18

having dug for a long stretch what was sufficiently large, he attached each of its ends to the outwork, having filled it with a continuous supply of water, and having made it completely impassable for the enemy, and in its inner part he placed another outwork; on which indeed the Romans, standing, keep guard in a siege, disregarding 2.1.26 both the circuit-wall and the other outwork, which is projected in front of the wall. And it happened that between the wall and the outwork, near the gates which are opposite the place of Ammodios, lay a great mass of earth, and from it the enemy were for the most part able to remain concealed, while making tunnels against the city 2.1.27 beneath the circuit-wall. This he removed from there, and having thoroughly cleared the area, in this way he checked the enemy's plot against the wall. 2.2.1 The works of the fortification, then, were made by him in some such manner. And he also built reservoirs for water, partly between the circuit-wall and the outwork, and partly very near the church, which is dedicated to the apostle Bartholomew, somewhere toward the setting 2.2.2 sun. And a river also flows from a suburb of the city, distant from it by two stades, which indeed is called Kordes 2.2.3. And on either side of it two exceedingly rugged cliffs rise. And this river proceeds between the base of each as far as the city, being carried along the foothills of the mountains, and for this very reason 2.2.4 being both unapproachable and untouchable by the enemy. For they are not able to force it anywhere in the level ground. But they draw 2.2.5 it into the city in the following manner. They have made a large channel from the circuit-wall, and having secured the mouth of the channel with numerous and very thick iron bars, some upright, others transverse, they managed for the water to be able to enter the city, not 2.2.6 to the harm of the fortification. Thus, then, entering the city and having filled the reservoirs there, and being led about wherever the people there might wish, it then discharges into another area of the city, the outlet having been made similar to its inlet into 2.2.7 the city. And flowing around the plains in that region, it made the city easy to besiege. For there it was not difficult for the enemy to encamp 2.2.8, because of the abundance of water. Considering that this should not happen, the Emperor Justinian took the present circumstances under consideration, examining whether he might find some remedy for the situation 2.2.9. But God, healing his perplexity, by causing the event to happen spontaneously, saved the city with no delay. And it happened thus. 2.2.10 One of those serving in the army there, whether having seen some vision in a dream or being moved to this