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has happened to those going before, but having fallen over them with their horses and spears they both killed those men, as was likely, and they themselves were destroyed no less. 1.4.14 Among these was Perozes with all his sons. And they say that he, when he was about to fall into this chasm, both perceived the danger and the pearl, which, being most white and precious for its extraordinary size, hung from his right ear, he took off and threw away, so that no one might wear it afterwards, since it was exceedingly wonderful to behold, such as had never before belonged to any other 1.4.15 king; telling a story not credible to me. For he would not, when he came to this point of disaster, have given a thought to anything else whatsoever, but I think that his ear was cut off in this calamity and the pearl disappeared in some way or other. 1.4.16 Which the Roman emperor at that time was eager to purchase from the Ephthalites, but was quite unable to do so. For the barbarians were unable to find it, although they made the search with much labour. However, they say that the Ephthalites found it 1.4.17 later and sold it to Cabades. But what the Persians say concerning this pearl is worth telling; for perhaps to someone the story may seem not altogether incredible. 1.4.18 The Persians, then, say that this pearl was in an oyster in the sea which is in Persia, and that the oyster swam not far from the shore there; and that both its shells were opened, in the middle of which the pearl was fixed, a sight worthy of much talk. For nothing else of all time could in any way be compared to it either in size or in beauty. 1.4.19 And that a sea-dog, extraordinary and terribly fierce, having become a lover of this sight, followed it closely, leaving it neither night nor day, but even when he was compelled to care for his food, he would look about there for something edible, and having found something and picked it up, he would eat it as quickly as possible, and catching up at once with the oyster, he would again be filled with the sight of his beloved. 1.4.20 And they say that once one of the fishermen saw what was happening, but fearing the beast, he shrank from the danger, and reported the whole story to King 1.4.21 Perozes. Upon hearing this, they say a great desire for the pearl came over Perozes, and with many flatteries and hopes of rewards he incited this 1.4.22 fisherman. They say that he, unable to refuse his master's request, said the following to Perozes: “O master, possessions are desirable to a man, but his life is more desirable; most valuable of all, however, are his children. 1.4.23 Compelled by natural affection for them, a man would perhaps even dare everything. I, therefore, shall make an attempt on the beast and I have hope that I shall make you lord of the pearl. 