第8巻 第16章

Greek Ἐν ᾧ δὲ τάδε ἀμφὶ ταῖς σπονδαῖς Ῥωμαίοις τε καὶ Πέρσαις ἐν Βυζαντίῳ ἐπράσσετο, ἐν τούτῳ ἐπὶ Λαζικῆς τάδε ξυνηνέχθη γενέσθαι.

Dewing While these negotiations were taking place in Byzantium between the Romans and Persians regarding the treaty, meantime the following took place in Lazica.

Greek Γουβάζης ὁ Λαζῶν βασιλεὺς Ῥωμαίοις εὐνοϊκῶς ἔσχεν, ἐπεί οἱ Χοσρόην, ὥσπερ μοι ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν λόγοις ἐρρήθη, ἐπιβουλεύειν θάνατον ᾔσθετο.

Dewing Gubazes, the king of the Lazi, was well disposed toward the Romans, for he perceived that Chosroes, as I have stated in the previous narrative,⁠ was plotting his death.

Greek τῶν δὲ ἄλλων Λαζῶν οἱ πλεῖστοι ἀνήκεστα πρὸς τῶν Ῥωμαίων στρατιωτῶν δεινὰ πάσχοντες καὶ διαφερόντως τοῖς ἄρχουσι τοῦ στρατοῦ ἀχθόμενοι ἐμήδιζον ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον, οὐ τὰ Περσῶν ἀσπαζόμενοι, ἀλλ’ ἀπαλλαξείοντες τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῆς καὶ τῶν δυσχερῶν τὰ τέως μὴ παρόντα αἱρούμενοι.

Dewing But the most of the other Lazi, being subjected to outrageous treatment at the hands of the Roman soldiers, and being particularly angry with the commanders of the army, began to favour the Medes as a general thing, and not because they preferred the cause of the Persians, but because they wished to be rid of the Roman rule and preferred those difficulties which were not for the moment present.

Greek ἦν δέ τις ἐν Λαζοῖς οὐκ ἀφανὴς ἀνὴρ Θεοφόβιος ὄνομα, ὅσπερ τῷ Μερμερόῃ λαθραιότατα ἐς λόγους ξυμμίξας φρούριον ἐνδώσειν τὸ Οὐθιμέρεος ὡμολόγησεν.

Dewing Now there was a man of no mean station among the Lazi, Theophobius by name, who conferred very secretly with Mermeroes and promised to put the fortress of Uthimereos into his hands.

Greek ὁ δὲ αὐτὸν ἐλπίσι μεγάλαις ἐπάρας ἐς τὴν πρᾶξιν ὥρμησε ταύτην, φίλον μὲν αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα Χοσρόῃ βασιλεῖ ἐκ τοῦ ἔργου τούτου ἰσχυρισάμενος ἔσεσθαι, Πέρσαις δὲ ἀνάγραπτον ἐπ’ εὐεργεσίᾳ ἐς τὸν πάντα αἰῶνα, καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ δόξῃ τε καὶ πλούτῳ καὶ δυνάμει αὐτὸν γενήσεσθαι μέγαν. οἷς δὴ Θεοφόβιος ἐπαρθεὶς πολλῷ ἔτι μᾶλλον εἰς τὸ ἔργον ἠπείγετο.

Dewing And he filled the man with great hopes and urged him to accomplish this, declaring that as a result of this deed he would not only be a very close friend of King Chosroes, but would also be inscribed by the Persians as a benefactor for all time, and consequently would become great in renown and in wealth and power. Theophobius was elated by these promises and kept working still more eagerly for the accomplishment of his purpose.

Greek Καὶ ἦν γὰρ οὐδεμία ἐπιμιξία Ῥωμαίοις τε καὶ Λαζοῖς τότε, ἀλλ’ οἱ μὲν Πέρσαι πολλῇ ἐξουσίᾳ πανταχόσε περιήρχοντο τῶν ταύτῃ χωρίων, Ῥωμαίων δὲ καὶ Λαζῶν οἱ μὲν παρὰ ποταμὸν Φᾶσιν ἐλάνθανον, οἱ δὲ Ἀρχαιόπολιν ἢ ἄλλο τι τῶν ἐκείνῃ ὀχυρωμάτων καταλαβόντες ἐκρύπτοντο· καὶ Γουβάζης αὐτός, ὁ Λαζῶν βασιλεύς, ἐς τῶν ὀρῶν τὰς ὑπερβολὰς ἡσυχῆ ἔμενε.

