Fragments of the third discourse of Heracliadis

1 You are throbbing, Achilles, and you intoxicate your senses 2 but I will speak to you now, if you do not wish to stop up your ears 3 {2α}2 let us take, men, into our mind the fear of God {2β}2 let us stand against the enemies who have wrought many terrible things against the Christians {2γ}2 let us <all> respect the sovereign power of the Romans {2δ}2 let us stand against the enemies impiously armed {2ε}2 let us take up the faith that is the slayer of slaughters {2ζ}2 as we are within {2η}2 for <indeed> flight brings great danger {2θ}2 let us avenge the defilements of the virgins {2ι}2 limbs cut off {2κ}2 one in place of all {2λ}2 you have opened our hearts, master, by broadening your mouth in exhortation {2μ}2 your words have sharpened our swords 4 {2α}2 the wandering of the coals {2β}2 but they <in turn> to invade against Chosroes himself {2γ}2 to become a savior also of Persia from the world-destroying ! ! ! <the> Chosroes 5 wandering among the Persians in the impassable places 6 {2α}2 let not the multitude of enemies disturb you, brothers, {2β}2 if God wills, one will pursue a thousand {2γ}2 let us take the crown of martyrs, so that time may praise us 7 a single counterfeit worker is entirely of two affairs, as the saying goes 8 you see these things long before with your looking-glass 9 to steal the battle by night 10 from the immeasurable disaster of the trailing garments 11 for it is naturally likened to a bull leaping and throwing its hind feet on high, and then arching its neck 12 whose nature is not overcome by thirst nor is their steadfastness in need of a dusty place for wrestling, but they are superior to thirst and exhaustion 13 nor again of a wrestling ground to throw off their toils 14 he himself, having run out from the passages, went face to face 15 and having crossed the great Nymphius, which flowing into the streams of the Tigris is deprived of being called Nymphius 16 he had no trouble reaching the Euphrates passage 17 having crossed this estranged road, most excellent one, as if an earthly course 18 and at the narrowing of the bridge the <barbarians> threw themselves like frogs 19 {2α}2 For how does he, so bold, arm himself for the battle and is arrayed alone against so great a multitude? {2β}2 <but> <as> an anvil he spits out the blows 20 (For the Slav with the Hun and the Scythian with the Bulgar, and again the Mede conspiring with the Scythian, having divisions of tongues and places, and being both separate and joined from afar, they stirred up one battle against us.) 21 (and having arrived, he sent out a multitude of the army) 22 and hardening and tightening the moisture in