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their envoys were demanding. But a certain old man among them, who was respected and had a very great reputation for intelligence, said that they should by no means permit such a thing. For nothing of human affairs, he said, rests on a basis of security, but for them for all time there is nothing certain among existing things, and among things that are not, nothing is impossible. 3.22.11 When Gizeric heard this, he both praised him and decided to send the envoys away unsuccessful. At that time, therefore, both he and the one who had given the advice, since they were foreseeing the impossible, incurred the ridicule of all the Vandals. 3.22.12 But when these things which have been mentioned came to pass, the Vandals learned the nature of human affairs and recognized that the saying was that of a wise man. 3.22.13 Now of these Vandals, who remained in their ancestral land, neither any memory nor name is preserved to my time. For since, I think, they were few in number, it has happened that they were either overpowered by the barbarians who were their neighbours or have been mixed with them not at all unwillingly, and their name has in some way been set apart from them.3.22.14 Nor indeed did the thought occur to the Vandals who were then defeated by Belisarius to go from there to their ancestral homes. 3.22.15 For they were not able to be transported from Libya all of a sudden, especially since they had no ships, to Europe, but they paid the penalty there for all the things they had done to the Romans and not 3.22.16 least to the Zacynthians. For Gizeric, having once descended upon the places in the Peloponnesus, attempted to attack Taenarum. And having been repulsed from there with speed and having lost many of his followers, he withdrew in no 3.22.17 good order. Therefore, still possessed by anger, he put in at Zacynthus, and having killed many of those in his way and having enslaved about five hundred of the notables, after a short time 3.22.18 he sailed away. And when he was in the middle of the sea called the Adriatic, there he butchered the bodies of the five hundred and threw them all over the sea, taking no account of it. But these things happened in earlier times. 3.23.1 But Gelimer at that time, by advancing much money to the Libyan farmers and by using kindness towards them, 3.23.2 was able to win over many. He ordered them to kill the Romans who were going about the countryside, proclaiming a set amount of gold for each killing to the one who killed. 3.23.3 And they killed many of the Roman army, not soldiers, however, but slaves and servants, who, out of a desire for money, went up into the villages 3.23.4 and were secretly caught. And the farmers, bringing their heads to Gelimer, for their part departed having received their pay, while he suspected that enemy soldiers had been killed. 