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to have journeyed in vain, to deal with those who had led them astray by arms, and thus depart to their own lands. 32.4 Therefore, having made this plan among themselves, while it was still the beginning of the night, they began that varied and multifaceted contrivance. 32.5 For having lit lights everywhere, and having yoked all their ships in pairs, one next to the other, and having bound the sides of each to one another with some sturdy ropes and iron chains so that they would not easily separate, they hoisted up by means of the rigging hanging from the prow the timbers that projected in between, which it is the custom for sailors to call masts. 32.6 Then, having raised the yardarms of both ships on these by means of ropes turning on the masthead somewhere in mid-air, and having projected their yard-ends out from the prow-side and beyond the beam of the ships, they constructed a strange and unusual piece of villainy through such a device. 32.7 For when the yardarms had been raised high, as I said, they laid upon them long timbers in a row, one after another, and having bridged the space between with this cleverly devised machine, and having fenced the edges all around with planks, and having secured the ends of the yardarms to the stern parts with other very sturdy lashings, they crafted with this device certain towers more useful than those established on the wall on the landward side, 32.8 in which they embarked certain armed barbarians, girded with strength of body and boldness of nature, to carry out the final and last plot against us. 32.9 For they directed some of them to shoot with bows at those standing further inside the wall, and others with hand-thrown stones; 32.10 arming others with a certain fire, itself also crafted and prepared beforehand in some earthenware vessels, they ordered to hurl it against those coming opposite them. 32.11 And all these things were effective and suitable for them because they were no longer operating on the ground, but by the aforementioned wicked device they had become higher even than the structure of the wall itself, and all their malevolence happened to be useful as if from on high. 33.1 But when all these things were put into effect by the impious during that very night, and none of the things being done for the time being escaped our notice, because, as has been said, they had many lights and the shore on which their plans were being eagerly carried out was nearby, fear and astonishment seized everyone, and they did not know by what means they would henceforth preserve their own safety. 33.2 For it was possible to see the entire populace thoroughly shaken and perplexed, at a loss in various ways and fearing for its very life. 33.3 For each person was not concerned with how to ward off the pressing necessity, but was torn apart in his thoughts by how or with what kind of pain he would face death. 33.4 For to flee was no longer either easy or safe, with the barbarians standing round about the wall and lying in wait at the gates. 33.5 On the other hand, the danger before their eyes did not permit them to remain. Therefore, having given up all hope of safety, they paced the wall like dumbstruck men, perplexed by the magnitude of the disaster. 33.6 Nevertheless, it seemed good to some, those in whom the wick of manliness had not been completely extinguished, to prepare some things on the wall in anticipation of the enemy, for the repelling of those who were coming on. 33.7 These things were pitch and torches and quicklime and certain other things, by which the flames of fire are quickly fed, prepared in earthenware vessels, so that, should the ships happen to be mooring, by using these and hurling them through the midst, they might render them unsuccessful and foiled in this attempt. 34.1 But as these too were the works and counsels of men in perplexity, and already the light of day was dispelling the gloom of night, behold, the ships, in their full array, having been divided into many groups, dashed against the wall, displaying a new and strange spectacle to the eyes of all;

