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nothing of all things, they decided to come to hands with the Langobards. 6.14.18 And when both came very near each other, it happened that the air above the Langobards was covered by a certain black and exceedingly thick cloud, while above the Heruli it was preternaturally clear. 6.14.19 Judging by these signs, one might have conjectured that the Heruli were going into the engagement to their own harm. For no omen more bitter than this can there be for barbarians arraying themselves for battle. 6.14.20 However, the Heruli did not pay attention even to this, but completely disregarding it, they advanced against the enemy with great contempt, measuring the outcome of the war by the multitude of their host. 6.14.21 And when the battle was at close quarters, many of the Heruli die, and Rodulphus himself also dies, and all the rest flee with all their might, remembering none of their valor. 6.14.22 And as the enemy pursued them, most of them fell on the spot, but a few were saved. 6.14.23 Therefore they were no longer able to remain in their ancestral homes, but departing from there as quickly as possible, they continually advanced forward, wandering over the entire land which is beyond the Ister River, with their children and wives. 6.14.24 And when they arrived in the land where the Rogi had dwelt in ancient times, who, having mingled with the army of the Goths, had gone to Italy, 6.14.25 there they settled. But since they were oppressed by famine, being in a deserted land, departing from there not much later, they arrived very near the land of the Gepids. 6.14.26 And at first the Gepids allowed them, having become suppliants, to settle and to be neighbors to them. 6.14.27 Then they began for no cause to display unholy deeds towards them. For they both violated their women and plundered their cattle and other possessions, and left no injustice undone, and finally began to lay unjust hands upon them. 6.14.28 Being no longer able to bear these things, the Heruli cross the Ister River and decided to live near the Romans there, while Anastasius held the imperial power, who, receiving them with much friendliness, allowed them to settle there. 6.14.29 Not much time later these barbarians gave offence to him, having done unholy deeds to the Romans in that place. Therefore he sent an army against them. 6.14.30 And the Romans, being victorious in the battle, killed very many, and were in a position to destroy them all completely. 6.14.31 But their survivors, turning to supplication of the generals, begged them both to save them and to have them thereafter as allies and servants of the emperor. 