a stony manner 23 (for the evil blast of all Thrace) (and devices and compositions of bastard towers) (having joined the carved things, they spread out the boats) (multitudes approached, as if likened to eight myriarchies gathered together) 24 (For you had, you had the assenting Virgin, who foretold to you the future of your aim. Having her as your shield-mate by custom, you counter-strategized from an immaterial heart against the rival instruments of the contests. For you had as a bow the hope of God, running sharper than the speed of lightning, and as towers faith, and as arrows your tears, and as fire the Spirit; and you fashioned tortoises by bending the knee and lowering the neck; and sending forth your groans in return like stones, you turned back the stone-throwers of the barbarians.) 25 but this newly-drawn-up phalanx 26 a mother who bore without seed 27 but the barbarian in word and in manner 28 fleeing fearlessly and running backwards 29 behind, like a dog 30 the army was subject to the wasting of the cavalry 31 the army drags towards us at a run 32 in the paradise of the famous battle become robbers 33 for if the very courage of Persia had been extinguished 34 For always, as it seems, circumstances, stirred up by inherent toils, give birth to impulses for better counsels, especially when they find a suitable nature sharpened for daring. 35 for it is a gadfly, especially for barbarians, to be disposed to be easily turned towards changes 36 for having split the army into three masses, he was luring away your men by pretending to run around them 37 but if in turn he is at leisure and is vexed by drunkenness

Heracliadis iii acroaseos fragmenta

1 σφύζεις, Ἀχιλλεῦ, καὶ μεθύσκῃ τὰς φρένας 2 ἐρῶ δέ σοι νῦν, εἴπερ οὐ βύειν θέλεις 3 {2α}2 λάβωμεν, ἄνδρες, εἰς νοῦν τὸν Θεοῦ φόβον {2β}2 στῶμεν κατ' ἐχθρῶν τῶν πολλὰ δεινὰ Χριστιανοῖς εἰργασμένων {2γ}2 τὸ Ῥωμαίων κράτος <ἅπαντες> αἰδεσθῶμεν αὐτοδέσποτον {2δ}2 στῶμεν κατ' ἐχθρῶν δυσσεβῶς ὡπλισμένων {2ε}2 πίστιν λάβωμεν τῶν φόνων φονεύτριαν {2ζ}2 ὡς ἔνδον ἐσμὲν {2η}2 καὶ <γὰρ> μέγαν κίνδυνον <ἡ> φυγὴ φέρει {2θ}2 ἐπεκδικῶμεν τὰς φθορὰς τῶν παρθένων {2ι}2 μέλη τετμημένα {2κ}2 εἷς ἀντὶ πάντων {2λ}2 τὰς καρδίας ἥπλωσας ἡμῶν, δέσποτα, τὸ σὸν πλατύνας ἐν παραινέσει στόμα {2μ}2 ὤξυναν ἡμῶν οἱ λόγοι σου τὰ ξίφη 4 {2α}2 ἡ πλάνη τῶν ἀνθράκων {2β}2 οἱ δ' <αὖ> κατ' αὐτὸν εἰσβαλεῖν τὸν Χοσρόην {2γ}2 ῥύστῃ γενέσθαι καὶ τῆς Περσίδος τὸν κοσμόλεθρον ! ! ! <τὸν> Χοσρόην 5 Περσῶν ἐν τοῖς δυσβάτοις τόποις πλανωμένη 6 {2α}2 τὸ πλῆθος ἐχθρῶν μὴ ταραττέτω ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, {2β}2 Θεοῦ θέλοντος εἷς διώξει χιλίους {2γ}2 στέφος λάβωμεν μαρτύρων, ὅπως χρόνος ἡμᾶς ἐπαινέσῃ 7 πραγμάτων πάντως