XVII
At the opening of spring a Persian army under the leadership of Azarethes invaded the Roman territory. They were fifteen thousand strong, all horsemen. With them was Alamoundaras, son of Saccice, with a very large body of Saracens. But this invasion was not made by the Persians in the customary manner; for they did not invade Mesopotamia, as formerly, but the country called Commagene of old, but now Euphratesia, a point from which, as far as we know, the Persians never before conducted a campaign against the Romans. But why the land was called Mesopotamia and why the Persians refrained from making their attack at this point is what I now propose to relate.
There is a mountain in Armenia which is not especially precipitous, two-and-forty stades removed from Theodosiopolis and lying toward the north from it. From this mountain issue two springs, forming immediately two rivers, the one on the right called the Euphrates, and the other the Tigris. One of these, the Tigris, descends, with no deviations and with no tributaries except small ones emptying into it, straight toward the city of Amida. And continuing into the country which lies to the north of this city it enters the land of Assyria. But the Euphrates at its beginning flows for a short distance, and is then immediately lost to sight as it goes on; it does not, however, become subterranean, but a very strange thing happens. For the water is covered by a bog of great depth, extending about fifty stades in length and twenty in breadth; and reeds grow in this mud in great abundance. But the earth there is of such a hard sort that it seems to those who chance upon it to be nothing else than solid ground, so that both pedestrians and horsemen travel over it without any fear. Nay more, even wagons pass over the place in great numbers every day, but they are wholly insufficient to shake the bog or to find a weak spot in it at any point. The natives burn the reeds every year, to prevent the roads being stopped up by them, and once, when an exceedingly violent wind struck the place, it came about that the fire reached the extremities of the roots, and the water appeared at a small opening; but in a short time the ground closed again, and gave the spot the same appearance which it had had before. From there the river proceeds into the land called Celesene, where was the sanctuary of Artemis among the Taurians, from which they say Iphigenia, daughter of Agamemnon, fled with Orestes and Pylades, bearing the statue of Artemis. For the other temple which has existed even to my day in the city of Comana is not the one “Among the Taurians.” But I shall explain how this temple came into being.
When Orestes had departed in haste from the Taurians with his sister, it so happened that he contracted some disease. And when he made inquiry about the disease they say that the oracle responded that his trouble would not abate until he built a temple to Artemis in a spot such as the one among the Taurians, and there cut off his hair and named the city after it. So then Orestes, going about the country there, came to Pontus, and saw a mountain which rose steep and towering, while below along the extremities of the mountain flowed the river Iris. Orestes, therefore, supposing at that time that this was the place indicated to him by the oracle, built there a great city and the temple of Artemis, and, shearing off his hair, named after it the city which even up to the present time has been called Comana. The story goes on that after Orestes had done these things, the disease continued to be as violent as before, if not even more so. Then the man perceived that he was not satisfying the oracle by doing these things, and he again went about looking everywhere and found a certain spot in Cappadocia very closely resembling the one among the Taurians. I myself have often seen this place and admired it exceedingly, and have imagined that I was in the land of the Taurians. For this mountain resembles the other remarkably, since the Taurus is here also and the river Sarus is similar to the Euphrates there. So Orestes built in that place an imposing city and two temples, the one to Artemis and the other to his sister Iphigenia, which the Christians have made sanctuaries for themselves, without changing their structure at all. This is called even now Golden Comana, being named from the hair of Orestes, which they say he cut off there and thus escaped from his affliction. But some say that this disease from which he escaped was nothing else than that of madness which seized him after he had killed his own mother. But I shall return to the previous narrative.
From Tauric Armenia and the land of Celesene the River Euphrates, flowing to the right of the Tigris, flows around an extensive territory, and since many rivers join it and among them the Arsinus, whose copious stream flows down from the land of the so-called Persarmenians, it becomes naturally a great river, and flows into the land of the people anciently called White Syrians but now known as the Lesser Armenians, whose first city, Melitene, is one of great importance. From there it flows past Samosata and Hierapolis and all the towns in that region as far as the land of Assyria, where the two rivers unite with each other into one stream which bears the name of the Tigris. The land which lies outside the River Euphrates, beginning with Samosata, was called in ancient times Commagene, but now it is named after the river. But the land inside the river, that namely which is between it and the Tigris, is appropriately named Mesopotamia; however, a portion of it is called not only by this name, but also by certain others. For the land as far as the city of Amida has come to be called Armenia by some, while Edessa together with the country around it is called Osroene, after Osroes, a man who was king in that place in former times, when the men of this country were in alliance with the Persians. After the time, therefore, when the Persians had taken from the Romans the city of Nisibis and certain other places in Mesopotamia, whenever they were about to make an expedition against the Romans, they disregarded the land outside the River Euphrates, which was for the most part unwatered and deserted by men, and gathered themselves here with no trouble, since they were in a land which was their own and which lay very close to the inhabited land of their enemy, and from here they always made their invasions.