Dewing Now there was at that time no free movement of the Romans and Lazi, but, while the Persians were going about everywhere in that country with complete liberty, some of the Romans and Lazi were hiding by the Phasis River, while others had seized Archaeopolis or some other one of the strongholds there and were concealing themselves therein. Meanwhile Gubazes himself, the king of the Lazi, was remaining quietly at the summit of the mountains.

Greek πόνῳ γοῦν ὁ Θεοφόβιος οὐδενὶ ἴσχυσε τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν τῷ Μερμερόῃ ἐπιτελέσαι. ἐν γὰρ τῷ φρουρίῳ γενόμενος ἔφασκε Λαζοῖς τε καὶ Ῥωμαίοις οἳ τὸ ἐνταῦθα φυλακτήριον εἶχον ὡς ἅπας μὲν ὁ Ῥωμαίων στρατὸς ἀπολώλει, Γουβάζῃ δὲ βασιλεῖ καὶ Λαζοῖς τοῖς ἀμφ’ αὐτὸν ἅπασι διαφθαρείη τὰ πράγματα, Κολχὶς δὲ ξύμπασα πρὸς Περσῶν ἔχοιτο, καὶ οὐδέ τις ἐλπὶς Ῥωμαίοις ποτὲ ἢ τῷ Γουβάζῃ ἀνασωθήσεσθαι τῆς χώρας τὸ κράτος.

Dewing Consequently Theophobius was able with no difficulty to make good his promise to Mermeroes. For he went inside the fortress and stated to the Lazi and Romans who were keeping guard there that the whole Roman army had perished, that the cause of King Gubazes and of all the Lazi about him had been utterly lost, and that all Colchis was held by the Persians, and there was not one single hope for the Romans or Gubazes ever to win back the rule of the land.

Greek τὰ μὲν γὰρ πρότερα κατὰ μόνας ταῦτα τὸν Μερμερόην διαπεπρᾶχθαι, μυριάδας τε πλέον ἑπτὰ ἐπαγαγόμενον Περσῶν μαχίμων ἀνδρῶν καὶ βαρβάρους Σαβείρους παμπληθεῖς· νῦν δὲ καὶ βασιλέα Χοσρόην στρατῷ ἀμυθήτῳ ἐνθάδε ἥκοντα ἐξαπιναίως αὐτοῖς ἀναμεμίχθαι καὶ οὐκ ἂν τὸ λοιπὸν οὐδὲ αὐτὴν Κόλχων τῇ στρατιᾷ ταύτῃ τὴν γῆν ἐπαρκέσειν.

Dewing For formerly, he pointed out, Mermeroes had accomplished this alone, bringing with him more than seventy thousand fighting men of the Persians and vast numbers of barbarian Sabiri; but now, he said, King Chosroes himself had actually come there with an unnumbered host and suddenly joined forces with them, and henceforth not even the whole land of the Colchians would suffice for this army.

Greek ταῦτα τερατευσάμενος Θεοφόβιος ἐς δέος μέγα καὶ ἀμηχανίαν κατεστήσατο τοὺς ἐνταῦθα φρουρούς.

Dewing With these high-flown words Theophobius reduced the guards there to a state of terror and helplessness.

Greek καὶ αὐτὸν ἐλιπάρουν πρὸς θεοῦ τοῦ πατρῴου ἱκετεύοντες τὰ παρόντα ὅση δύναμις εὖ θέσθαι σφίσι.

Dewing And they besought him with entreaties in the name of their ancestral god to use all his power to turn the present situation to their advantage.

Greek καὶ ὃς αὐτοῖς ὡμολόγει πρὸς τοῦ Χοσρόου ἀμφὶ τῇ σωτηρίᾳ τὰ πιστὰ οἴσειν, ἐφ’ ᾧ τὸ φρούριον ἐνδώσουσι Πέρσαις. Ἐπεί τε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ταῦτα ἤρεσκεν, αὐτίκα ἐνθένδε ἀπαλλαγεὶς αὖθίς τε τῷ Μερμερόῃ ἐς ὄψιν ἥκων ἅπαντα ἔφραζεν.

