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5.23.26 wailing. And thirty thousand of the Goths died on that day, as their leaders maintained, and even more were wounded; for since they were in a great throng, both those from the battlements for the most part were hitting them with their missiles and those making the sorties were destroying a very great number of men who were terrified and fleeing. 5.23.27 And the assault on the wall, having begun in the morning, ended late in the evening. So both sides passed that night at their posts, the Romans on the circuit-wall singing hymns of victory and holding Belisarius in high praise and possessing the spoils of the dead, while the Goths were tending their own wounded and mourning the dead. 5.24.1 And Belisarius wrote a letter to the emperor; and the letter declared the following: "We have arrived in Italy, as you commanded, and having taken possession of a great part of its territory we have captured Rome, having driven away the barbarians here, whose commander, Leuderis, I recently sent to 5.24.2 you. But it has happened that for us, having stationed a multitude of soldiers both in Sicily and Italy to garrison the strongholds which we have been able to subdue, our army has been left at five thousand. 5.24.3 And the enemy have come against us, gathered together to the number of one hundred and fifty thousand. And first, when we were reconnoitering their men by the Tiber river, and were forced against our will to come to blows with them, it happened that we were almost buried by the multitude of their spears. 5.24.4 Then the barbarians, assaulting the wall with their whole army and attacking every part of the wall with certain engines, came very close to capturing both us with a shout and the city, if some good fortune had not rescued us. 5.24.5 For successes in affairs that surpass nature would not reasonably be ascribed to the valor of men, but would fittingly be referred to a higher 5.24.6 power. So our achievements up to this point, whether by some chance or by valor, are as good as can be; but for the future I should wish that better things 5.24.7 befall your affairs. However, all that is proper for me to say and for you to do, I will never conceal, knowing this, that human affairs proceed in whatever way is pleasing to God, but the leaders of all actions bear forever the blame or the praise from their own achievements. 5.24.8 Therefore, let arms and soldiers be sent to us in such numbers that for the future we may engage in this war against the enemy with a comparable 5.24.9 force. For one must not entrust everything to fortune, since she is not wont to be favorable for all time. But as for you, O Emperor, let this thought enter your mind, that if the barbarians get the better of us now, we shall be cast out of your Italy and we shall in addition lose the army, and there will be upon us a very great shame for what has been done. 5.24.10 For I forbear to say that we should seem to have destroyed the Romans also, who have valued their safety less than their loyalty to your empire. 