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διανύσαι μάτην ἀποπλανήσαντας τοῖς ὅπλοις διαχειρίσασθαι, καὶ οὕτως ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀπαίρειν. 32.4 ταύτην οὖν παρ' ἑαυτοῖς θέμενοι τὴν βουλήν, ἔτι κατ' ἀρχὰς οὔσης τῆς νυκτός, τοῦ ποικίλου καὶ πολυειδοῦς ἐκείνου ἀπήρξαντο μηχανήματος. 32.5 ὑφάψαντες γὰρ πανταχοῦ φῶτα, καὶ πάσας αὐτῶν τὰς νῆας κατὰ δύο συζεύξαντες ἑτέραν τῆς ἑτέρας ἐχομένην, καί τισι κάλοις στιβαροῖς καὶ σιδηραῖς ἁλύσεσι τὰς ἑκατέρων πλευρὰς ἐν ἀλλήλαις συσφίγξαντες πρὸς τὸ μὴ ῥᾳδίως ἀφίστασθαι, ἀνείλκυσαν διὰ τῶν κατὰ πρῴραν ἀπῃωρημένων ἐξαρτίων τὰ διὰ μέσου προβεβλημένα ξύλα, ἃ τοῖς ναυτιλλομένοις κατάρτια καλεῖν ἔθος. 32.6 εἶτα τοὺς τῶν ἑκατέρων νηῶν αὐχένας ἐν τούτοις διὰ τῶν εἰς τὴν κεφαλίδα στρεφομένων σχοινίων μέσον που τοῦ ἀέρος μετεωρήσαντες, τάς τε σπάθας αὐτῶν ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ πρῴραν μέρους καὶ πέρα τῆς τῶν νηῶν διαμέτρου προβεβληκότες, ξένον τι καὶ παρηλλαγμένον πανούργευμα διὰ τοῦ τοιούτου τεχνάσματος ἐτεκτήναντο. 32.7 ὑψοῦ γάρ, ὡς ἔφην, τῶν αὐχένων μετεωρηθέντων, ἔβαλλον ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐπιθέντες μακρά τινα ξύλα στιχηδὸν ἄλλο κατ' ἄλλο, καὶ τὸν διὰ μέσου τόπον γεώσαντες τῇ σεσοφισμένῃ ταύτῃ μηχανῇ, τὰ πέρατά τε πάντοθεν σανίσι καταφραξάμενοι, καὶ τὰ ἄκρα τῶν αὐχένων ἐν τοῖς κατὰ πρύμναν μέρεσιν ἄλλοις στιβαρωτάτοις δεσμοῖς ἐνασφαλισάμενοι, πύργους τινὰς τῶν εἰς τὴν χέρσον ἐν τῷ τείχει καθισταμένων χρειωδεστέρους τῇ ἐπινοίᾳ ταύτῃ κατετεχνάσαντο, 32.8 ἐν οἷς ἐνόπλους τινὰς βαρβάρους ἐπανεβίβασαν, ῥώμῃ σωμάτων καὶ τολμηρίᾳ φύσεως ἀνεσταλμένους, τὴν καθ' ἡμῶν ὑστάτην καὶ τελευταίαν ἐπιβουλὴν ἐνεργήσοντας. 32.9 ἐπέτρεπον γὰρ τοὺς μὲν αὐτῶν βάλλειν τοῖς τόξοις κατὰ τῶν ἐνδοτέρων τοῦ τείχους ἑστώτων, τοὺς δὲ τοῖς χειροπληθέσι λίθοις· 32.10 ἄλλους πυρί τινι, καὐτῷ τετεχνημένῳ καί τισιν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσι προηυτρεπισμένῳ, καθοπλίσαντες κατὰ τῶν ἀντιπρόσωπον αὐτῶν ἐρχομένων προσέταττον ἀκοντίζειν. 32.11 ταῦτα δὲ πάντα ἦν αὐτοῖς ἐνεργῆ τε καὶ ἐπιτήδεια διὰ τὸ μηκέτι περὶ γῆν αὐτοῖς εἶναι ποιεῖν, ἀλλὰ τῷ προλεχθέντι κακούργῳ τεχνάσματι ὑψηλοτέρους αὐτοὺς καὶ αὐτῆς τῆς οἰκοδομῆς γενέσθαι τοῦ τείχους καὶ πᾶσαν αὐτῶν κακόνοιαν ὡς ἀπὸ μετεώρου χρειώδη συμβαίνειν. 33.1 Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ταῦτα πάντα κατ' αὐτὴν ἐκείνην τὴν νύκτα εἰς ἔργον ἤχθη τοῖς ἀσεβέσιν, οὐδὲν δὲ τῶν πραττομένων τέως ἐλάνθανεν ἡμᾶς διὰ τό, ὡς εἴρηται, φῶτα ἔχειν αὐτοὺς πολλὰ καὶ πλησίον εἶναι τὸν αἰγιαλὸν εἰς ὃν αὐτοῖς τὰ δόξαντα διεσπούδαστο, ἔλαβε πάντας φόβος καὶ ἔκπληξις, καὶ οὐκ εἶχον ᾧτινι τοῦ λοιποῦ τρόπῳ τὸ ἀσφαλὲς ἑαυτοῖς συντηρήσονται. 33.2 ἦν γὰρ ἰδεῖν τὸν δῆμον ὅλον δι' ὅλου κλονούμενόν τε καὶ ἀπορούμενον, ἄλλοτε ἄλλως ἀμηχανοῦντα καὶ πρὸς αὐτὴν τὴν ζωὴν κινδυνεύοντα. 33.3 οὐ γὰρ ὅπως ἕκαστος ἀποκρούσηται τὴν ἐφεστῶσαν ἀνάγκην διὰ φροντίδος εἶχεν, ἀλλὰ πῶς ἢ μεθ' οἵας ἀλγηδόνος τῷ θανάτῳ προσομιλήσει τοῖς λογισμοῖς κατετέμνετο. 33.4 φυγεῖν μὲν γὰρ οὐκέτι οὔτε πρόχειρον οὔτε ἀσφαλὲς ἦν, κύκλῳ τοῦ τείχους τῶν βαρβάρων περιεστώτων καὶ κατὰ τῶν πυλῶν ἐφεδρευόντων. 33.5 προσμένειν δὲ πάλιν ὁ κατ' ὀφθαλμοὺς οὐκ ἐδίδου κίνδυνος. πᾶσαν οὖν ἐλπίδα σωτηρίας προδόντες, καθάπερ ἐννεοί τινες τὸ τεῖχος διήμειβον, τῷ μεγέθει τῆς συμφορᾶς ἀπορούμενοι. 33.6 πλὴν ἔδοξέ τισιν, ὅσοις οὐ κατέσβη τελείως τῆς ἀνδρίας ἡ θρυαλλίς, μεταξὺ τῆς προσδοκίας τῶν πολεμίων προευτρεπίσαι τινὰ τῷ τείχει εἰς ἀποτροπὴν τῶν ἐπερχομένων. 33.7 τὰ δὲ ἦν πίσσα καὶ δᾷδες καὶ ἄσβεστος καί τινα ἄλλα, οἷς τρέφονται τάχος πυρὸς φλόγες, σκεύεσιν ὀστρακίνοις ἐπιτετηδευμένα, ὡς ἂν τῶν νηῶν τυχὸν ἐφορμουσῶν τούτοις χρώμενοι καὶ διὰ μέσου τούτων ἐξακοντίζοντες ἀπράκτους αὐτοὺς καὶ τῆσδε τῆς ἐπιχειρήσεως ἀποδείξωσιν. 34.1 Ὡς δὲ καὶ ταῦτα ἀνθρώπων ἦν ἀπορουμένων ἔργα καὶ διαβούλια, ἤδη δὲ καὶ τῆς ἡμέρας τὸ φῶς τὸν νυκτερινὸν ζόφον διέλυεν, ἰδοὺ δὴ καὶ αἱ νῆες, ὡς εἶχον σκευῆς, κατὰ πολλοὺς τόπους διαιρεθεῖσαι τῷ τείχει προσέρρηξαν, καινόν τι καὶ παράδοξον θέαμα ταῖς ἁπάντων ὄψεσι προδεικνύμεναι·