When the mirranes, defeated in battle and with the greater part of his men lost, came back to the Persian land with the remainder of his army, he received bitter punishment at the hands of King Cabades. For he took away from him a decoration which he was accustomed to bind upon the hair of his head, an ornament wrought of gold and pearls. Now this is a great dignity among the Persians, second only to the kingly honour. For there it is unlawful to wear a gold ring or girdle or brooch or anything else whatsoever, except a man be counted worthy to do so by the king.
Thereafter Cabades began to consider in what manner he himself should make an expedition against the Romans. For after the mirranes had failed in the manner I have told, he felt confidence in no one else. While he was completely at a loss as to what he should do, Alamoundaras, the king of the Saracens, came before him and said: “Not everything, O Master, should be entrusted to fortune, nor should one believe that all wars ought to be successful. For this is not likely and besides it is not in keeping with the course of human events, but this idea is most unfortunate for those who are possessed by it. For when men who expect that all the good things will come to them fail at any time, if it so happen, they are distressed more than is seemly by the very hope which wrongly led them on. Therefore, since men have not always confidence in fortune, they do not enter into the danger of war in a straightforward way, even if they boast that they surpass the enemy in every respect, but by deception and divers devices they exert themselves to circumvent their opponents. For those who assume the risk of an even struggle have no assurance of victory. Now, therefore, O King of Kings, neither be thus distressed by the misfortune which has befallen Mirranes, nor desire again to make trial of fortune. For in Mesopotamia and the land of Osroene, as it is called, since it is very close to thy boundaries, the cities are very strong above all others, and now they contain a multitude of soldiers such as never before, so that if we go there the contest will not prove a safe one; but in the land which lies outside the River Euphrates, and in Syria which adjoins it, there is neither a fortified city nor an army of any importance. For this I have often heard from the Saracens sent as spies to the
se parts. There too, they say, is the city of Antioch, in wealth and size and population the first of all the cities of the Eastern Roman Empire; and this city is unguarded and destitute of soldiers. For the people of this city care for nothing else than fêtes and luxurious living, and their constant rivalries with each other in the theatres. Accordingly, if we go against them unexpectedly, it is not at all unlikely that we shall capture the city by a sudden attack, and that we shall return to the land of the Persians without having met any hostile army, and before the troops in Mesopotamia have learned what has happened. As for lack of water or of any kind of provisions, let no such thought occur to thee; for I myself shall lead the army wherever it shall seem best.”
When Cabades heard this he could neither oppose nor distrust the plan. For Alamoundaras was most discreet and well experienced in matters of warfare, thoroughly faithful to the Persians, and unusually energetic, — a man who for a space of fifty years forced the Roman state to bend the knee. For beginning from the boundaries of Aegypt and as far as Mesopotamia he plundered the whole country, pillaging one place after another, burning the buildings in his track and making captives of the population by the tens of thousands on each raid, most of whom he killed without consideration, while he gave up the others for great sums of money. And he was confronted by no one at all. For he never made his inroad without looking about, but so suddenly did he move and so very opportunely for himself, that, as a rule, he was already off with all the plunder when the generals and the soldiers were beginning to learn what had happened and to gather themselves against him. If, indeed, by any chance, they were able to catch him, this barbarian would fall upon his pursuers while still unprepared and not in battle array, and would rout and destroy them with no trouble; and on one occasion he made prisoners of all the soldiers who were pursuing him together with their officers. These officers were Timostratus, the brother of Rufinus, and John, the son of Lucas, whom he gave up indeed later, thereby gaining for himself no mean or trivial wealth. And, in a word, this man proved himself the most difficult and dangerous enemy of all to the Romans. The reason was this, that Alamoundaras, holding the position of king, ruled alone over all the Saracens in Persia, and he was always able to make his inroad with the whole army wherever he wished in the Roman domain; and neither any commander of Roman troops, whom they call “duces,” nor any leader of the Saracens allied with the Romans, who are called “phylarchs,” was strong enough with his men to array himself against Alamoundaras; for the troops stationed in the different districts were not a match in battle for the enemy. [531 A.D.] For this reason the Emperor Justinian put in command of as many clans as possible Arethas, the son of Gabalas, who ruled over the Saracens of Arabia, and bestowed upon him the dignity of king, a thing which among the Romans had never before been done. However Alamoundaras continued to injure the Romans just as much as before, if not more, since Arethas was either extremely unfortunate in every inroad and every conflict, or else he turned traitor as quickly as he could. For as yet we know nothing certain about him. In this way it came about that Alamoundaras, with no one to stand against him, plundered the whole East for an exceedingly long time, for he lived to a very advanced age.
