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7.25.3 thinking Persia and the Romans here. But Totila, seeing that the barbarians were not very enthusiastic about his proposals, wished to make a certain exhortation to them. 7.25.4 Therefore, calling them all together, he spoke as follows: "Seeing you, men and fellow-soldiers, are unjustly angry with me, and indignant at the adversity that has befallen us by chance, I have decided to assemble you now, so that I may take away from you an opinion which is not at all correct and be able to substitute in its place a better purpose, and so that you may neither seem to be ungrateful to me, which is in no way fitting for you, nor, through folly, to act with ingratitude toward the divine. 7.25.5 For human affairs are by nature liable to fail at times, and whatever man, being human, then appears to be discontented with what befalls him, will for his own part, as is likely, get the reputation of ignorance, but he will in no way escape the necessity imposed by fortune. 7.25.6 But I wish to remind you of what has been done before, not so much for the sake of absolving myself of the blame for what has happened, but also to show that it would be more just for these things to be attributed to you. 7.25.7 For Vittigis, when at the beginning he was entering into this war, pulled down the walls of the maritime cities of Fanum and Pisaurum, but left Rome and all the other cities of Italy without having harmed them in any way. 7.25.8 From Fanum and Pisaurum, then, no harm has befallen the Goths, but from the circuit-wall of Rome and the other fortresses, in the way that you know, matters turned out badly for the Goths and Vittigis. 7.25.9 I, therefore, when I received the command at your giving, considered it better to follow the courses of action that seemed best, rather than to cause harm from those things that had damaged our affairs. 7.25.10 For by nature men seem to differ from one another in no great way, but experience, becoming a teacher to some, makes the one who has learned altogether better than those who have not had the benefit of instruction. 7.25.11 Therefore, when we had taken Beneventum by tearing down its walls, we immediately got control of the others, whose circuit-walls we likewise decided to tear down, so that the enemy's army, setting out from some stronghold, might not be able to prolong the war by stratagem, but might be compelled to come straight down into a plain and come to blows with us. 7.25.12 And they fled, while I ordered the captured cities 7.25.13 to be dismantled. And you, admiring the good counsel, assisted in this policy, making the deed your own, as was natural. For he who has praised the doer becomes no less the author of the deeds done. 7.25.14 But now you have changed, O dearest Goths, since it happened that Belisarius, adopting a rashness beyond reason, unexpectedly gained mastery of what he attempted, and from this it happens that you are dismayed by the man, as though he were brave. 