5.24.11 So it will come to pass that for us even our success up to now will have ended as a cause of calamities. 5.24.12 For if it had been our lot to be kept away from Rome and Campania and long before from Sicily, the lightest of all evils would have afflicted us, that of not having been able to grow rich with the possessions of others. 5.24.13 And indeed it is worthy for you to consider this also, that it has never been possible to guard Rome for any length of time even with many thousands of men, since it encompasses a large territory and is cut off from all necessities by not being on the sea. 5.24.14 And the Romans are now well-disposed towards us, but when their troubles are prolonged, as is likely, they will not hesitate to choose what is better for themselves. 5.24.15 For those who on a sudden impulse enter into goodwill toward some persons are accustomed to maintain their loyalty toward them, not when they are in misfortune, but when they are well-treated. 5.24.16 And besides, the Romans will be compelled by famine to do many things 5.24.17 which they would not wish. I for my part know that I owe my life to your empire, and for this reason no one would ever from here ... me alive

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5.23.26 ὀδυρομένων. ἀπέθανον δὲ Γότθων ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τρισμύριοι, ὡς αὐτῶν οἱ ἄρχοντες ἰσχυρίζοντο, καὶ τραυματίαι πλείους ἐγένοντο· ἅτε γὰρ ἐν πλήθει πολλῷ οἵ τε ἀπὸ τῶν ἐπάλξεων τὰ πλεῖστα ἐτύγχανον εἰς αὐτοὺς βάλλοντες καὶ οἱ τὰς ἐπεκδρομὰς ποιούμενοι πάμπολύ τι χρῆμα καταπεπληγμένων τε καὶ φευγόντων 5.23.27 ἀνθρώπων διέφθειρον. ἥ τε τειχομαχία πρωῒ ἀρξαμένη ἐτελεύτα ἐς δείλην ὀψίαν. ταύτην μὲν οὖν τὴν νύκτα ηὐλίσαντο ἑκάτεροι, Ῥωμαῖοι μὲν ἐν τῷ περιβόλῳ παιανίζοντες καὶ Βελισάριον ἐν εὐφημίαις ποιούμενοι καὶ τὰ τῶν νεκρῶν σκυλεύματα ἔχοντες, Γότθοι δὲ τούς τε τραυματίας σφῶν θεραπεύοντες καὶ τοὺς τελευτήσαντας ὀδυρόμενοι. 5.24.1 Βελισάριός τε γράμματα βασιλεῖ ἔγραψεν· ἐδήλου δὲ ἡ γραφὴ τάδε «Ἀφίγμεθα εἰς τὴν Ἰταλίαν, «ὥσπερ ἐκέλευες, χώραν τε αὐτῆς περιβεβλημένοι πολ»λὴν καὶ Ῥώμην κατελάβομεν, ἀπωσάμενοι τοὺς ταύτῃ «βαρβάρους, ὧνπερ ἔναγχος τὸν ἄρχοντα Λεύδεριν ἐς 5.24.2 «ὑμᾶς ἔπεμψα. συμβέβηκε δὲ ἡμῖν τῶν στρατιωτῶν «πλῆθος ἔν τε Σικελίᾳ καὶ Ἰταλίᾳ ἐπὶ φυλακῇ τῶν «ὀχυρωμάτων καταστησαμένοις, ὧνπερ δυνατοὶ κατα»κεκρατηκέναι γεγόναμεν, τὸ στράτευμα ἐς πεντακισχι5.24.3 «λίους ἀπολελεῖφθαι. οἱ δὲ πολέμιοι ἥκουσιν ἐφ' ἡμᾶς «ἐς μυριάδας πεντεκαίδεκα