Τούτου οὖν τότε τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τῇ ὑποθήκῃ ἡσθεὶς Καβάδης ἄνδρας πεντακισχιλίους τε καὶ μυρίους ἀπολεξάμενος Ἀζαρέθην αὐτοῖς ἄνδρα Πέρσην ἐπέστησε διαφερόντως ἀγαθὸν τὰ πολέμια, καὶ σφίσιν Ἀλαμούνδαρον τῆς πορείας ἐξηγεῖσθαι ἐκέλευεν. [2] οἱ δὲ τὸν Εὐφράτην ποταμὸν διαβάντες ἐν Ἀσσυρίοις, γῆν τε πορευθέντες τινὰ ἔρημον ἀνθρώπων, ἄφνω ἐς τῶν Κομμαγηνῶν καλουμένων τὴν χώραν παρὰ δόξαν ἐσέβαλλον. [3] αὕτη τε πρώτη ἐνθένδε Περσῶν ἐσβολὴ ἐς γῆν τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἐγένετο, ὅσα γε ἡμᾶς ἀκοῇ ἢ τρόπῳ τῳ ἄλλῳ ἐπίστασθαι, καὶ πάντας Ῥωμαίους τῷ ἀπροσδοκήτῳ κατέπληξεν. [4] ἃ δὴ ἐπεὶ Βελισάριος ἔμαθε, τὰ μὲν πρῶτα διηπορεῖτο, μετὰ δὲ βοηθεῖν κατὰ τάχος ἔγνω. φυλακήν τε αὐτάρκη ἐν πόλει ἑκάστῃ καταστησάμενος, ὅπως μὴ Καβάδης τε καὶ στράτευμα τῶν πολεμίων ἄλλο ἐνταῦθα ἰόντες ἀφύλακτα τὸ παράπαν εὑρήσουσι τὰ ἐπὶ Μεσοποταμίας χωρία, αὐτὸς τῷ ἄλλῳ στρατῷ ὑπηντίαζεν, Εὐφράτην τε ποταμὸν διαβάντες σπουδῇ πολλῇ πρόσω ἐχώρουν. [5] ὁ μὲν οὖν Ῥωμαίων στρατὸς ἐς δισμυρίους μάλιστα πεζούς τε καὶ ἱππέας ξυνῄει, καὶ αὐτῶν Ἴσαυροι οὐχ ἧσσον ἢ δισχίλιοι ἦσαν. [6] ἄρχοντες δὲ ἱππέων μὲν ἅπαντες ἦσαν οἳ τὰ πρότερα τὴν ἐν Δάρας μάχην πρός τε Πέρσας καὶ Μιρράνην διήνεγκαν, πεζῶν δὲ τῶν τις δορυφόρων Ἰουστινιανοῦ βασιλέως, Πέτρος ὄνομα. [7] τοῖς μέντοι Ἰσαύροις Λογγῖνός τε καὶ Στεφανάκιος ἐφειστήκεσαν. ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ Ἀρέθας αὐτοῖς ξὺν τῷ Σαρακηνῶν στρατεύματι ἦλθεν. [8] ἐπεί τε ἐς Χαλκίδα πόλιν ἀφίκοντο, ἐνστρατοπεδευσάμενοι αὐτοῦ ἔμενον, ἐπεὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἐν χωρίῳ Γαββουλῶν εἶναι ἐπύθοντο, δέκα καὶ ἑκατὸν σταδίοις Χαλκίδος διέχοντι. [9] ὃ δὴ γνόντες Ἀλαμούνδαρός τε καὶ Ἀζαρέθης τόν τε κίνδυνον κατορρωδήσαντες, ἐπίπροσθεν οὐκέτι ἐχώρουν, ἀλλ̓ ἐπ̓ οἴκου αὐτίκα δὴ ἀποχωρεῖν ἔγνωσαν. αὐτοί τε γοῦν Εὐφράτην ποταμὸν ἐν ἀριστερᾷ ἔχοντες ὀπίσω ἀπήλαυνον καὶ ὁ Ῥωμαίων στρατὸς ὄπισθεν εἵπετο. [10] ἔν τε τῷ χώρῳ οὗ δὴ οἱ βάρβαροι ἐς νύκτα ἑκάστην ηὐλίζοντο, ἀεὶ Ῥωμαῖοι τῇ ἐπιγινομένῃ νυκτὶ ἔμενον. [11] Βελισάριος γὰρ ἐξεπίτηδες ὁδόν τινα πλείω πορεύεσθαι τὸ στράτευμα οὐδαμῆ εἴα, ἐπεί οἱ οὐκ ἦν βουλομένῳ τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐς χεῖρας ἰέναι, ἀλλ̓ ἀποχρῆν ᾤετο σφίσι Πέρσας τε καὶ Ἀλαμούνδαρον ἐς γῆν τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἐσβεβληκότας, εἶτα ἐνθένδε οὕτω δὴ ἀποκεχωρηκότας, [12] ἀπράκτους εἰς τὰ οἰκεῖα κομίζεσθαι. διὸ δὴ ἅπαντες αὐτῷ λάθρα ἐλοιδοροῦντο, ἄρχοντές τε καὶ στρατιῶται, ἐκάκιζε μέντοι αὐτὸν ἐς ὄψιν οὐδείς. [13] Τελευτῶντες δὲ Πέρσαι μὲν ἐν τῇ τοῦ Εὐφράτου ἠϊόνι ηὐλίσαντο ἣ δὴ πόλεως Καλλινίκου ἀντιπέρας ἐστίν. ἐνθένδε γὰρ διὰ χώρας πρὸς οὐδενὸς ἀνθρώπων οἰκουμένης πορεύεσθαι ἔμελλον, οὕτω τε τῆς Ῥωμαίων γῆς ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι. [14] οὐ γὰρ ἔτι διενοοῦντο ἰέναι ὥσπερ τὰ πρότερα, τῆς τοῦ ποταμοῦ ὄχθης ἐχόμενοι. Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ διανυκτερεύσαντες ἐν πόλει Σούρων ἐνθένδε τε ἐξαναστάντες, καταλαμβάνουσι συσκευαζομένους ἤδη ἐς τὴν ἄφοδον τοὺς πολεμίους. [15] ἑορτὴ δὲ ἡ Πασχαλία ἐπέκειτο ἡμέρᾳ ἐπιγενησομένη τῇ ὑστε
ραίᾳ, ἣν δὴ σέβονται Χριστιανοὶ πασῶν μάλιστα, ἡμέρᾳ τε τῇ ταύτης προτέρᾳ σιτίων τε καὶ ποτοῦ ἀπεχόμενοι οὐ διημερεύειν νενομίκασι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πόρρω που νήστεις τῶν νυκτῶν ἰέναι. [16] τότε οὖν ἅπαντας Βελισάριος ὀργῶντας ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ὁρῶν, ταύτης τε ἀποστῆσαι τῆς γνώμης ἐθέλων ῾ταῦτα γάρ οἱ καὶ Ἑρμογένης ἐγίνωσκεν ἄρτι ἐπὶ πρεσβείᾳ ἐκ βασιλέως ἥκων̓ τοὺς παραγενομένους ἅπαντας ξυγκαλέσας ἔλεξε τοιάδε ‘Ποῖ φέρεσθε, [17] ἄνδρες Ῥωμαῖοι, ἢ τί πεπονθότες κίνδυνον αἱρεῖσθαι ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς οὐκ ἀναγκαῖον βουλεύεσθε; μίαν εἶναι νίκην ἀκίβδηλον οἴονται ἄνθρωποι τὸ μηδὲν δεινὸν πρὸς τῶν πολεμίων παθεῖν, ὅπερ ἡμῖν ἔν γε τῷ παρόντι δέδωκεν ἥ τε τύχη καὶ ἡμῶν τὸ κατὰ τῶν ἐναντίων δέος. [18] οὐκοῦν ἤ ἀπόνασθαι τῶν παρόντων ἀγαθῶν ἄμεινον ἢ παρελθόντα ταῦτα ζητεῖν. Πέρσαι γὰρ πολλαῖς μὲν ἐλπίσιν ἠγμένοι ἐπὶ Ῥωμαίους ἐστράτευσαν, πάντων δὲ τανῦν ἐκπεπτωκότες ἐς φυγὴν ὥρμηνται. [19] ὥστε ἢν οὐχ ἑκόντας αὐτοὺς μεταβάλλεσθαι μὲν τῆς ἐς τὴν ὑπαγωγὴν γνώμης, ἐς χεῖρας δὲ ἰέναι ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς ἀναγκάσωμεν, νενικηκότες μὲν πλέον τὸ παράπαν οὐδὲν ἕξομεν. [20] τί γὰρ ἄν τις τόν γε φεύγοντα τρέποι; σφαλέντες δὲ ἴσως τῆς τε ὑπαρχούσης στερησόμεθα νίκης, οὐ πρὸς τῶν πολεμίων ἀφαιρεθέντες, ἀλλ̓ αὐτοὶ ταύτην προέμενοι, καὶ τῇ βασιλέως γῇ τὸ τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐκκεῖσθαι τῶν ἀμυνομένων χωρὶς τὸ λοιπὸν