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presenting itself in the middle of the mainland, again making the strait disappear, it turns back late in the afternoon, and draws the current 5.1.20 to itself. So all who have occasion to bring provisions into the city or to carry them out from there for trade or for any other reason, loading their cargo onto the boats, and after dragging them down to the place where the strait is accustomed to form, 5.1.21 await the inflow. And when this arrives, the boats, lifted little by little from the land, float, and the sailors, getting to their work, begin to 5.1.22 sail. And this happens not only here, but always along that whole coast, as far as the city of 5.1.23 Aquileia. It is not, however, accustomed to happen in the same way all the time, but when the light of the moon appears small, the advance of the sea is not strong, but from the first half-moon to the next, the inflow is naturally stronger. So these things are something like this. 5.1.24 But when the third year was now being spent by the Goths and Theoderic in besieging Ravenna, and the Goths were weary of the siege and Odoacer's men were hard pressed by the lack of necessities, they came to terms with each other through the mediation of the priest of Ravenna, on the condition that Theoderic and Odoacer should live in Ravenna on equal 5.1.25 and like terms. And for some time they kept the agreement, but later Theoderic, catching Odoacer, as they say, plotting against him, with treacherous intent invited him to a feast and killed him, and from then on, having won over as many of the enemy barbarians as happened to survive, he himself held the power over the Goths and 5.1.26 Italians. And he did not deign to assume either the garb or the name of a Roman emperor, but lived his life being called 'rex' (for so the barbarians are accustomed to call their leaders), yet he presided over his subjects, assuming all the attributes that befit a natural 5.1.27 emperor. For he was exceedingly careful of justice and preserved the laws on a firm basis, and he guarded the country securely from the neighboring barbarians, and he had reached the very height of intelligence and 5.1.28 manliness. And he himself committed almost no injustice against his subjects, nor did he permit anyone else who attempted such things, except, indeed, that the Goths divided among themselves the portion of the lands which Odoacer had given to his 5.1.29 partisans. And Theoderic was a tyrant in name, but in fact a true king, second to none of those who had been distinguished in this honor from the beginning, and love for him flourished greatly among both Goths and Italians, and this is contrary to 5.1.30 human nature. For since different groups always prefer different things