1.4.24 And if I am victorious in this contest, it is clear that henceforth I shall be ranked among those who are called prosperous. For it is not unlikely that you, as king of kings, will reward me with all good things, and it will be enough for me, even though I should receive nothing, if it so happens, to have 1.4.25 become the benefactor of my master. But if I must be caught by this beast, it will be your task, O king, to repay my children for their father's death. 1.4.26 For in this way I, even in death, shall be rewarded in my most vital concerns, and you will carry off a greater reputation for virtue. For by helping my children you will do well by me, who will in no way know the favour of your beneficence. For this alone would be unfeigned gratitude, which is shown toward the dead.” Having said 1.4.27 so much, he departed. And when he arrived at the place where the oyster was accustomed to swim and the dog to follow it, there he sat upon a certain rock, watching for an opportunity if he might ever catch the pearl deprived of its lover. 1.4.28 And when it happened that the dog had very quickly encountered some of its suitable prey for a meal and was busied with this, the fisherman, leaving on the shore those who were following him for this service, went straight for the oyster with great haste, and having already seized it, he hurried to get out with all speed. 1.4.29 The dog, perceiving this, came to the rescue there. And seeing him, the

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ξυντετύχηκε τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἰοῦσιν, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ αὐτοὺς ξὺν τοῖς ἵπποις τε καὶ δόρασιν ἐμπεπτωκότες ἐκείνους τε, ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς, ἔκτειναν καὶ αὐτοὶ οὐδέν τι ἧσσον 1.4.14 ξυνδιεφθάρησαν. ἐν οἷς καὶ Περόζης ἦν ξὺν παισὶ τοῖς αὑτοῦ ἅπασι. καὶ αὐτὸν μέλλοντα ἐς τὸ βάραθρον τοῦτο ἐμπεσεῖσθαί φασι τοῦ τε δεινοῦ ᾐσθῆσθαι καὶ τὸ μάργαρον, ὅ οἱ λευκότατόν τε καὶ μεγέθους ὑπερβολῇ ἔντιμον ἐξ ὠτὸς τοῦ δεξιοῦ ἀπεκρέματο, ἀφελόντα ῥῖψαι, ὅπως δὴ μή τις αὐτὸ ὀπίσω φοροίη, ἐπεὶ ἀξιοθέατον ὑπερφυῶς ἦν, οἷον οὔπω πρότερον ἑτέρῳ 1.4.15 τῳ βασιλεῖ γέγονεν, ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐ πιστὰ λέγοντες. οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐνταῦθα γενόμενος τοῦ κακοῦ ἄλλου ὁτουοῦν ἐς φροντίδα ἦλθεν, ἀλλ' οἶμαι τό τε οὖς αὐτῷ ἐν τούτῳ ξυγκεκόφθαι τῷ πάθει καὶ τὸ μάργαρον ὅπη 1.4.16 ποτὲ ἀφανισθῆναι. ὅπερ ὁ Ῥωμαίων βασιλεὺς τότε πρίασθαι πρὸς τῶν Ἐφθαλιτῶν ἐν σπουδῇ ποιησάμενος ἥκιστα ἴσχυσεν. οὐ γὰρ αὐτὸ εὑρέσθαι οἱ βάρβαροι εἶχον, καίπερ πόνῳ πολλῷ τὴν ζήτησιν ποιησάμενοι. φασὶ μέντοι Ἐφθαλίτας εὑρομένους αὐτὸ 1.4.17 ὕστερον τῷ Καβάδῃ ἀποδόσθαι. ὅσα δὲ ἀμφὶ τῷ μαργάρῳ τούτῳ Πέρσαι λέγουσιν, εἰπεῖν ἄξιον· ἴσως γὰρ ἄν τῳ καὶ οὐ παντάπασιν ἄπιστος ὁ λόγος δόξειεν εἶναι. 