δώσομεν. [21] καίτοι καὶ τοῦτο ἐνθυμεῖσθαι ὑμᾶς ἄξιον, ὡς τῶν ἀναγκαίων, οὐ τῶν αὐθαιρέτων κινδύνων ξυναίρεσθαι ὁ θεὸς ἀεὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις φιλεῖ. [22] χωρὶς δὲ τούτων τοῖς μὲν οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἂν ὅπη τραπεῖεν ἀνδραγαθίζεσθαι οὐχ ἑκουσίοις ξυμβήσεται, ἡμῖν δὲ πολλὰ τὰ ἐναντιώματα ἐς τὴν ξυμβολὴν τετύχηκεν εἶναι: [23] πεζῇ τε γὰρ βαδίζοντες πολλοὶ ἥκουσι καὶ νήστεις ἅπαντες τυγχάνομεν ὄντες. ἀφίημι γὰρ λέγειν ὥς τινες οὔπω καὶ νῦν πάρεισι.’ Βελισάριος μὲν τοσαῦτα εἶπεν. [24] Ὁ δὲ στρατὸς ἐς αὐτὸν ὕβριζον οὐ σιγῇ τινι οὐδὲ ἐν παραβύστῳ, ἀλλ̓ αὐτῷ ἐς ὄψιν ξὺν κραυγῇ ἥκοντες μαλθακόν τε καὶ τῆς προθυμίας διαλυτὴν ἐκάλουν, ὃ δὴ καὶ τῶν ἀρχόντων τινὲς ξὺν τοῖς στρατιώταις ἡμάρτανον, ταύτῃ τὸ εὔτολμον ἐνδεικνύμενοι. [25] καὶ αὐτῶν τῷ ἀναισχύντῳ καταπλαγεὶς Βελισάριος ἀντιστρέψας τὴν παραίνεσιν ἐγκελευομένῳ τε ἤδη ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἐῴκει καὶ διατάσσοντι ἐς παράταξιν, ἔφασκέ τε ὡς οὐκ εἰδείη μὲν αὐτῶν τὴν ἐς τὸ μάχεσθαι προθυμίαν τὰ πρότερα, νῦν δὲ θαρσεῖν τε καὶ ξὺν ἐλπίδι τῇ ἀμείνονι ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἰέναι. [26] καὶ τὴν φάλαγγα μετωπηδὸν ποιησάμενος διέταξεν ὧδε. ἐς κέρας μὲν τὸ ἀριστερὸν πρὸς τῷ ποταμῷ τοὺς πεζοὺς ἅπαντας ἔστησεν, ἐς δὲ τὸ δεξιόν, ᾗ δὴ ὁ χῶρος ἀνάντης ἦν, Ἀρέθαν τε καὶ τοὺς ξὺν αὐτῷ Σαρακηνοὺς ἅπαντας, αὐτὸς δὲ ξὺν τοῖς ἱππεῦσι κατὰ μέσον εἱστήκει. οὕτω μὲν Ῥωμαῖοι ἐτάξαντο. [27] Ἀζαρέθης δὲ ἐπεὶ ξυνιόντας ἐς παράταξιν τοὺς πολεμίους εἶδε, τοιάδε παρεκελεύσατο ‘Πέρσας μὲν ὄντας ὑμᾶς μὴ οὐχὶ τοῦ βίου τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀνταλλάξασθαι, ἤν τις αἵρεσιν ἀμφοῖν διδοίη, οὐδεὶς ἂν ἀντείποι. [28] ἐγὼ δέ φημι οὐδ̓ ἂν βουλομένοις ἐφ̓ ὑμῖν εἶναι τούτοιν ποιεῖσθαι τὴν αἵρεσιν. οἷς μὲν γὰρ ἐξὸν διαφυγοῦσι τὸν κίνδυνον ξὺν τῇ ἀτιμίᾳ βιοῦν, οὐδέν, ἤν γε βούλοιντο, ἀπεικὸς ἀντὶ τῶν βελτίστων ἑλέσθαι τὰ ἥδιστα, οἷς δὲ τὸ θνήσκειν ἐπάναγκες, ἢ ξὺν τῇ εὐκλείᾳ πρὸς τῶν πολεμίων, ἢ πρὸς τοῦ κρατοῦντος ἐς τὴν κόλασιν αἰσχρῶς ἀγομένοις, πολλὴ ἄνοια μὴ πρὸ τῶν αἰσχίστων ἑλέσθαι τὰ κρείσσω. [29] ὅτε τοίνυν ταῦτα οὕτως ἔχει, προσήκειν ὑμᾶς ἅπαντας οἶμαι μὴ τοὺς πολεμίους μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ δεσπότην τὸν ὑμέτερον ἐν νῷ ἔχοντας, οὕτως ἐς μάχην τήνδε καθίστασθαι.’ [30] Τοσαῦτα καὶ Ἀζαρέθης παρακελευσάμενος ἀντίξουν τοῖς ἐναντίοις τὴν φάλαγγα ἔστησε, Πέρσας μὲν τὰ ἐν δεξιᾷ ἔχοντας, Σαρακηνοὺς δὲ τὰ εὐώνυμα. καὶ αὐτίκα μὲν ἐς χεῖρας ἀμφότεροι ἦλθον. [31] ἦν δὲ ἡ μάχη καρτερὰ μάλιστα. τά τε γὰρ τοξεύματα ἑκατέρωθεν συχνὰ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον βαλλόμενα φόνον ἀμφοτέρων πολὺν ἐποίει, καί τινες ἐν μεταιχμίῳ γινόμενοι ἔργα ἐς ἀλλήλους ἐπεδείκνυντο ἀρετῆς ἄξια, μᾶλλον δὲ Πέρσαι ἐκ τῶν τοξευμάτων πολλοὶ ἔθνησκον. [32] τὰ μὲν γὰρ αὐτῶν βέλη συχνότερα μὲν ἀτεχνῶς ἦν, ἐπεὶ Πέρσαι τοξόται τε σχεδόν τί εἰσιν ἅπαντες καὶ πολὺ θᾶσσον ἢ οἱ ἄλλοι ξύμπαντες ἄνθρωποι ποιεῖσθαι τὰς βολὰς ἐκδιδάσκονται, [33] ἐκ δὲ τόξων μαλθακῶν τε καὶ οὐ λίαν ἐντεταμένων βαλλόμενα θώρακι ἴσως ἢ κράνει ἢ καὶ ἀσπίδι ἐντυχόντα Ῥωμαίου ἀνδρὸς ἀπεκαυλίζετό τε καὶ λυπεῖν τὸν προσπίπτοντα οὐδαμῆ εἶχε. [34] Ῥωμαίων δὲ τὰ τε τοξεύματα βραδύτερα μὲν ἐς ἀεί ἐστιν, ἅτε δὲ ἐκ τόξων σκληρῶν τε ὑπεράγαν καὶ δεινῶς ἐντεταμένων βαλλόμενα, προσθείη δὲ ἄν τις καὶ πρὸς ἀνδρῶν ἰσχυροτέρων, πολλῷ ἔτι μᾶλλον ἢ οἱ Πέρσαι οἷς ἂν ἐντύχοιεν εὐπετῶς σίνονται, ὅπλου οὐδενὸς ἐμποδὼν αὐτῶν γινομένου τῇ ῥύμῃ. [35] ἤδη μὲν οὖν τῆς ἡμέρας αἱ δύο παρῳχήκεσαν μοῖραι, καὶ ἡ μάχη ἔτι ἀγχώμαλος ἦν. τότε δὲ ξυμφρονήσαντες ὅσοι δὴ ἄριστοι ἐν τῷ Περσῶν στρατεύματι ἦσαν, ἐσήλαυνον ἐς τῶν πολεμίων τὸ δεξιὸν κέρας,
οὗ δὴ Ἀρέθας τε καὶ οἱ Σαρακηνοὶ ἐτετάχατο. [36] οἱ δὲ οὕτω τὴν φάλαγγα διαλύσαντες δίχα ἐγένοντο, ὥστε καὶ δόξαν ἀπήνεγκαν ὅτι δὴ Πέρσαις τὰ Ῥωμαίων πράγματα προὔδοσαν. τοὺς γὰρ ἐπιόντας οὐχ ὑποστάντες αὐτίκα ἐς φυγὴν ἅπαντες ὥρμηντο. [37] οἱ γοῦν Πέρσαι διαρρήξαντες οὕτω τὴν τῶν ἐναντίων παράταξιν, κατὰ νώτου εὐθὺς τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἵππου ἐγένοντο. Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ κεκμηκότες ἤδη τῇ τε ὁδῷ καὶ τῷ πόνῳ τῆς μάχης νήστεις τε ἅπαντες ἐς τόδε τῆς ἡμέρας ὄντες, καὶ πρὸς τῶν πολεμίων ἑκατέρωθεν ἐνοχλούμενοι, οὐκέτι ἀντεῖχον, ἀλλ̓ οἱ μὲν πολλοὶ φεύγοντες ἀνὰ κράτος ἐς τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὰς νήσους ἄγχιστά που οὔσας ἐχώρησαν, τινὲς δὲ καὶ αὐτοῦ μένοντες ἔργα θαυμαστά τε καὶ λόγου πολλοῦ ἄξια τοὺς πολεμίους εἰργάσαντο. [38] ἐν τοῖς καὶ Ἀσκὰν ἦν, ὃς δὴ πολλοὺς μὲν κτείνας τῶν ἐν Πέρσαις δοκίμων, κρεουργηθεὶς δὲ κατὰ βραχὺ μόλις ἔπεσε, λόγον αὑτοῦ πολὺν