6.14.32 And Anastasius, upon learning these things, was pleased, and so it happened that some of the Heruli were left, however they neither became allies of the Romans nor did they do them any good. 6.14.33 But when Justinian took over the empire, having presented them with good land and other money, he succeeded completely in making them his comrades and persuaded them all to become Christians. 6.14.34 Therefore, changing their way of life to a more civilized one, they decided to adhere for the most part to the laws of the Christians, and for the most part they are arrayed with the Romans against the enemy in accordance with their alliance. 6.14.35 Still, however, they are faithless and, seized by greed, are eager to do violence to their neighbors, the deed bringing them no shame. 6.14.36 And they perform unholy unions, both other kinds and those of men and asses, and they are the most depraved of all men and villains doomed to a villainous end. 6.14.37 But later a few of them remained in treaty with the Romans, as will be written by me in the subsequent books; but all the rest revolted for the following reason. 6.14.38 The Heruli, displaying the bestial and frenzied quality of their character toward their own king (and this was a man named Ochus), suddenly killed the man for no reason, alleging nothing other than that they wished to be without a king thereafter. 6.14.39 And yet, even before, the king had the name only, and carried off practically nothing more than any private person. 6.14.40 But indeed they all used to sit with him and

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πάντων οὐδὲν, Λαγγοβάρδαις ἔγνωσαν ἐς 6.14.18 χεῖρας ἰέναι. ἡνίκα δὲ ἀμφότεροι ἄγχιστά πη ἀλλήλων ἐγένοντο, τὸν μὲν ὕπερθεν Λαγγοβαρδῶν ἀέρα ξυνέβαινε μελαίνῃ τινὶ νεφέλῃ καὶ ἐς ἄγαν παχείᾳ καλύπτεσθαι, ὑπὲρ δὲ τοὺς Ἐρούλους αἰθρίαν ὑπερφυῶς εἶναι. 6.14.19 οἷς δὴ τεκμηριούμενος εἴκασεν ἄν τις ἐπὶ τῷ σφῶν πονηρῷ ἐς τὴν ξυμβολὴν Ἐρούλους ἰέναι. οὐ γάρ τι τούτου πικρότερον βαρβάροις τέρας εἰς μάχην καθιστα6.14.20 μένοις οἷόν τε εἶναι. οὐ μέντοι οὐδὲ τούτῳ Ἔρουλοι προσεῖχον τὸν νοῦν, ἀλλὰ παντάπασιν ἀφροντιστήσαντες πολλῷ τῷ καταφρονήματι ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἐχώρουν, πλήθει ὁμίλου τὸ τοῦ πολέμου σταθμώμενοι πέρας. 6.14.21 ἐπεὶ δὲ ἡ μάχη ἐν χερσὶ γέγονε, θνήσκουσι μὲν τῶν Ἐρούλων πολλοὶ, θνήσκει δὲ καὶ Ῥοδοῦλφος αὐτὸς, οἵ τε ἄλλοι πάντες φεύγουσιν ἀνὰ κράτος, οὐδεμιᾶς 6.14.22 ἀλκῆς μεμνημένοι. καὶ τῶν πολεμίων σφίσιν ἐπισπομένων οἱ μὲν πλεῖστοι αὐτοῦ ἔπεσον, ὀλίγοι δέ τινες διεσώθησαν. 6.14.23 ∆ιὸ δὴ ἐνδιατρίβειν ἤθεσι τοῖς πατρῴοις οὐκέτι εἶχον, ἀλλ' ἐνθένδε ὅτι τάχιστα ἐξαναστάντες ἐπίπροσθεν ἀεὶ ἐχώρουν, τὴν γῆν ξύμπασαν, ἣ ἐκτὸς Ἴστρου ποταμοῦ ἐστι, ξύν τε παισὶ καὶ γυναιξὶ περιιόντες. 6.14.24 ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀφίκοντο ἐς χώραν, οὗ δὴ Ῥογοὶ τὸ παλαιὸν ᾤκηντο, οἳ τῷ Γότθων στρατῷ ἀναμιχθέντες ἐς Ἰταλίαν 6.14.25 ἐχώρησαν, ἐνταῦθα ἱδρύσαντο. ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ τῷ λιμῷ ἐπιέζοντο ἅτε ἐν χώρᾳ ἐρήμῳ ἐνθένδε οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον ἐξαναστάντες, ἄγχιστά που τῆς Γηπαίδων 6.14.26 χώρας ἀφίκοντο. καὶ αὐτοὺς Γήπαιδες τὰ μὲν πρῶτα ἱκέτας γενομένους ἐνοικίζεσθαί τε καὶ προσοίκους σφίσι 6.14.27 ξυνεχώρουν εἶναι. ἔπειτα δὲ ἤρξαντο ἐξ αἰτίας οὐδεμιᾶς ἀνόσια ἔργα ἐς αὐτοὺς ἐνδείκνυσθαι. γυναῖκάς τε γὰρ ἐβιάζοντο καὶ βοῦς τε καὶ ἄλλα χρήματα ἥρπαζον, καὶ ἀδικίας οὐδ' ὁτιοῦν ὑπελείποντο, καὶ τελευτῶντες 6.14.28 ἀδίκων χειρῶν ἐς αὐτοὺς ἦρχον. ἅπερ Ἔρουλοι φέρειν τὸ λοιπὸν οὐχ οἷοί τε ὄντες Ἴστρον τε ποταμὸν διαβαίνουσι καὶ τοῖς ἐκείνῃ Ῥωμαίοις προσοικεῖν ἔγνωσαν, Ἀναστασίου τὴν αὐτοκράτορος ἀρχὴν ἔχοντος, ὅσπερ αὐτοὺς πολλῇ φιλοφροσύνῃ δεξάμενος ἱδρύεσθαι 6.14.29 αὐτοῦ εἴασε. χρόνῳ δὲ οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον προσκεκρούκασιν αὐτῷ οἱ βάρβαροι οὗτοι, ἀνόσια ἔργα ἐργασάμενοι τοὺς ταύτῃ Ῥωμαίους. διὸ δὴ στράτευμα ἐπ' 6.14.30 αὐτοὺς ἔπεμψε. νικήσαντες δὲ τῇ μάχῃ Ῥωμαῖοι πλείστους μὲν ἔκτειναν, ἐν ἐξουσίᾳ δὲ πολλῇ ξύμπαν6.14.31 τας διαφθεῖραι γεγόνασιν. ἀλλ' εἰς ἱκετείαν τῶν στρατηγῶν οἱ κατάλοιποι αὐτῶν γεγονότες ἐδέοντο διασώσασθαί τε αὐτοὺς καὶ ξυμμάχους τε καὶ βασιλέως 6.14.32 ὑπηρέτας τὸ λοιπὸν ἔχειν. ταῦτά τε μαθόντα τὸν Ἀναστάσιον ἤρεσκε, καὶ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ λειφθῆναι μέν τισιν Ἐρούλων ξυνέβη, οὐ μέντοι οὔτε ξύμμαχοι Ῥωμαίοις γεγένηνται οὔτε τι εἰργάσαντο αὐτοὺς ἀγα6.14.33 θόν. ἐπεὶ δὲ Ἰουστινιανὸς τὴν βασιλείαν παρέλαβε, χώρᾳ τε ἀγαθῇ καὶ ἄλλοις χρήμασιν αὐτοὺς δωρησάμενος, ἑταιρίζεσθαί τε παντελῶς ἴσχυσε καὶ Χριστιανοὺς 6.14.34 γενέσθαι ἅπαντας ἔπεισε. διόπερ τὴν δίαιταν ἐπὶ τὸ ἡμερώτερον μεταβαλόντες τοῖς Χριστιανῶν νόμοις ἐπὶ πλεῖστον προσχωρεῖν ἔγνωσαν, καὶ Ῥωμαίοις κατὰ τὸ ξυμμαχικὸν τὰ πολλὰ ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ξυντάσσον6.14.35 ται. ἔτι μέντοι αὐτοῖς εἰσιν ἄπιστοι καὶ πλεονεξίᾳ ἐχόμενοι βιάζεσθαι τοὺς πέλας ἐν σπουδῇ ἔχουσιν, οὐ 6.14.36 φέροντος αὐτοῖς αἰσχύνην τοῦ ἔργου. καὶ μίξεις οὐχ ὁσίας τελοῦσιν, ἄλλας τε καὶ ἀνδρῶν καὶ ὄνων, καί εἰσι πονηρότατοι ἀνθρώπων ἁπάντων καὶ κακοὶ κακῶς 6.14.37 ἀπολούμενοι. ὕστερον δὲ αὐτῶν ὀλίγοι μέν τινες ἔνσπονδοι Ῥωμαίοις διέμειναν, ὥσπερ μοι ἐν τοῖς ὄπισθεν λόγοις γεγράψεται· οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ ἅπαντες ἀπέστη6.14.38 σαν ἐξ αἰτίας τοιᾶσδε. Ἔρουλοι τὸ τοῦ τρόπου θηριῶδές τε καὶ μανιῶδες ἐνδειξάμενοι ἐς τὸν αὐτῶν ῥῆγα (ἦν δὲ οὗτος ἀνὴρ Ὄχος ὄνομα), ἐξαπιναίως τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀπ' οὐδεμιᾶς αἰτίας ἔκτειναν, ἄλλο οὐδὲν ἐπενεγκόντες ἢ ὅτι ἀβασίλευτοι τὸ λοιπὸν βούλονται 6.14.39 εἶναι. καίτοι καὶ πρότερον ὄνομα μὲν αὐτοῖς ὁ βασιλεὺς εἶχεν, ἰδιώτου δὲ ὁτουοῦν οὐδέν τι σχεδὸν ἐφέρετο 6.14.40 πλέον. ἀλλὰ καὶ ξυγκαθῆσθαι αὐτῷ ἅπαντες καὶ