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Therefore the Goths, dreading the assault, remained quiet on the battlements, as 6.27.5 to defend themselves against the enemy from there. At this time Belisarius brought into the cistern five Isaurians, skilled in building, with axes and other tools suitable for cutting stones, concealed by a multitude of shields, and ordered them to destroy and break through the walls with all their strength and with speed. 6.27.6 But the barbarians for a time suspected the men were coming against the wall, and they kept quiet, so that when they came as near as possible they might shoot them easily, having not the least idea of what was being done; but when they saw the Isaurians had got inside the cistern, they threw all manner of stones and 6.27.7 arrows at them. Then indeed all the other Romans withdrew on the run, but the five Isaurians alone, since they were in a safe place, kept to their work. For a certain vault had been built here over the water for the sake of shade by the men of 6.27.8 old. Having gotten inside this, they cared very little for the enemy, although they were shooting 6.27.9 often. Therefore the Goths could no longer bear to remain inside the circuit-wall, but opening the gate on this side, they all advanced against the Isaurians, possessed by great anger 6.27.10 and confusion. And the Romans, as Belisarius urged them on, went to meet them with great eagerness. So a fierce battle took place, lasting a long time, involving a shoving-match, and great was the slaughter on both sides. 6.27.11 But more of the Romans were falling. For since the barbarians were defending themselves from higher ground, though few, they were pressing hard upon the many, and getting the better in the shoving-match, they were killing more than 6.27.12 were being killed themselves. However, the Romans were by no means willing to give way, being ashamed before Belisarius, who was present and urging them on with a shout. 6.27.13 Then indeed also a certain missile went toward the general's belly with a great whiz, from one of the enemy, shot there either by some chance or by design. 6.27.14 This Belisarius saw not at all. For he was not able either to guard against it or to turn aside anywhere. But a certain guardsman, Unigastus by name, standing beside him, perceived it being not far from Belisarius' belly, and putting forward his right hand, he saved the general unexpectedly, but being himself struck by the arrow he immediately, being in great pain, 6.27.15 withdrew. And afterwards, since his sinews had been severed, he was no longer able to use his hand. And the battle, having begun in the morning, 6.27.16 reached midday. And seven Armenian men serving under Narses and Aratius displayed deeds worthy of valour, both into the difficult ground, which was exceedingly steep, running about as if on level ground