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to be called; and that from there Aeetes had set forth, and from him the poets call him Coetaeeus and the land of Colchis Coetais. 8.14.50 Mermeroes was now eager to rebuild this, but since he had no preparation for the work, and at the same time winter was already at hand, he made of wood as quickly as possible whatever parts of the fort had fallen 8.14.51 and remained there. Very near Cotais is a very strong fortress, Uthimereos by name; in which the Lazi maintained a diligent garrison. 8.14.52 And some few Roman soldiers also shared with them in the guarding of the fort. 8.14.53 Mermeroes, therefore, was encamped there with his whole army, holding the best parts of the land of Colchis, and becoming an obstacle to his enemies in bringing any provisions into the fort of Uthimereos, or in going into the country called both Suania and Scymnia, although it was subject to them. 8.14.54 For with the enemy being in Mocheresis, it happens that the road to the places in that region is cut off for both the Lazi and the Romans. The armies, therefore, in Lazica were arrayed in this way. 8.15.1 But in Byzantium the ambassador of Chosroes, Isdigousnas, coming into conference with the emperor Justinian about the peace, 8.15.2 consumed a great length of time. And after disputing much, at last they came to an agreement, that the truce should be for five years in the territory of each king, and that during this time, visiting each other from either side and negotiating without fear, they should settle the differences concerning Lazica and the Saracens. 8.15.3 And it was agreed that the Persians should receive from the Romans for the truce of these five years twenty centenaria of gold, and for the eighteen months which happened to have passed between the former truce and this one, while each side was sending embassies to the other, 8.15.4 another six centenaria. For on this condition, the Persians said, they had also agreed for the talks concerning the treaty 8.15.5 to take place. Isdigousnas demanded to receive these twenty centenaria at once, but the emperor wished to give four each year, for this very reason, that he might have a pledge that Chosroes would not transgress the agreements. 8.15.6 Later, however, the Romans gave all the agreed upon gold to the Persians immediately, so as not to seem to be paying them tribute every year. 8.15.7 For it is shameful names, not the deeds, that men are for the most part accustomed to be ashamed of. 8.15.8 There was a certain man among the Persians, Bersabous by name, especially notable and a very great friend to king Chosroes. 8.15.9 Valerian had once captured this man with the spear in an engagement in Armenia when he had fallen in his way, and he immediately sent him to the emperor in Byzantium. 