第8巻 第17章

Greek Ὑπὸ τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον τῶν τινὲς μοναχῶν ἐξ Ἰνδῶν ἥκοντες, γνόντες τε ὡς Ἰουστινιανῷ βασιλεῖ διὰ σπουδῆς εἴη μηκέτι πρὸς Περσῶν τὴν μέταξαν ὠνεῖσθαι Ῥωμαίους, ἐς βασιλέα γενόμενοι οὕτω δὴ τὰ ἀμφὶ τῇ μετάξῃ διοικήσεσθαι ὡμολόγουν, ὡς μηκέτι Ῥωμαῖοι ἐκ Περσῶν τῶν σφίσι πολεμίων ἢ ἄλλου του ἔθνους τὸ ἐμπόλημα τοῦτο ποιήσωνται·

Dewing ⁠ At about this time certain monks, coming from India and learning that the Emperor Justinian entertained the desire that the Romans should no longer purchase their silk from the Persians, came before the emperor and promised so to settle the silk question that the Romans would no longer purchase this article from their enemies, the Persians, nor indeed from any other nation;

Greek χρόνου γὰρ κατατρῖψαι μῆκος ἐν χώρᾳ ὑπὲρ Ἰνδῶν ἔθνη τὰ πολλὰ οὔσῃ, ἥπερ Σηρίνδα ὀνομάζεται, ταύτῃ τε ἐς τὸ ἀκριβὲς ἐκμεμαθηκέναι ὁποίᾳ ποτὲ μηχανῇ γίνεσθαι τὴν μέταξαν ἐν γῇ τῇ Ῥωμαίων δυνατὰ εἴη.

Dewing for they had, they said, spent a long time in the country situated north of the numerous nations of India — a country called Serinda — and there they had learned accurately by what means it was possible for silk to be produced in the land of the Romans.

Greek ἐνδελεχέστατα δὲ διερευνωμένῳ τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ ἀναπυνθανομένῳ εἰ ὁ λόγος ἀληθὴς εἴη ἔφασκον οἱ μοναχοὶ σκώληκάς τινας τῆς μετάξης δημιουργοὺς εἶναι, τῆς φύσεως αὐτοῖς διδασκάλου τε οὔσης καὶ διηνεκῶς ἀναγκαζούσης ἐργάζεσθαι.

Dewing Whereupon the emperor made very diligent enquiries and asked them many questions to see whether their statements were true, and the monks explained to him that certain worms are the manufacturers of silk, nature being their teacher and compelling them to work continually.

Greek ἀλλὰ τοὺς μὲν σκώληκας ἐνθάδε ζῶντας διακομίζειν ἀμήχανα εἶναι, τὸν δὲ αὐτῶν γόνον εὔπορόν τε καὶ ῥᾴδιον ὅλως. εἶναι δὲ τῶν σκωλήκων τῶνδε τὸν γόνον ᾠὰ ἑκάστου ἀνάριθμα.

Dewing And while it was impossible to convey the worms thither⁠ alive, it was still practicable and altogether easy to convey their offspring. Now the offspring of these worms, they said, consisted of innumerable eggs from each one.

Greek ταῦτα δὲ τὰ ᾠὰ χρόνῳ πολλῷ τῆς γονῆς ὕστερον κόπρῳ καλύψαντες ἄνθρωποι ταύτῃ τε διαρκῆ θερμήναντες χρόνον ζῷα ποιοῦσι.

Dewing And men bury these eggs, long after the time when they are produced, in dung, and, after thus heating them for a sufficient time, they bring forth the living creatures.

Greek ταῦτα εἰπόντας ὁ βασιλεὺς μεγάλοις τοὺς ἄνδρας ἀγαθοῖς δωρήσασθαι ὁμολογήσας τῷ ἔργῳ πείθει ἐπιρρῶσαι τὸν λόγον.

Dewing After they had thus spoken, the emperor promised to reward them with large gifts and urged them to confirm their account in action.

Greek οἱ δὲ γενόμενοι ἐν Σηρίνδῃ αὖθις τά τε ᾠὰ μετήνεγκαν ἐς Βυζάντιον, ἐς σκώληκάς τε αὐτὰ τρόπῳ ᾧπερ ἐρρήθη μεταπεφυκέναι διαπραξάμενοι τρέφουσί τε συκαμίνου φύλλοις, καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ γίνεσθαι μέταξαν τὸ λοιπὸν κατεστήσαντο ἐν Ῥωμαίων τῇ γῇ.

Dewing They then once more went to Serinda and brought back the eggs to Byzantium, and in the manner described caused them to be transformed into worms, which they fed on the leaves of the mulberry; and thus they made possible from that time forth the production of silk in the land of the Romans.⁠

Greek τότε μὲν οὖν τά τε κατὰ τὸν πόλεμον πράγματα Ῥωμαίοις τε καὶ Πέρσαις καὶ τὰ ἀμφὶ μετάξῃ ταύτῃ πη ἔσχε.