τοῖς πολεμίοις ἀπολιπών. καὶ ξὺν αὐτῷ ἄλλοι ὀκτακόσιοι ἄνδρες ἀγαθοὶ γενόμενοι ἐν τῷ πόνῳ τούτῳ ἀπέθανον, οἵ τε Ἴσαυροι ξὺν τοῖς ἄρχουσι σχεδὸν ἅπαντες, οὐδὲ ὅπλα ἀνταίρειν τοῖς πολεμίοις τολμήσαντες. [39] ἀπειρίᾳ γὰρ τοῦ ἔργου τούτου πολλῇ εἴχοντο, ἐπεὶ ἄρτι τῆς γεωργίας ἀφέμενοι ἐς κίνδυνον πολέμου κατέστησαν, [40] ἀγνῶτα σφίσι τὰ πρότερα ὄντα. καίτοι μάλιστα πάντων αὐτοὶ ἔναγχος ἐς τὴν μάχην ἀγνοίᾳ πολέμου ὀργῶντες Βελισαρίῳ τότε τὴν δειλίαν ὠνείδιζον. οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ Ἴσαυροι ἅπαντες, ἀλλὰ Λυκάονες οἱ πλεῖστοι ἦσαν. [41] Βελισάριος δὲ ξὺν ὀλίγοις τισὶν ἐνταῦθα μείνας, τέως μὲν τοὺς ἀμφὶ τὸν Ἀσκὰν ἀντέχοντας ἑώρα, καὶ αὐτὸς ξὺν τοῖς παροῦσι τοὺς πολεμίους ἠμύνατο: [42] ἐπεὶ δὲ αὐτῶν οἱ μὲν ἔπεσον, οἱ δὲ ὅπη ἐδύναντο ἐς φυγὴν ὥρμηντο, τότε δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ξὺν τοῖς ἑπομένοις φυγὼν ἐς τῶν πεζῶν τὴν φάλαγγα ἦλθεν, οἳ ξὺν τῷ Πέτρῳ ἔτι ἐμάχοντο, οὐ πολλοὶ ὄντες, ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτῶν ἔτυχον φυγόντες οἱ πλεῖστοι. [43] ἔνθα δὴ αὐτός τε τὸν ἵππον ἀφῆκε καὶ πάντας αὐτὸ δρᾶν τοὺς ἑπομένους ἐκέλευε, πεζούς τε ξὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις τοὺς ἐπιόντας ἀμύνασθαι. [44] Περσῶν δὲ ὅσοι τοῖς φεύγουσιν εἵποντο, δἰ ὀλίγου τὴν δίωξιν ποιησάμενοι, εὐθὺς ἐπανῆκον, ἔς τε τοὺς πεζοὺς καὶ Βελισάριον ξὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασιν ὥρμηντο. οἱ δὲ τὰ νῶτα ἐς τὸν ποταμὸν τρέψαντες, ὅπως μή τις αὐτοῖς πρὸς τῶν πολεμίων κύκλωσις γένοιτο, ἐκ τῶν παρόντων τοὺς ἐπιόντας ἠμύνοντο. [45] αὖθίς τε ἡ μάχη καρτερὰ γέγονε, καίπερ οὐκ ἐξ ἀντιπάλου τῆς δυνάμεως οὖσα. πεζοί τε γὰρ καὶ λίαν ὀλίγοι πρὸς ξύμπασαν ἐμάχοντο τὴν Περσῶν ἵππον. οὐ μέντοι αὐτοὺς οἱ πολέμιοι οὔτε τρέπεσθαι οὔτε ἄλλως βιάζεσθαι εἶχον. [46] ἐν χρῷ τε γὰρ ἀλλήλοις ἐς ὀλίγον ἀεὶ ξυναγόμενοι καὶ ὡς ἰσχυρότατα ταῖς ἀσπίσι φραξάμενοι, ἔβαλλον μᾶλλον ἐς τοὺς Πέρσας ἐπιτηδείως ἢ αὐτοὶ πρὸς ἐκείνων ἐβάλλοντο. [47] πολλάκις τε ἀπειπόντες οἱ βάρβαροι ἐπ̓ αὐτοὺς ἤλαυνον, ὡς ξυνταράξοντές τε καὶ διαλύσοντες τὴν παράταξιν, ἀλλ̓ ἄπρακτοι ἐνθένδε ὀπίσω αὖθις ἀπήλαυνον. [48] οἱ γὰρ ἵπποι αὐτοῖς τῷ τῶν ἀσπίδων πατάγῳ ἀχθόμενοι ἀνεχαιτίζοντό τε καὶ ἐς ταραχὴν ξὺν τοῖς ἐπιβάταις καθίσταντο. διαγεγόνασί τε οὕτως ἑκάτεροι ἕως ἐγεγόνει τῆς ἡμέρας ὀψέ. [49] νυκτὸς δὲ ἤδη ἐπιλαβούσης