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had happened, they were suffering the worst of the worst evils. 8.14.14 Then indeed Odonachus and Babas, whether displaying their valor or wishing to test the soldiers, or some divine power moved them, left behind a few of the soldiers, whom they commanded to defend against the besiegers from the battlements, but having called together the majority, they made a certain brief exhortation and said the following: "The present danger, men, fellow-soldiers, and the necessity that has encompassed 8.14.15 us you see. But it is necessary for us to yield as little as possible to these evils. For those who have come to despair of safety, only this could save them, not to long for safety; since for the lover of life, destruction for the most part is wont to follow. 8.14.16 And you will also need to consider this in the present dangers, that while defending against the enemy from these battlements, our safety will not be secure, even if we endure the struggle most 8.14.17 eagerly. For a battle joined from a distance allows no one to be brave, but 8.14.18 for the most part results in the dominion of chance. If, however, the engagement is hand-to-hand, eagerness will for the most part prevail, and with 8.14.19 bravery victory will go. Apart from this, even if those fighting from the wall are successful in the engagement, they would not reap any great benefit from their success, since for the moment it happens that the enemy is driven back from them, but on the next day the danger is at its height again, and being tripped up by them a little, as is likely, they are destroyed along with their fortifications. 8.14.20 But having conquered the enemy hand-to-hand, they will have their safety in security for the future. Considering these things, let us go against the enemy with all eagerness, calling upon help from above, and having become hopeful by the despair that has now befallen us. 8.14.21 For those who have no hope of any safety in themselves, the divine is especially accustomed to always save." 8.14.22 Having made this exhortation, Odonachus and Babas both opened the gates and led the army out at a run, a few having been left behind there for the following reason. 8.14.23 On the previous day, a certain one of the Lazi, being a notable man among this people and dwelling in Archaeopolis, was negotiating with 8.14.24 Mermeroes concerning the betrayal of his country. And he announced to him no other favor for the Persians, except that, when they were beginning the assault on the wall, he should secretly set fire to the houses, where the grain and the rest of the 8.14.25 provisions were stored. He commanded these things, having reckoned that one of two things would happen: for either the Romans, being busy about this fire and spending time