and killing those of the enemy who from time to time resisted them, until they pushed back the barbarians in that area 6.27.17 and routed them. And the other Romans, seeing the enemy now giving way, pursued them and the rout became splendid, and the barbarians were again inside the circuit-wall. 6.27.18 The Romans, therefore, thought that the cistern had been destroyed and that the whole work had been accomplished by the Isaurians, but they had not been able to remove so much as a single pebble from it at all. 6.27.19 For the craftsmen of old, caring especially for excellence in their works, had built this structure in such a way as to yield neither to time nor to the machinations of 6.27.20 men. So the Isaurians, unsuccessful, when they saw the Romans had gained control of the place, departed from the cistern and withdrew to the camp. 6.27.21 Therefore Belisarius ordered the soldiers to throw into the water the dead bodies of animals and plants naturally potent for the destruction of man, and to continually throw in and slake burnt stone (which they were accustomed to call "titanos" in the old days, but now "asbestos") there. 6.27.22 And they did so, but the barbarians were using a well inside the circuit-wall, which had very little water, at this time less than 6.27.23 their need required. And for the future Belisarius was not eager either to take the place by force or to display any plot concerning water or anything else, having the hope that he would overcome the enemy by famine alone. 6.27.24 And because of this, of the watch

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διὸ δὴ κατωρρωδηκότες τὴν ἔφοδον οἱ Γότθοι ἐν ταῖς ἐπάλξεσιν ἡσυχῆ ἔμενον, ὡς 6.27.5 ἐνθένδε ἀμυνούμενοι τοὺς πολεμίους. ἐν τούτῳ δὲ Βελισάριος Ἰσαύρους πέντε τοὺς ἐς τὰς οἰκοδομίας ἐμπείρους ξύν τε πελέκεσι καὶ ἄλλοις ὀργάνοις ἐς λίθων ἐκτομὰς ἐπιτηδείοις ἐς τὴν δεξαμενὴν ἀσπίδων πλήθει κρυπτομένους ἐσήγαγε, διαφθεῖραί τε καὶ διελεῖν τοὺς τοίχους πάσῃ δυνάμει κατὰ τάχος ἐκέλευεν. 6.27.6 οἱ δὲ βάρβαροι τέως μὲν τοὺς ἄνδρας ἐπὶ τὸ τεῖχος ὑπώπτευον ἰέναι, ἡσυχίαν ἦγον, ὅπως ἂν ὡς ἀγχοτάτω γενομένους εὐπετῶς βάλλοιεν, ἐν νῷ τὸ ποιούμενον ἥκιστα ἔχοντες· ἐπεὶ δὲ τοὺς Ἰσαύρους ἐντὸς γενομένους τῆς δεξαμενῆς εἶδον, λίθους τε καὶ τοξεύματα 6.27.7 πάντα ἐπ' αὐτοὺς ἔβαλλον. τότε δὴ οἱ μὲν ἄλλοι Ῥωμαῖοι ἅπαντες ὑπεχώρουν δρόμῳ, μόνοι δὲ οἱ πέντε Ἴσαυροι, ἐπεὶ ἐγένοντο ἐν τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ, ἔργου εἴχοντο. κύρτωμα γάρ τι ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὕδατος σκιᾶς ἕνεκα τοῖς 6.27.8 πάλαι ἀνθρώποις τῇδε πεποίηται. οὗ δὴ ἐντὸς γεγενημένοι ὡς ἥκιστα τῶν πολεμίων, καίπερ συχνὰ βαλ6.27.9 λόντων ἐφρόντιζον. διὸ δὴ οἱ Γότθοι ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβόλου μένειν οὐκέτι ἠνείχοντο, ἀλλὰ ἀνοίξαντες τὴν ταύτῃ πυλίδα ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἰσαύρους ἅπαντες θυμῷ 6.27.10 τε πολλῷ καὶ θορύβῳ ἐχόμενοι ᾔεσαν. καὶ οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι Βελισαρίου σφίσιν ἐγκελευομένου σπουδῇ πολλῇ ὑπηντίαζον. γίνεται μὲν οὖν μάχη καρτερὰ ἐν χρόνῳ πολλῷ ὠθισμὸν ἔχουσα καὶ φόνος ἑκατέρων πολύς. 