Dewing He then promised them that he would bring from Chosroes pledges for their safety, on condition that they surrender the fortress to the Persians. The men were delighted with these terms and he immediately departed from the place, and coming again before Mermeroes explained everything.

Greek ὁ δὲ Περσῶν ἄνδρας τοὺς δοκιμωτάτους ἀπολεξάμενος ξὺν αὐτῷ ἐς τὸ Οὐθιμέρεος ἔπεμψε, τά τε πιστὰ παρεξομένους ἀμφί τε τοῖς χρήμασι καὶ τῇ σωτηρίᾳ τοῖς τῇδε φρουροῖς καὶ τὸ φρούριον τοῦτο καθέξοντας.

Dewing Then Mermeroes selected the most notable men of the Persians and sent them with him to Uthimereos, for the purpose of arranging pledges both for the money and for the lives of the guards of the place and so taking possession of that fortress.

Greek οὕτω μὲν Πέρσαι τὸ Οὐθιμέρεος φρούριον ἔσχον καὶ Λαζικῆς τὴν ἐπικράτησιν ἰσχυρότατα ἐκρατύναντο.

Dewing Thus did the Persians gain the fortress of Uthimereos and thereby secured the mastery of Lazica most firmly.

Greek οὐ μόνην δὲ Λαζικὴν ταύτην οἱ Πέρσαι ὑποχειρίαν πεποίηνται, ἀλλὰ καὶ Σκυμνίαν τε καὶ Σουανίαν, ἐκ δὲ Μοχηρήσιδος ἄχρι ἐς Ἰβηρίαν ἄβατα Ῥωμαίοις τε καὶ τῷ Λαζῶν βασιλεῖ ξύμπαντα τὰ ἐκείνῃ χωρία τῷ τρόπῳ τούτῳ ἐγένετο.

Dewing But not only did the Persians bring this land of Lazica under their sway, but also Scymnia and Suania, and in this way the whole territory from Mocheresis as far as Iberia became inaccessible to the Romans and the king of the Lazi.

Greek ἀμύνεσθαι δὲ τοὺς πολεμίους οὔτε Ῥωμαῖοι οὔτε Λαζοὶ εἶχον, ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ καταβαίνειν ἐκ τῶν ὀρῶν ἢ τῶν ὀχυρωμάτων ἐτόλμων οὐδέ πη τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐπεξιέναι.

Dewing And neither the Romans nor the Lazi were able to ward off the enemy, for they did not even dare to descend from the mountains or their strongholds, nor to make any advances against the enemy.

Greek Μερμερόης δὲ τῆς τοῦ χειμῶνος ἐγκειμένης ὥρας ξύλινον μὲν τεῖχος ἐν Κόταϊς ἐτεκτήνατο, φρουράν τε Περσῶν τῶν μαχίμων οὐχ ἧσσον ἢ τρισχιλίων ἐνταῦθα καταστησάμενος, ἔν τε τῷ Οὐθιμέρεος ἄνδρας αὐτάρκεις ἀπολιπών.

Dewing Mermeroes, as the winter season came on, built a wooden wall at Cotais and established there a guard of warlike Persians no less than three thousand strong, and he also left a sufficient force of men in Uthimereos.

Greek οἰκοδομησάμενος δὲ καὶ τὸ ἄλλο Λαζῶν φρούριον, ὃ δὴ καλοῦσι Σαραπανίν, πρὸς αὐτοῖς μάλιστα τοῖς ἐσχάτοις ὁρίοις Λαζικῆς κείμενον, αὐτοῦ ἔμενεν.

Dewing And he also built up the other fortress of the Lazi which they call Sarapanis, situated at the very limit of the territory of Lazica, and remained there.

Greek ἔπειτα δὲ Ῥωμαίους τε καὶ Λαζοὺς ἀγείρεσθαί τε μαθὼν καὶ ἀμφὶ τὰς ἐκβολὰς ἐνστρατοπεδεύεσθαι ποταμοῦ Φάσιδος, παντὶ τῷ στρατῷ ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς ᾔει.