of his own accord, gathering a large crowd of craftsmen from among those concerned with building, ordered a long trench to be made inside the circuit-wall, having pointed out a certain spot to them; for they would find potable water there 2.2.11, gushing forth from the recesses of the earth. And having made the trench circular to a length of fifteen feet 2.2.12, he brought it down to a very great depth. This saving thing for the city was not done by the foresight of these craftsmen, but what was destined to happen there as a disaster, turned out for the Romans through this trench to be of every advantage. 2.2.13 For when in the meantime extraordinary rains broke forth, the river, which I just mentioned, roaring before the circuit-wall and rising to a great height, no longer followed its accustomed course, since neither the 2.2.14 entrances nor the channel, as before, could receive it, having become so great. It therefore massed against the wall, gathering its stream, extending greatly in height and depth, and partly forming a lake, and partly 2.2.15 swelling and becoming wave-like. So then, overpowering the outwork, it immediately threw it down, and shaking down also a great part of the wall and throwing open the gates, and flowing in a great mass, it seizes almost the entire city, and having gone about its marketplace and narrow streets and no less the houses, carrying with it from there a great mass of debris of furniture and wooden implements and other such things, and falling 2.2.16 into this trench it disappears underground

18

ἱκανῶς ἔχουσαν ἐπὶ μακρῷ κατορύξας, ἑκάτερον αὐτῆς τῷ προτειχίσματι τὸ πέρας ἐνῆψεν, ὕδατος μὲν αὐτὴν διαρκῶς ἐμπλησάμενος, ἄβατόν τε παντάπασι τοῖς πολεμίοις καταστησάμενος, ἐν μοίρᾳ δὲ αὐτῆς τῇ ἐντὸς προτείχισμα θέμενος ἕτερον· ᾧ δὴ ἐφεστῶτες ἐν πολιορκίᾳ φρουροῦσι Ῥωμαῖοι, τοῦ τε περιβόλου καὶ προτειχίσματος τοῦ ἑτέρου ἀφροντι2.1.26 στήσαντες, ὅπερ τοῦ τείχους προβέβληται. ἐτύγχανε δὲ τοῦ τε τείχους καὶ τοῦ προτειχίσματος μεταξὺ κατὰ τὰς πύλας, αἳ καταντικρὺ τοῦ Ἀμμώδιος χωρίου εἰσί, μέγα τι χρῆμα χώματος κείμενον, καὶ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ οἱ πολέμιοι λανθάνειν ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον οἷοί τε ἦσαν, ἐπὶ τῇ πό2.1.27 λει διώρυχας ἔνερθεν τοῦ περιβόλου ποιούμενοι. ὅπερ ἐνθένδε περιελὼν καὶ περικαθήρας εὖ μάλα τὸν χῶρον, ταύτῃ τοῖς πολεμίοις τὴν ἐς τὸ τεῖχος ἐπιβουλὴν ἀνεχαίτισε. 