第8巻 第32章

Greek Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ Γότθοις καὶ οἱ δισχίλιοι ἧκον· οὕσπερ ἐς τὸ χαράκωμα Τουτίλας ἀφικέσθαι μαθών, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὁ καιρὸς ἐς ἄριστον ἦγεν, αὐτός τε ἐς σκηνὴν τὴν οἰκείαν ἐχώρησε καὶ Γότθοι διαλύσαντες τὴν παράταξιν ὀπίσω ἀνέστρεφον.

Dewing Meanwhile the two thousand Goths arrived; and when Totila learned that they had reached the stockade, seeing that it was time for the morning meal, he himself went off to his own tent and the Goths began to break up their formation and retire.

Greek ἐν δὲ τῇ καταλύσει τῇ αὐτοῦ γεγονὼς Τουτίλας τοὺς δισχιλίους ἤδη παρόντας εὗρε. το τε ἄριστον ἅπαντας αἱρεῖσθαι κελεύσας καὶ τὴν τῶν ὅπλων σκευὴν μεταμφιασάμενος ἅπασαν ἐξωπλίσατο μὲν ἐς τὸ ἀκριβὲς ἐν στρατιωτῶν λόγῳ, εὐθὺς δὲ τὴν στρατιὰν ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἐξῆγεν, ἀπροσδόκητος αὐτοῖς ἐπιπεσεῖσθαι οἰόμενος καὶ ταύτῃ αἱρήσειν.

Dewing And when Totila reached his quarters, he found the two thousand already present. He then commanded all to take their meal, and changing his entire equipment he armed himself with all care with the private soldier's equipment and led the army out straightway against his enemy, thinking that he would fall upon them unexpectedly and thus overwhelm them.

Greek ἀλλ’ οὐδ’ ὣς ἀπαρασκεύους Ῥωμαίους εὗρε. δείσας γὰρ ὁ Ναρσῆς, ὅπερ ἐγένετο, μὴ σφίσιν ἀπροσδοκήτοις ἐπιπέσοιεν οἱ πολέμιοι, ἀπεῖπεν ἅπασι μήτε ἄριστον αἱρεῖσθαι μήτε ἀποδαρθεῖν μήτε μὴν ἀποθωρακίσασθαι τῶν πάντων μηδένα μήτε τοῦ χαλινοῦ μεθεῖναι τὸν ἵππον.

Dewing But even so he did not find the Romans unprepared. for Narses had feared, as actually happened, that the enemy would fall upon them when they were not expecting it, and so he had given orders that not a single man should either sit down to lunch or go off to sleep or even remove his cuirass, nor yet take his bridle off his horse.

Greek οὐ μέντοι οὐδὲ ἀποσίτους τὸ παράπαν αὐτοὺς εἴασεν, ἀλλ’ ἐν τῇ τάξει καὶ τῇ τῶν ὅπλων σκευῇ ἀκρατισαμένους ἐκέλευσε διηνεκὲς οὕτως ἀποσκοποῦντας καραδοκεῖν τῶν πολεμίων τὴν ἔφοδον.

Dewing However, he did not allow them to be altogether without food, but commanded them to eat a small meal in ranks and with their equipment on, meanwhile maintaining a sharp look‑out constantly and expecting the attack of the enemy.

Greek τρόπῳ μέντοι τῷ αὐτῷ οὐκέτι ἐτάξαντο, ἀλλὰ Ῥωμαίοις μὲν τὰ κέρα, ἐν οἷς κατὰ τετρακισχιλίους οἱ πεζοὶ τοξόται εἱστήκεισαν, ἐπὶ τὸ μηνοειδὲς τοῦ Ναρσοῦ γνώμῃ ἐτράπετο.

Dewing However, they were no longer arrayed in the same formation as before, for the Roman wings, in each of which four thousand unmounted horsemen had taken their stand, were moved forward at Narses' command so as to form a crescent.

Greek Γότθοι δὲ οἱ πεζοὶ ἅπαντες ὄπισθεν τῶν ἱππέων ἀθρόοι ἵσταντο, ἐφ’ ᾧ, ἢν τοῖς ἱππεῦσι τραπῆναι ξυμβῇ, ἀναστρέφοντες μὲν ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς οἱ φεύγοντες σώζοιντο, ἐπίκοινα δὲ ἀμφότεροι εὐθὺς χωρήσαιεν. Προείρητο δὲ Γότθοις ἅπασι μήτε τοξεύματι μήτε ἄλλῳ ὁτῳοῦν ἐς συμβολὴν τήνδε ὅτι μὴ τοῖς δόρασι χρῆσθαι.

