214

thinking these matters were so, he sent envoys to Belisarius, 5.20.8 Albis and others. And when they came into the presence of Belisarius, with the Romans of the senate and as many as were commanders of the army present, they spoke as follows: “Long ago, O general, the names of things have been well and “properly defined for men. Among 5.20.9 “them is this one thing: rashness is distinguished from bravery. The “one of them, to whomever it is attached, leads with dishonor into “danger, while the other adequately wins the reputation of valor. 5.20.10 “One of these two has brought you against us; which one, “however, you will presently make clear. For if, trusting in your bravery, “you have marched against the Goths, you see, I suppose, from the “wall the camp of the enemy, and it is fully possible for you, O noble one, to prove “your valor; but if, possessed by rashness, you have rushed upon us, surely you will also 5.20.11 “regret your thoughtless actions. For the minds of desperate “men, when they come to the test, “are wont to repent. Now, therefore, neither cause the hardship for these Romans “to be prolonged any further, whom “Theoderic reared in a luxurious and otherwise free “life, nor stand in the way of the master of both Goths and Italians. 5.20.12 “For how is it not absurd, for you “to be sitting in Rome, thus shut in and cowering before the enemy, “while its king, tarrying in his camp, inflicts the evils of war upon his 5.20.13 “own subjects? But we will grant to you and to your “followers the right to make your departure now, taking all your own possessions with you. “For to trample upon those who have learned moderation “we consider neither pious nor worthy of human character. 5.20.14 “And we would also gladly ask these Romans, what charge, “pray, they had to bring against the Goths that they betrayed both us “and themselves, they who up to now have enjoyed our “fairness, and are now acquainted with the assistance from you.” 5.20.15 So much the envoys said. But Belisarius replied as follows: “The time for counsel will not rest with “you. For men are by no means accustomed to wage war according to the judgment of their enemies, “but it is the rule for each man to arrange his own affairs as seems to him to be 5.20.16 “best. But I tell you a time will come when, wishing to hide your heads under the thorns, 5.20.17 “you will have no place. As for Rome, however, in taking it we hold nothing “that belongs to others; but you, having trespassed upon it in former times, “when it in no way belonged to you, have now unwillingly 5.20.18 “given it back to its ancient owners. And whoever of “you has the hope of setting foot in Rome without a fight, is mistaken in his “judgment. For while Belisarius is alive, it is impossible for him to relinquish “this city.” So much Belisarius also said. 5.20.19 But the Romans, being in great fear, sat in silence, and dared not say anything in reply to the envoys, although they were being soundly reviled by them for their betrayal of the Goths, except, indeed, that Fidelius decided to mock them. 5.20.20 He at that time happened to have been appointed Praetorian Prefect by Belisarius, and for this reason seemed to be most of all loyal to the emperor. 5.21.1 So, then, the envoys betook themselves to their own camp. And when Witigis inquired of them what sort of man Belisarius was and what his opinion was concerning the withdrawal from here, they answered that the Goths were hoping for what was not likely, thinking that Belisarius would be frightened 5.21.2 in any way whatever. And Witigis, upon hearing this, planned to assault the wall with great eagerness and prepared for the attack on the circuit-wall 5.21.3 as follows. He had wooden towers made, equal in height to the enemy's wall, and he hit upon the true measure by repeatedly measuring it by the layers of stones. 5.21.4 And for these towers, wheels inserted into the base were placed under each corner, which, rolling, were intended to move them about very easily wherever the assailants might wish, and oxen, yoked together, 5.21.5 drew the towers. Then he prepared ladders, many in number and reaching up to the battlements, 5.21.6 and four engines, which are called rams. And the engine is of this sort.

214

πράγματα ταύτῃ οἰόμενος, πρέσβεις παρὰ Βελισάριον 5.20.8 ἄλλους τε καὶ Ἄλβιν ἔπεμψεν. οἳ, ἐπειδὴ ἐς ὄψιν τὴν Βελισαρίου ἀφίκοντο, παρόντων Ῥωμαίων τε τῶν ἐκ βουλῆς καὶ ὅσοι τοῦ στρατοῦ ἄρχοντες ἦσαν, ἔλεξαν τοιάδε «Πάλαι, ὦ στρατηγὲ, τοῖς ἀνθρώποις εὖ τε καὶ «καλῶς διώρισται τὰ τῶν πραγμάτων ὀνόματα. ἐν 5.20.9 «οἷς ἓν τόδε ἐστὶ, θράσος κεχώρισται ἀνδρείας. τὸ «μὲν γὰρ αὐτῶν οἷς ἂν προσγένοιτο, ξὺν ἀτιμίᾳ ἐς «κίνδυνον ἄγει, τὸ δὲ δόξαν ἀρετῆς ἱκανῶς φέρεται. 5.20.10 «τούτων θάτερόν σε εἰς ἡμᾶς ἤνεγκεν, ὁπότερον «μέντοι, αὐτίκα δηλώσεις. εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἀνδρείᾳ πιστεύων «ἐπὶ Γότθους ἐστράτευσας, ὁρᾷς γὰρ δήπου ἀπὸ τοῦ «τείχους τὸ τῶν πολεμίων στρατόπεδον καί σοι ἀνδρα»γαθίζεσθαι, ὦ γενναῖε, διαρκῶς πάρεστιν· εἰ δέ γε «θράσει ἐχόμενος ἐφ' ἡμᾶς ὥρμησαι, πάντως σοι καὶ 5.20.11 «μεταμέλει τῶν εἰκῆ πεπραγμένων. τῶν γὰρ ἀπονε»νοημένων αἱ γνῶμαι, ὅταν ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσι γένωνται, «μετανοεῖν φιλοῦσι. νῦν οὖν μήτε Ῥωμαίοις τοῖσδε «περαιτέρω τὴν ταλαιπωρίαν μηκύνεσθαι ποίει, οὓς «δὴ Θευδέριχος ἐν βίῳ τρυφερῷ τε καὶ ἄλλως ἐλευ»θέρῳ ἐξέθρεψε, μήτε τῷ Γότθων τε καὶ Ἰταλιωτῶν 5.20.12 «δεσπότῃ ἐμποδὼν ἵστασο. πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἄτοπον, σὲ «μὲν οὕτω καθειργμένον τε καὶ τοὺς πολεμίους κατ»επτηχότα ἐν Ῥώμῃ καθῆσθαι, τὸν δὲ ταύτης βασιλέα «ἐν χαρακώματι διατρίβοντα τὰ τοῦ πολέμου κακὰ τοὺς 5.20.13 «αὑτοῦ κατηκόους ἐργάζεσθαι; ἡμεῖς δὲ σοί τε καὶ τοῖς 5.20.13 «ἑπομένοις ποιεῖσθαι ἤδη τὴν ἄφοδον κατ' ἐξουσίαν «παρέξομεν, ἅπαντα τὰ ὑμέτερα αὐτῶν ἔχουσι. τὸ «γὰρ ἐπεμβαίνειν τοῖς τὸ σῶφρον μεταμαθοῦσιν οὔτε «ὅσιον οὔτε ἄξιον τρόπου τοῦ ἀνθρωπίνου εἶναι νομί5.20.14 «ζομεν. ἡδέως δ' ἂν καὶ Ῥωμαίους ἔτι ἐροίμεθα «τούσδε, τί ποτε ἄρα Γότθοις ἐπικαλεῖν ἔχοντες ἡμᾶς «τε αὖ καὶ σφᾶς αὐτοὺς προὔδοσαν, οἵ γε τῆς μὲν «ἡμετέρας ἐπιεικείας ἄχρι τοῦδε ἀπήλαυσαν, νῦν δὲ «καὶ τῆς παρ' ὑμῶν ἐπικουρίας εἰσὶν ἔμπειροι.» 