199

distant, which the Romans call Regata; here it seemed best to them to encamp; for here there are many plains 5.11.2 suitable for grazing horses. A river also flows there, which the locals call Decennovium in the Latin tongue, because it winds for nineteen miles, which is one hundred and thirteen stades, and so empties into the sea, near the city of Tarracina, very near which is Mount Circaeum, where they say Odysseus had relations with Circe, telling a tale I do not believe, since Homer insists that the dwelling 5.11.3 of Circe is on an island. This, however, I can say, that this Circaeum, extending far into the sea, is like an island, and both to those sailing very near and to those walking on the shore there for a very long way it seems to be an island. And when one gets on it, then indeed he learns otherwise, having been deceived in his former opinion 5.11.4. And for this reason Homer perhaps called the place an island. But I will return to my former account. 5.11.5 The Goths, when they had gathered at Regata, chose Vittigis as king for themselves and the Italians, a man not of a distinguished house, but one who had won very great renown formerly in the battles around Sirmium, at the time when 5.11.6 Theoderic was carrying on the war against the Gepaids. Theudatus, therefore, upon hearing this, set out in flight and was riding toward Ravenna. But Vittigis quickly sent Optaris, a Goth, instructing him to bring Theudatus either alive or 5.11.7 dead. Now this Optaris happened to be hostile to Theudatus for the following reason. Optaris was wooing a certain girl who was an heiress and fair in appearance 5.11.8. Theudatus took her away from this suitor, having been persuaded by money, and betrothed her to another. For this reason, then, gratifying both his anger and Vittigis, with great haste and eagerness he pursued Theudatus, resting neither night 5.11.9 nor day. And he overtakes him while he was still travelling on the road, and throwing him on his back on the ground, he sacrificed him like some victim. Such was the end of both the life and the reign of Theudatus, it having lasted for its third year. 5.11.10 And Vittigis, with the Goths who were present, marched to Rome. And learning what had happened to Theudatus, he was pleased and placed his son Theudegisclus under guard 5.11.11. And since the affairs of the Goths seemed to him to be least prepared, he considered it better to go first to Ravenna, and there, having prepared everything in the best way possible, thus to enter upon the war. 5.11.12 Calling them all together, therefore, he spoke as follows: "The greatest of deeds, fellow soldiers, are wont to be set right not by the 5.11.13 swiftness of opportunities, but by good counsel. For often a delay that comes at the right moment