,

Therefore the assembly of the Romans remained disinclined to fight, with no concern to it, as if placing its concern on the things happening as about some alien matter. But Germanus, having armed a thousand from the fighting force, suddenly 3.3.10 appearing at Constantina, freed it from the expected evils. The general, with difficulty exhorting the Roman regiments and urging them on with words, gathers four thousand and 3.3.11 orders them to invade the Persian territories. But Aristobulus (for he was the one presiding over the imperial household of the emperor, which was called that of Antiochus) was present with the armies, having been sent out by the emperor. This man, partly with gifts and partly with words, softens the untamed nature of the tyranny. 3.4.1 Therefore the Roman force encamped at Martyropolis, having turned to a peaceful disposition, but a certain portion of the camps invades Persia again. Therefore Maruzas, the Persian general, appearing, presented 3.4.2 an obstacle to the Roman occupation. Therefore the Romans returned through Arzanene and the river Nymphius towards home; and Maruzas followed behind the Romans. Therefore the Roman force and the opposing barbarian force flowed together around the city of the Martyrs, and a most conspicuous war takes place for the Romans and Persians; but a magnificent and glorious victory is bequeathed to the Roman side. 3.4.3 For the general of the Persians is killed, and three thousand of the Persians were captured alive, and the men in authority become captives of the spear, and the barbarian regiment that was formed, up to a thousand, 3.4.4 reaches Nisibis. Since, therefore, the slaughter had been great and admirable for the Romans and the plunder brilliant, the army, having gathered, dissolves its enmity towards Maurice and honours the emperor with much booty, sending to him also the Persian standards, which the Romans call *banda* in their native 3.4.5 tongue. But Philippicus was encamped in the city called Hierapolis, contracted with fear of the disorder, eagerly awaiting the change from anarchy. 3.4.6 Therefore, when the winter season succeeded the war in the ever-moving and reciprocal transition of the seasons, the Roman camp is disbanded. But when spring came on and offered a gentle and pleasing aspect to the earth, the customary distribution of gold to the fighting force was sent out 3.4.7 by the emperor. And the war of the Romans and Persians was swelling and convulsing. The Getic people, that is to say the hordes of the Sclavenes, were severely ravaging the regions around Thrace, and the