Dewing But the Gothic infantry were all placed in a body in the rear of the cavalry, in order that, if the horsemen should be routed, the fugitives might fall back upon them and be saved, and all could then advance immediately together. Now orders had been given to the entire Gothic army that they should use neither bow nor any other weapon in this battle except their spears.

Greek διὸ δὴ Τουτίλαν πρὸς τῆς ἀβουλίας καταστρατηγηθῆναι τῆς αὑτοῦ ξυνηνέχθη· ὅς γε καθιστάμενος ἐς τήνδε τὴν μάχην οὐκ οἶδα ὅτῳ ἀναπεισθεὶς παρείχετο τοῖς ἐναντίοις τὴν αὑτοῦ στρατιὰν οὔτε τῇ ὁπλίσει ἀντίξουν οὔτε τῇ τάξει ἀντίρροπον οὔτε τῳ ἄλλῳ ἀντίπαλον, ἐπεὶ Ῥωμαῖοι μὲν ἑκάστοις ὡς ἐπικαιρότατα ἦν ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ ἐχρῶντο, ἢ τοξεύοντες, ἢ δόρατα ὠθοῦντες, ἢ ξίφη διαχειρίζοντες, ἢ ἄλλο τι ἐνεργοῦντες τῶν σφίσι προχείρων κἀν τῷ παρόντι ἐπιτηδείων, οἱ μὲν ἱππευόμενοι, οἱ δὲ καὶ πεζῇ ἐς τὴν παράταξιν καθιστάμενοι, κατὰ τὸ τῇ χρείᾳ ξυνοῖσον, καὶ πὴ μὲν κύκλωσιν τῶν πολεμίων διαπρασσόμενοι, πὴ δὲ προσιόντας δεχόμενοι καὶ ταῖς ἀσπίσιν ἀποκρουόμενοι τὴν ἐπίθεσιν.

Dewing Consequently it came about that Totila was out‑generalled by his own folly; for in entering this battle he was led, by what I do not know, to throw against his opponents his own army with inadequate equipment and outflanked and in no respect a match for their antagonists. For the Romans, on the one hand, made use of each weapon in the fighting according to the particular need of the moment, shooting with bows or thrusting with spears or wielding swords, or using any other weapon which was convenient and suitable at a given point, some of them mounted on horses and others entering the combat on foot, their numbers proportioned to the needs of the situation, so that at one point they could carry out an encircling movement around the enemy, and at another receive a charge and with their shields stop short the attack.

Greek οἱ δὲ τῶν Γότθων ἱππεῖς, τῶν πεζῶν σφίσιν ἀπολελειμμένων ὀπίσω, μόνοις θαρσοῦντες τοῖς δόρασιν ὁρμῇ ἀνεπισκέπτῳ ἐπῄεσαν, ἔν τε τῷ πόνῳ γενόμενοι τῆς σφετέρας ἀβουλίας ἀπώναντο.

Dewing The cavalry of the Goths, on the other hand, leaving their infantry behind, and trusting only to their spears, made their charge with reckless impetuosity; and once in the midst of the fray they suffered for their own folly.

Greek ἐπὶ μέσους γὰρ τοὺς πολεμίους ὁρμήσαντες ἔλαθον σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐν μέσῳ πεζῶν τῶν ὀκτακισχιλίων γενόμενοι, τοῖς τε τοξεύμασι πρὸς αὐτῶν βαλλόμενοι ἑκατέρωθεν ἀπεῖπον εὐθύς, ἐπεὶ οἱ τοξόται ἄμφω τοῦ μετώπου τὰ κέρα ἐπὶ τὸ μηνοειδὲς κατὰ βραχὺ ἔτρεπον, ᾗπέρ μοι ἔμπροσθεν εἴρηται.

Dewing For in making their charge against their enemy's centre they had, before they realized it, placed themselves in between the eight thousand infantry, and being raked by their bowshots from either side they gave up immediately, since the bowmen kept gradually turning both the wings of their front so as to form the crescent which I have mentioned above.