συνειλεγμένοι. καὶ πρῶ»τον μὲν ἡμῖν ἐπὶ κατασκοπῇ τῶν ἀνδρῶν γενομένοις «παρὰ Τίβεριν ποταμὸν, ἠναγκασμένοις τε παρὰ γνώμην «αὐτοῖς ἐς χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν, μικροῦ κατακεχῶσθαι δορά5.24.4 «των συμβέβηκε πλήθει. ἔπειτα δὲ τειχομαχήσαντες «οἱ βάρβαροι παντὶ τῷ στρατῷ καὶ μηχαναῖς τισι «προσβαλόντες πανταχόσε τοῦ τείχους, ὀλίγου ἐδέησαν «ἡμᾶς τε αὐτοβοεὶ καὶ τὴν πόλιν ἑλεῖν, εἰ μή τις ἡμᾶς 5.24.5 «ἀνήρπασε τύχη. τὰ γὰρ τῶν πραγμάτων νικῶντα τὴν «φύσιν οὐκ ἂν εἰκότως ἐς ἀνδρῶν ἀρετὴν, ἀλλ' ἐς τὸ 5.24.6 «κρεῖσσον ἀναφέρεσθαι πρέποι. τὰ μὲν οὖν ἄχρι «τοῦδε ἡμῖν πεπραγμένα, εἴτε τύχῃ τινὶ εἴτε ἀρετῇ, «ὡς ἄριστα ἔχει· τὰ δὲ ἐνθένδε βουλοίμην ἂν ἀμείνω 5.24.7 «τοῖς πράγμασι τοῖς σοῖς ἔσεσθαι. ὅσα μέντοι προσή»κει ἐμέ τε εἰπεῖν καὶ ὑμᾶς πρᾶξαι, οὐ μήποτε ἀπο»κρύψομαι, ἐκεῖνο εἰδὼς, ὡς πρόεισι μὲν τὰ ἀνθρώπινα «ὅπη ἂν βουλομένῳ τῷ θεῷ εἴη, οἱ δὲ τῶν ἔργων «ἁπάντων προστάται ἐκ τῶν σφίσιν αὐτοῖς πεπραγμέ»νων τὰς αἰτίας ἢ τοὺς ἐπαίνους ἐς ἀεὶ φέρονται. 5.24.8 «οὐκοῦν ὅπλα τε καὶ στρατιῶται στελλέσθων ἐς ἡμᾶς «τοσοῦτοι τὸ πλῆθος ὥστε τοῖς πολεμίοις ἡμᾶς τὸ «λοιπὸν ἐξ ἀντιπάλου τῆς δυνάμεως ἐς πόλεμον τόνδε 5.24.9 «καθίστασθαι. οὐ γὰρ ἅπαντα χρεὼν πιστεύειν τῇ «τύχῃ, ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ ὁμοίως ἐς πάντα τὸν χρόνον φέρε»σθαι πέφυκεν. ἀλλὰ σὲ, ὦ βασιλεῦ, ἐκεῖνο εἰσίτω, «ὡς ἢν νῦν ἡμῶν οἱ βάρβαροι περιέσονται, Ἰταλίας «τε τῆς σῆς ἐκπεσούμεθα καὶ προσαποβαλοῦμεν τὸ «στράτευμα, καὶ προσέσται ἡμῖν τοσαύτη τις οὖσα ἡ 5.24.10 «ὑπὲρ τῶν πεπραγμένων αἰσχύνη. ἐῶ γὰρ λέγειν ὡς «καὶ Ῥωμαίους ἀπολεῖν δόξαιμεν, οἵ γε περὶ ἐλάσσονος «τὴν σωτηρίαν τῆς ἐς τὴν σὴν βασιλείαν πεποίηνται 5.24.11 «πίστεως. ὥστε ἡμῖν καὶ τὴν ἄχρι τοῦδε γενομένην «εὐημερίαν εἰς συμφορῶν ὑπόθεσιν τετελευτηκέναι 5.24.12 «ξυμβήσεται. εἰ γὰρ Ῥώμης ἡμῖν καὶ Καμπανίας καὶ «πολλῷ πρότερον Σικελίας ἀποκεκροῦσθαι τετύχηκε, «τὸ πάντων ἂν ἡμᾶς κουφότατον τῶν κακῶν ἔδακνε 5.24.13 «τὸ μὴ τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις δεδυνῆσθαι πλουτεῖν. καὶ μὴν «καὶ τοῦτο ἐκλογίζεσθαι ὑμᾶς ἄξιον, ὡς Ῥώμην πώ»ποτε πλείω τινὰ χρόνον οὐδὲ μυριάσι πολλαῖς δια»φυλάξαι δυνατὸν γέγονε, χώραν τε περιβεβλημένην «πολλὴν καὶ τῷ μὴ ἐπιθαλασσίαν εἶναι τῶν ἀναγκαίων 5.24.14 «ἀποκεκλεισμένην ἁπάντων. καὶ Ῥωμαῖοι νῦν μὲν «εὐνοϊκῶς ἡμῖν ἔχουσι, τῶν δὲ κακῶν αὐτοῖς, ὡς τὸ «εἰκὸς, μηκυνομένων, οὐδὲν μελλήσουσιν ὑπὲρ αὑτῶν 5.24.15 «ἑλέσθαι τὰ κρείσσω. οἱ γὰρ ἐξ ὑπογύου τισὶν ἐς «εὔνοιαν καθιστάμενοι, οὐ κακοτυχοῦντες, ἀλλ' εὖ «πάσχοντες, τὸ πιστὸν ἐς αὐτοὺς διασώζειν εἰώθασιν. 5.24.16 «ἄλλως τε καὶ λιμῷ Ῥωμαῖοι ἀναγκασθήσονται πολλὰ 5.24.17 «ὧν οὐκ ἂν βούλοιντο πρᾶξαι. ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν οἶδα «θάνατον ὀφείλων τῇ σῇ βασιλείᾳ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ζῶντά «με οὐδεὶς ἂν ἐνθένδε