5.20.15 Τοσαῦτα μὲν οἱ πρέσβεις εἶπον. Βελισάριος δὲ ἀμείβεται ὧδε «Ὁ μὲν τῆς ξυμβουλῆς καιρὸς οὐκ ἐφ' «ὑμῖν κείσεται. γνώμῃ γὰρ τῶν πολεμίων ἥκιστα «εἰώθασι πολεμεῖν ἄνθρωποι, ἀλλ' αὐτόν τινα τὰ «οἰκεῖα διατίθεσθαι νόμος, ὅπη ἂν αὐτῷ δοκῇ ὡς 5.20.16 «ἄριστα ἔχειν. φημὶ δὲ ὑμῖν ἀφίξεσθαι χρόνον, ἡνίκα «ὑπὸ ταῖς ἀκάνθαις βουλόμενοι τὰς κεφαλὰς κρύπτε5.20.17 «σθαι οὐδαμῆ ἕξετε. Ῥώμην μέντοι ἑλόντες ἡμεῖς τῶν «ἀλλοτρίων οὐδὲν ἔχομεν, ἀλλ' ὑμεῖς ταύτης τὰ πρό»τερα ἐπιβατεύσαντες, οὐδὲν ὑμῖν προσῆκον, νῦν οὐχ 5.20.18 «ἑκόντες τοῖς πάλαι κεκτημένοις ἀπέδοτε. ὅστις δὲ «ὑμῶν Ῥώμης ἐλπίδα ἔχει ἀμαχητὶ ἐπιβήσεσθαι, γνώ»μης ἁμαρτάνει. ζῶντα γὰρ Βελισάριον μεθήσεσθαι «ταύτης ἀδύνατον.» τοσαῦτα μὲν καὶ Βελισάριος εἶπε. 5.20.19 Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ ἐν δέει μεγάλῳ γενόμενοι ἡσυχῆ ἐκάθηντο, καὶ οὐδὲν τοῖς πρέσβεσιν ἀντιλέγειν ἐτόλμων, καίπερ ἐπὶ τῇ ἐς Γότθους προδοσίᾳ πολλὰ πρὸς αὐτῶν κακιζόμενοι, πλήν γε δὴ ὅτι Φιδέλιος αὐτοὺς ἐρεσχελεῖν 5.20.20 ἔγνω. ὃς τότε τῆς αὐλῆς ὕπαρχος καταστὰς πρὸς Βελισαρίου ἐτύγχανε, καὶ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ πάντων μάλιστα ἔδοξε βασιλεῖ εὐνοϊκῶς ἔχειν. 5.21.1 Οὕτω μὲν δὴ οἱ πρέσβεις ἐς τὸ σφέτερον στρατόπεδον ἐκομίζοντο. καὶ ἐπεὶ αὐτῶν Οὐίττιγις ἐπυνθάνετο ὁποῖός τε ἀνὴρ Βελισάριος εἴη καὶ γνώμης ὅπως ποτὲ ἀμφὶ τῇ ἐνθένδε ἀναχωρήσει ἔχοι, ἀπεκρίναντο ὡς οὐκ εἰκότα Γότθοι ἐλπίζουσι, δεδίξεσθαι 5.21.2 Βελισάριον ὅτῳ δὴ τρόπῳ οἰόμενοι. Οὐίττιγις δὲ ταῦτα ἀκούσας τειχομαχεῖν τε πολλῇ σπουδῇ ἐβουλεύετο καὶ τὰ ἐς τὴν τοῦ περιβόλου ἐπιβουλὴν ἐξηρ5.21.3 τύετο ὧδε. πύργους ξυλίνους ἐποιήσατο ἴσους τῷ τείχει τῶν πολεμίων, καὶ ἔτυχέ γε τοῦ ἀληθοῦς μέτρου πολλάκις ξυμμετρησάμενος ταῖς τῶν λίθων ἐπιβολαῖς. 5.21.4 τούτοις δὲ τοῖς πύργοις τροχοὶ ἐς τὴν βάσιν ἐμβεβλημένοι πρὸς γωνίᾳ ἑκάστῃ ὑπέκειντο, οἳ δὴ αὐτοὺς κυλινδούμενοι ῥᾷστα περιάξειν ἔμελλον ὅπη οἱ τειχομαχοῦντες ἀεὶ βούλοιντο, καὶ βόες τοὺς πύργους ξυν5.21.5 δεδεμένοι εἷλκον. ἔπειτα δὲ κλίμακας πολλάς τε τὸ πλῆθος καὶ ἄχρι ἐς τὰς ἐπάλξεις ἐξικνουμένας ἡτοίμαζε 5.21.6 καὶ μηχανὰς τέσσαρας, αἳ κριοὶ καλοῦνται. ἔστι δὲ ἡ μηχανὴ τοιαύτη.