Greek πολλοὺς μὲν οὖν ἄνδρας, πολλοὺς δὲ ἵππους ἐν τῷ πόνῳ τούτῳ Γότθοι ἀπέβαλον, οὔπω τοῖς ἐναντίοις ξυμμίξαντες, πολλῶν τε ἀνηκέστων κακῶν ἐς πεῖραν ἐλθόντες ὀψέ τε καὶ μόλις ἐς τῶν πολεμίων ἀφίκοντο τὴν παράταξιν.

Dewing Consequently the Goths lost many men as well as many horses in this phase of the encounter before they had ever engaged with their opponents, and only after they had experienced very heavy losses did they with difficulty finally reach the ranks of their enemy.

Greek Ἐνταῦθα τῶν Ῥωμαίων τινὰς ἢ τῶν σφίσι ξυμμάχων βαρβάρων μᾶλλον τῶν ἄλλων θαυμάζειν οὐκ ἔχω.

Dewing At this point I cannot admire any of the Romans or of their barbarian allies more than the others.

Greek μία γὰρ ἁπάντων προθυμία τε καὶ ἀρετὴ καὶ ἐναγώνισις ἦν, ἕκαστοί τε τῶν ἐναντίων ἐπιόντων σφίσιν ὡς καρτερώτατα δεξάμενοι τὴν ἐπιδρομὴν ἀπεώσαντο.

Dewing For they all shewed a common enthusiasm and displayed the same valour and energy in action, for each of them received the enemy's attack with the utmost vigour and repulsed the assault.

Greek ἤδη δὲ ἀμφὶ τὰ πρὸς ἑσπέραν ἦν καὶ τὰ στρατόπεδα ἐξαπιναίως ἐκινήθη ἑκάτερα, Γότθων μὲν ἐς ὑπαγωγήν, Ῥωμαίων δὲ ἐς τὴν δίωξιν.

Dewing And it was now toward evening when each of the two armies suddenly began to move, the Goths in retreat and the Romans in pursuit.

Greek ὡρμημένοις γὰρ ἐς αὐτοὺς Γότθοι οὐκ ἀντεῖχον τοῖς πολεμίοις, ἀλλ’ ἐνεδίδοσαν ἐπιόντων αὐτῶν καὶ προτροπάδην ἀνέστρεφον, καταπεπληγμένοι αὐτῶν τῷ τε ὁμίλῳ καὶ τῇ εὐκοσμίᾳ.

Dewing For the Goths could no longer hold out against the onslaught of their enemy, but began to give ground before their attacks, and finally turned precipitately, terrified by their great numbers and their perfect order.

Greek ἐς ἀλκήν τε οὐδαμῆ ἔβλεπον, ὥσπερ φάσματα ἐπιπεσόντα σφίσι δειμαίνοντες ἢ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ πολεμούμενοι.

Dewing And they gave not a thought to resistance, being as filled with terror as if some apparitions of the air had fallen upon them or as if Heaven were warring against them.

Greek δι’ ὀλίγου δὲ εἰς πεζοὺς αὐτοῖς τοὺς σφετέρους ἀφικομένοις πολλῷ ἔτι μᾶλλον τὸ κακὸν ᾔρετο καὶ πρόσω ἐχώρει.

Dewing But when shortly they reached their own infantry, their misfortune was doubled and trebled.

Greek οὐ γὰρ ἐν κόσμῳ τὴν ἀναχώρησιν ποιησάμενοι ἐς αὐτοὺς ἦλθον,ʽὡς ἀναπνεύσοντές τε καὶ ξὺν αὐτοῖς ἀναμαχούμενοι, ᾗπερ εἴθισται, ἢ ὠθισμῷ τοὺς διώκοντας ἀπωσόμενοι ἢ παλίωξιν ἐγχειρίσοντες ἢ ἄλλην τινὰ πολέμου ἰδέαν,ʼ ἀλλ’ οὕτως ἀτάκτως ὥστε αὐτῶν τισὶ καὶ διεφθάρθαι τῆς ἵππου ἐπιπεσούσης ξυνέπεσε.

Dewing For they did not come to them in an orderly retreat, as with the purpose of recovering their breath and renewing the fight with their assistance, as is customary; indeed they had no intention either of throwing back their pursuers by a massed attack or of undertaking a counter pursuit or any other military manoeuvre, but they arrived in such disorder that some of the men were actually destroyed by the onrushing cavalry.