Dewing At that time then matters stood thus between the Romans and the Persians, both as touching the war and in regard to silk.

Greek Μετὰ δὲ τὴν τοῦ χειμῶνος ὥραν ἀφικόμενος παρὰ Χοσρόην σὺν τοῖς χρήμασιν Ἰσδιγούσνας τὰ ξυγκείμενα σφίσιν ἐσήγγελλε. καὶ ὃς τὰ μὲν χρήματα κεκομισμένος τὴν ἐκεχειρίαν μελλήσει οὐδεμιᾷ ἐπεσφράγισε, Λαζικῆς δὲ μεθίεσθαι οὐδαμῆ ἤθελεν.

Dewing After the winter season Isdigousnas arrived at the court of Chosroes with the money and announced the terms agreed upon by them. And Chosroes, upon receiving the money, confirmed the armistice without any hesitation, but he was utterly unwilling to relinquish Lazica.

Greek ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς χρήμασι τούτοις Οὔννων τῶν Σαβείρων ἑταιρισάμενος μέγα τι χρῆμα ξὺν Πέρσαις τισὶ τῷ Μερμερόῃ εὐθὺς ἔπεμψεν. ᾧ δὴ ἐπέστελλεν ἔργου ἔχεσθαι δυνάμει τῇ πάσῃ, καὶ μὴν καὶ ἐλέφαντάς οἱ πολλοὺς ἔστειλε.

Dewing In fact he actually used this money to purchase the alliance of a vast horde of the Sabiri Huns, and he sent them immediately with some Persians to Mermeroes, whom he directed to pursue his task with all the power at his disposal; and he sent him, furthermore, a large number of elephants.

Greek Μερμερόης δὲ παντὶ τῷ Περσῶν τε καὶ Οὔννων στρατῷ ἐκ Μοχηρήσιδος ἀναστὰς ἐπὶ τὰ Λαζῶν ὀχυρώματα ᾔει, τοὺς ἐλέφαντας ἐπαγόμενος.

Dewing Mermeroes, accordingly, accompanied by the whole army of Persians and Huns, departed from Mocheresis and moved against the strongholds of the Lazi, taking the elephants with him.

Greek Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ οὐδαμῆ ὑπηντίαζον, ἀλλ’ ἀμφὶ τὰς ἐκβολὰς Φάσιδος ποταμοῦ, Μαρτίνου ἡγουμένου σφίσι, χωρίου ἰσχύι σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ὡς ἀσφαλέστατα κρατυνάμενοι ἡσυχῆ ἔμενον.

Dewing The Romans, however, offered no resistance whatever, but under the leader­ship of Martinus they made themselves as secure as possible in a naturally strong position near the mouth of the Phasis River and there remained quiet.

Greek ξυνῆν δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ Γουβάζης ὁ Λαζῶν βασιλεύς. οὗτος δὲ ὁ Μήδων στρατός, τύχης αὐτῷ ξυμβάσης τινός, οὐδὲν ἄχαρι οὔτε Ῥωμαίων οὔτε Λαζῶν τινὰ ἔδρασε.

Dewing And Gubazes, the king of the Lazi, was also with them. But this Medic army, because of a certain chance which befell it, did no harm to anyone either of the Romans or of the Lazi.

Greek τὰ μὲν γὰρ πρῶτα ὁ Μερμερόης ἐν φρουρίῳ τῳ μαθὼν τὴν Γουβάζου ἀδελφὴν εἶναι ἐπ’ αὐτὸ ἐπῆγε τὸ στράτευμα ὡς ἐξαιρήσων μηχανῇ πάσῃ.

Dewing For in the first place Mermeroes, learning that the sister of Gubazes was in a certain fortress, led his army against this with the intention of capturing it at all hazards.

Greek καρτερώτατα δὲ ἀμυνομένων τῶν ταύτῃ φρουρῶν καὶ χωρίου σφίσι ξυλλαμβανούσης τῆς φύσεως ὀχυρότητι ἄπρακτοι ἐνθένδε ἀποκρουσθέντες οἱ βάρβαροι ἀνεχώρησαν· ἔπειτα ἐπὶ Ἀβασγοὺς σπουδῇ ἵεντο.

Dewing But because the guards of that place offered a most valiant resistance and also because the naturally strong position gave them material assistance, the barbarians were repulsed from the town without accomplishing their purpose and withdrew; whereupon they hastily directed their course against the Abasgi.

Greek Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ οἱ ἐν Τζιβιλῇ φρουρὰν ἔχοντες τὴν δίοδον καταλαμβάνοντες στενοτάτην τε καὶ κρημνώδη οὖσαν, ᾗπέρ μοι ἔμπροσθεν εἴρηται, τὸ παράπαν τε ἀδιέξοδον, ἐμπόδιοι σφίσιν ἐγένοντο.