8.15.10 And he spent a long time here under guard. And Chosroes was willing to give up a great amount of money for him, so that he might see Bersabous 8.15.11 returned to the Persian domain. But now that Isdigousnas asked for him, the emperor Justinian released the man. For this ambassador promised the emperor that he would persuade Chosroes to withdraw the Persian army from Lazica. 8.15.12 And this truce was made between the Romans and the Persians in the twenty-fifth year of the emperor Justinian's reign. 8.15.13 And most of the Romans were exceedingly displeased with this treaty. And whether they made their complaint with some justice or unreasonably, as is the way of subjects, I am not able to say. 8.15.14 And they said that with Lazica being most firmly ruled by the Persians, this treaty had been made, so that no one might trouble them for five years, but rather they might be able to inhabit all the best parts of the land of Colchis more fearlessly and with less toil during this time. 8.15.15 from where the Romans will have no means to drive them out hereafter for all time, but even Byzantium will hereafter be easy for the Persians to attack from there. Therefore, considering these things, the many were vexed and being indignant 8.15.16 were at a loss. and that the Persians [had secured] that which from of old had been an object of their zeal, but which they had thought it would be possible to master neither by war nor in any other way, I mean, how to

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καλεῖσθαι· ἔνθεν τε τὸν Αἰήτην ὡρμῆσθαι, καὶ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ τοὺς ποιητὰς αὐτόν τε Κοιταϊέα καὶ γῆν τὴν Κολχίδα Κοιταΐδα 8.14.50 καλεῖν. τοῦτο Μερμερόης τανῦν ἀνοικοδομήσασθαι ἐν σπουδῇ ἔχων, ἐπεὶ οὐδεμίαν παρασκευὴν τοῦ ἔργου εἶχεν, ἅμα δὲ καὶ ὁ χειμὼν ἤδη ἐνέκειτο, ξύλινα τοῦ φρουρίου ὅσα καταπεπτώκει ὡς τάχιστα ποιησά8.14.51 μενος αὐτοῦ ἔμενε. τοῦ δὲ Κόταϊς ἄγχιστα φρούριον ἐχυρώτατόν ἐστιν, Οὐθιμέρεος ὄνομα· ἐν ᾧ δὴ φυλακτή8.14.52 ριον ἐς τὸ ἀκριβὲς οἱ Λαζοὶ εἶχον. μετεῖχον δὲ σφίσι τῆς τοῦ φρουρίου φυλακῆς καὶ Ῥωμαῖοι στρατιῶται 8.14.53 ὀλίγοι τινές. ὁ μὲν οὖν Μερμερόης τῷ παντὶ στρατῷ ἐνταῦθα καθῆστο, γῆς τε τῆς Κολχίδος τὰ κάλλιστα ἔχων, ἐμπόδιός τε τοῖς ἐναντίοις γινόμενος ἐς τὸ Οὐθιμέρεος φρούριον τῶν ἐπιτηδείων τι ἐσκομίζεσθαι, ἢ ἐς χώραν τήν τε Σουανίαν καὶ τὴν Σκυμνίαν καλουμένην ἰέναι, καίπερ σφίσιν αὐτῆς κατηκόου οὔ8.14.54 σης. πολεμίων γὰρ ἐν Μοχηρήσιδι ὄντων, Λαζοῖς τε καὶ Ῥωμαίοις ὁδοῦ ἀποκεκλεῖσθαι τῆς εἰς τὰ ταύτῃ χωρία ξυμβαίνει. τὰ μὲν οὖν στρατόπεδα ἐπὶ Λαζικῆς ἐφέρετο τῇδε. 8.15.1 Ἐν δὲ Βυζαντίῳ ὁ Χοσρόου πρεσβευτὴς Ἰσδιγούσνας ἀμφὶ τῇ εἰρήνῃ ἐς λόγους Ἰουστινιανῷ βασιλεῖ 8.15.2 ξυνιὼν πολύ τι χρόνου κατέτριψε μῆκος. πολλά τε