Πέρσαι μὲν ἐς τὸ στρατόπεδον ἀνεχώρησαν, Βελισάριος δὲ ὁλκάδος ἐπιτυχὼν ξὺν ὀλίγοις τισὶν ἐς τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὴν νῆσον κατῆρεν, οὗ δὴ καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι Ῥωμαῖοι νηχόμενοι ἦλθον. [50] τῇ δὲ ὑστεραίᾳ Ῥωμαῖοι μὲν ὁλκάδων σφίσιν ἐκ Καλλινίκου πόλεως παραγενομένων πολλῶν ἐς αὐτὴν ἐκομίσθησαν, Πέρσαι δὲ τοὺς νεκροὺς ἐσκυλευκότες ἐπ̓ οἴκου ἅπαντες ἀνεχώρησαν. οὐ μὴν τοὺς σφετέρους νεκροὺς τῶν πολεμίων ἐλάσσους εὗρον. [51] Ἀζαρέθης δέ, ἐπεὶ ξὺν τῷ στρατῷ ἐς Πέρσας ἀφίκετο, καίπερ ἐν τῇ μάχῃ εὐημερήσας, ἀχαρίστου Καβάδου μάλιστα ἔτυχεν ἐξ αἰτίας τοιᾶσδε. [52] νόμος ἐστὶ Πέρσαις, ἡνίκα ἐπὶ τῶν πολεμίων τινὰς στρατεύεσθαι μέλλωσι, τὸν μὲν βασιλέα ἐπὶ θρόνου τοῦ βασιλείου καθῆσθαι, κοφίνους δέ οἱ πολλοὺς ἐνταῦθά πη εἶναι, καὶ παρεῖναι μὲν τὸν στρατηγὸν ὃς δὴ τῷ στρατῷ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐναντίους ἐξηγήσεσθαι ἐπίδοξός ἐστι, παριέναι δὲ τὸ στράτευμα τοῦτο ἐς τοῦ βασιλέως τὴν ὄψιν κατ̓ ἄνδρα ἕνα, καὶ αὐτῶν ἕκαστον βέλος ἓν ἐς τὰς ταρπὰς ῥιπτεῖν, μετὰ δὲ αὐτὰς μὲν τῇ βασιλέως σφραγῖδι κατασεσημασμένας φυλάττεσθαι, ἐπειδὰν δὲ ἐς Πέρσας ἐπανίοι τὸ στράτευμα τοῦτο, τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἕκαστον ἐκ τῶν ἀρρίχων ἓν ἀναιρεῖσθαι βέλος. [53] ἀριθμοῦντες οὖν τῶν βελῶν ὅσα πρὸς τῶν ἀνδρῶν οὐκ ἀνῄρηται, οἷς ἐπίκειται ἡ τιμὴ αὕτη, ἀγγέλλουσι τῷ βασιλεῖ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν οὐκ ἐπανηκόντων στρατιωτῶν, ταύτῃ τε ὅσοι ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ τετελευτήκασιν ἔνδηλοι γίνονται. [54] οὕτω μὲν οὖν Πέρσαις ὁ νόμος ἐκ παλαιοῦ ἔχει. ἐπεὶ δὲ Ἀζαρέθης ἐς ὄψιν τῷ βασιλεῖ ἦλθεν, ἀνεπυνθάνετο αὐτοῦ ὁ Καβάδης εἴ τι χωρίον παραστησάμενος Ῥωμαϊκὸν ἥκοι, ἐπεὶ ξὺν τῷ Ἀλαμουνδάρῳ ὡς Ἀντιόχειαν καταστρεψόμενος ἐπὶ Ῥωμαίους στρατεύσειεν. ὁ δὲ Ἀζαρέθης χωρίον μὲν ἑλεῖν οὐδὲν ἔφασκε, Ῥωμαίους δὲ καὶ Βελισάριον μάχῃ νενικηκέναι. [55] Καβάδης μὲν οὖν παριέναι τὸ ξὺν τῷ Ἀζαρέθῃ ἐκ
έλευε στράτευμα, ἔκ τε τῶν ταρπῶν βέλος ἕκαστος ἀνῃρεῖτο ᾗπερ εἰώθει. [56] πολλῶν δὲ ἀπολελειμμένων βελῶν ὠνείδιζέ τε τῷ Ἀζαρέθῃ ὁ βασιλεὺς τὴν νίκην καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀτιμοτάτοις τὸ λοιπὸν εἶχε. τὰ μὲν οὖν τῆς νίκης ἐς τοῦτο ἐτελεύτα τῷ Ἀζαρέθῃ.
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