in politics, it happens that the ruling authority pleases for the moment those with whose pleasure its actions are in accord, but grieves those whose opinion it has gone 5.1.31 against. And having survived for thirty-seven years, he died, having been fearsome to all his enemies, but leaving a great longing for himself among his subjects. And he died in the following way. 5.1.32 Symmachus and Boethius, his son-in-law, were patricians from of old, and both became first in the Roman senate and 5.1.33 consuls. And having practiced philosophy and cared for justice second to none, and having relieved the poverty of many citizens and strangers with their wealth, and having achieved great renown, the men 5.1.34 aroused the envy of the most wicked men. Persuaded by their slanders that these two men were attempting revolutionary acts, Theoderic killed them and had their property 5.1.35 confiscated to the public treasury. A few days later, as he was dining, his servants set before him the head of a large fish. This head seemed to Theoderic 5.1.36 to be the head of Symmachus, newly slain. And with its teeth fixed in its lower lip, and its eyes looking at him with a grim and crazed expression, 5.1.37 it seemed to him to be threatening him greatly. Terrified by the immensity of the portent and shivering exceedingly, he rushed to his bed, 5.1.38 three

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αὑτὴν παρεχομένη ἐν μέσῃ ἠπείρῳ, αὖθις ἀναλύουσα τὸν πορθμὸν, ἀναστρέφει ἀμφὶ δείλην ὀψίαν, καὶ ἐφ' αὑτὴν ξυνάγει τὸ 5.1.20 ῥεῦμα. ὅσοι οὖν ἐς τὴν πόλιν ἐσκομίζειν τὰ ἐπιτήδεια ἢ ἐνθένδε ἐκφέρειν κατ' ἐμπορίαν ἢ κατ' ἄλλην ἔχουσιν αἰτίαν, τὰ φορτία ἐν τοῖς πλοίοις ἐνθέμενοι, κατασπάσαντές τε αὐτὰ ἐν τῷ χωρίῳ οὗ δὴ ὁ πορθμὸς 5.1.21 γίνεσθαι εἴωθε, προσδέχονται τὴν ἐπιρροήν. καὶ ἐπειδὰν αὕτη ἀφίκηται, τά τε πλοῖα κατὰ βραχὺ ἐκ γῆς ἐπαιρόμενα πλεῖ καὶ οἱ ἀμφὶ ναῦται ἔργου ἐχόμενοι ναυ5.1.22 τίλλονται ἤδη. καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐνταῦθα μόνον, ἀλλ' εἰς ἅπασαν τὴν ἐκείνῃ ἀκτὴν ἐς ἀεὶ γίγνεται, ἄχρι ἐς 5.1.23 Ἀκυλήιαν πόλιν. οὐ μέντοι κατὰ ταὐτὰ ἐς τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον γίνεσθαι εἴωθεν, ἀλλ' ἡνίκα μὲν βραχὺ φαίνεται τῆς σελήνης τὸ φῶς, οὐδὲ ἡ τῆς θαλάσσης πρόοδος ἰσχυρὰ γίγνεται, μετὰ δὲ τὴν πρώτην διχότομον ἄχρι ἐς τὴν ἑτέραν καρτερὰ μᾶλλον ἡ ἐπιρροὴ γίνεσθαι πέφυκε. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ὧδέ πη ἔχει. 5.1.24 Ἐπεὶ δὲ τρίτον ἔτος Γότθοις τε καὶ Θευδερίχῳ Ῥάβενναν πολιορκοῦσιν ἐτέτριπτο ἤδη, οἵ τε Γότθοι ἀχθόμενοι τῇ προσεδρείᾳ καὶ οἱ ἀμφὶ Ὀδόακρον πιεζόμενοι τῶν ἀναγκαίων τῇ ἀπορίᾳ, ὑπὸ διαλλακτῇ τῷ Ῥαβέννης ἱερεῖ ἐς λόγους ἀλλήλοις ξυνίασιν, ἐφ' ᾧ Θευδέριχός τε καὶ Ὀδόακρος ἐν Ῥαβέννῃ ἐπὶ τῇ ἴσῃ5.1.25 καὶ ὁμοίᾳ δίαιταν ἕξουσι. καὶ χρόνον μέν τινα διεσώσαντο τὰ ξυγκείμενα, μετὰ δὲ Θευδέριχος Ὀδόακρον λαβὼν, ὥς φασιν, ἐπιβουλῇ ἐς αὐτὸν χρώμενον, νῷ τε δολερῷ καλέσας ἐπὶ θοίνην ἔκτεινε, καὶ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ βαρβάρων τῶν πολεμίων προσποιησάμενος ὅσους περιεῖναι ξυνέπεσεν αὐτὸς ἔσχε τὸ Γότθων τε καὶ Ἰταλιω5.1.26 τῶν κράτος. καὶ βασιλέως μὲν τοῦ Ῥωμαίων οὔτε τοῦ σχήματος οὔτε τοῦ ὀνόματος ἐπιβατεῦσαι ἠξίωσεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ῥὴξ διεβίου καλούμενος (οὕτω γὰρ σφῶν τοὺς ἡγεμόνας καλεῖν οἱ βάρβαροι νενομίκασι), τῶν μέντοι κατηκόων τῶν αὑτοῦ προὔστη ξύμπαντα περιβαλλό5.1.27 μενος ὅσα τῷ φύσει βασιλεῖ ἥρμοσται. δικαιοσύνης τε γὰρ ὑπερφυῶς ἐπεμελήσατο καὶ τοὺς νόμους ἐν τῷ βεβαίῳ διεσώσατο, ἔκ τε βαρβάρων τῶν περιοίκων τὴν χώραν ἀσφαλῶς διεφύλαξε, ξυνέσεώς τε καὶ ἀνδρίας 5.1.28 ἐς ἄκρον ἐληλύθει ὡς μάλιστα. καὶ ἀδίκημα σχεδόν τι οὐδὲν οὔτε αὐτὸς ἐς τοὺς ἀρχομένους εἰργάζετο οὔτε τῳ ἄλλῳ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐγκεχειρηκότι ἐπέτρεπε, πλήν γε δὴ ὅτι τῶν χωρίων τὴν μοῖραν ἐν σφίσιν αὐτοῖς Γότθοι ἐνείμαντο, ἥνπερ Ὀδόακρος τοῖς στασιώταις τοῖς αὑτοῦ 5.1.29 ἔδωκεν. ἦν τε ὁ Θευδέριχος λόγῳ μὲν τύραννος, ἔργῳ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἀληθὴς τῶν ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ τιμῇ τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ηὐδοκιμηκότων οὐδενὸς ἧσσον, ἔρως τε αὐτοῦ ἔν τε Γότθοις καὶ Ἰταλιώταις πολὺς ἤκμασε, καὶ ταῦτα ἄπο 5.1.30 τοῦ ἀνθρωπείου τρόπου. ἑτέρων γὰρ ἕτερα ἐν ταῖς πολιτείαις ἀεὶ αἱρουμένων τὴν ἐφεστῶσαν ἀρχὴν ξυμβαίνει ἀρέσκειν μὲν ἐν τῷ παραυτίκα οἷς ἂν ἐν ἡδονῇ τὰ πρασσόμενα ᾖ, λυπεῖν δὲ ὧν τῆς γνώμης ἀπ' ἐναν5.1.31 τίας χωρήσειεν. ἔτη δὲ ἐπιβιοὺς ἑπτὰ καὶ τριάκοντα ἐτελεύτησε, φοβερὸς μὲν τοῖς πολεμίοις γεγονὼς ἅπασι, πόθον δὲ αὑτοῦ πολύν τινα ἐς τοὺς ὑπηκόους ἀπολιπών. ἐτελεύτησε δὲ τρόπῳ τοιῷδε. 5.1.32 Σύμμαχος καὶ Βοέτιος, ὁ τούτου γαμβρὸς, εὐπατρίδαι μὲν τὸ ἀνέκαθεν ἤστην, πρώτω δὲ βουλῆς τῆς 5.1.33 Ῥωμαίων καὶ ὑπάτω ἐγενέσθην ἄμφω. φιλοσοφίαν δὲ ἀσκήσαντε καὶ δικαιοσύνης ἐπιμελησαμένω οὐδενὸς ἧσσον, πολλοῖς τε ἀστῶν καὶ ξένων χρήμασι τὴν ἀπορίαν ἰασαμένω καὶ δόξης ἐπὶ μέγα χωρήσαντε ἄνδρας ἐς 5.1.34 φθόνον τοὺς πονηροτάτους ἐπηγαγέτην. οἷς δὴ συκοφαντοῦσι Θευδέριχος ἀναπεισθεὶς ἅτε νεωτέροις πράγμασιν ἐγχειροῦντε τὼ ἄνδρε τούτω ἔκτεινε καὶ τὰ χρή5.1.35 ματα ἐς τὸ δημόσιον ἀνάγραπτα ἐποιήσατο. δειπνοῦντι δέ οἱ ἡμέραις ὀλίγαις ὕστερον ἰχθύος μεγάλου κεφαλὴν οἱ θεράποντες παρετίθεσαν. αὕτη Θευδερίχῳ 5.1.36 ἔδοξεν ἡ κεφαλὴ Συμμάχου νεοσφαγοῦς εἶναι. καὶ τοῖς μὲν ὀδοῦσιν ἐς χεῖλος τὸ κάτω ἐμπεπηγόσι, τοῖς δὲ ὀφθαλμοῖς βλοσυρόν τι ἐς αὐτὸν καὶ μανικὸν ὁρῶ5.1.37 σιν, ἀπειλοῦντί οἱ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἐῴκει. περιδεὴς δὲ τῷ ὑπερβάλλοντι τοῦ τέρατος γεγονὼς καὶ ῥιγώσας ἐκτόπως ἐς κοίτην τὴν αὑτοῦ ἀπεχώρησε δρόμῳ, τρι5.1.38