has been more helpful and a haste displayed when not needed has for many 5.11.14 dashed the hope of succeeding. For most men who are unprepared, but fighting with equal strength, are more easily defeated than those who, having prepared their lesser strength as well as possible, have entered into the contest 5.11.15. Let us not, therefore, being lifted up by an immediate sense of honor, work irreparable harm to ourselves; for it is better to be shamed for a short time and preserve our endless glory than by avoiding the immediate reproach to be veiled in shame for all time, as is 5.11.16 likely. And yet you yourselves surely know that both the multitude of the Goths and almost all of the equipment of arms happen to be in Gaul and Venetia and the most distant lands. 5.11.17 "And indeed, against the nations of the Franks we are waging a war no less than this one, and not having settled it well, to proceed to another is great folly. For those who put themselves in a doubtful position and do not look to a single enemy are likely to be defeated by their opponents 5.11.18. But I say it is necessary now to go straight from here to Ravenna, and having ended the war against the Franks and having managed other matters as well as possible, thus to fight it out with Belisarius with the entire army of the Goths 5.11.19. And let none of you shrink from this retreat, nor hesitate to call it flight 5.11.20. For the name of cowardice, when opportunely applied, has set many men right, while [the name] of bravery

199

διέχον, ὅπερ Ῥωμαῖοι καλοῦσι Ῥεγάτα· ἐνταῦθα ἐνστρατοπεδεύσασθαι σφίσιν ἔδοξεν ἄριστον εἶναι· πεδία γὰρ πολλὰ ἐνταῦθά ἐστιν 5.11.2 ἱππόβοτα. ῥεῖ δὲ καὶ ποταμὸς, ὃν ∆εκεννόβιον τῇ Λατίνων φωνῇ καλοῦσιν οἱ ἐπιχώριοι, ὅτι δὴ ἐννεακαίδεκα περιιὼν σημεῖα, ὅπερ ξύνεισιν ἐς τρισκαίδεκα καὶ ἑκατὸν σταδίους, οὕτω δὴ ἐκβάλλει ἐς θάλασσαν, ἀμφὶ πόλιν Ταρακίνην, ἧς ἄγχιστα ὄρος τὸ Κίρκαιόν ἐστιν, οὗ τὸν Ὀδυσσέα τῇ Κίρκῃ ξυγγενέσθαι φασὶν, ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐ πιστὰ λέγοντες, ἐπεὶ ἐν νήσῳ Ὅμηρος τὰ 5.11.3 τῆς Κίρκης οἰκία ἰσχυρίζεται εἶναι. ἐκεῖνο μέντοι ἔχω εἰπεῖν, ὡς τὸ Κίρκαιον τοῦτο, ἐπὶ πολὺ τῆς θαλάσσης διῆκον, νήσῳ ἐμφερές ἐστι, καὶ τοῖς τε πλέουσιν ἄγχιστα τοῖς τε ἐς τὴν ἐκείνῃ ἠϊόνα βαδίζουσι νῆσος δοκεῖ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον εἶναι. καὶ ἐπειδάν τις ἐν αὐτῷ γένηται, τότε δὴ μεταμανθάνει ψευσθῆναι τῆς δόξης 5.11.4 τὰ πρότερα. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο Ὅμηρος ἴσως νῆσον τὸ χωρίον ὠνόμασεν. ἐγὼ δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν πρότερον λόγον ἄνειμι. 