Greek διόπερ αὐτοὺς οἱ πεζοὶ οὔτε διαστάντες ἐδέξαντο οὔτε διασωσόμενοι ἔστησαν, ἀλλὰ ξὺν αὐτοῖς προτροπάδην ἅπαντες ἔφευγον, ἔνθα δὴ καὶ ἀλλήλους ὥσπερ ἐν νυκτομαχίᾳ διέφθειρον.

Dewing Consequently the infantry did not open intervals to receive them nor stand fast to rescue them, but they all began to flee precipitately with the cavalry, and in the rout they kept killing each other just as in a battle at night.

Greek ὅ τε τῶν Ῥωμαίων στρατός, τῆς ἐκείνων ἀπολαύοντες ὀρρωδίας, φειδοῖ οὐδεμιᾷ τοὺς ἐν ποσὶν ἀεὶ ἔκτεινον, οὔτε ἀμυνομένους οὔτε ἀντιβλέπειν τολμῶντας, ἀλλὰ σφᾶς αὐτοὺς τοῖς πολεμίοις παρεχομένους ὅ τι βούλοιντο χρῆσθαι· οὕτω δὴ αὐτοῖς τὰ τε δείματα ἐπεκάθιζε καὶ ὁ φόβος ἐκράτει.

Dewing Meanwhile the Roman army, profiting by their panic, continued to kill without mercy all who fell in their way, while their victims offered no defence nor dared look them in the face, but gave themselves up to their enemy to treat as they wished; so thoroughly had terror settled upon them and panic possessed them.

Greek Καὶ αὐτῶν ἑξακισχίλιοι μὲν ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ τούτῳ ἀπέθανον, πολλοὶ δὲ σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐνεχείρισαν τοῖς ἐναντίοις. οἲ δὴ αὐτοὺς ἐν μὲν τῷ παρόντι ἐζώγρησαν, οὐ πολλῷ δὲ ὕστερον ἔκτειναν. οὐ μόνον δὲ Γότθοι ἀνῄρηντο, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν πάλαι Ῥωμαίων στρατιωτῶν πλεῖστοι, τῶν τὸ πρότερον ἀποταξαμένων μὲν τῇ Ῥωμαίων στρατιᾷ, ἀπηυτομοληκότων δέ, ᾗπέρ μοι ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν λόγοις ἐρρήθη, παρὰ Τουτίλαν τε καὶ Γότθους.

Dewing Six thousand of the Goths perished in this battle, while great numbers put themselves in the hands of their opponents. These the Romans for the moment made prisoners, but a little later they slew them. And not Goths alone were destroyed, but also great numbers of the old Roman soldiers who had earlier detached themselves from the Roman army and deserted, as I have told in the previous narrative,⁠ to Totila and the Goths.

Greek ὅσοις δὲ δὴ τοῦ Γότθων στρατοῦ μήτε ἀπολωλέναι μήτε ὑπὸ τῶν πολεμίων ταῖς χερσὶ ξυνηνέχθη γενέσθαι, οὗτοι διαλαθεῖν τε καὶ φυγεῖν ἴσχυσαν, ὡς αὐτῶν ἕκαστος ἵππου ἢ ποδῶν ἢ τύχης ἔσχεν̔ἢ καιροῦ ἢ χώρου φέροντος ἐς τοῦτο ἐπιτυχεῖν.ʼ

Dewing But all the soldiers of the Gothic army who had the fortune neither to perish nor to come under the hand of their enemy were able to hide or to flee, according as each could avail himself of horse or foot or good luck so as to find opportunity for the one or a place for the other.

Greek Ἥδε μὲν οὖν ἡ μάχη ἐς τοῦτο ἐτελεύτα καὶ ξυνεσκόταζε παντάπασιν ἤδη. Τουτίλαν δὲ φεύγοντα ἐν σκότῳ σὺν ἀνδράσιν οὐ πλέον ἢ πέντε οὖσιν, ὧνπερ ὁ Σκιποῦαρ εἷς ἐτύγχανεν ὤν, τῶν τινὲς Ῥωμαίων ἐδίωκον, οὐκ εἰδότες ὡς Τουτίλας εἴη· ἐν τοῖς καὶ Ἄσβαδον τὸν Γήπαιδα ξυνέβαινεν εἶναι.