7.25.15 For the rash are more easily called daring than the prudent are called safe. For the one who has dared contrary to established ways is honored with the idea of seeming energetic, while the one who through provident counsel has shrunk from danger, both draws upon himself the blame for what happens if he fails, and if he acts according to his plan, seems to the ignorant, at least, to have accomplished nothing himself. 7.25.16 But apart from these things, do you not consider that you are angry with me for those very things for which you happen to be indignant now? Or do you think that Belisarius has won renown against you, who, being captives of the spear and having become fugitives, under my generalship took up arms again and have often been able to overcome him in the war? 7.25.17 And yet if it was by my valour that you accomplished those things, you ought, in shame for that valour, to be silent, considering in the midst of men's misfortunes that nothing is by nature wont to remain in its own state; but if some fortune awarded you that victory, it will be to your advantage to revere her rather than to be ill-disposed toward her, lest, having offended her, you be forced to learn gratitude. 7.25.18 And yet how would it not appear to be a departure from a temperate manner for men who, not long before, were clothed with many and great successes, to have their spirit so enslaved now because of a small setback? For such a thing is nothing else

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Περυ7.25.3 σίαν τε καὶ τοὺς ἐνταῦθα Ῥωμαίους οἰόμενοι. Τουτίλας δὲ οὐ λίαν ἐς τὰ ἐπαγγελλόμενα προθυμουμένους τοὺς βαρβάρους ὁρῶν παραίνεσίν τινα ποιεῖσθαι 7.25.4 ἐς αὐτοὺς ἤθελε. διὸ δὴ ξυγκαλέσας ἅπαντας ἔλεξε τοιάδε «Ὁρῶν ὑμᾶς, ἄνδρες ξυστρατιῶται, ἐμὲ μὲν οὐκ «ὀρθῶς δι' ὀργῆς ἔχοντας, ἀγανακτοῦντας δὲ πρὸς τὸ «τῆς τύχης ξυμπεπτωκὸς ἐναντίωμα, ξυναγαγεῖν τανῦν «ἔγνωκα, ὅπως ὑμῶν δόξαν ὡς ἥκιστα ὀρθὴν ἀφελὼν «ἀντικαθιστάναι τὴν γνώμην ἐπὶ τὰ βελτίω δυνήσωμαι, «καὶ μήτε ἀχαριστεῖν οὐδὲν ὑμῖν προσῆκον ἐς ἐμὲ «δόξητε μήτε ἀγνωμοσύνῃ εἰς τὸ θεῖον ὑπὸ ἀβελτερίας 7.25.5 «χρῆσθαι. τὰ γὰρ ἀνθρώπεια καὶ σφάλλεσθαί ποτε «πέφυκεν, ὅστις τε ἄνθρωπος ὢν εἶτα δυσχερῶς ἔχων «ἐς τὰ προσπίπτοντα φαίνεται, αὐτὸς μὲν ἀμαθίας, ὡς «τὸ εἰκὸς, ἀποίσεται δόξαν, οὐδὲν δὲ ὑπεκστήσεται 7.25.6 «τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς τύχης ἀνάγκην. βούλομαι δὲ τῶν πρό»τερον πεπραγμένων ὑμᾶς ὑπομνῆσαι, οὐχ ὅσον ἕνεκα «τοῦ τὰς αἰτίας τῶν ξυμβεβηκότων ἐκλύσασθαι, ἀλλὰ «καὶ τοῦ δικαιότερον ἂν ταύτας ὑμῖν προσήκειν ἐν7.25.7 «δείκνυσθαι. Οὐίττιγις γὰρ τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς καθιστάμενος «ἐς πόλεμον τόνδε Φανοῦ μὲν καὶ Πισαύρου τῶν «ἐπιθαλασσίων πόλεων τὰ τείχη καθεῖλε, Ῥώμην δὲ «καὶ τὰς ἄλλας Ἰταλίας πόλεις ἁπάσας ἀφῆκεν οὐδ' 7.25.8 «ὁτιοῦν λυμηνάμενος. ἐκ μὲν οὖν Φανοῦ καὶ Πισαύ»ρου φλαῦρον οὐδὲν Γότθοις ξυμβέβηκεν, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ «Ῥώμης περιβόλου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὀχυρωμάτων ταύτῃ, «ᾗπερ ὑμεῖς ἴστε, Γότθοις καὶ Οὐιττίγιδι ἐκεχωρήκει 7.25.9 «τὰ πράγματα. ἐγὼ τοίνυν ἐπειδὴ διδόντων ὑμῶν «τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔλαβον, ἐλογισάμην τῶν ἔργων τοῖς ἀμεί»νοσι δόξασιν εἶναι μᾶλλον ἕπεσθαι ἢ ἐκ τῶν λυμη7.25.10 «ναμένων τοῖς πράγμασι διδόναι βλάβος. φύσει μὲν «γὰρ ἄνθρωποι οὐδέν τι μέγα διαφέρειν ἀλλήλων δο»κοῦσιν, ἡ δὲ πεῖρά τισι γινομένη διδάσκαλος κρείσσω «τὸν ἐκμαθόντα τῶν οὐ τετυχηκότων τῆς διδασκαλίας 7.25.11 «τῷ παντὶ τίθησιν. ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν Βενεβεντὸν εἵλο»μεν τὰ τείχη καθελόντες, τῶν ἄλλων εὐθὺς ἐκρατοῦ»μεν, ὧνπερ ὁμοίως τοὺς περιβόλους καθελεῖν ἔγνωμεν, «ὅπως μὴ ἐξ ἐχυροῦ τινος ὁρμώμενος ὁ τῶν πολεμίων «στρατὸς σοφίζεσθαι τὸν πόλεμον δυνατὸς εἴη, ἀλλ' «ἐκ τοῦ εὐθέος ἀναγκάζηται ἡμῖν ἐς πεδίον κατιὼν ἐς 7.25.12 «χεῖρας ἰέναι. καὶ οἱ μὲν ἔφευγον, ἐγὼ δὲ καθαιρεῖν 7.25.13 «τῶν πόλεων τὰς ἁλισκομένας ἐκέλευον. ὑμεῖς δὲ «τὴν εὐβουλίαν θαυμάζοντες ὑπουργεῖτε τῇ γνώμῃ «ταύτῃ, τὸ ἔργον, ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς, οἰκειούμενοι. ὁ γὰρ «ἐπαινέσας τὸν δράσαντα οὐδέν τι ἧσσον τῶν πε7.25.14 «πραγμένων αὐτουργὸς γίνεται. νῦν δὲ μεταβέβλησθε, «ὦ φίλτατοι Γότθοι, ἐπειδὴ ξυνέβη Βελισάριον κρεῖσσον «λόγου θράσος ἑλόμενον τῶν ἐγκεχειρημένων αὐτῷ «παρὰ δόξαν κρατεῖν, καὶ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ καταπεπλῆχθαι 7.25.15 «τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἅτε ἀνδρεῖον ὑμῖν ξυμβαίνει. ῥᾷον «γὰρ οἱ θρασεῖς εὔτολμοι κέκληνται ἢ οἱ προμηθεῖς «ἀσφαλεῖς. ὁ μὲν γὰρ παρὰ τὰ καθεστῶτα τολμήσας «ἐννοίᾳ τοῦ δοκοῦντος δραστηρίου τετίμηται, ὁ δὲ «προμηθεῖ γνώμῃ ἀποκνήσας τὸν κίνδυνον ἀποτυχών «τε τὴν αἰτίαν ἐπισπᾶται τῶν ξυμπιπτόντων καὶ πράξας «κατὰ νοῦν οὐδὲν αὐτὸς τοῖς γε ἀμαθέσιν ἐργάσασθαι 7.25.16 «δοκεῖ. χωρὶς δὲ τούτων οὐκ ἐκλογίζεσθε ὅτι ἐμοὶ «χαλεπαίνετε, δι' ὧν ὑμῖν ἀγανακτεῖν ξυμβαίνει τανῦν. «ἢ Βελισάριον εὐδοκιμηκέναι καθ' ὑμῶν οἴεσθε, οἵπερ «δορυάλωτοι ὄντες καὶ δραπέται γεγενημένοι ὑπ' ἐμοί «τε στρατηγοῦντι ὅπλα ἀντάραντες ὑπερβαλέσθαι πολ7.25.17 «λάκις αὐτὸν τῷ πολέμῳ δεδύνησθε; καίτοι εἰ μὲν «ἐμῇ ἀρετῇ ἐκεῖνα ὑμᾶς εἰργάσθαι ξυνέβη, ταύτην «ὑμᾶς αἰσχυνομένους χρὴ σιωπᾶν, ἐν τοῖς πταίσμασι «δὴ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐνθυμουμένους ὡς οὐδὲν πέφυκεν «ἐφ' ἑαυτοῦ μένειν· εἰ δέ τις ὑμῖν τύχη ἐκεῖνο τὸ «κράτος ἐβράβευσε, σέβειν μᾶλλον ἢ δυσκόλως πρὸς «αὐτὴν ἔχειν ὑμῖν ξυνοίσει, ὡς μὴ προσκεκρουκότες 7.25.18 «τὴν εὐγνωμοσύνην μεταμαθεῖν βιάζησθε. καίτοι πῶς «οὐκ ἂν ἀπὸ τοῦ σώφρονος τρόπου φανείη τοὺς πολλά «τε καὶ μεγάλα περιβεβλημένους εὐτυχήματα οὐ πολλῷ «ἔμπροσθεν ἐν βραχεῖ τε τανῦν πταίσαντας οὕτω δε»δουλῶσθαι τὸ φρόνημα; οὐ γὰρ ἄλλο οὐδὲν τὸ τοι»οῦτόν ἐστιν