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when it is possible to be free without a fight, but they enter into a struggle to ensure their slavery, these men, even if they should happen to be victorious, have failed in the most essential matters, and having fared in the battle less well than they wished, along with their other misfortune will also have the disaster of defeat. To the Neapolitans, therefore, let so much be said from us. 5.8.16 And to these Goths who are present we give the choice, either to be arrayed with us henceforth under the great emperor, or to go home completely unscathed by harm. 5.8.17 For if you and they alike, neglecting all these things, dare to take up arms against us, it will be necessary for us also, if God wills, to treat whomsoever we encounter as an enemy. 5.8.18 If, however, it is the wish of the Neapolitans both to choose the side of the emperor and to be rid of so harsh a slavery, I pledge to you that you will have from us those guarantees which the Sicilians previously hoped for, and had no reason to call us perjurers.” 5.8.19 Belisarius ordered Stephen to report these things to the people. And privately he promised him that he would have great benefits, if he should urge the Neapolitans to the goodwill of the emperor. 5.8.20 So Stephen, coming into the city, reported the words of Belisarius and himself declared the opinion that it was inexpedient to fight against the emperor. 5.8.21 And Antiochus supported him, a man who was a Syrian, but had long been settled in Naples in the maritime trade and had a great reputation there for both intelligence and justice. 5.8.22 But Pastor and Asclepiodotus were orators and very distinguished indeed among the Neapolitans, but exceedingly friendly to the Goths, and least of all wishing for the present situation to change. 5.8.23 These two men, having deliberated how the proceedings might be hindered, urged the populace to propose many great demands and to bind Belisarius with oaths that they would immediately obtain these from him. 5.8.24 And writing everything in a little book, whatever one might have supposed Belisarius would not accept, they gave it to Stephen. 5.8.25 And when he arrived again at the emperor's camp, he showed the document to the general and asked if he was willing to fulfill all that the Neapolitans proposed and to swear an oath concerning these things. But he, promising that he would fulfill everything for them, sent him away. 5.8.26 When the Neapolitans heard this, they were now accepting the proposals and were urging that the emperor's army be received into the city with all speed. 