3.23.5 At this time Diogenes, the bodyguard of Belisarius, displayed deeds worthy of valour. For having been sent, along with twenty-two of the shield-bearers, to spy on the enemy, he came to be in a place a two days' journey distant from Car3.23.6 thage. But these men (for the farmers of the place were not able to kill them) they report 3.23.7 to Gelimer are there. And he, having chosen out three hundred Vandal horsemen, sent them against them, 3.23.8 commanding them to bring them all alive to him. For it seemed to him a matter of great importance to make captive the bodyguard of Belisarius along with twenty-two shield-bearers. 3.23.9 So the men with Diogenes, having entered a certain house, were sleeping in the upper story, having nothing hostile in mind, since they had learned that the enemy was far away. 3.23.10 But the Vandals, arriving there at deep dawn, thought it inexpedient for them to break down the doors there or to enter the house by night, fearing lest, falling into a night battle, they might destroy themselves, and provide an exit for most of the enemy in the dark, if it so should happen. 3.23.11 And they did these things as cowardice was striking their minds with panic, though it was possible for them with no trouble both to bring fire and, apart from this, to capture the enemy not only unarmed, but even completely naked on their beds. 3.23.12 But as it was, having formed a phalanx around the whole house in a circle and especially at the doors, 3.23.13 they all stood still. And at this moment 3.23.13 for one of the Roman soldiers out of

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πρέσβεις αὐτῶν ἔχρῃζον. γέρων δέ τις ἀνὴρ ἐν αὐτοῖς δόκιμος καὶ δόξαν ἐπὶ ξυνέσει πολλήν τινα ἔχων τὸ τοιοῦτον ἐπιτρέψειν οὐδαμῆ ἔφη. τῶν γὰρ ἀνθρωπείων οὐδ' ὁτιοῦν ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀσφαλοῦς ἵστασθαι, ἀλλ' εἶναι αὐτοῖς ἐς τὸν πάντα αἰῶνα βέβαιον μὲν τῶν ὄντων οὐδὲν, τῶν δὲ οὐκ ὄντων οὐδὲν ἀμήχανον. 3.22.11 ταῦτα ὁ Γιζέριχος ἀκούσας ἐπῄνεσέ τε καὶ τοὺς πρέσβεις ἀπράκτους ἀποπέμπεσθαι ἔγνω. τότε μὲν οὖν αὐτός τε καὶ ὁ παραινέσας ἅτε τὰ ἀμήχανα προορώμενοι, πρὸς πάντων Βανδίλων γέλωτα ὦφλον. 3.22.12 ἐπεὶ δὲ ταῦτα, ἅπερ ἐρρήθη, ἐγένετο, μετέμαθόν τε τῶν ἀνθρωπείων πραγμάτων οἱ Βανδίλοι τὴν φύσιν καὶ σοφοῦ τὸ ἔπος εἶναι ἀνδρὸς ἔγνωσαν. 3.22.13 Τούτων μὲν οὖν Βανδίλων, οἳ ἔμειναν ἐν γῇ τῇ πατρῴᾳ, οὔτε μνήμη τις οὔτε ὄνομα ἐς ἐμὲ σώζεται. ἅτε γὰρ, οἶμαι, ὀλίγοις τισὶν οὖσιν ἢ βεβιάσθαι πρὸς βαρβάρων τῶν σφίσιν ὁμόρων ἢ ἀναμεμίχθαι οὔτι ἀκουσίοις τετύχηκε, τό τε ὄνομα ἐς αὐτούς πη ἀποκεκρί3.22.14 σθαι. οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ ἡσσημένοις τότε πρὸς Βελισαρίου Βανδίλοις ἔννοια γέγονεν ἐς ἤθη τὰ πάτρια ἐνθένδε 3.22.15 ἰέναι. οὐ γὰρ εἶχον ἐκ Λιβύης ἐκ τοῦ αἰφνιδίου, ἄλλως τε καὶ νεῶν οὐ παρουσῶν σφίσιν, ἐς τὴν Εὐρώπην