1.4.18 Λέγουσιν οὖν Πέρσαι εἶναι μὲν ἐν τῷ κτενὶ τὸ μάργαρον τοῦτο ἐν θαλάσσῃ, ἣ ἐν Πέρσαις ἐστὶ, νήχεσθαι δὲ τὸν κτένα τῆς ταύτη ἠιόνος οὐ πολλῷ ἄποθεν· ἀνεῳγέναι τε αὐτοῦ ἄμφω τὰ ὄστρακα, ὧν δὴ κατὰ μέσον τὸ μάργαρον εἱστήκει θέαμα λόγου πολλοῦ ἄξιον. ἄλλο γὰρ αὐτῷ εἰκασθῆναι οὐδαμῆ ἔσχεν οὔτε τῷ μεγέθει οὔτε τῷ κάλλει ἐκ τοῦ παντὸς χρόνου. 1.4.19 κύνα δὲ θαλάσσιον ὑπερφυᾶ τε καὶ δεινῶς ἄγριον ἐραστὴν τοῦ θεάματος τούτου γενόμενον ἕπεσθαι κατ' ἴχνος αὐτῷ, οὔτε νύκτα ἀνιέντα οὔτε ἡμέραν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡνίκα τροφῆς ἐπιμελεῖσθαι ἀναγκασθείη, ἐνταῦθα μέν τι περισκοπεῖσθαι τῶν ἐδωδίμων, εὑρόντα δέ τι καὶ ἀνελόμενον ἐσθίειν μὲν ὅτι τάχιστα, καταλαβόντα δὲ αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα τὸν κτένα θεάματος αὖθις τοῦ 1.4.20 ἐρωμένου ἐμπίπλασθαι. καί ποτε τῶν τινα γριπέων φασὶ τὰ μὲν ποιούμενα ἐπιδεῖν, ἀποδειλιάσαντα δὲ τὸ θηρίον ἀποκνῆσαι τὸν κίνδυνον, ἔς τε τὸν βασιλέα 1.4.21 Περόζην ἅπαντα τὸν λόγον ἀνενεγκεῖν. ἃ δὴ τῷ Περόζῃ ἀκούσαντι πόθον φασὶ τοῦ μαργάρου γενέσθαι μέγαν, πολλαῖς τε ἀπ' αὐτοῦ θωπείαις τὸν ἀσπαλιέα 1.4.22 τοῦτον καὶ ἀγαθῶν ἐλπίσιν ἐπᾶραι. ὃν δὴ ἀντιτείνειν αἰτουμένῳ δεσπότῃ οὐκ ἔχοντα λέγουσι τάδε τῷ Περόζῃ εἰπεῖν «ὦ δέσποτα, ποθεινὰ μὲν ἀνθρώπῳ χρήματα, «ποθεινοτέρα δὲ ἡ ψυχὴ, πάντων μέντοι ἀξιώτατα τέκνα. 1.4.23 «ὧν δὴ τῇ στοργῇ ἀναγκασθεὶς φύσει ἴσως ἄν τις καὶ «πάντα τολμήσειεν. ἐγὼ τοίνυν τοῦ τε θηρίου ἀπο»πειράσεσθαι καὶ τοῦ μαργάρου σε κύριον θήσεσθαι 1.4.24 «ἐλπίδα ἔχω. καὶ ἢν μὲν κρατήσω τοῦ ἀγῶνος τούτου, «εὔδηλον ὡς ἐν τοῖς καλουμένοις ὀλβίοις τὸ ἐνθένδε «τετάξομαι. σέ τε γὰρ πᾶσιν ἀγαθοῖς με δωρήσεσθαι «ἅτε βασιλέων βασιλέα οὐδὲν ἀπεικὸς, καὶ ἐμοὶ ἀποχρή»σει, καίπερ οὐδὲν, ἂν οὕτω τύχοι, κεκομισμένῳ, τὸ 1.4.25 «δεσπότου εὐεργέτην τοῦ ἐμοῦ γεγενῆσθαι. εἰ δὲ ἐμὲ «δεῖ τῷ θηρίῳ τούτῳ ἁλῶναι, σὸν δὴ ἔργον ἔσται, ὦ «βασιλεῦ, τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ἐμοὺς θανάτου τοῦ πατρῴου 1.4.26 «ἀμείψασθαι. οὕτω γὰρ ἐγὼ μὲν καὶ τετελευτηκὼς ἐν «τοῖς ἀναγκαιοτάτοις ἔμμισθος ἔσομαι, σὺ δὲ ἀρετῆς «δόξαν ἀποίσῃ μείζω. τὰ παιδία γὰρ ὠφελῶν εὖ ποιή»σεις ἐμὲ, ὅσπερ σοι τῆς εὐεργεσίας τὴν χάριν οὐδαμῆ «εἴσομαι. αὕτη γὰρ ἂν εὐγνωμοσύνη ἀκίβδηλος γένοιτο «μόνη ἡ ἐς τοὺς ἀποθανόντας ἐπιδειχθεῖσα.» τοσαῦτα 1.4.27 εἰπὼν ἀπηλλάσσετο. καὶ ἐπεὶ ἐς τὸν χῶρον ἀφίκετο, ἵνα δὴ ὅ τε κτεὶς νήχεσθαι καὶ ὁ κύων αὐτῷ εἴθιστο ἕπεσθαι, ἐνταῦθα ἐπὶ πέτρας ἐκάθητό τινος, καιροφυλακῶν εἴ πως ἔρημόν ποτε τὸ μάργαρον τοῦ ἐραστοῦ 1.4.28 λάβοι. ἐπειδὴ δὲ τῷ κυνὶ τάχιστα τῶν τινι ἐς τὴν θοίνην οἱ ἐπιτηδείως ἐχόντων ἐντετυχηκέναι ξυνέπεσε καὶ περὶ τοῦτο διατριβὴν ἔχειν, ἀπολιπὼν ἐπὶ τῆς ἀκτῆς ὁ ἁλιεὺς τούς οἱ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ δὴ ἑπομένους τῇ ὑπουργίᾳ εὐθὺ τοῦ κτενὸς σπουδῇ πολλῇ ᾔει, καὶ αὐτοῦ ἤδη λαβόμενος ἔξω γενέσθαι κατὰ τάχος ἠπεί1.4.29 γετο. οὗ δὴ ὁ κύων αἰσθόμενος ἐβοήθει ἐνταῦθα. ἰδών τε αὐτὸν ὁ