Dewing But later, upon learning that the Romans and Lazi were gathering and making camp at the mouth of the Phasis River, he moved against them with his whole army.

Greek ὅπερ ἐπεὶ Γουβάζης τε καὶ οἱ τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ ἄρχοντες ἔμαθον, οὐχ ὑποστάντες τῶν πολεμίων τὴν ἔφοδον διελύθησάν τε καὶ διεσώθησαν ὥς πη ἑκάστῳ δυνατὰ γέγονεν.

Dewing When Gubazes and the commanders of the Roman army learned this, refusing to withstand the enemy's attack they dispersed and saved themselves as each found it possible.

Greek ὅ τε Γουβάζης ἀναδραμὼν ἐς τῶν ὀρῶν τὰς ὑπερβολὰς διεχείμαζε ξύν τε τοῖς παισὶ καὶ τῇ γυναικὶ καὶ τοῖς ἐς τὰ μάλιστα ἐπιτηδείοις, τῇ μὲν ἀμηχανίᾳ τῶν παρόντων κακῶν διαμαχόμενος πρὸς τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἀνάγκην, ἐλπίδι δὲ τοῦ Βυζαντίου ἐς τὸν μέλλοντα χρόνον θαρσῶν, ταύτῃ τε τὴν τύχην παρηγορῶν τὴν τότε παροῦσαν, οἷά γε τὰ ἀνθρώπεια,

Dewing As for Gubazes, he ran up to the summit of the mountains and there proceeded to pass the winter along with his children and his wife and those particularly intimate with him, putting up with the rigours of winter because of the hopelessness of his present evil situation, but confident of the future because of his hope in Byzantium, and in this way finding consolation for the fortune then present, as men are wont to do, looking for a better day.

Greek καὶ καραδοκῶν τὰ βελτίω. καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι δὲ Λαζοὶ τῇ πρὸς βασιλέα Γουβάζην αἰδοῖ τὴν τοῦ χειμῶνος ὥραν οὐδέν τι ἧσσον ἐν τοῖς σκοπέλοις κατέτριβον, δύσκολον μὲν ἐνταῦθα οὐδὲν πρὸς τῶν πολεμίων δειμαίνοντες, ἐπεὶ τοῖς ἐπιβουλεύουσιν, ἄλλως τε καὶ κατὰ τὸν χειμῶνα, ταῦτα τὰ ὄρη ἀμήχανά τε καὶ ὅλως ἀπρόσοδα ξυμβαίνει εἶναι, λιμῷ δὲ καὶ ψύχει καὶ τῇ ἄλλῃ κακοπαθείᾳ δυσθανατῶντες.

Dewing And the rest of the Lazi likewise, ashamed to be outdone by King Gubazes, were passing the winter as well as he among the crags, fearing indeed no difficulty from the enemy there, for these mountains are at all times impracticable and wholly inaccessible for an attacking force, and particularly during the winter, but forced to endure mortal suffering through hunger, cold, and the other hardships.

Greek Ὁ δὲ Μερμερόης οἰκία τε πολλὰ κατ’ ἐξουσίαν ᾠκοδομήσατο ἐν ταῖς κατὰ τὴν Μοχήρησιν κώμαις καὶ τὰ ἐπιτήδεια πανταχόθι καταστησάμενος τῶν τῇδε χωρίων, τῶν τε αὐτομόλων περιπέμπων τινὰς ἐς τῶν ὀρῶν τὰς ἀκρωρείας καὶ τὰ πιστὰ παρεχόμενος ἐπαγαγέσθαι πολλοὺς ἴσχυσεν· οἷς δὴ καὶ τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἀπορουμένοις ἐχορήγει συχνὰ καὶ ὡς οἰκείων ἐπεμελεῖτο, τά τε ἄλλα διῳκεῖτο ξὺν ἀδείᾳ πολλῇ ἅτε τῆς χώρας γεγονὼς κύριος.

