39

he explained, and presented the servant 1.23.14 who confessed to everything. When Chosroes learned this, he was already extraordinarily angry and thought it a terrible thing that he had suffered such deeds at the hands of a slave, and not knowing how he might make the man 1.23.15 his subject, he devised the following. When he was about to depart from the land of Colchis for home, he wrote to this chanaranges that he had decided to invade the land of the Romans with the whole army, not, however, by a single entry into the country, but by dividing the Persian army in two, so that the invasion against the enemy would be both inside and outside the Euphrates 1.23.16 river. With one part of the army, then, he himself, as was natural, would lead into the enemy's country, but to no other of his subjects would he grant to hold a position equal to the king in this honour, 1.23.17 except to the chanaranges himself on account of his valour. It was necessary, therefore, that he should come to meet him with all speed on the return journey, so that after conferring with him he might entrust to him all that would be of advantage to the army, and that he should order those 1.23.18 with him to proceed on their way behind him. When the chanaranges saw this message delivered, becoming overjoyed at the king's honour toward him, and being far removed from his own troubles, he immediately carried out the commands 1.23.19 given. But on this journey, being unable to endure the hardship (for the man was quite old), he let go the bridle of his horse and fell, and the bone in his leg was broken; for which reason it was necessary for him to remain quiet there receiving treatment, and he came into the presence of the king when he arrived at this 1.23.20 place. And Chosroes told him that it was impossible for him to campaign with them with his foot in such a state, but that he must go to one of the forts there and receive the care of physicians 1.23.21 there. Thus Chosroes sent the man away to his death, and behind him followed those who were to destroy him in the fort, a man who was and was called an invincible general among the Persians, who after campaigning against twelve barbarian nations 1.23.22 had subjected them all to King Cabades. And when Adergoudounbades had disappeared from among men, his son Ouarrames 1.23.23 received the rank of chanaranges. Not long afterwards, either Cabades himself, the son of Zames, or some other person using the name of Cabades, came to Byzantium; he was, however, most similar in appearance to King Cabades. 