on it, would give them the opportunity to mount the wall at their leisure, or, wishing to drive back the besieging Persians, they would neglect these 8.14.26 houses; and with both the grain and the other provisions being burned in this manner, they with no trouble by siege 8.14.27 would take Archaeopolis in a short time. With such a plan Mermeroes commanded these things to this Laz; and he agreed to carry out his order, when he saw the wall-assault at its height, by setting fire most secretly 8.14.28 to these buildings. But the Romans, seeing the flame suddenly rise up, a few went to help there, and with much effort they extinguished the fire, which had done some damage, but all the rest, 8.14.29 as was said, went against the enemy. And falling upon them suddenly and striking them with panic by the unexpectedness, they killed many, who were neither defending themselves 8.14.30 nor daring to raise their hands against them. For the Persians, having no expectation that the enemy, who were very few, would sally forth against them, being separated from one another, had been arrayed for the 8.14.31 assault on the wall in disorder. And those carrying the battering-rams on their shoulders were both unarmed and unprepared for battle, as was likely, and the others indeed, holding their bows drawn in their hands, to defend against the enemy attacking at close quarters

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ἐγεγόνει, ἔσχατα ἐσχάτων κακὰ πάσχουσι. 8.14.14 Τότε δὴ Ὀδόναχός τε καὶ Βάβας, εἴτε ἀρετὴν ἐνδεικνύμενοι εἴτε τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἀποπειρᾶσθαι βουλόμενοι, ἢ καί τι αὐτοὺς θεῖον ἐκίνησεν, εἴασαν μὲν τῶν στρατιωτῶν ὀλίγους τινὰς, οἷς δὴ ἐπέστελλον ἀπὸ τῶν ἐπάλξεων τοὺς τειχομαχοῦντας ἀμύνασθαι, τοὺς πλείστους δὲ ξυγκαλέσαντες βραχεῖάν τινα παρακέλευσιν ἐποιήσαντο καὶ ἔλεξαν τάδε «Τὸν μὲν παρόντα κίν»δυνον, ἄνδρες συστρατιῶται, καὶ τὴν περιλαβοῦσαν 8.14.15 «ἡμᾶς ἀνάγκην ὁρᾶτε. δεῖ δὲ ἡμᾶς τούτοις δὴ τοῖς «κακοῖς ὡς ἥκιστα εἴκειν. τοὺς γὰρ εἰς ἀπόγνωσιν «σωτηρίας ἐλθόντας τοῦτο ἂν διασώσασθαι δύναιτο «μόνον, τὸ μὴ τῆς σωτηρίας ἐφίεσθαι· ἐπεὶ τῷ φιλο»ψύχῳ τὸ διαφθείρεσθαι ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἕπεσθαι 8.14.16 «πέφυκε. καὶ τόδε δὲ ὑμᾶς ἐννοεῖν ἐν τοῖς παροῦσι «δεινοῖς δεήσει, ὡς ἐκ τῶν ἐπάλξεων τῶνδε ἀμυνο»μένοις τοὺς πολεμίους οὐκ ἐν βεβαίῳ τὰ τῆς σωτη»ρίας ἡμῖν κείσεται, ἢν καὶ τὴν ἀγωνίαν ὡς προθυ8.14.17 «μότατα διενέγκωμεν. μάχη γὰρ ἐκ διεστηκότων «ξυνισταμένη ἀνδραγαθίζεσθαι οὐδενὶ ξυγχωρεῖ, ἀλλ' 8.14.18 «ἐς τὸ τῆς τύχης ὡς τὰ πολλὰ περιίσταται κράτος. ἢν «μέντοι ἡ ξυμβολὴ ξυσταδὸν γένηται, τά τε τῆς προ»θυμίας ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον κρατήσει καὶ μετὰ τῆς 8.14.19 «ἀνδρίας ἡ νίκη χωρήσει. ἄνευ δὲ τούτων εὐημερή»σαντες μὲν ἐν τῇ ξυμβολῇ οἱ ἀπὸ τοῦ περιβόλου «μαχόμενοι οὐδὲν ἄν