Dewing Such was the conclusion of this battle, and complete darkness was already settling down. But Totila was in flight through the night accompanied by not more than five men, one of whom chanced to be Scipuar, pursued by some of the Romans who did not know that he was Totila; among these was Asbadus of the Gepaedes.

Greek ὅσπερ ἐπεὶ Τουτίλα ἀγχοτάτω ἐγένετο, ὡς τῷ δόρατι αὐτὸν κατὰ τῶν νώτων παίσων ἐπῄει.

Dewing This man had drawn close to Totila and was charging him with the purpose of thrusting his spear into his back.

Greek Γοτθικὸν δέ τι μειράκιον ἐκ τῆς Τουτίλα οἰκίας φεύγοντι τῷ δεσπότῃ ἑπόμενον, τύχην τε ἀπαξιοῦν τὴν τότε παροῦσαν, ἀνέκραγε μέγα· “Τί τοῦτο, ὦ κύων, τὸν δεσπότην τὸν σαυτοῦ πλήξων ὥρμηκας;” ὁ μὲν οὖν Ἄσβαδος ἐπὶ Τουτίλαν τὸ δόρυ σθένει παντὶ ὦσεν, αὐτὸς δὲ πρὸς τοῦ Σκιποῦαρ τὸν πόδα πληγεὶς αὐτοῦ ἔμεινε.

Dewing But a Gothic youth of the household of Totila, who was following his fleeing master, outraged at what was taking place, cried aloud, "What is this, you dog? Are you rushing to smite your own master?" Then Asbadus thrust his spear with all his strength at Totila, but he himself was wounded in the foot by Scipuar and remained there.

Greek καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ Σκιποῦαρ πρός του τῶν διωκόντων πληγεὶς ἔστη, οἵ τε ξὺν Ἀσβάδῳ πεποιημένοι τὴν δίωξιν, τέτταρες ὄντες, ὅπως αὐτὸν διασώσοιντο, οὐκέτι ἐδίωκον,

Dewing And Scipuar was wounded in turn by one of the pursuers and stopped, whereupon those who had been making the pursuit with Asbadus, four in number, gave up the chase in order to save him, and turned back with him.

Greek ἀλλὰ ξὺν αὐτῷ ὀπίσω ἀνέστρεφον. οἱ δὲ τῷ Τουτίλᾳ ἐπισπόμενοι, διώκειν σφᾶς ἔτι τοὺς πολεμίους οἰόμενοι, οὐδέν τι ἧσσον πρόσω ἤλαυνον, καίπερ αὐτὸν καιρίαν πληγέντα καὶ λειποψυχοῦντα βεβαιότατα ἐπαγόμενοι, πρυτανευούσης αὐτοῖς τῆς ἀνάγκης τὸν βίαιον δρόμον.

Dewing But the escort of Totila, thinking that the enemy were still pursuing them, rode forward without pausing, taking him along with great determination, though mortally wounded and fainting, for necessity compelled them to that headlong flight.

Greek σταδίους δὲ ἀνύσαντες τέσσαράς τε καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα ἐς χωρίον ἀφίκοντο Κάπρας ὄνομα. οὗ δὴ τὸ λοιπὸν ἡσυχάζοντες Τουτίλα τὴν πληγὴν ἐθεράπευον, ὅσπερ οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον τὸν βίον ἐξεμέτρησεν.

Dewing So after covering eighty-four stades they came to a place called Caprae.⁠ Here they rested from travel and endeavoured to treat the wound of Totila, who not long afterwards completed the term of his life.

Greek ἐνταῦθά τε αὐτὸν οἱ ἐπισπόμενοι κρύψαντες τῇ γῇ ἀνεχώρησαν. Αὕτη γέγονε Τουτίλᾳ τῆς τε ἀρχῆς καὶ τοῦ βίου καταστροφή, ἔτη ἕνδεκα Γότθων ἄρξαντι, οὐκ ἐπαξίως ἐπιγενομένη τῶν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῷ πεπραγμένων, ἐπεὶ καὶ τὰ πράγματα πρότερον τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐχώρησε, καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις οὐ κατὰ λόγον ἡ τελευτὴ ἐπεγένετο.