1.23.24 And the Emperor Justinian, though in doubt, held him in honour with much friendliness, as being the grandson of King Cabades. So the affairs concerning the Persians who had risen against Chosroes happened thus. 1.23.25 Later Chosroes also did away with Mebodes for the following reason. While managing some important business, in the presence of Zaberganes, he ordered him to call Mebodes; now it happened that Zaberganes was at odds with Mebodes; and coming to him, he found him managing the soldiers who followed him, and said that the king was calling him 1.23.26 as quickly as possible. And he agreed to follow very soon, as soon as he had arranged the business at hand, but the other, moved by his hatred for him, reported to Chosroes that Mebodes did not wish to come at present, saying 1.23.27 that he had some business. Therefore Chosroes, seized with anger, sent one of his attendants and ordered Mebodes to go to the tripod. What this is, 1.23.28 I shall now make clear. An iron tripod always stands before the palace. Whenever, therefore, one of the Persians learns that the king is angry with him, it is not lawful for him to take refuge in a sanctuary or to go anywhere else, but sitting by this tripod he must await the king's verdict, with no one at all deigning to guard 1.23.29 him. There Mebodes sat in a pitiful state for many days, until someone, at Chosroes' command, took him and killed him. And to this end did his good services to Chosroes come. 1.24.1 About the same time in Byzantium 1.24.1 an unexpected sedition fell upon the populace, which became the greatest beyond all expectation and resulted in

39

ἔφραζε, καὶ τὸν οἰκέτην 1.23.14 ἐφ' ἅπασίν οἱ ὁμολογοῦντα παρείχετο. ταῦτα ἐπεὶ ὁ Χοσρόης ἔγνω, τῷ τε θυμῷ ἤδη ὑπερφυῶς εἴχετο καὶ δεινὰ ἐποιεῖτο εἰ πρὸς δούλου ἀνδρὸς τοιαῦτα ἔργα πεπονθὼς εἴη, οὐκ ἔχων τε ὅπως οἱ ὑποχείριον τὸν 1.23.15 ἄνδρα ποιοίη, ἐπενόει τάδε. ἡνίκα ἐκ γῆς τῆς Κολχίδος ἐπ' οἴκου ἀναχωρεῖν ἔμελλε, γράφει τῷ χαναράγγῃ τούτῳ ὅτι δὴ αὐτῷ βεβουλευμένα εἴη παντὶ τῷ στρατῷ ἐς γῆν τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἐσβάλλειν, οὐκ ἐν μιᾷ μέντοι τῆς χώρας εἰσόδῳ, ἀλλὰ δίχα ποιησαμένῳ τὸ Περσῶν στράτευμα, ὅπως οἱ ἐντός τε καὶ ἐκτὸς ποταμοῦ Εὐ1.23.16 φράτου ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἡ ἐσβολὴ ἔσται. μιᾷ μὲν οὖν τῆς στρατιᾶς μοίρᾳ ἐς τὴν πολεμίαν αὐτὸν, ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς, ἐξηγήσεσθαι, ἑτέρῳ δὲ οὐδενὶ ἐνδιδόναι τῶν αὐτοῦ δούλων ἴσα τῷ βασιλεῖ ἐν ταύτῃ δὴ τῇ τιμῇ 1.23.17 ἔχειν, ὅτι μὴ αὐτῷ χαναράγγῃ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἕνεκα. δεῖν τοίνυν αὐτὸν μὲν ἐν τῇ ἀποπορείᾳ κατὰ τάχος οἱ ἐς ὄψιν ἐλθεῖν, ὅπως αὐτῷ κοινολογησάμενος ἅπαντα ἐπιστέλλοι ὅσα ξυνοίσειν τῇ στρατιᾷ μέλλοι, τοὺς δὲ 1.23.18 ξὺν αὐτῷ ὄπισθε κελεύειν ὁδῷ ἰέναι. ταῦτα ἐπεὶ ὁ χαναράγγης ἀπενεχθέντα εἶδε, περιχαρὴς γεγονὼς τῇ ἐς αὐτὸν τοῦ βασιλέως τιμῇ, μακράν τε ἀπολελειμμένος τῶν οἰκείων κακῶν αὐτίκα τὰ ἐντεταλμένα ἐπιτελῆ 1.23.19 ἐποίει. ἐν δὲ τῇ ὁδῷ ταύτῃ ἀντέχειν τῷ πόνῳ οὐδαμῆ ἔχων (ἦν