰρ βασιλέα τὸ λοιπὸν ἄλλην σφίσιν ἐπικουρίαν πέμψαι, ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ τῷ στόλῳ τούτῳ πᾶσαν αὐτοῖς τήν τε δύναμιν καὶ τὴν ἐλπίδα διολωλέναι. Δημήτριος μὲν τοσαῦτα εἶπεν, ὅσα Τουτίλας ἐκέλευεν.

Dewing for the emperor, he said, was unable thereafter to send them further aid, but in this fleet both their strength and their hope had utterly perished. So Demetrius spoke the words which Totila commanded.

Greek οἱ δὲ πολιορκούμενοι τῷ τε λιμῷ ἤδη καὶ τῇ ἄλλῃ ἀπορίᾳ ὑπερφυῶς πιεζόμενοι, ἐπεὶ τό τε πάθος Δημητρίου εἶδον καὶ τοὺς λόγους ἅπαντας ἤκουσαν, ἀπογνόντες ἐλπίδος ἁπάσης ἔς τε οἰμωγὰς καὶ ἀμηχανίαν ἐνέπιπτον, ἦν τε ἡ πόλις θορύβου πολλοῦ καὶ κωκυτοῦ ἔμπλεως.

Dewing And the besieged, being now exceedingly hard pressed by famine and utter destitution, upon seeing the fate of Demetrius and hearing all his words, began to despair of every hope, and gave way to sorrowing and helplessness, and the city was filled with loud tumult and lamentation.

Greek Μετὰ δὲ καὶ Τουτίλας αὐτοὺς ξυγκαλέσας ἐς τὰς ἐπάλξεις ἔλεξε τοιάδε· “Οὐδεμίαν αἰτίαν ἢ μέμψιν ἐς ὑμᾶς ἔχοντες, ἄνδρες Νεαπολῖται, τανῦν ἐς πολιορκίαν τήνδε κατέστημεν, ἀλλ’ ὅπως ἐχθίστων ὑμᾶς ἀπαλλάξαντες δεσποτῶν οἷοί τε ὦμεν τάς τε χάριτας ὑμῖν ἐκτιννύναι, ὧνπερ ἡμᾶς δεδρακότες ἐν τῷδε τῷ πολέμῳ τὰ χαλεπώτατα πρὸς τῶν πολεμίων πεπόνθατε.

Dewing Afterward Totila himself called them up to the battlement, and addressed them as follows: "Men of Naples, it is not because we have any charge or reproach to bring against you, that we have undertaken this present siege, but in order that we may be able, by freeing you from most hated masters, to repay you for the service you have rendered us during this war — a service which had induced the enemy to treat you with the utmost severity.

Greek μόνους γὰρ Ἰταλιωτῶν ὑμᾶς ἁπάντων εὔνοιάν τε τὴν μεγίστην ἐς Γότθων τὸ ἔθνος ἐπιδεδεῖχθαι καὶ ἀκουσίους μάλιστα ὑπὸ τοῖς ἐναντίοις γεγενῆσθαι ξυμβέβηκεν.

Dewing For it has come about that you alone among all the Italians have manifested the greatest loyalty to the Gothic nation and have fallen most unwillingly under the power of our opponents.

Greek ὥστε καὶ νῦν πολιορκεῖν ὑμᾶς ξὺν ἐκείνοις ἠναγκασμένοι τὸ πιστὸν ὑμῶν, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, αἰσχυνόμεθα, καίπερ οὐκ ἐπὶ τῷ πονηρῷ Νεαπολιτῶν τὴν προσεδρείαν ποιούμενοι.

Dewing So that, in the present circumstances, when we have been compelled to besiege you along with them, we naturally have a feeling of reluctance on account of your loyalty to us, although we are not carrying on the siege in order to harm the Neapolitans.

Greek μὴ τοίνυν ἀχθόμενοι τοῖς ἐκ τῆς πολιορκίας δεινοῖς Γότθους οἴεσθε δεῖν δι’ ὀργῆς ἔχειν. οἱ γὰρ τοὺς φίλους εὐεργετεῖν ἐπειγόμενοι οὐδεμίαν αἰτίαν εἰσὶν ἄξιοι πρὸς αὐτῶν φέρεσθαι, κἂν μὴ διὰ τῶν πρὸς ἡδονὴν ἀναγκάζωνται τὴν πρὸς αὐτοὺς διαπράσσεσθαι χάριν.

Dewing Do not, therefore, in vexation at the miseries arising from the siege, think that you ought to regard the Goths with anger. For those who are striving to benefit their friends merit from them no blame, even though they be compelled to use unpleasant means in accomplishing the service they afford them.

Greek τῶν δὲ πολεμίων ὡς ἥκιστα ὑμᾶς δέος εἰσίτω, μηδὲ τοῖς προλαβοῦσιν ἠγμένοι κρατήσειν αὐτοὺς ἡμῶν οἴεσθε· τὰ γὰρ τοῦ βίου παράλογα τύχῃ τινὶ παρὰ δόξαν ἐλθόντα τῷ χρόνῳ αὖθις καταρρεῖν εἴωθεν.