5.8.27 For he insisted that nothing unpleasant would befall them, if the Sicilians were sufficient proof for anyone, for whom it has recently happened, having exchanged the tyranny of barbarians for the rule of Justinian, to be both free and untouched by any troubles. 5.8.28 And being in a great uproar, they went to the gates as if to open them. But what was being done was not pleasing to the Goths, yet being unable to prevent it, they stood aside. 5.8.29 But Pastor and Asclepiodotus, calling together both the people and all the Goths into one place, spoke as follows: “It is not at all unlikely that the populace of a city should surrender themselves and their own safety, especially if, after consulting with none of the leading men, they then make their decision about the whole matter on their own authority. 5.8.30 But we, on the point of perishing along with you, must offer this final contribution of advice to our fatherland. 5.8.31 We see you, then, fellow citizens, hurrying to betray both yourselves and the city to Belisarius, who promises to do you many good things and to swear the most dreadful oaths concerning them. 5.8.32 If, then, he is able to guarantee this to you as well, that the victory in the war will come to him, no one would object that these things are not advantageous for you. 5.8.33 For it is great folly not to grant everything to the one who is going to be master. But if this lies in uncertainty, and no man is competent to vouch for the decision of fortune, consider for what sort of disasters your haste is made. 5.8.34 For if in the war the Goths prevail over their enemies, you as enemies and as having done the most terrible things to them

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παρὸν ἀμαχητὶ ἐλευ»θέροις εἶναι, οἱ δὲ ὅπως τὴν δουλείαν βέβαιον ἕξουσιν «ἐς ἀγῶνα καθιστῶνται, οὗτοι δὴ καὶ νενικηκότες, ἂν «οὕτω τύχοι, ἐν τοῖς ἀναγκαιοτάτοις ἐσφάλησαν, καὶ «κατὰ τὴν μάχην ἐλασσόνως ἢ ἐβούλοντο ἀπαλλάξαντες «ξὺν τῇ ἄλλῃ κακοδαιμονίᾳ καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἥσσης «ξυμφορὰν ἕξουσι. πρὸς μὲν οὖν Νεαπολίτας ἡμῖν 5.8.16 «τοσαῦτα εἰρήσθω. Γότθοις δὲ τοῖσδε τοῖς παροῦσιν «αἵρεσιν δίδομεν, ἢ ξὺν ἡμῖν τοῦ λοιποῦ ὑπὸ βασιλεῖ «τῷ μεγάλῳ τετάχθαι, ἢ κακῶν ἀπαθέσιν τὸ παράπαν 5.8.17 «οἴκαδε ἰέναι. ὡς, ἢν τούτων ἁπάντων αὐτοί τε καὶ «ὑμεῖς ἀμελήσαντες ὅπλα ἡμῖν ἀνταίρειν τολμήσητε, «ἀνάγκη καὶ ἡμᾶς, ἢν θεὸς θέλῃ, τῷ προστυχόντι ὡς 5.8.18 «πολεμίῳ χρῆσθαι. εἰ μέντοι βουλομένοις ᾖ Νεαπο»λίταις τά τε βασιλέως ἑλέσθαι καὶ δουλείας οὕτω «χαλεπῆς ἀπηλλάχθαι, ἐκεῖνα ὑμῖν ἀναδέχομαι τὰ πιστὰ «διδοὺς ἔσεσθαι πρὸς ἡμῶν, ἃ Σικελιῶται πρώην «ἐλπίσαντες ψευδορκίους ἡμᾶς οὐκ ἔσχον εἰπεῖν.» 