,

at the present time? Now either confirm the title by your actions, or inherit the false name of your calling by your wrongdoings. What will you show more kingly than this throughout the entire time of your reign? What other occasion for boasting could be established for the Romans? What pledge of your clemency, O Emperor, will be more revered by the nations than this? Now through a small alliance you will draw forth an immortal peace, and what has in no way been accomplished for the Romans by countless struggles, by the infinity of cares, and by the lavish expenditure of money, now, through virtue of soul, demanded by the moment and managed in a kingly manner, you will effortlessly carry away and enjoy a painless tranquility free from toils; what could be more advantageous for the Romans than this? Let no thought of Hormisdas's wickedness inhabit your heart. He has learned, from what he has suffered, not to detest peace. Chosroes is not the successor to his father's wrongdoings; children do not in every case inherit along with the property also their father's disposition. That one was hostile, this one is now well-disposed, carrying about with him your benefaction made substantial to him, which he will be ashamed to forget, possessing many witnesses of your piety. Let not tyrants prevail, lest you share in the example. Or is not evil an object of envy for the many, and is not the nature of men set towards the desires of the worse, possessing an impulse that is difficult to lead up to the better? We have heard that the tyrant also sent ambassadors to you, demanding to have as a partner one who has done no wrong in his offense, and to rebel against a master with a fugitive, so to speak, contriving thus. What could be more inglorious and more abominable for the Romans than this? And what foundation of trust will he who has a record of the greatest ingratitude and has arrayed a phalanx against his benefactors establish for you with his promises, he who has put on every form of wickedness, in order to depose from his kingdom a master who has wronged him in nothing? A foundation of wickedness is not suited to preserve a promise of friendship. An unphilosophical beginning will in every case also have a disadvantageous end; for the growth does not have a progress contrary to its seeds. Bahram might perhaps attempt to bait injustice with gifts; but "evil gifts are no gifts and unprofitable" I have heard one of your elegant sages say. The reward of outrage knows not how to bear the fruit of enjoyment, the profit growing in the furrows of injustice knows not how to have a harvest free from regret. For before it pleases, it pains, and before it charms, it turns to sorrow; for it has departed from its lovers, taking away also what one has not acquired badly. But we will give back the city of Martyropolis, and we will offer Dara as a gift, and we will commit the war to burial, having built the peace without reward, and having said farewell to Armenia, because of which the war unfortunately found its opportunity against men. And if the gifts are not worthy of the necessity, yet this is our finest trait, to philosophize the promise with measure, rather than to weary the ear with great professions and by the unfulfillment of the outcome bring upon ourselves immortal slander, having badly stored up great occasions for evils for the future well-being of the peace. I have spoken sufficiently on behalf of what is advantageous for both Romans and Persians. But if anything of the more complete matters has been omitted, understand, O Emperor, what is lacking. For many things are accustomed to escape the mind out of anxiety; for necessity knows not how to endure practice or to obey the dictates of care, always ferrying the mind through the confusion of the moment." 4.14.1 When these things had been thus spoken by the ambassadors, and their request had obtained what was persuasive and pleasing by the fluency of their speech, it was decreed by both the senate and the emperor that the Romans would assist Chosroes, but would prepare war against Bahram with great vigor, unworthy of Latin rule