κομίζεσθαι, ἀλλ' ἔτισαν ἐνταῦθα τὴν δίκην ἁπάντων ὧνπερ ἐς Ῥωμαίους εἰργάσαντο καὶ οὐχ 3.22.16 ἥκιστα ἐς Ζακυνθίους. Γιζέριχος γὰρ, ἐπισκήψας ποτὲ τοῖς ἐν Πελοποννήσῳ χωρίοις, Ταινάρῳ προσβαλεῖν ἐνεχείρησεν. ἐνθένδε τε κατὰ τάχος ἀποκρουσθεὶς καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν οἱ ἑπομένων ἀποβαλὼν ἀνεχώρησεν οὐ3.22.17 δενὶ κόσμῳ. διὸ δὴ τῷ θυμῷ ἔτι ἐχόμενος Ζακύνθῳ προσέσχε, καὶ πολλοὺς μὲν τῶν ἐν ποσὶ κτείνας, τῶν δὲ δοκίμων ἐς πεντακοσίους ἀνδραποδίσας δι' ὀλίγου 3.22.18 ἀπέπλευσεν. ἐπειδή τε γέγονεν ἐν μέσῳ τῷ Ἀδριατικῷ καλουμένῳ πελάγει, ἐνταῦθα κρεουργήσας τῶν πεντακοσίων τὰ σώματα, πανταχῆ τῆς θαλάσσης οὐδὲν ὑπολογισάμενος ἔρριψεν. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν ἐν τοῖς ἄνω χρόνοις ἐγένετο. 3.23.1 Γελίμερ δὲ τότε χρήματά τε πολλὰ Λιβύων τοῖς γεωργοῖς προϊέμενος καὶ φιλοφροσύνῃ ἐς αὐτοὺς 3.23.2 χρώμενος ἐπαγαγέσθαι πολλοὺς ἴσχυσεν. οὓς δὴ ἐκέλευσε Ῥωμαίων τοὺς ἐς τὰ χωρία περιιόντας κτείνειν, χρυσίον τακτὸν ἐπὶ φόνῳ ἑκάστῳ τῷ ἀπολοῦντι ἐπι3.23.3 κηρύξας. οἱ δὲ πολλοὺς τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ ἔκτεινον, οὐ στρατιώτας μέντοι, ἀλλὰ δούλους τε καὶ ὑπηρέτας, οἳ δὴ χρημάτων ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἐς τὰς κώμας ἀνα3.23.4 βαίνοντες λάθρα ἡλίσκοντο. καὶ αὐτῶν τὰς κεφαλὰς οἱ γεωργοὶ παρὰ Γελίμερα φέροντες αὐτοὶ μὲν ἔμμισθοι γενόμενοι ἀπηλλάσσοντο, ὁ δὲ στρατιώτας ἀνῃρηκέναι πολεμίους ὑπώπτευεν. 3.23.5 Ἐνταῦθα τοῦ χρόνου ∆ιογένης, ὁ Βελισαρίου δορυφόρος, ἔργα ἐπεδείξατο ἀρετῆς ἄξια. σταλεὶς γὰρ, ἅμα τῶν ὑπασπιστῶν δύο καὶ εἴκοσιν, ἐπὶ κατασκοπῇ τῶν ἐναντίων, ἐγένετο ἐν χωρίῳ δυοῖν ἡμέραιν ὁδὸν Καρ3.23.6 χηδόνος διέχοντι. τούτους δὲ τοὺς ἄνδρας (οὐ γὰρ οἷοί τε ἦσαν οἱ τοῦ χωρίου γεωργοὶ κτείνειν) ἀγγέλ3.23.7 λουσι τῷ Γελίμερι ἐνταῦθα εἶναι. καὶ ὃς τριακοσίους ἀπολεξάμενος Βανδίλων ἱππέας ἐπ' αὐτοὺς ἔστελλε, 3.23.8 ζῶντας ἅπαντας ἐπισκήψας παρ' αὐτὸν ἀγαγεῖν. λόγου γὰρ πολλοῦ ἄξιόν οἱ ἔδοξεν εἶναι Βελισαρίου δορυφόρον ξὺν ὑπασπισταῖς δύο καὶ εἴκοσι δορυαλώτους 3.23.9 ποιήσασθαι. οἱ μὲν οὖν ἀμφὶ ∆ιογένην ἐς οἰκίαν ἐσεληλυθότες τινὰ ἐκάθευδον ἐν τῷ ὑπερῴῳ, πολέμιον οὐδὲν ἐν νῷ ἔχοντες, οἵ γε μακρὰν ἀπεῖναι τοὺς 3.23.10 ἐναντίους ἐπύθοντο. οἱ δὲ Βανδίλοι ὄρθρου βαθέος ἐνταῦθα ἐλθόντες διαφθεῖραι μὲν τὰς ἐκείνῃ θύρας ἢ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν εἰσελθεῖν νύκτωρ ἀξύμφορον σφίσιν ᾤοντο εἶναι, δείσαντες μὴ ἐς νυκτομαχίαν ἐμπεπτωκότες αὐτοὶ μὲν σφᾶς αὐτοὺς διαφθείρωσιν, ἔξοδον δὲ πλείστοις τῶν πολεμίων ἐν σκότῳ, ἂν οὕτω 3.23.11 τύχοι, παρέξωσιν. ἔπρασσον δὲ ταῦτα τῆς δειλίας αὐτοῖς ἐκπλησσούσης τὸν νοῦν, παρὸν σφίσιν οὐδενὶ πόνῳ φέρουσί τε πυρὰ καὶ τούτων χωρὶς οὐχ ὅσον ἀνόπλους, ἀλλὰ καὶ γυμνοὺς παντάπασι τοὺς πολε3.23.12 μίους ἐπὶ τῶν στρωμάτων λαβεῖν. νῦν δὲ ἀμφὶ τὴν οἰκίαν ἅπασαν κύκλῳ καὶ διαφερόντως τὰς θύρας 3.23.13 φάλαγγα ποιησάμενοι ἔστησαν ἅπαντες. ἐν τούτῳ δὲ 3.23.13 τῶν Ῥωμαίων στρατιωτῶν ἑνὶ ἐξ