Dewing And there his followers buried him in the earth and departed. Such was the conclusion of the reign and the life of Totila, who had ruled the Goths eleven years. But the end which came to him was not worthy of his past achievements, for everything had gone well with the man before that, and his end was not commensurate with his deeds.

Greek ἀλλὰ καὶ νῦν ἡ τύχη ὡραϊζομένη τε διαφανῶς καὶ διασύρουσα τὰ ἀνθρωπεια τό τε παράλογον τὸ αὐτῆς ἴδιον καὶ τὸ τοῦ βουλήματος ἀπροφάσιστον ἐπιδέδεικται, Τουτίλᾳ μὲν τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν ἐξ αἰτίας οὐδεμιᾶς ἐπὶ χρόνου μῆκος αὐτοματίσασα, δειλίαν δὲ οὕτω τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ καὶ καταστροφὴν ἀπαυθαδισαμένη.

Dewing But here again Fortune was obviously disporting herself and tearing human affairs to shreds by way of making a display of her own perverse nature and unaccountable will; for she had endowed Totila of her own free will with prosperity for no particular reason for a long time, and then after this fashion smote the man with cowardice and destruction at the present time for no fitting cause.

Greek ἐξ οὐ προσηκόντων ἐν τῷ παρόντι. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν ἀνθρώπῳ, οἶμαι, καταληπτὰ οὔτε γέγονε πώποτε οὔτε μήποτε ὕστερον ἔσται· λέγεται δὲ ἀεὶ καὶ δοξάζεται διαψιθυριζόμενα ἐς τὸν πάντα αἰῶνα, ὥς πη ἑκάστῳ φίλον, λόγῳ τῷ εἰκότι δοκοῦντι εἶναι παρηγοροῦντι τὴν ἄγνοιαν. ἐγὼ δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν πρότερον λόγον ἐπάνειμι.

Dewing But these things, I believe, have never been comprehensible to man, nor will they ever become so at any future time. And yet there is always much talk on this matter and opinions are being for ever bandied about according to each man's taste, as he seeks comfort for his ignorance in an explanation which seems reasonable. But I shall return to the previous narrative.

Greek Τουτίλαν γοῦν Ῥωμαῖοι οὕτως ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀφανισθῆναι οὐκ ἔγνωσαν, ἕως αὐτοῖς γυνὴ μία, Γότθα γένος, ἔφρασέ τε καὶ τὸν τάφον ἐπέδειξεν.

Dewing The Romans, indeed, did not know that Totila had been thus taken from the world, until a certain woman of the Gothic race told them and pointed out the grave.

Greek οἵ τε ἀκηκοότες οὐχ ὑγιᾶ τὸν λόγον εἶναι οἰόμενοι, ἐν τῷ χωρίῳ ἐγένοντο, καὶ τὴν θήκην ὀκνήσει οὐδεμιᾷ διορύξαντες ἐξήνεγκαν μὲν τὸν Τουτίλαν ἐνθένδε νεκρόν, ἐπιγνόντες δὲ αὐτόν, ὥς φασι, καὶ τούτου δὴ τοῦ θεάματος ἐμπλησάμενοι τὴν σφετέραν ἐπιθυμίαν αὖθις αὐτὸν τῇ γῇ ἔκρυψαν, ἔς τε Ναρσῆν αὐτίκα τὸν πάντα λόγον ἀνήνεγκαν.

Dewing But when they heard it they did not think the story sound, and so they came to the spot and with no hesitation dug out the grave and brought up from it the corpse of Totila; then, they say, after recognizing him and satisfying their curiosity with this sight, they again buried him in the earth and immediately reported the whole matter to Narses.

Greek Τινὲς δὲ οὐχ οὕτω τά γε κατὰ Τουτίλαν καὶ τήνδε τὴν μάχην ξυμβῆναι, ἀλλὰ τρόπῳ τῳ ἑτέρῳ φασίν· ὅνπερ μοι ἀναγράψασθαι οὔ τοι ἀπὸ τρόπου ἔδοξεν εἶναι.

Dewing But some say that Totila's death and this battle happened otherwise than I have told it; and it has seemed to me not improper to record this version.