Medes, having encountered the Roman generals, 3.4.8 were becoming an expenditure of slaughter, and elder Rome was withstanding the attacks of the Lombards, and in Libya the forces of the Maurusii were becoming extinct and by the multitude of Roman heroic deeds were declining toward the humble and 3.4. exhausted. Thus therefore those forces laid down their reins along with their shields, having submitted their neck to the Romans, and embraced the tranquility, and the Phasis was not being muddied by blood; for a peaceful stream for a time flowed around with the clarity of quiet, watering the Colchians, nowhere possessing a Mede as an inhabitant. And in this way somehow the affairs of the Romans were being disposed and arranged. 3.5.1 At this time therefore are brought to pass in Media matters not unworthy of narration. But come now, let us also weave these things most elegantly into the melodies of history, like some jewel-studded necklace, a feast for the eyes of the mind, and a delight for the ears, so to speak, and 3.5.2 a festival. A fortress, Giligerdon its name, and this has been built further inside Media, in a region called Bizae, not far from the city of Bendosaboron. And attached to this is also a certain prison; and the barbarians call this Lethe (Oblivion). 3.5.3 And the place, just as land to a god, is dedicated to the passions of royal anger, and a precinct of hostility

οὖν τὸ τῶν ῾Ρωμαίων συνάθροισμα ἀπόμαχον διετέλει, οὐδὲν μέλον αὐτῷ, ὡς περὶ ἀλλοτρίου του πράγματος τῶν γινομένων τὴν φροντίδα τιθέμενον. Γερμανὸς δὲ χιλιάδα ἐκ τῆς μαχίμου καθοπλίσας δυνάμεως, τῇ Κωνσταντίνῃ ἀθρόως 3.3.10 ἐπιφανεὶς τῶν προσδοκίμων αὐτὴν κακῶν ἠλευθέρωσεν. μόλις δὲ παραθήγων ὁ στρατηγὸς τὰ ῾Ρωμαίων συντάγματα καὶ παροτρύνας τοῖς ῥήμασι χιλιάδας τέτταρας συναθροίζει καὶ 3.3.11 τοῖς Περσικοῖς ἐνδημεῖν ἐγκελεύεται. ὁ δ' ᾿Αριστόβουλος (ἦν δ' ἄρα οὗτος τῆς βασιλικῆς οἰκίας προεστὼς τοῦ βασιλέως, τῆς ᾿Αντιόχου προσαγορευομένης) τοῖς στρατεύμασιν ἐπίδημος ἦν ὑπὸ τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος ἐκπεμφθείς. οὗτος πῇ μὲν τοῖς δώροις πῇ δὲ τοῖς λόγοις ὑπομαλάττει τὸ τῆς τυραννίδος ἀτίθασον. 3.4.1 στρατοπεδεύεται γοῦν τὸ ῾Ρωμαϊκὸν ἐπὶ τὴν Μαρτυρόπολιν πρὸς τὸ εἰρηναῖον μεταβαλόμενον, ἀπόμοιρα δέ τις τῶν στρατοπέδων τῇ Περσίδι πάλιν εἰσβάλλει. ὁ μὲν οὖν Μαρουζᾶς, ὁ τοῦ Περσικοῦ στρατηγός, ἐπιφανεὶς κωλύ3.4.2 μην τῆς ἐπιστασίας ῾Ρωμαίοις παρείχετο. ἐπανέζευξαν τοιγαροῦν οἱ ῾Ρωμαῖοι διὰ τῆς ᾿Αρζανηνῆς καὶ τοῦ Νυμφίου πο-ταμοῦ πρὸς τὰ οἴκοι· συνείπετο δὲ καὶ ὁ Μαρουζᾶς τοῖς ῾Ρωμαίοις κατόπιν. συνέρρευσε τοιγαροῦν τὸ ῾Ρωμαϊκὸν ὁμοῦ καὶ τὸ ἀντίθετον βάρβαρον περὶ τὴν Μαρτύρων πόλιν, καὶ γίνεται ῾Ρωμαίοις καὶ Πέρσαις ἐπιφανέστατος πόλεμος· κληροδοτεῖται δὲ τῷ ῾Ρωμαϊκῷ νίκη μεγαλοπρεπὴς καὶ περίδοξος. 