γάρ τις γέρων ὁ ἀνὴρ μάλιστα) τόν τε χαλινὸν μεθεὶς τοῦ ἵππου ἐκπίπτει καί οἱ τὸ ἐν τῷ σκέλει ὀστέον ἐρράγη· διὸ δὴ αὐτῷ ἐπάναγκες ἦν ἐνταῦθα θεραπευομένῳ ἡσυχῆ μένειν, ἔς τε τὸ χωρίον 1.23.20 τοῦτο τῷ βασιλεῖ ἥκοντι ἐς ὄψιν ἦλθε. καὶ αὐτῷ Χοσρόης ἔφασκε ξυστρατεύειν σφίσιν οὕτως ἔχοντι τοῦ ποδὸς ἀδύνατα εἶναι, ἀλλὰ χρῆναι αὐτὸν ἔς τι τῶν ἐκείνῃ φρουρίων ἰόντα τῆς πρὸς τῶν ἰατρῶν ἐπιμε1.23.21 λείας ἐνταῦθα τυχεῖν. οὕτω μὲν ὁ Χοσρόης τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ θανάτῳ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀπεπέμψατο, καὶ ξὺν αὐτῷ ὄπισθεν εἵποντο οἵπερ αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ φρουρίῳ ἀπολεῖν ἔμελλον, ἄνδρα ἐν Πέρσαις ἀήττητον στρατηγὸν ὄντα τε καὶ λεγόμενον, ὅσπερ ἐπὶ δώδεκα ἔθνη βαρβάρων 1.23.22 στρατεύσας ἅπαντα Καβάδῃ βασιλεῖ παρεστήσατο. τοῦ δὲ Ἀδεργουδουνβάδου ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀφανισθέντος, Οὐαρ1.23.23 ράμης ὁ παῖς τὸ τοῦ χαναράγγου ἀξίωμα ἔσχε. χρόνῳ δὲ οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον εἴτε Καβάδης αὐτὸς, ὁ τοῦ Ζάμου υἱὸς, εἴτε τις ἄλλος ἐπιβατεύων τοῦ Καβάδου ὀνόματος ἐς Βυζάντιον ἦλθε· Καβάδῃ μέντοι βασιλεῖ 1.23.24 τὴν ὄψιν ἐμφερέστατος ἦν. καὶ αὐτὸν Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεὺς ἀμφιγνοῶν μὲν, ἅτε δὴ Καβάδου βασιλέως υἱωνὸν, ξὺν φιλοφροσύνῃ πολλῇ ἐν τιμῇ ἔσχε. τὰ μὲν οὖν ἀμφὶ Πέρσας τοὺς Χοσρόῃ ἐπαναστάντας ἐγένετο ὧδε. 1.23.25 Ὕστερον δὲ καὶ τὸν Μεβόδην ὁ Χοσρόης διεχρήσατο ἐξ αἰτίας τοιᾶσδε. τῶν τι σπουδαίων διαχειρίζων, παρόντι τῷ Ζαβεργάνῃ ἐπέταττε τὸν Μεβόδην καλεῖν· ἐτύγχανε δὲ τῷ Μεβόδῃ ὁ Ζαβεργάνης διάφορος ὤν· ὃς δὴ παρ' αὐτὸν ἀφικόμενος εὕρισκε μὲν στρατιώτας τοὺς αὐτῷ ἑπομένους διέποντα, ἔλεγε δὲ ὅτι δὴ αὐτὸν 1.23.26 ὡς τάχιστα ὁ βασιλεὺς καλοίη. καὶ ὁ μὲν αὐτίκα μάλα, ἐπειδὰν τὰ ἐν ποσὶ διάθηται, ἕψεσθαι ὡμολόγει, ὁ δὲ τῷ ἐς αὐτὸν ἔχθει ἠγμένος ἀπήγγελλε Χοσρόῃ ὡς οὐ βούλοιτο Μεβόδης ἐν τῷ παρόντι ἥκειν, φάσκων 1.23.27 οἵ τινα ἀσχολίαν εἶναι. θυμῷ τοίνυν ὁ Χοσρόης ἐχόμενος, στείλας τῶν οἱ ἑπομένων τινὰ παρὰ τὸν τρίποδα τὸν Μεβόδην ἐκέλευεν ἰέναι. ὅ τι δὲ τοῦτό ἐστιν, 1.23.28 αὐτίκα δηλώσω. τρίπους σιδηροῦς πρὸ τῶν βασιλείων ἐσαεὶ ἕστηκεν. ἐπειδὰν οὖν τις τῶν Περσῶν πύθηται ὅτι δὴ αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεὺς χαλεπῶς ἔχοι, τούτῳ δὲ οὔτε πη ἐς ἱερὸν καταφυγεῖν θέμις οὔτε ἀλλαχόσε ἰέναι, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τοῦτον καθημένῳ τὸν τρίποδα τὴν βασιλέως προσδέχεσθαι ψῆφον, τῶν πάντων οὐδενὸς φυλάσ1.23.29 σειν αὐτὸν ἀξιοῦντος. ἐνταῦθα ὁ Μεβόδης ἐν σχήματι οἰκτρῷ ἐκάθητο ἡμέρας πολλὰς, ἕως τις αὐτὸν Χοσρόου ἐπαγγείλαντος λαβὼν ἔκτεινεν. ἐς τοῦτό τε αὐτῷ τὰ τῆς ἐς Χοσρόην εὐεργεσίας ἐχώρησεν. 1.24.1 Ὑπὸ δὲ τοὺς αὐτοὺς χρόνους ἐν Βυζαντίῳ 1.24.1 στάσις τῷ δήμῳ ἐκ τοῦ ἀπροσδοκήτου ἐνέπεσεν, ἣ μεγίστη τε παρὰ δόξαν ἐγένετο καὶ ἐς