Greek λέγουσι γὰρ οὐκ ἀπροφάσιστον οὐδὲ παράλογον τὴν ὑπαγωγὴν ξυνενεχθῆναι τῷ Γότθων στρατῷ, ἀλλὰ Ῥωμαίων ἀκροβολιζομένων τινῶν βέλος ἐκ τοξεύματος τῷ Τουτίλᾳ ἐξαπιναίως ἐπιπεσεῖν, οὐκ ἐκ προνοίας τοῦ πέμψαντος, ἐπεὶ Τουτίλας ἐν στρατιώτου λόγῳ ὡπλισμένος τε καὶ παρατεταγμένος ὅπου δὴ τῆς φάλαγγος ἀπημελημένος εἱστήκει, οὐ βουλόμενος τοῖς πολεμίοις ἔνδηλος εἶναι, οὐδέ πη αὑτὸν ἐς ἐπιβουλὴν παρεχόμενος, ἀλλὰ τύχης τούτῳ ταῦτα σκευωρουμένης τινὸς καὶ ἰθυνάσης ἐπὶ τὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου σῶμα τὸν ἄτρακτον· καὶ αὐτὸν μὲν καιρίαν βληθέντα, ὡς ἔνι μάλιστα, περιώδυνον γεγενημένον ἔξω γενέσθαι τῆς φάλαγγος ξύν τε ὀλίγοις κατὰ βραχὺ ὀπίσω ἰέναι.

Dewing For these say that the retreat of the Gothic army did not take place in any strange and unaccountable manner, but while some of the Romans were shooting from a distance, a missile from a bow suddenly struck Totila, but not by the purpose of the man who had sent it, for Totila was armed in the fashion of a simple soldier and the place in the phalanx where he stood had been chosen at random; for he did not wish to be manifest to his enemy, nor would he, of course, expose himself to attack; but some chance prepared this fate for him and directed the shaft to the man's body. Then he, having suffered a mortal wound and being tortured with intense pain, withdrew from the phalanx with a few men and moved slowly away.

Greek καὶ μέχρι μὲν ἐς Κάπρας ἀντέχοντα τῇ ταλαιπωρίᾳ τὸν ἵππον ἐλᾶν, ἐνταῦθα δὲ λειποψυχήσαντα τὸ λοιπὸν μεῖναι τὴν πληγὴν θεραπεύσοντα, οὐ πολλῷ τε ὕστερον αὐτῷ ἐπιγενέσθαι τὴν τέλειον ἡμέραν τοῦ βίου.

Dewing And as far as Caprae he endured the suffering and continued to ride his horse, but there he fainted and after that remained there to care for his wound, and not long afterwards the final day of his life came upon him.

Greek τὴν δὲ Γότθων στρατιὰν οὔτε ἄλλως ἀξιόμαχον τοῖς ἐναντίοις οὖσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπομάχου σφίσι παρὰ δόξαν γεγενημένου τοῦ ἄρχοντος, ἐν θάμβει γενέσθαι, εἰ μόνος αὐτοῖς οὐκ ἐξ ἐπιβουλῆς τῶν πολεμίων ὁ Τουτίλας καιρίαν βληθείη, καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ περιφόβους τε καὶ ἀθύμους γεγενημένους ἔς τε ὀρρωδίαν ὅρον οὐκ ἔχουσαν καὶ ὑπαγωγὴν οὕτως αἰσχρὰν ἐμπεπτωκέναι. ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τούτων λεγέτω ἕκαστος ὅπη γινώσκει.

Dewing Meanwhile the Gothic army, not being in any case a match for their opponents, upon seeing also that their commander had been unexpectedly rendered unfit for battle, became thunderstruck to think that Totila alone among them had been mortally wounded with no design on the part of the enemy, and consequently they became alarmed and discouraged and were plunged into terror which had no bounds and began to retreat in that disgraceful manner. But concerning these matters let each man speak according to his knowledge. The Loeb Editor's Notes: 1 More properly Tadinum; modern Gualdo Tadino. ❦ 2 This statement is quite untrue as it stands. ❦ 3 I.e. "Sepulchres of the Gauls." Here again Procopius is far from the truth. The Busta Gallorum of Livy V.xlviii were in the city of Rome. ❦ 4 Book VII.xi.7, etc. ❦ 5 Modern Caprara? Thayer's Note: It seems very unlikely to me. Hodgkin, in Italy and Her Invaders, V.640, is willing to go along with Caprara on the tenuous grounds of after all, why not? I obligingly supply the why not: see my note ad loc. ◂ 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