3.4.3 ἀναιρεῖται γὰρ ὁ τῶν Περσῶν στρατηγός, ἥλωσαν δὲ τοῦ Περσικοῦ ζωγρηθέντες τρισχίλιοι, καὶ οἱ ἐν τέλει δοριάλωτοι γίνονται, καὶ μέχρι χιλίων τὸ τῶν βαρβάρων γενόμενον σύν3.4.4 ταγμα πρὸς τὴν Νίσιβιν γίνεται. τοῦ τοίνυν φόνου γενομένου μεγάλου τε καὶ ἀξιαγάστου ῾Ρωμαίοις καὶ τῆς λαφυραγωγίας λαμπρᾶς, συναθροισθὲν τὸ στρατόπεδον διαλύονται τὴν ἔχθραν πρὸς τὸν Μαυρίκιον καὶ γεραίρουσι λαφύροις πολλοῖς τὸν αὐτοκράτορα πέμψαντες ὡς αὐτὸν καὶ τὰ σημεῖα τοῦ Περσικοῦ, ἃ τῇ πατρίῳ φωνῇ βάνδα ῾Ρωμαῖοι κατονο3.4.5 μάζουσιν. ὁ δὲ Φιλιππικὸς ἐν τῇ ῾Ιερᾷ λεγομένῃ πόλει ἐνηυλίζετο τῷ φόβῳ συσταλεὶς τῆς ἀταξίας, καραδοκῶν τὴν τῆς ἀναρχίας μεταβολήν. 3.4.6 Χειμῶνος τοιγαροῦν ὥρας διαδεξαμένης τὸν πόλεμον τῇ ἀεικινήτῳ καὶ ἀμοιβαίᾳ τῶν τροπῶν μεταβάσει, ὁ χάραξ τοῦ ῾Ρωμαϊκοῦ διαλύεται. ἐπιγινομένου δ' ἦρος καὶ προσηνῆ καὶ ἐπίχαριν ὄψιν παρεχομένου τῇ γῇ, ἡ κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς τοῦ χρυσοῦ διανομὴ τῷ μαχίμῳ ὑπὸ τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος ἐξε3.4.7 πέμπετο. ὁ δὲ ῾Ρωμαίων τε καὶ Περσῶν πόλεμος ἐσφρίγα τε καὶ ἐσφάδαζεν. τὸ δὲ Γετικόν, ταὐτὸν δ' εἰπεῖν αἱ τῶν Σκλαυηνῶν ἀγέλαι, τὰ περὶ τὴν Θρᾴκην ἐς τὸ καρτερὸν ἐλυμαίνοντο, οἱ δὲ Μῆδοι τοῖς ῾Ρωμαίων στρατηγοῖς συγκυρή3.4.8 σαντες παρανάλωμα φόνου ἐγίνοντο, ῾Ρώμη δ' ἡ πρεσβῦτις ταῖς τῶν Λογοβάρδων ἀντεῖχεν ἐφόδοις, τῇ δὲ Λιβύῃ αἱ τῶν Μαυρουσίων δυνάμεις διετέλουν ἐξίτηλοι καὶ τῷ πλήθει τῶν ῾Ρωμαϊκῶν ἀνδραγαθημάτων πρὸς τὸ ταπεινὸν καὶ κατη3.4. τονημένον ἀπέκλινον. οὕτω μὲν οὖν ἐκεῖναι μετὰ τῶν ἀσπίδων καὶ τὰς ἡνίας κατέθεντο τὸν αὐχένα ῾Ρωμαίοις ὑποχαλάσασαι, καὶ τήν [τε] ἠρεμίαν ἐνηγκαλίζοντο, ὁ δὲ Φᾶσις οὐκ ἐθολοῦτο τοῖς αἵμασιν· εἰρηναῖον γὰρ ῥεῖθρον τέως περιεβάλλετο τῷ διαυγεῖ τῆς ἡσυχίας καταρδεύων τοὺς Κόλχους, μηδαμοῦ κεκτημένος Μῆδον οἰκήτορα. καὶ ὧδέ πως τὰ ῾Ρωμαίων διετίθετό τε καὶ συνετάττετο. 3.5.1 ᾿Εν τούτῳ τοιγαροῦν τῷ καιρῷ τελεσιουργοῦνται κατὰ τὴν Μηδικὴν οὐκ ἀναξιόλογα διηγήσεως πράγματα. ἀλλ' ἄγε δὴ ἐνείρωμεν καὶ τάδε τοῖς τῆς ἱστορίας μέλεσιν εὐκοσμότατα, οἷά περ ὅρμον τινὰ λιθοκόλλητον, ὀφθαλμοῖς διανοίας ἑστίασιν, ὤτων δὲ θυμηδίαν, ὡς ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, καὶ 3.5.2 πανήγυριν. φρούριον, Γιλιγέρδων ὄνομα αὐτῷ, ἐνδοτέρω δὲ τοῦτο τῆς Μηδικῆς ᾠκοδόμηται, ἐν χώρᾳ ἐπιλεγομένῃ Βιζαῇ, οὐ πόρρω Βενδοσαβόρων τῆς πόλεως. πρόσεστι δὲ τούτῳ καί τις εἱρκτή· Λήθην δὲ ὀνομάζουσι ταύτην οἱ βάρβαροι. 3.5.3 ὁ δὲ χῶρος ὥσπερ γῆ θεῷ ὀργὰς βασιλικῷ θυμῷ ἀνατίθεται, καὶ τέμενος δυσμενείας