διαφιλονεικήσαντες ἐν ὑστάτῳ ξυνέβησαν, ἐφ' ᾧ πενταετῆ μὲν τὴν ἐκεχειρίαν ἐν τῇ ἑκατέρου βασιλέως ἐπικρατείᾳ εἶναι, φοιτῶντας δὲ παρ' ἀλλήλους ἑκατέρωθεν καὶ ἀδεῶς ἐπικηρυκευομένους ἐν τούτῳ τῷ χρόνῳ τά τε ἀμφὶ Λαζικῇ καὶ Σαρακηνοῖς διάφορα 8.15.3 διοικήσασθαι. ξυνέκειτο δὲ Πέρσας πρὸς Ῥωμαίων λαβεῖν ὑπὲρ μὲν τῆς ἐκεχειρίας τῶν πέντε τούτων ἐνιαυτῶν κεντηνάρια χρυσοῦ εἴκοσιν, ὑπὲρ δὲ μηνῶν ὀκτωκαίδεκα, οὓς δὴ μετὰ τὴν προτέραν ἐκεχειρίαν ἐς ταύτην διαδραμεῖν μεταξὺ ἔτυχεν, ἕως ἑκάτεροι παρ' 8.15.4 ἀλλήλους ἐπρέσβευον, ἕτερα κεντηνάρια ἕξ. ἐπὶ τούτῳ γὰρ ἔφασκον Πέρσαι καὶ τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῶν σπονδῶν 8.15.5 λόγους ξυγκεχωρηκέναι γενέσθαι. ταῦτα δὲ τὰ εἴκοσι κεντηνάρια Ἰσδιγούσνας μὲν αὐτόθεν ἠξίου κομίζεσθαι, βασιλεὺς δὲ ἤθελεν ἐς ἕκαστον ἔτος τέτταρα δοῦναι, τούτου δὴ ἕνεκα, τοῦ μὴ παραβῆναι τὰς ξυν8.15.6 θήκας Χοσρόην ἐνέχυρον ἔχειν. ὕστερον μέντοι τὸ ξυγκείμενον ἅπαν χρυσίον Ῥωμαῖοι Πέρσαις εὐθὺς ἔδοσαν, τοῦ μὴ δοκεῖν δασμοὺς ἀνὰ πᾶν ἔτος αὐτοῖς 8.15.7 ἀποφέρειν. τὰ γὰρ αἰσχρὰ ὀνόματα, οὐ τὰ πράγματα, εἰώθασιν ἄνθρωποι ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον αἰσχύνεσθαι. 8.15.8 ἦν δέ τις ἐν Πέρσαις Βερσαβοῦς ὄνομα, λόγιμός τε διαφερόντως καὶ Χοσρόῃ βασιλεῖ ἐς τὰ μάλιστα φίλος. 8.15.9 ὅνπερ ποτὲ Βαλεριανὸς ἐν Ἀρμενίοις παραπεπτωκότα ἐν ξυμβολῇ δορυάλωτον εἷλεν, ἔς τε Βυζάντιον αὐτίκα 8.15.10 βασιλεῖ ἔπεμψε. καὶ αὐτῷ χρόνος πολὺς φυλασσομένῳ ἐνταῦθα ἐτρίβη. βουλομένῳ τε ἦν τῷ Χοσρόῃ χρημάτων ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ προΐεσθαι πλῆθος, ὅπως τὸν Βερ8.15.11 σαβοῦν ἐπανήκοντα ἴδῃ ἐς τὰ Περσῶν ἤθη. ἀλλὰ νῦν ἐξαιτησαμένου αὐτὸν Ἰσδιγούσνα Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεὺς τὸν ἄνδρα ἀφῆκεν. ἐπηγγέλλετο γὰρ βασιλεῖ ὁ πρεσβευτὴς οὗτος ἀναπείσειν Χοσρόην, ἐκ τῆς Λαζι8.15.12 κῆς ἀναστῆσαι τὸ Περσῶν στράτευμα. ἐγένετο δὲ ἡ ἐκεχειρία ἥδε Ῥωμαίοις τε καὶ Πέρσαις, πέμπτον τε καὶ εἰκοστὸν ἐνιαυτὸν Ἰουστινιανοῦ βασιλέως τὴν αὐτο8.15.13 κράτορα ἀρχὴν ἔχοντος. ταύταις δὲ ταῖς σπονδαῖς Ῥωμαίων οἱ πλεῖστοι ἐπιεικῶς ἤχθοντο. καὶ εἰ μὲν δικαίαν τινὰ ἢ ἀλόγιστον ἐποιοῦντο τὴν μέμψιν, οἷά γε τὰ τῶν ἀρχομένων, οὐκ ἔχω εἰπεῖν. 8.15.14 Ἔλεγον δὲ ὅτι δὴ Λαζικῆς βεβαιότατα πρὸς Περσῶν ἀρχομένης αἱ ξυνθῆκαι αὗται γεγόνασιν, ὡς μή τις πενταετὲς αὐτοὺς ἐνοχλήσῃ, ἀλλ' ἀδεέστερόν τε καὶ ἀπονώτερον γῆς τῆς Κολχίδος τὰ κάλλιστα πάντα τοῦ8.15.15 τον τὸν χρόνον ἐνοικεῖν δύνωνται. ὅθεν αὐτοὺς τὸ λοιπὸν ἐξελάσαι οὐδεμιᾷ Ῥωμαῖοι ἐς ἅπαντα τὸν αἰῶνα μηχανῇ ἕξουσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ Βυζάντιον ἐνθένδε Πέρσαις εὐέφοδον τὸ λοιπὸν ἔσται. ταῦτα οὖν ἀποσκοποῦντες οἱ πολλοὶ ἤσχαλλον καὶ δυσφορούμενοι 8.15.16 διηποροῦντο. καὶ ὅτι Πέρσαι τὸ ἐκ παλαιοῦ μὲν σφίσιν ἐν σπουδῇ γεγονὸς, δόξαν δὲ οὔτε πολέμῳ κρατήσειν οὔτε τῳ ἄλλῳ τρόπῳ δυνατὸν ἔσεσθαι, λέγω δὲ, ὅπως ἐς