2.2.1 Τὰ μὲν οὖν τοῦ ὀχυρώματος αὐτῷ τῇδέ πη πεποίηται. καὶ ὕδατος δὲ εἰργάσατο ἔλυτρα πὴ μὲν τοῦ περιβόλου καὶ τοῦ προτειχίσματος μεταξύ, πὴ δὲ ἄγχιστα τοῦ νεώ, ὃς Βαρθολομαίῳ ἀποστόλῳ ἀνεῖται πρὸς δύοντά 2.2.2 που τὸν ἥλιον. ῥεῖ δὲ καὶ ποταμὸς ἐκ προαστείου τῆς πόλεως διέχοντος αὐτῆς σημείων δυοῖν, ὃ δὴ Κόρδης 2.2.3 ἐπικαλεῖται. ἐφ' ἑκάτερα δὲ αὐτοῦ σκοπέλω δύο ἀνέχετον ὑπεράγαν σκληρώ. πρόεισί τε μεταξὺ τῆς ἑκατέρου ὑπωρείας ἄχρι ἐς τὴν πόλιν ὁ ποταμὸς οὗτος, παρὰ τοὺς πρόποδας φερόμενος τῶν ὀρῶν, μάλιστά τε καὶ δι' αὐτὸ 2.2.4 τοῖς πολεμίοις ἄτρεπτός τε καὶ ἀνέπαφος ὤν. οὐ γὰρ ἔχουσι βιάζεσθαί πη αὐτὸν ἐν ὑπτίῳ τῆς γῆς. ἐπι2.2.5 σπῶνται δὲ αὐτὸν ἐς τὴν πόλιν τρόπῳ τοιῷδε. ὀχετὸν μὲν ἐκ τοῦ περιβόλου πεποίηνται μέγαν, ὀβελοῖς δὲ σιδηροῖς τὸ τοῦ ὀχετοῦ στόμα συχνοῖς τε καὶ ὡς παχυτάτοις καταλαβόντες, τοῖς μὲν ὀρθοῖς, τοῖς δὲ ἐγκαρσίοις, διεπράξαντο τῷ ὕδατι ἐς τὴν πόλιν εἰσιτητὰ εἶναι, οὐκ 2.2.6 ἐπὶ πονηρῷ τοῦ ὀχυρώματος. οὕτω τοίνυν ἐς τὴν πόλιν ἐσιὼν καὶ τὰ ἐκείνῃ ἔλυτρα ἐμπλησάμενος, περιαγόμενός τε ὅποι ποτὲ δοκοίη τοῖς τῇδε ἀνθρώποις, εἶτα ἐκβάλλει ἐς ἑτέραν τινὰ τῆς πόλεως χώραν, ἐμφεροῦς αὐτῷ τῇ ἐς 2.2.7 τὴν πόλιν εἰσαγωγῇ πεποιημένης τῆς ἐκβολῆς. περιιών τε τὰ ταύτῃ πεδία ἐς πολιορκίαν εὐπετῆ ἐποιεῖτο τὴν πόλιν. ἐνταῦθα γὰρ ἐνστρατοπεδεύεσθαι τοῖς πολεμίοις 2.2.8 τῇ τοῦ ὕδατος περιουσίᾳ οὐ χαλεπὸν ἦν. ὅπερ ἵνα μὴ γένηται λογισάμενος Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεὺς τὰ παρόντα ἐν βουλῇ ἐποιεῖτο, διασκοπούμενος εἴ τινα τῷ πράγματι 2.2.9 ἄκεσιν εὕροι. ὁ δὲ θεὸς αὐτῷ τὴν ἀμηχανίαν ἰώμενος, ἀπαυτοματίσας τὴν πρᾶξιν μελλήσει τὴν πόλιν οὐδεμιᾷ διεσώσατο. ἐγίνετο δὲ δὴ ὧδε. 2.2.10 Τῶν τις ἐκείνῃ στρατευσαμένων, εἴτε τινὰ ὄψιν ὀνείρου ἰδὼν εἴτε αὐτόματος εἰς τοῦτο ἠγμένος, τῶν περὶ τὰς οἰκοδομίας τεχνιτῶν ἑταιρισάμενος πολὺν ὅμιλον, διώρυχα ἐκέλευε μακρὰν ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβόλου γεγενῆσθαι, δείξας τι χωρίον αὐτοῖς· ὕδωρ γὰρ πότιμον ἐν2.2.11 ταῦθα εὑρήσειν ἐκ μυχῶν ἀποβλύζον τῆς γῆς. κυκλοτερῆ τε τὴν διώρυχα ἐς ποδῶν μῆκος πεντεκαίδεκα ποι2.2.12 ησάμενος ἐπὶ πλεῖστον τὸ βάθος κατῆγε. τοῦτο τῇ πόλει σωτήριον οὐκ ἐκ προνοίας τῶν τεχνιτῶν τούτων πεποίηται, ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἐνταῦθα ξυμβήσεσθαι κακὸν ἔμελλεν, ἐς πᾶν ξυμφέρον διὰ τῆς κατώρυχος ἀπεκρίθη Ῥωμαίοις. 2.2.13 ὄμβρων γὰρ μεταξὺ ἐξαισίων καταρραγέντων, ὁ ποταμός, οὗπερ ἐπεμνήσθην ἀρτίως, πρὸ τοῦ περιβόλου μορμύρων ἀρθείς τε ἐπὶ μέγα κατὰ τὰ ξυνειθισμένα οὐκέτι ἐχώρει, οὐ δεχομένων αὐτὸν τηλικόνδε γεγενημένον οὔτε τῶν 2.2.14 εἰσόδων οὔτε τοῦ ὀχετοῦ, ᾗπερ τὰ πρότερα. ξυνίστατο οὖν ἐπὶ τὸ τεῖχος ξυνάγων τὸν ῥοῦν, ἐς ὕψος τε καὶ βάθος κατατείνων πολύ, καὶ πὴ μὲν λιμνάζων, πὴ δὲ 2.2.15 κυρτούμενός τε καὶ κυματίας γεγενημένος. τὸ μὲν οὖν προτείχισμα βιασάμενος καθεῖλεν εὐθύς, κατασείσας δὲ καὶ πολλήν τινα τοῦ τείχους μοῖραν καὶ τὰς πύλας ἀναπετάσας πολύς τε ῥεύσας τὴν πόλιν καταλαμβάνει σχεδόν τι ὅλην, καὶ αὐτῆς τήν τε ἀγορὰν καὶ τοὺς στενωποὺς καὶ οὐδέν τι ἧσσον τὰς οἰκίας περιπολήσας, ἐπίπλων τε ἐνθένδε καὶ ξυλίνων τευχῶν καὶ ἄλλων τοιούτων φορυτὸν μέγαν ἐπαγόμενος, ἐς ταύτην τε τὴν διώρυχα ἐμ2.2.16 πεσὼν ἀφανίζεται ὑπόγειος