5.11.5 Γότθοι, ἐπειδὴ ἐς Ῥεγάτα ξυνελέγησαν, βασιλέα σφίσι τε καὶ Ἰταλιώταις Οὐίττιγιν εἵλοντο, ἄνδρα οἰκίας μὲν οὐκ ἐπιφανοῦς ὄντα, ἐν μάχαις δὲ ταῖς ἀμφὶ Σίρμιον λίαν εὐδοκιμηκότα τὸ πρότερον, ἡνίκα 5.11.6 τὸν πρὸς Γήπαιδας πόλεμον Θευδέριχος διέφερε. Θευδάτος μὲν οὖν ταῦτα ἀκούσας ἐς φυγήν τε ὥρμητο καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ Ῥάβενναν ἤλαυνεν. Οὐίττιγις δὲ κατὰ τάχος Ὄπταριν ἔπεμψεν, ἄνδρα Γότθον, ἐπιστείλας αὐτῷ ἢ ζῶντα ἢ νε5.11.7 κρὸν ἀγαγεῖν Θευδάτον. ἐτύγχανε δὲ τῷ Θευδάτῳ οὗτος ὁ Ὄπταρις χαλεπῶς ἔχων ἐξ αἰτίας τοιᾶσδε. κόρην τινὰ Ὄπταρις ἐπίκληρόν τε καὶ τὴν ὄψιν εὐπρεπῆ οὖσαν 5.11.8 ἐμνηστεύετο. ταύτην Θευδάτος ἀφελόμενος τὸν μνηστῆρα τοῦτον, χρήμασιν ἀναπεισθεὶς, ἑτέρῳ ἠγγύησε. διὸ δὴ τῷ τε θυμῷ καὶ Οὐιττίγιδι χαριζόμενος, πολλῇ Θευδάτον σπουδῇ τε καὶ προθυμίᾳ, οὔτε νύκτα ἀνεὶς 5.11.9 οὔτε ἡμέραν, ἐδίωκε. καὶ αὐτὸν ἐν ὁδῷ ἔτι πορευόμενον καταλαμβάνει, ἐς ἔδαφός τε ὕπτιον ἀνακλίνας ὥσπερ ἱερεῖόν τι ἔθυσεν. αὕτη τε Θευδάτῳ καταστροφὴ τοῦ τε βίου καὶ τῆς ἡγεμονίας, τρίτον ἐχούσης ἔτος, ἐγένετο. 5.11.10 Οὐίττιγις δὲ, ἅμα Γότθοις τοῖς παροῦσιν, ἐς Ῥώμην ἐσήλαυνε. γνούς τε τὰ Θευδάτῳ ξυνενεχθέντα, ἥσθη τε καὶ αὐτοῦ τὸν παῖδα Θευδέγισκλον ἐν φυλακῇ 5.11.11 ἐποιήσατο. καὶ ἐπειδὴ τὰ Γότθων πράγματα ἥκιστά οἱ ἐν παρασκευῇ ἔδοξεν εἶναι, βέλτιον ἐνόμισεν ἐς Ῥάβενναν πρῶτον ἰέναι, ἐνταῦθά τε πάντα ἐξαρτυσαμένῳ ὡς ἄριστα οὕτω δὴ καθίστασθαι ἐς τὸν πόλεμον. 5.11.12 ξυγκαλέσας οὖν ἅπαντας ἔλεξε τοιάδε «Αἱ μέγισται «τῶν πράξεων, ἄνδρες συστρατιῶται, οὐ καιρῶν 5.11.13 «ὀξύτητι, ἀλλ' εὐβουλίᾳ φιλοῦσιν ὀρθοῦσθαι. πολλά»κις γὰρ μέλλησίς τε εἰς τὸν καιρὸν ἐλθοῦσα μᾶλλον «ὤνησε καὶ σπουδὴ οὐκ ἐν δέοντι ἐπιδειχθεῖσα πολλοῖς 5.11.14 «ἀνεχαίτισε τὴν τοῦ κατορθώσειν ἐλπίδα. ῥᾷον γὰρ «οἱ πλεῖστοι ἀπαράσκευοι μὲν, ἐξ ἀντιπάλου δὲ τῆς «δυνάμεως μαχόμενοι, ἡσσῶνται ἢ ὅσοι τὴν ἐλάσσω «ἰσχὺν ὡς ἄριστα παρασκευασάμενοι ἐς τὸν ἀγῶνα 5.11.15 «κατέστησαν. μὴ τοίνυν τῷ παραυτίκα φιλοτίμῳ «ἐπαιρόμενοι τὰ ἀνήκεστα ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐργασώμεθα· «κρεῖσσον γὰρ ἐν χρόνῳ βραχεῖ αἰσχυνομένους τὴν «εὔκλειαν ἀπέραντον διασώσασθαι ἢ τὴν ἐν τῷ παραυ»τίκα φυγόντας ὕβριν ἐς ἅπαντα τὸν αἰῶνα, ὡς τὸ 5.11.16 «εἰκὸς, ἐγκαλύπτεσθαι. καίτοι καὶ ὑμεῖς δή που ἐπί»στασθε ὡς τό τε Γότθων πλῆθος καὶ ξύμπασαν σχε»δόν τι τὴν τῶν ὅπλων σκευὴν ἔν τε Γαλλίαις καὶ «Βενετίαις καὶ χώραις ταῖς ἑκαστάτω ξυμβαίνει εἶναι. 5.11.17 «καὶ μὴν καὶ πρὸς τὰ Φράγγων ἔθνη οὐχ ἥσσω τοῦδε «πόλεμον διαφέρομεν, ὃν δὴ οὐκ εὖ διαθεμένους ἐφ' «ἕτερον χωρεῖν πολλὴ ἄνοια. τοὺς γὰρ ἐς ἀμφίβολόν «τι καθισταμένους καὶ οὐ πρὸς ἕνα πολέμιον ὁρῶντας 5.11.18 «τῶν ἐναντίων ἡσσᾶσθαι εἰκός. ἐγὼ δέ φημι χρῆναι «νῦν μὲν εὐθὺ Ῥαβέννης ἐνθένδε ἰέναι, τὸν δὲ πρὸς «Φράγγους πόλεμον διαλύσαντας τἄλλα τε διῳκημένους «ὡς ἄριστα οὕτω δὴ Βελισαρίῳ παντὶ τῷ Γότθων 5.11.19 «στρατῷ διαμάχεσθαι. καί μοι τὴν ἀναχώρησιν τήνδε «ὑμῶν ὑποστελλέσθω μηδεὶς, μηδὲ φυγὴν αὐτὴν ὀνο5.11.20 «μάζειν ὀκνείτω. δειλίας μὲν γὰρ προσηγορία ἐπιτη»δείως προσπεσοῦσα πολλοὺς ὤρθωσεν, ἀνδρείας