δύο κίβδηλός ἐστιν ἐργάτης εἷς, ὡς λόγος 8 ταῦτα πρὸ πολλοῦ τῇ διόπτρᾳ σου βλέπεις 9 ἐν νυκτὶ κλέψαι τὴν μάχην 10 ἐκ τῆς ἀμέτρου συμφορᾶς τῶν συρμάδων 11 ταύρῳ γάρ ἐστι συμφυῶς εἰκασμένον σκιρτῶντι καὶ ῥίπτοντι τοὺς ὀπισθίους πόδας πρὸς ὕψος, εἶτα δὴ τὸν αὐχένα κυρτῶς ὑπεξαίροντι 12 οἷς οὔτε δίψης ἐστὶν ἥττων ἡ φύσις οὐδ' αὖ κονίστρας ἐνδεὴς ἡ στερρότης, ἀλλ' εἰσὶ δίψης καὶ τρύους ἀνώτεροι 13 οὐδ' αὖ κονίστρας εἰς τὸ ῥῖψαι τοὺς πόνους 14 αὐτὸς ἐκδραμὼν διεξόδους ἀντιπρόσωπος ᾔει 15 καὶ τὸν μέγιστον ἐκπεράσας Νυμφίον, ὅστις Τίγρητος ταῖς ῥοαῖς ἐπιρρέων ἀποστερεῖται τοῦ καλεῖσθαι Νυμφίος 16 οὐκ εἶχε μόχθον εἰς τὸν Εὐφράτου πόρον 17 ταύτην, κράτιστε, τὴν ἀπεξενωμένην ὁδὸν περάσας ὥσπερ ἔγγειον δρόμον 18 καὶ τῇ στενώσει τῆς γεφύρας <βάρβαροι> ἔρριπτον αὑτοὺς ὥσπερ βάτραχοι 19 {2α}2 πῶς <γὰρ> θρασὺς πρὸς τὴν μάχην ὁπλίζεται καὶ πρὸς τοσοῦτο πλῆθος ἥρμοσται μόνος; {2β}2 <ἀλλ'> ὥσ<περ> ἄκμων τὰς βολὰς ἀποπτύει 20 (Σκλάβος γὰρ Οὔννῳ καὶ Σκύθης τῷ Βουλγάρῳ αὖθίς τε Μῆδος συμφρονήσας τῷ Σκύθῃ γλωσσῶν ἔχοντες καὶ τόπων μερίσματα καὶ χωρὶς ὄντες καὶ μακρὰν συνημμένοι μίαν καθ' ἡμῶν ἀντεκίνησαν μάχην.) 21 (στρατοῦ τε πλῆθος ἐξαπέστειλε φθάσας) 22 καὶ τὰς ἰκμάδας πωροῦντα καὶ σφίγγοντα λιθώδει τρόπῳ 23 (τὸ γὰρ κακὸν φύσημα τῆς Θράκης ὅλης) (νόθων τε πύργων μηχαναὶ καὶ συνθέσεις) (τὰ γλυπτὰ συζεύξαντες ἥπλωσαν σκάφη) (πλήθη προσῆλθεν, ὥσπερ ἦν εἰκασμένα ὀκτὼ συναθροίζοντα μυριαρχίας) 24 (εἶχες γάρ, εἶχες συμφρονοῦσαν Παρθένον, ἥ σοι τὸ μέλλον τοῦ σκοποῦ προϊστόρει. ταύτην συνασπίζουσαν ἐξ ἔθους ἔχων ἀντεστρατήγεις ἐξ ἀΰλου καρδίας τοῖς ἀντιτέχνοις τῶν ἀγώνων ὀργάνοις. τόξον γὰρ εἶχες τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ἐλπίδα τομώτερον τρέχουσαν ἀστραπῆς τάχους, πύργους δὲ πίστιν καὶ βέλη τὰ δάκρυα καὶ πῦρ τὸ Πνεῦμα· καὶ χελώνας εἰργάσω γόνυ προκλίνας καὶ καθεὶς τὸν αὐχένα· καὶ τοὺς στεναγμοὺς ἀντιπέμπων ὡς λίθους τοὺς πετροπομποὺς ἔστρεφες τῶν βαρβάρων.) 25 ταύτην δὲ τὴν φάλαγγα τὴν νεοσπάδα 26 μήτηρ τεκοῦσα ἀσπόρως 27 ὁ βάρβαρος δὲ τῷ λόγῳ καὶ τῷ τρόπῳ 28 φεύγων ἀτρομήτως καὶ τρέχων ὑπόστροφα 29 κατόπιν κυνὸς δίκην 30 τὴν ἱππικὴν ὑπεῖχεν ὁ στρατὸς φθόην 31 σύρει πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὁ στρατὸς μετὰ δρόμου 32 ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ τῆς ἀοιδίμου μάχης γίνεσθε λῃσταί 33 εἰ γὰρ αὐτὸ Περσίδος ἔσβεστο θάρσος 34 ἀεὶ γάρ, ὡς ἔοικεν, αἱ περιστάσεις ἐκ τῶν ἐναύλων ἠρεθισμέναι πόνων τίκτουσιν ὁρμὰς κρειττόνων βουλευμάτων, ὅταν μάλιστα καὶ κατάλληλον φύσιν τεθηγμένην εὕρωσιν εἰς εὐτολμίαν 35 οἶστρος γάρ ἐστι καὶ μάλιστα βαρβάροις πρὸς τὰς μεταβολὰς εὐμεταπτώτως ἔχειν 36 εἰς τρεῖς γὰρ ὄγκους τὸν στρατὸν περισχίσας ὑφεῖλκε τοὺς σοὺς τῷ δοκεῖν περιτρέχων 37 εἰ δ' αὖ σχολάζει καὶ προσοχθεῖ τῇ μέθῃ