γε ἐν τῷ παρόντι καιρῷ; νῦν ἢ τοῖς πράγμασι τὴν προσηγορίαν κυρώσητε, ἢ τοῖς ἀδικήμασι τῆς κλήσεως τὴν ψευδω4.13.15 νυμίαν κληρώσησθε. τί δὲ δείξεις τούτου βασιλικώτερον παρὰ πάντα τὸν τῆς σῆς ἡγεμονίας καιρόν; ποία δέ τις ἄλλη ῾Ρωμαίοις μεγαλαυχημάτων ἀφορμὴ κατασταίη; τί δέ σοι, βασιλεῦ, τῆς σῆς ἐπιεικείας ἐνέχυρον ἔσται τοῖς ἔθνεσι 4.13.16 τούτου σεμνότερον; νῦν ἀρύσῃ διὰ μικρᾶς συμμαχίας τὴν εἰρήνην ἀθάνατον, καὶ ἃ τοῖς μυρίοις ἀγῶσι τῷ τε τῶν φροντίδων ἀπείρῳ καὶ τῷ ἐκχύτῳ τῆς τῶν χρημάτων καταβολῆς ῾Ρωμαίοις οὐδαμῇ που κατείργασται, νῦν διὰ ψυχῆς ἀρετήν, ὑπὸ μὲν τοῦ καιροῦ ζητουμένην, οἰκονομουμένην δὲ βασιλικῶς, ἀπραγματεύτως ἀποίσῃ καὶ καρπώσῃ τὴν ἄλυπον ἠρεμίαν πόνων ἐκτός· οὗ τί ἂν γένοιτο ῾Ρωμαίοις λυσιτελέ4.13.17 στερον; μηδέν τι τῆς ῾Ορμίσδου κακίας τὴν σὴν κατοικείτω καρδίαν. ἔμαθεν, ἐξ ὧν πέπονθεν, μὴ τὴν εἰρήνην βδελύττεσθαι. οὐκ ἔστι Χοσρόης τῶν πατρῴων ἀδικημάτων διάδοχος· οὐ κληρονομοῦσι μετὰ τῆς οὐσίας οἱ παῖδες καὶ τῆς πατρῴας 4.13.18 πάντως που προαιρέσεως. ἐκεῖνος δυσμενής, οὗτος νῦν εὐμενής, οὐσιωμένην αὐτῷ τὴν σὴν εὐεργεσίαν περιαγόμενος, ἧς ἀμνημονεῖν αἰσχυνθήσεται πολλοὺς τῆς εὐσεβείας κεκτη4.13.1 μένος τοὺς μάρτυρας. μὴ κρατείτωσαν τύραννοι, ἵνα μὴ μεθέξῃς τοῦ παραδείγματος. ἢ οὐχὶ τὸ κακὸν τοῖς πολλοῖς ἐστι περίζηλον, καὶ πρὸς τὰς τῶν χειρόνων ἐφέσεις ἡ τῶν ἀνθρώπων καθέστηκε φύσις δυσανάγωγον πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον 4.13. τὴν ὁρμὴν κεκτημένη; ἀκηκόαμεν καὶ τὸν τύραννον πρέσβεις ὡς ὑμᾶς διαπέμψασθαι, ἕξειν κοινωνὸν ἀξιῶντα τὸν οὐδὲν ἠδικηκότα τοῦ πλημμελήματος νεωτερίσαι τε δεσπότην μετὰ δραπέτου μονονουχὶ σοφιζόμενον. οὗ τί ἂν γένοιτο ῾Ρω4.13.21 μαίοις ἀδοξότερόν τε καὶ ἀπευκτότερον; ποίαν δέ σοι πίστεως κρηπῖδα ὑποστηρίσει ταῖς ὑποσχέσεσιν ὁ μεγίστης ἀγνωμοσύνης ἔχων ὑπόθεσιν καὶ κατὰ τῶν εὐεργετησάντων συστησάμενος φάλαγγα, ὁ πᾶσαν ἰδέαν κακίας περιβαλόμενος, ἵνα δεσπότην μηδὲν ἠδικηκότα βασιλείας καθέλῃ; οὐ πέφυκε 4.13.22 κακίας ὑπόθεσις φιλίας διασώζειν ὑπόσχεσιν. ἀφιλόσοφος ἔναρξις καὶ τὸ πέρας ἕξει πάντως ἀσύμφορον· τοῖς σπέρμασι γὰρ ἡ βλάστησις οὐκ ἐναντίαν ἔχει τὴν πρόοδον. δώροις ἀγκιστρεύειν τὸ μὴ δίκαιον ἴσως ὁ Βαρὰμ ἐγχειρήσειεν· ἀλλὰ κακῶν ἄδωρα δῶρα κοὐκ ὀνήσιμα ἤκουσά του λέγοντος 4.13.23 τῶν παρ' ὑμῖν ἐπὶ κομψείᾳ σοφῶν. οὐκ οἶδε παροινίας μισθὸς καρπίζεσθαι τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν, οὐκ οἶδε κέρδος ἀδικίας φυόμενον αὔλαξιν ἀμεταμέλητον ἔχειν γεώργημα. πρὶν γὰρ ἡδῦναι, λυπεῖ, καὶ πρὶν περιθέλξαι, πρὸς ἀνίαν ἐκκλίνει· ἐξεχώρησε γὰρ τῶν ἐραστῶν προσαφαιρούμενον καὶ ἃ μὴ 4.13.24 κακῶς τις ἐκτήσατο. ἡμεῖς δὲ τὴν Μαρτύρων πόλιν ἀνταποδίδομεν, τό τε ∆αρὰς προῖκα παρέξομεν, τόν τε πόλεμον ταφῇ καθιδρύσομεν ἀπόμισθοι τὴν εἰρήνην οἰκοδομήσαντες τῇ τε ᾿Αρμενίᾳ χαίρειν εἰπόντες, δι' ἣν ὁ πόλεμος τὴν παρ4.13.25 ρησίαν δυστυχῶς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ηὐτύχησεν. καὶ εἰ μὴ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἐπάξια τὰ δωρήματα πέφυκεν, ἀλλ' οὖν τοῦτο κάλλιστόν ἐστιν ἡμῶν, τὸ μέτρῳ φιλοσοφεῖν τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν, ἢ μεγάλαις ἐπαγγελίαις τὴν ἀκοὴν ἐκλιπάναντας τῷ ἀτελεσιουργήτῳ τοῦ συμπεράσματος ἀθάνατον τὴν διαβολὴν ἐπιφέρεσθαι, μεγάλας κακῶν ἀφορμὰς τῇ τῆς εἰρήνης ἐς ὕστερον 4.13.26 εὐεξίᾳ κακῶς θησαυρίσαντας. ἱκανῶς ὑπὲρ τοῦ συνοίσοντος ῾Ρωμαίοις τε καὶ Πέρσαις ἀπολελόγημαι. εἰ δέ τι τῶν ἐντελεστέρων παρεῖται, σύνες, ὦ βασιλεῦ, τὸ λειπόμενον. πολλὰ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγωνίας τὸν λογισμὸν ἀποδιδράσκειν φιλεῖ· οὐκ οἶδε γὰρ ἀνάγκη μελέτης ἀνέχεσθαι ἢ φροντίδος ἐπιβολαῖς πειθαρχεῖν, ἀεὶ διαπορθμευούσης τὸν νοῦν τῷ ταράχῳ τῆς συγκυρήσεως." 4.14.1 Τούτων οὕτω διαλαληθέντων ὑπὸ τῶν πρέσβεων, καὶ τῆς ἀξιώσεως τὸ πιθανὸν καὶ ἐπίχαρι κληρωσαμένης τῇ εὐροίᾳ τοῦ λόγου, ὑπό τε τῆς βουλῆς καὶ τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος δογματίζεται ἐπικουρήσειν τῷ Χοσρόῃ ῾Ρωμαίους, τῷ δὲ Βαρὰμ 4.14.2 κάρτα κομιδῇ παρασκευάζεσθαι πόλεμον, ἀνάξιον Λατινίδος ἀρχῆς