6.27.11 Ῥωμαίων δὲ μᾶλλον συχνοὶ ἔπιπτον. ἅτε γὰρ οἱ βάρβαροι ὕπερθεν ἀμυνόμενοι ὀλίγοι τε πολλοὺς ἐβιάζοντο καὶ τῷ ὠθισμῷ περιγενόμενοι πλείους ἔκτεινον ἢ 6.27.12 αὐτοὶ ἔθνησκον. ἐνδιδόναι μέντοι Ῥωμαῖοι οὐδαμῆ ἤθελον, παρόντα τε καὶ κραυγῇ ἐγκελευόμενον Βελι6.27.13 σάριον αἰσχυνόμενοι. τότε δὴ καὶ βέλος τι ἐπὶ τοῦ στρατηγοῦ τὴν γαστέρα ᾔει ξὺν ῥοίζῳ πολλῷ, πρός του τῶν ἐναντίων, εἴτε τύχῃ τινὶ εἴτε προνοίᾳ ἐνταῦθα 6.27.14 βληθέν. ὅπερ Βελισάριος μὲν ὡς ἥκιστα εἶδεν. οὐ γὰρ οὖν οὔτε φυλάσσεσθαι οὔτε πη ἐκτρέπεσθαι ἴσχυσε. δορυφόρος δέ τις Οὐνίγαστος ὄνομα παρ' αὐτὸν ἑστηκὼς κατενόησέ τε οὐκ ἄποθεν ὂν τῆς Βελισαρίου γαστρὸς, καὶ χεῖρα τὴν δεξιὰν προβαλλόμενος ἔσωσε μὲν τὸν στρατηγὸν ἐκ τοῦ παραδόξου, αὐτὸς δὲ πληγεὶς τῷ τοξεύματι εὐθὺς μὲν περιώδυνος γεγονὼς 6.27.15 ἀνεχώρησε. μετὰ δὲ τῶν νεύρων οἱ ἀποκοπέντων οὐκέτι τὴν χεῖρα ἐνεργεῖν ἴσχυσεν. ἥ τε μάχη πρωὶ 6.27.16 ἀρξαμένη ἐς μέσην ἡμέραν ἀφίκετο. καὶ τῶν Ἀρμενίων ἄνδρες ἑπτὰ ὑπό τε Ναρσῇ καὶ Ἀρατίῳ τασσόμενοι ἔργα ἐπεδείξαντο ἀρετῆς ἄξια, ἔς τε τὴν δυσχωρίαν, ἣ μάλιστα ἀνάντης ἦν, ὥσπερ ἐν τῷ ὁμαλεῖ περιθέοντες καὶ κτείνοντες τῶν πολεμίων τοὺς ἀεὶ σφίσιν ἀντιστατοῦντας, ἕως διωσάμενοι τοὺς ἐκείνῃ βαρβάρους 6.27.17 ἐτρέψαντο. οἵ τε ἄλλοι Ῥωμαῖοι ἐνδιδόντας ὁρῶντες ἤδη τοὺς πολεμίους ἐδίωκον καὶ ἡ τροπὴ λαμπρὰ ἐγεγόνει, οἵ τε βάρβαροι αὖθις ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβόλου ἐγέ6.27.18 νοντο. Ῥωμαῖοι μὲν οὖν τήν τε δεξαμενὴν διεφθάρθαι καὶ τοῖς Ἰσαύροις ἅπαν ἐπιτετελέσθαι τὸ ἔργον ᾤοντο, οἱ δὲ οὐδὲ ὅσον χάλικα ἐνθένδε ἀφελέσθαι παντελὲς 6.27.19 ἴσχυσαν. οἱ γὰρ πάλαι τεχνῖται, ἀρετῆς ἐς τὰ ἔργα ἐπιμελούμενοι μάλιστα, οὕτω δὴ καὶ ταύτην τὴν οἰκοδομίαν εἰργάσαντο, ὥστε μήτε χρόνῳ μήτε ἀνθρώπων 6.27.20 ἐπιβουλῇ εἴκειν. ἄπρακτοι γοῦν οἱ Ἴσαυροι, ἐπειδὴ Ῥωμαίους τοῦ χώρου κρατήσαντας εἶδον, ἐκ τῆς δεξαμενῆς ἀπαλλαγέντες ἐς τὸ στρατόπεδον ἀπεχώρησαν. 6.27.21 διὸ δὴ Βελισάριος τῶν τε ζῴων τὰ νεκρὰ καὶ βοτάνας ἐς ἀνθρώπου φθορὰν ἱκανῶς πεφυκυίας ῥίπτειν ἐν τῷ ὕδατι τοὺς στρατιώτας ἐκέλευε καὶ λίθον κατακεκαυμένην ἐνδελεχέστατα (ἣν πάλαι μὲν τίτανον, τανῦν δὲ ἄσβεστον καλεῖν νενομίκασιν) ἐμβαλόντας ἐνταῦθα 6.27.22 σβεννύειν. καὶ οἱ μὲν κατὰ ταῦτα ἐποίουν, οἱ δὲ βάρβαροι φρέατι ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβόλου ὕδωρ τι βραχὺ ὡς μάλιστα ἔχοντι, ἐν τούτῳ δὴ τῷ χρόνῳ ἐλασσόνως ἢ 6.27.23 κατὰ τὴν χρείαν ἐχρῶντο. καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν Βελισάριος οὔτε βίᾳ τὸ χωρίον ἑλεῖν οὔτε τινὰ ἐπιβουλὴν ἐπιδείξασθαι ὕδατος πέρι ἢ ἄλλου ὁτουοῦν ἐν σπουδῇ ἐποιεῖτο, μόνῳ τῷ λιμῷ περιέσεσθαι τῶν πολεμίων 6.27.24 ἐλπίδα ἔχων. καὶ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ τῆς φυλακῆς