Dewing Meanwhile Mermeroes at his leisure built many houses in the villages throughout Mocheresis and established stores of supplies everywhere among these places; then by sending some of the deserters to the heights of the mountains and offering pledges he succeeded in winning over many; these were naturally in want of provisions, and he supplied them in generous measure and cared for them as his own; indeed he carried on the whole administration with an air of complete security, as having become lord of the land.

Greek καὶ πρὸς Γουβάζην ἔγραψε τάδε· “Δύο ταῦτα ῥυθμίζει τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὸν βίον, δύναμίς τε καὶ φρόνησις. οἱ μὲν γὰρ τῷ δυνατῷ περιόντες τῶν πέλας αὐτοί τε βιοτεύουσι κατ’ ἐξουσίαν καὶ ὅπη βούλονται τοὺς καταδεεστέρους ἐσαεὶ ἄγουσιν, οἱ δὲ διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν δεδουλωμένοι τοῖς κρείττοσι, τῷ ξυνετῷ τὴν ἀδυναμίαν ἰώμενοι, θωπείᾳ τοὺς κρατοῦντας μετίασι καὶ οὐδέν τι ἧσσον ἐν τοῖς οἰκείοις βιοῦν δύνανται, πάντων ἀπολαύοντες τῇ κολακείᾳ ὧνπερ αὐτοῖς διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν στερεῖσθαι ξυμβαίνει.

Dewing And he wrote the following letter to Gubazes: "Two things there are which harmonize the lives of men, power and wisdom. For some, who, by reason of their power, are superior to their neighbours, both live themselves according to their own desires and never fail to lead where they wish those less powerful than themselves, while others, though enslaved to the stronger through their weakness, can still remedy their impotence by discretion, and by courting the powerful with flattery are still able to live with their own possessions, enjoying by means of their conciliatory attitude everything of which they are deprived by their weakness.

Greek καὶ ταῦτα οὐ παρὰ μὲν τῶν ἐθνῶν τισὶ σφίσι φέρεται οὕτως, παρὰ δὲ τοῖς ἄλλοις οὐ ταύτῃ πη ἔχει, ἀλλὰ ἀνθρώποις ὡς εἰπεῖν ἅπασι πανταχόθι γῆς τῆς οἰκουμένης ὥσπερ ἄλλο τι ἐμπέπηγε φύσει.

Dewing And this does not hold only for some of the nations of men, while it is otherwise in other nations, but one might say that this is implanted in human experience universally in every part of the inhabited world like any other natural characteristic.

Greek καὶ σὺ τοίνυν, ὦ φίλε Γουβάζη, ἢν μὲν οἴει περιέσεσθαι Περσῶν τῷ πολέμῳ, μήτε μέλλε μήτε σοι ἐμπόδιον γινέσθω μηδέν.

Dewing Do you, accordingly, my dear Gubazes, if you think you are going to overcome the Persians in the war, neither hesitate nor let anything stand in your way.

Greek εὑρήσεις γὰρ ἡμᾶς τῆς Λαζικῆς ἔνθα ἂν βούλοιο ὑφισταμένους τε τὴν σὴν ἔφοδον καὶ ἀντιπαραταττομένους ὑπὲρ χώρας τῆσδε ὅση δύναμις· ὥστε παρέσται σοι διαγωνιζομένῳ ἀνδραγαθίζεσθαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς.

Dewing For you will find us in any part of Lazica you may choose ready to meet your attack and prepared in battle-array to fight for this land with all our might; so that in waging a decisive struggle you will have the opportunity to display your valour against us.

Greek εἰ μέντοι ἀδύνατος ὢν Περσῶν τῇ δυνάμει ἀντιτάσσεσθαι καὶ αὐτὸς οἶδας, σὺ δέ, ὦ ʼγαθέ, τὸ δεύτερον διαχείριζε, τὸ γνῶθι σαυτόν, καὶ προσκύνει τὸν σαυτοῦ δεσπότην Χοσρόην ἅτε βασιλέα καὶ νενικηκότα καὶ κύριον.

Dewing If, however, even you yourself realize it is that you are unable to array yourself against the might of the Persians, then do you, good Sir, take the second alternative and 'know thyself,' and bow down before your master Chosroes as king and victor and lord.