Dewing And as for the enemy, let not the least fear of them enter your hearts, and be not led by past events to think that they will gain the victory over us. For the unreasonable events of life,⁠ which are due to chance and contrary to expectation, are apt as time goes on to come to naught again.

Greek οὕτω δὲ ὑμῖν εὖνοι καθέσταμεν ὥστε καὶ Κόνωνα καὶ πάντας στρατιώτας κακῶν ἀπαθεῖς ὅπη βούλοιντο συγχωροῦμεν ἰέναι, ἤν γε τὴν πόλιν ἐνδόντες ἡμῖν ἐνθένδε ἀπαλλάσσοιντο, πάντα τὰ σφέτερα αὐτῶν ἔχοντας· καὶ ὑπὲρ τούτων ἡμᾶς καὶ τῆς Νεαπολιτῶν σωτηρίας ὀμεῖσθαι οὐδὲν κωλύσει.”

Dewing And such is the good-will which we feel toward you that we make the concession that both Conon and all his strangers may go free from harm wherever they may wish, on the one condition that they yield the city to us and depart hence, taking with them all their own possessions; and nothing shall prevent our taking an oath to secure these promises and to guarantee the safety of the Neapolitans."

Greek Τουτίλας μὲν τοσαῦτα εἶπεν, ἐπῄνεσαν δὲ οἵ τε Νεαπολῖται καὶ οἱ ξὺν τῷ Κόνωνι στρατιῶται πάντες. πολλὴ γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἀνάγκη τοῦ λιμοῦ ἐπίεζε.

Dewing Thus spoke Totila; and both the Neapolitans natural the soldiers under command of Conon expressed approval; for the keen necessity of famine was pressing them hard.

Greek πίστιν μέντοι ἐς βασιλέα φυλάσσοντες καὶ βοήθειάν τινα ἔτι παρέσεσθαι σφίσι καραδοκοῦντες τριάκοντα ἡμερῶν ὡμολόγουν ἐνδώσειν τὴν πόλιν.

Dewing However, by way of guarding their allegiance to the emperor, and still expecting, as they did, that some assistance would come to them, they agreed to give up the city after thirty days.

Greek Τουτίλας δὲ πᾶσαν αὐτοῖς ἐκ βασιλέως ἀνασοβεῖν ἐλπίδα ἐθέλων τριῶν μηνῶν ἔταξε χρόνον, ἐφ’ ᾧ δὴ μετὰ τοῦτον τὰ ὡμολογημένα ποιήσωσι. πρότερον δὲ οὐ προσβολήν τινα κατὰ τοῦ περιβόλου ποιήσεσθαι ἰσχυρίζετο, οὐδὲ ἄλλῃ τινὶ ἐπιβουλῇ ἐς αὐτοὺς χρῆσθαι.

Dewing But Totila, wishing to dispel from their minds every hope of assistance from the emperor, appointed three months' time, with the stipulated that after this time they should do as had been agreed. He declared, further, that until the time was achieved he would make no assault on the wall, nor employ any stratagem of any kind. The agreement was accordingly approved in this sense.

Greek ταῦτα μὲν οὖν οὕτως ἐδέδοκτο. οἱ δὲ πολιορκούμενοι οὐκ ἀναμείναντες τὴν κυρίαν ʽλίαν γὰρ ἐβιάζοντο τῶν ἀναγκαίων τῇ ἀπορίἀ ὀλίγῳ ὕστερον τῇ πόλει Τουτίλαν τε καὶ τοὺς βαρβάρους ἐδέξαντο. καὶ ὁ χειμὼν ἔληγε, καὶ ὄγδοον ἔτος ἐτελεύτα τῷ πολέμῳ τῷδε, ὃν Προκόπιος ξυνέγραψεν.

Dewing But the besieged, without awaiting the appointed day (for they were utterly overcome by the lack of necessities), a little later received Totila and the barbarians into there. And the winter drew to its close, and the eighth year ended in this war, the history of which Procopius has written. The Loeb Editor's Notes: 1 His official retinue. ❦ 2 Described in Book V.xix‑VI.x. ❦ 3 In Italy. ❦ 4 "One who audits accounts." ❦ 5 The maintenance of the army seemed to John to involve unnecessary details of expenditure. ❦ 6 Modern Treviso. ❦ 7 This is the first intimation that Eraric had had anything to do with the murder of Ildibadus, which in the previous chapter was ascribed to Velas. ❦ 8 Chap. i.28, foll., above. ❦ 9 Cf. Book II.xix.24. ❦ 10 Modern Po. ❦ 11 Modern Faenza. ❦ 12 Referring to their violation of their oaths. ❦ 13 Incorrect of course; the loss of the standards by Crassus in 53 B.C. and by varius in 9 A.D. should have been known to Procopius. ❦ 14 Modern Florence. ❦ 15 Modern Mugello (a valley). ❦ 16 Modern Cesena. ❦ 17 Modern Spoleto. ❦ 18 Modern Perugia. ❦ 19 Praefectus praetorio, though the praetorians in Italy were no longer an imperial bodyguard. ❦ 20 See Book I.xii.11, etc. ❦ 21 See Book V.v.3. ❦ 22 The MSS. do not offer a readable text; the translation represents Christ's conjecture. ❦ 23 He means the Roman successes. ◂ 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