Dewing But the Romans keeping guard in Tzibile seized the pass, which was very narrow and precipitous, as I have stated previously,⁠ and quite impossible to force, and thus they blocked their way.

Greek διὸ δὴ οὐκ ἔχων ὁ Μερμερόης καθ’ ὅ τι τοὺς ἀνθισταμένους βιάζηται, ὑπῆγεν ὀπίσω τὸ στράτευμα ἐπί τε Ἀρχαιόπολιν ὡς πολιορκήσων αὐτίκα ᾔει. τοῦ τε περιβόλου ἀποπειρασάμενος, ἐπεὶ οὐδὲν προὐχώρει, ἀνέστρεφεν αὖθις.

Dewing Consequently Mermeroes, having no means of dislodging his opponents by force, led his army back and straightway moved on Archaeopolis with the purpose of besieging it. But, upon making trial of the circuit-wall, he met with no success and consequently turned back again.

Greek Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ ἀναχωροῦσιν ἐπισπόμενοι τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐν δυσχωρίᾳ πολλοὺς ἔκτεινον, ἐν τοῖς καὶ τῶν Σαβείρων τὸν ἄρχοντα ξυνηνέχθη πεσεῖν.

Dewing But the Romans followed up the retreating enemy and in a dangerous pass began to slay many of them, among those who fell being, as it chanced, the commander of the Sabiri.

Greek μάχης τε καρτερᾶς ἀμφὶ τῷ νεκρῷ γενομένης ὕστερον Πέρσαι περὶ λύχνων ἁφὰς βιασάμενοι τοὺς ἐναντίους ἐτρέψαντο, ἐπί τε Κόταϊς καὶ Μοχήρησιν ἀπεχώρησαν. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν Ῥωμαίοις τε καὶ Πέρσαις ἐπέπρακτο τῇδε.

Dewing And a fierce battle taking place over the corpse, the Persians finally, at dusk, forced back their opponents and routed them, after which they retired to Cotaïs and Mocheresis. Such then were the fortunes of the Romans and the Persians.

Greek Τὰ μέντοι ἐπὶ Λιβύης ἅπαντα Ῥωμαίοις εὖ τε καὶ καλῶς καθειστήκει. τῷ γὰρ Ἰωάννῃ, ὅνπερ ἐνταῦθα βασιλεὺς Ἰουστινιανὸς στρατηγὸν κατεστήσατο, εὐτυχήματα λόγου τε καὶ ἀκοῆς κρείσσω ξυνηνέχθη γενέσθαι.

Dewing In Libya, on the other hand, affairs had taken an altogether favourable turn for the Romans. For it so fell out that John, whom the Emperor Justinian had appointed General there, met with a number of incredible pieces of good fortune,

Greek ὃς δὴ ἕνα τῶν ἐν Μαυρουσίοις ἀρχόντων ἑταιρισάμενος, Κουτζίναν ὄνομα, τά τε πρότερα μάχῃ τοὺς ἄλλους ἐνίκησε καὶ οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον Ἀντάλαν τε καὶ Ἰαύδαν, οἳ Μαυρουσίων τῶν ἐν Βυζακίῳ τε καὶ Νουμιδίᾳ τὸ κράτος εἶχον, ὑποχειρίους πεποίηται, εἵποντό τε αὐτῷ ἐν ἀνδραπόδων λόγῳ.

Dewing since after securing the alliance of one of the Moorish rulers, Cutzinas by name, he first defeated the others in battle, and not long afterwards reduced to subjection Antalas and Iaudas, who held the sovereignty over the Moors of Byzacium and Numidia, and they joined his train in the position of slaves.

Greek καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ πολέμιον Ῥωμαίοις οὐδὲν ὑπὸ τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον ἔν γε Λιβύῃ ἐγένετο. τοῖς μέντοι φθάσασι πολέμοις τε καὶ στάσεσιν ἔρημος ἀνθρώπων ἡ χώρα ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον οὖσα διέμεινεν.

Dewing And as a result of this the Romans had for the time no enemy in Libya at any rate. But by reason of the previous wars and insurrections the land remained for the most part destitute of human habitation. The Loeb Editor's Notes: 1 See Book III.vi.2, note. ❦ 2 Book II.xxix.2. ❦ 3 Cf. Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, chap. XL. ❦ 4 To Byzantium. ❦ 5 Silk has been manufactured in Asia Minor, notably at Broussa (Prusa), up to the present day. ❦ 6 Chap. x.1, above. ◂ previous next ▸ Images with borders lead to more information. The thicker the border, the more information. (Details here.) UP TO: 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