τι τῆς εὐημερίας ἀπόναιντο μέγα, «ἐπεὶ ἐν μὲν τῷ παραυτίκα τοὺς πολεμίους σφίσιν «ἀπεῶσθαι ξυμβαίνει, ἐς δὲ τὴν ὑστεραίαν ὁ κίνδυνος «αὖθις ἐν ἀκμῇ γίνεται, καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν δὲ σφαλέντες «αὐτοῖς, ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς, συνδιαφθείρονται τοῖς ὀχυρώ8.14.20 «μασιν. ἐκ χειρὸς δὲ τοὺς ἐναντίους νενικηκότες ἐν τῷ «ἀσφαλεῖ τὴν σωτηρίαν τὸ λοιπὸν ἕξουσιν. ὧν ἐνθυ»μηθέντες ἴωμεν ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους προθυμίᾳ τῇ «πάσῃ, τὴν ἄνωθεν ἐπικουρίαν ἐπαγαγόμενοι, εὐέλπι»δές τε τῇ προσπεσούσῃ τανῦν ἀπογνώσει γεγενημένοι. 8.14.21 «τοὺς γὰρ ἐλπίδα σωτηρίας τινὸς ἐν σφίσιν αὐτοῖς «οὐδαμῆ ἔχοντας τὸ θεῖον ἀεὶ διασώζεσθαι μάλιστα «εἴωθε.» 8.14.22 Τοσαῦτα Ὀδόναχός τε καὶ Βάβας παρακελευσάμενοι τάς τε πύλας ἀνέῳγον καὶ τὸ στράτευμα δρόμῳ ἐξῆγον, ὀλίγων ἀπολελειμμένων ἐνταῦθά τινων ἐξ αἰτίας τοιᾶσδε. 8.14.23 τῶν τις Λαζῶν τῇ προτεραίᾳ, λόγιμος μὲν ὢν ἐν τούτῳ τῷ ἔθνει, ἐν Ἀρχαιοπόλει δὲ ᾠκημένος, ἔπρασσε πρὸς 8.14.24 Μερμερόην ἐπὶ τῇ πατρίδι προδοσίας πέρι. ὁ δέ οἱ ἄλλο οὐδὲν ἐπήγγελλε χαρίζεσθαι Πέρσαις, πλήν γε δὴ ὅπως, ἡνίκα ἐς τειχομαχίαν καθιστῶνται, τὰ οἰκία ἐμπρήσῃ λάθρα, ἔνθα ὅ τε σῖτος καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν 8.14.25 ἐπιτηδείων ἀπέκειτο. ἐπέστελλε δὲ ταῦτα, δυοῖν γενήσεσθαι τὸ ἕτερον λογισάμενος· ἢ γὰρ Ῥωμαίους περὶ τὸ πῦρ τοῦτο σπουδάζοντάς τε καὶ διατριβὴν ποιουμένους ἐνδώσειν σφίσι κατ' ἐξουσίαν ἐπιβατεύειν τοῦ περιβόλου, ἢ τειχομαχοῦντας ἀποκρούεσθαι βουλομένους Πέρσας ταῦτα δὴ τὰ οἰκία ἐν ὀλιγωρίᾳ ποιή8.14.26 σεσθαι· καιομένων δὲ τῷ τρόπῳ τούτῳ τοῦ τε σίτου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπιτηδείων πόνῳ σφᾶς οὐδενὶ πολιορκίᾳ 8.14.27 ἐν χρόνῳ ὀλίγῳ Ἀρχαιόπολιν ἐξαιρήσειν. τοιαύτῃ μὲν γνώμῃ ὁ Μερμερόης τούτῳ δὴ τῷ Λαζῷ ταῦτα ἐπέστελλεν· ὁ δέ οἱ τὴν ἐπίταξιν ὡμολόγει ἐπιτελῆ δράσειν, ἡνίκα τὴν τειχομαχίαν ἀκμάζουσαν ἴδῃ, πῦρ ὡς λαθραι8.14.28 ότατα τοῖς δωματίοις τούτοις ἐνάψας. αἰρομένην δὲ τὴν φλόγα ἐξαπιναίως Ῥωμαῖοι ἰδόντες ὀλίγοι μέν τινες ἐβοήθουν ἐνταῦθα, καὶ πόνῳ πολλῷ τὸ πῦρ ἔσβεσαν ἀμηγέπη λυμηνάμενον, οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ ἅπαντες, 8.14.29 ὥσπερ ἐρρήθη, ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἐχώρησαν. ἐμπεσόντες δὲ αὐτοῖς ἐκ τοῦ αἰφνιδίου καὶ τῷ ἀπροσδοκήτῳ ἐκπλήξαντες πολλοὺς ἔκτεινον, οὔτε ἀμυνομένους 8.14.30 οὔτε χεῖρας αὐτοῖς ἀνταίρειν τολμῶντας. Πέρσαι γὰρ ὀλίγους κομιδῆ τοὺς πολεμίους ὄντας ἐπεξιέναι σφίσιν ἐν ἐλπίδι οὐδεμιᾷ ἔχοντες ἀλλήλων διεστηκότες ὡς ἐς 8.14.31 τειχομαχίαν ἐτετάχατο ξὺν ἀκοσμίᾳ. καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων τοὺς κριοὺς φέροντες ἄνοπλοί τε καὶ τὰ ἐς μάχην ἀπαράσκευοι, ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς, ἦσαν, οἱ δὲ δὴ ἄλλοι τὰ τόξα ἐντεταμένα ἐν χερσὶν ἔχοντες συσταδὸν ἐγκειμένους τοὺς πολεμίους ἀμύνεσθαι