Greek αἴτει τέ σοι τῶν πεπραγμένων ἵλεων εἶναι, ὅπως ἂν τὸ λοιπὸν δυνατὸς εἴης τῶν ἐνοχλούντων ἀπηλλάχθαι κακῶν.

Dewing And beg that he be merciful to you in spite of your acts, in order that you may be able henceforth to escape the evils which harass you.

Greek ὡς ἔγωγε ἀναδέχομαι βασιλέα Χοσρόην ἵλεών τέ σοι γενήσεσθαι καὶ τὰ πιστὰ δώσειν, ὁμήρους σοι παρεχόμενον παῖδας τῶν ἐν Πέρσαις λογίμων ἀρχόντων, ὡς τά τε ἄλλα καὶ τὴν σωτηρίαν καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν τὴν σὴν τὸν πάντα αἰῶνα ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ ἕξεις.

Dewing For I personally promise that King Chosroes will be merciful to you and will give pledges, furnishing you as hostages sons of the notable rulers in Persia, that you will have your safety and your kingdom and everything else in security for all time.

Greek εἰ δέ σοι τούτων οὐδέτερον βουλομένῳ ἐστίν, ἀλλὰ σὺ ἔς τινα ἑτέραν ἀπιὼν χώραν δὸς τοῖς διὰ τὴν σὴν ἀβουλίαν ταλαιπώροις γενομένοις Λαζοῖς ἀναπνεῦσαί ποτε καὶ ἀπὸ δυσκόλων τῶν αὐτοῖς ἐγκειμένων ἀνενεγκεῖν μηδὲ αὐτοῖς ἀπέραντον ὄλεθρον τόνδε προστρίβεσθαι βούλου ἐπὶ σφαλερᾶς τῆς ἐλπίδος ὀχούμενος· λέγω δὲ τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐπικουρίας.

Dewing But if neither of these things meets your wish, do you at least go off to some other land and thus grant to the Lazi, who have been reduced to wretchedness through your folly, recovery at length and respite from the difficulties which press upon them, and do not wish to inflict upon them this lingering destruction, being carried on by a deceptive hope, by which I mean assistance from the Romans.

Greek οὐ γάρ σοι τιμωρεῖν ποτὲ δυνατοὶ ἔσονται, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ ἄχρι ἐς τὴν ἡμέραν δεδύνηνται τήνδε.” Μερμερόης μὲν ταῦτα ἔγραψε.

Dewing For they will never be able to defend you, just as they have not been able up to the present day." Thus wrote Mermeroes.

Greek Γουβάζην δὲ οὐδ’ ὣς ἔπειθεν, ἀλλ’ ἐν τοῖς τῶν ὀρῶν κολωνοῖς ἔμενε, καραδοκῶν τὴν ἐκ Ῥωμαίων ἐπικουρίαν καὶ τῷ ἐς τὸν Χοσρόην ἔχθει ὡς ἥκιστα ἐς τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἀπόγνωσιν ἐγκλίνειν ἐθέλων.

Dewing But even so he did not persuade Gubazes, who remained among the summits of the mountains, awaiting the assistance to come from the Romans and, by reason of his hostility to Chosroes, absolutely unwilling to incline to despair of the Romans.

Greek οἱ γὰρ ἄνθρωποι τὴν διάνοιαν ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον πρὸς τὴν τοῦ βουλήματος ἁρμόζονται χρείαν, καὶ λόγῳ μὲν τῷ ἀρέσκοντι αὐτοὺς ἀεὶ προσχωροῦσι, καὶ προσίενται τὰ ἐξ αὐτοῦ πάντα, οὐ διασκοπούμενοι μὴ ψευδὴς εἴη, τῷ δὲ λυποῦντι χαλεπῶς ἔχοντες ἀπιστοῦσιν, οὐ διερευνώμενοι μὴ ἀληθὴς εἴη.

Dewing For men as a general thing adapt their decisions to the dictates of their desire, and while, on the one hand, they incline toward the argument which pleases them and espouse all its consequences, not investigating to see whether it may be false, they, on the other hand, are outraged by the one which annoys them and they distrust it, never searching out to see whether it may not be true.