5.8.19 Ταῦτα μὲν Στέφανον Βελισάριος ἐς τὸν δῆμον ἀπαγγέλλειν ἐκέλευεν. ἰδίᾳ δέ οἱ μεγάλα ὑπέσχετο ἀγαθὰ ἔσεσθαι, Νεαπολίτας ἐς εὔνοιαν τὴν βασιλέως 5.8.20 ὁρμήσοντι. Στέφανος δὲ ἐς τὴν πόλιν ἥκων τούς τε Βελισαρίου λόγους ἀπήγγελλε καὶ γνώμην αὐτὸς ἀπε5.8.21 φαίνετο βασιλεῖ μάχεσθαι ἀξύμφορον εἶναι. καί οἱ ξυνέπρασσεν Ἀντίοχος, Σύρος μὲν ἀνὴρ, ἐκ παλαιοῦ δὲ ᾠκημένος ἐν Νεαπόλει ἐπὶ τῇ κατὰ θάλασσαν ἐργασίᾳ καὶ δόξαν πολλὴν ἐπί τε ξυνέσει καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ 5.8.22 ἐνταῦθα ἔχων. Πάστωρ δὲ καὶ Ἀσκληπιόδοτος ῥήτορε μὲν ἤστην καὶ λίαν ἔν γε Νεαπολίταις λογίμω, Γότθοις δὲ φίλω ἐς τὰ μάλιστα, καὶ τὰ παρόντα ὡς ἥκιστα 5.8.23 βουλομένω μεταβάλλεσθαι. τούτω τὼ ἄνδρε βουλευσαμένω ὅπως τὰ πρασσόμενα ἐν κωλύμῃ ἔσται, πολλά τε καὶ μεγάλα τὸ πλῆθος ἐνηγέτην προΐσχεσθαι καὶ Βελισάριον ὅρκοις καταλαμβάνειν ὅτι δὴ τούτων αὐτίκα 5.8.24 μάλα πρὸς αὐτοῦ τεύξονται. ἐν βιβλιδίῳ δὲ ἅπαντα γράψαντε ὅσα Βελισάριον οὐκ ἄν τις ἐνδέξασθαι ὑπε5.8.25 τόπησε Στεφάνῳ ἔδοσαν. ὃς ἐπεὶ ἐς τὸ βασιλέως στρατόπεδον αὖθις ἀφίκετο, τῷ στρατηγῷ ἐπιδείξας τὸ γραμματεῖον ἐπυνθάνετο εἴ οἱ πάντα τε ἐπιτελέσαι ὅσα Νεαπολῖται προτείνονται καὶ περὶ τούτων ὀμεῖσθαι βουλομένῳ εἴη. ὁ δὲ αὐτὸν, ἅπαντα σφίσιν ἐπιτελῆ 5.8.26 ἔσεσθαι ὑποσχόμενος, ἀπεπέμψατο. ταῦτα Νεαπολῖται ἀκούσαντες τούς τε λόγους ἐνεδέχοντο ἤδη καὶ κατὰ τάχος ἐκέλευον τῇ πόλει τὸ βασιλέως στράτευμα δέχε5.8.27 σθαι. ἀπαντήσειν γὰρ σφίσιν αὐτοῖς ἰσχυρίζετο οὐδὲν ἄχαρι, εἴ τῳ ἱκανοὶ Σικελιῶται τεκμηριῶσαι, οἷς δὴ τετύχηκεν ἔναγχος βαρβάρων τυράννων τὴν Ἰουστινιανοῦ βασιλείαν ἀλλαξαμένοις, ἐλευθέροις τε εἶναι καὶ 5.8.28 ἀπαθέσι δυσκόλων ἁπάντων. καὶ πολλῷ θορύβῳ ἐχόμενοι ἐπὶ τὰς πύλας ὡς δὴ αὐτὰς ἀνακλινοῦντες ᾔεσαν. Γότθοις δὲ οὐκ ἦν ἐν ἡδονῇ τὰ πρασσόμενα, κωλύειν 5.8.29 μέντοι οὐχ οἷοί τε ὄντες ἐκποδὼν ἵσταντο. Πάστωρ δὲ καὶ Ἀσκληπιόδοτος τόν τε δῆμον καὶ Γότθους ἅπαντας ἐς ἕνα συγκαλέσαντες χῶρον ἔλεξαν τοιάδε «Πόλεως μὲν πλῆθος ἑαυτούς τε καὶ τὴν ἑαυτῶν σω»τηρίαν προΐεσθαι οὐδὲν ἀπεικὸς, ἄλλως τε ἢν καὶ «μηδενὶ τῶν δοκίμων κοινώσαντες εἶτα αὐτόνομον τὴν 5.8.30 «περὶ τῶν ὅλων ποιήσωνται γνῶσιν. ἡμᾶς δὲ ἀνάγκη «ξὺν ὑμῖν ὅσον οὔπω ἀπολουμένους ὕστατον ἔρανον 5.8.31 «τῇ πατρίδι τήνδε παρέχεσθαι τὴν παραίνεσιν. ὁρῶμεν «τοίνυν ὑμᾶς, ἄνδρες πολῖται, καταπροδιδόναι Βελι»σαρίῳ ὑμᾶς τε αὐτοὺς καὶ τὴν πόλιν ἐπειγομένους, «πολλά τε ὑμᾶς ἀγαθὰ ἐπαγγελλομένῳ ἐργάζεσθαι καὶ 5.8.32 «ὅρκους δεινοτάτους ὑπὲρ τούτων ὀμεῖσθαι. εἰ μὲν «οὖν καὶ τοῦτο ὑμῖν ἀναδέχεσθαι οἷός τέ ἐστιν ὡς «ἐς αὐτὸν ἥξει τὸ τοῦ πολέμου κράτος, οὐδεὶς ἂν 5.8.33 «ἀντείποι μὴ οὐχὶ ταῦτα ὑμῖν ξύμφορα εἶναι. τῷ γὰρ «κυρίῳ γενησομένῳ μὴ οὐχὶ πάντα χαρίζεσθαι πολλὴ «ἄνοια. εἰ δὲ τοῦτο μὲν ἐν ἀδήλῳ κεῖται, ἀνθρώπων «δὲ οὐδεὶς ἀξιόχρεώς ἐστι τὴν τῆς τύχης ἀναδέχεσθαι «γνώμην, σκέψασθε ὑπὲρ οἵων ὑμῖν συμφορῶν ἡ 5.8.34 «σπουδὴ γίγνεται. ἢν γὰρ τῷ πολέμῳ Γότθοι τῶν «δυσμενῶν περιέσονται, ὡς πολεμίους ὑμᾶς καὶ τὰ 5.8.35 «δεινότατα σφᾶς αὐτοὺς εἰργασμένους