VII
Thus, then, on that day Megas departed thence and went on the way to Antioch, while Chosroes after receiving the ransom was moving toward Beroea. This city lies between Antioch and Hierapolis, at a distance from both of two-days’ journey for an unencumbered traveller. Now while Megas, who travelled with a small company, advanced very quickly, the Persian army was accomplishing only one half of the distance which he travelled each day. And so on the fourth day he reached Antioch, while the Persians came to the suburb of Beroea. And Chosroes immediately sent Paulus and demanded money of the Beroeans, not only as much as he had received from the Hierapolitans, but double the amount, since he saw that their wall in many places was very vulnerable. As for the Beroeans, since they could by no means place confidence in their fortifications, they gladly agreed to give all, but after giving two thousand pounds of silver, they said that they were not able to give the remainder. And since Chosroes pressed them on this account, on the following night all of them fled for refuge into the fortress which is on the acropolis together with the soldiers who had been stationed there to guard the place. And on the following day men were sent to the city by Chosroes in order to receive the money; but on coming near the fortifications they found all the gates closed, and being unable to discover any man, they reported the situation to the king. And he commanded them to set ladders against the wall and to make trial of mounting it, and they did as directed. Then since no one opposed them, they got inside the fortifications and opened the gates at their leisure, and received into the city the whole army and Chosroes himself. By this time the king was furious with anger and he fired nearly the whole city. He then mounted the acropolis and decided to storm the fortress. There indeed the Roman soldiers while valiantly defending themselves slew some of the enemy; but Chosroes was greatly favoured by fortune by reason of the folly of the besieged, who had not sought refuge in this fortress by themselves, but along with all their horses and other animals, and by this inconsiderate act they were placed at a great disadvantage and began to be in danger. For since there was only one spring there and the horses and mules and other animals drank from it when they should not have done so, it came about that the water was exhausted. Such, then, was the situation of the Beroeans.
Megas, upon reaching Antioch and announcing the terms arranged by him with Chosroes, failed utterly to persuade them to carry out this agreement. For it happened that the Emperor Justinian had sent John, the son of Rufinus, and Julian, his private secretary, as ambassadors to Chosroes. The person holding this office is styled “a secretis” by the Romans; for secrets they are accustomed to call “secreta.” These men had reached Antioch and were remaining there. Now Julian, one of the ambassadors, explicitly forbade everybody to give money to the enemy, or to purchase the cities of the emperor, and besides he denounced to Germanus the chief priest Ephraemius, as being eager to deliver over the city to Chosroes. For this reason Megas returned unsuccessful. But Ephraemius, the bishop of Antioch, fearing the attack of the Persians, went into Cilicia. There too came Germanus not long afterwards, taking with him some few men but leaving the most of them in Antioch.
Megas then came in haste to Beroea, and in vexation at what had taken place, he charged Chosroes with having treated the Beroeans outrageously; for while, as it seemed, he had sent him to Antioch to arrange the treaty, he had both plundered the property of the citizens, though they had committed no wrong at all, and had compelled them to shut themselves up in that fortress, and had then set fire to the city and razed it to the ground in defiance of right. To this Chosroes replied as follows: “Verily, my friend, you yourself are responsible for these things, in having compelled us to delay here; for as it is, you have arrived, not at the appointed time, but far behind it. And as for the strange conduct of your fellow-citizens, my most excellent sir, why should one make speeches of great length? For after agreeing to give us a fixed amount of silver for their own safety, they even now do not think it necessary to fulfil the agreement, but placing such complete confidence in the strength of their position, they are disregarding us absolutely, while we are compelled to undertake the siege of a fortress, as you surely see. But for my part, I have hope that with the help of the gods I shall have vengeance upon them shortly, and execute upon the guilty the punishment for the Persians whom I have lost wrongfully before this wall.” So spoke Chosroes, and Megas replied as follows: “If one should consider that as king thou art making these charges against men who are in pitiable and most dishonoured plight, he would be compelled without a word of protest to agree with what thou hast said; for authority which is unlimited is bound by its very nature to carry with it also supremacy in argument; but if one be permitted to shake off all else and to espouse the truth of the matter, thou wouldst have, O King, nothing with which justly to reproach us; but mayst thou hear all mildly. First, as for me, since the time when I was sent to declare to the men of Antioch the message which thou didst send them, seven days have passed (and what could be done more quickly than this?) and now coming into thy presence I find these things accomplished by thee against my fatherland; but these men, having already lost all that is most valuable, thereafter have only one struggle to engage in — that for life — and have come, I think, so to be masters of the situation that they can no longer be compelled to pay thee any of the money. For to pay a thing which one does not possess could not be made possible for a man by any device. From of old indeed have the names of things been well and suitably distinguished by men; and among these distinctions is this, that want of power is separated from want of consideration. For when the latter by reason of intemperance of mind proceeds to resistance, it is accustomed to be detested, as is natural, but when the former, because of the impossibility of performing a service, is driven to the same point, it deserves to be pitied. Permit, therefore, O King, that, while we receive as our portion all the direst misfortunes, we may take with us this consolation at least, that we should not seem to have been ourselves responsible for the things which have befallen us. And as for money, consider that what thou hast taken into thy possession is sufficient for thee, not weighing this by thy position, but with regard to the power of the Beroeans. But beyond this do not force us in any way, lest perchance thou shouldst seem unable to accomplish the thing to which thou hast set thy hand; for excess is always punished by meeting obstacles that cannot be overcome, and the best course is not to essay the impossible. Let this, then, be my defence for the moment in behalf of these men. But if I should be able to have converse with the sufferers, I should have something else also to say which has now escaped me.” So spoke Megas, and Chosroes permitted him to go into the acropolis. And when he had gone there and learned all that had happened concerning the spring, weeping he came again before Chosroes, and lying prone on the ground insisted that no money at all was left to the Beroeans, and entreated him to grant him only the lives of the men. Moved by the tearful entreaties of the man Chosroes fulfilled his request, and binding himself by an oath, gave pledges to all on the acropolis. Then the Beroeans, after coming into such great danger, left the acropolis free from harm, and departing went each his own way. Among the soldiers some few followed them, but the majority came as willing deserters to Chosroes, putting forth as their grievance that the government owed them their pay for a long time; and with him they later went into the land of Persia.
Χοσρόης δέ ῾καὶ γάρ οἱ Μέγας χρήματα ἔφασκεν οὐδαμῆ πεπεικέναι Ἀντιοχέας φέρειν̓ παντὶ τῷ στρατῷ ἐπ̓ αὐτοὺς ᾔει. [2] Ἀντιοχέων δέ τινες μὲν ἐνθένθε ξὺν τοῖς χρήμασιν ἐξαναστάντες ἔφευγον ὡς ἕκαστός πη ἐδύνατο. ταὐτὸ δὲ τοῦτο διενοοῦντο καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ξύμπαντες, εἰ μὴ μεταξὺ ἥκοντες οἱ τῶν ἐν Λιβάνῳ στρατιωτῶν ἄρχοντες, Θεόκτιστός τε καὶ Μολάτζης, ξὺν ἑξακισχι�
�ίοις ἀνδράσιν ἐλπίσι τε αὐτοὺς ἐπιρρώσαντες διεκώλυσαν. [3] οὗ δὴ οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον καὶ τὸ Περσῶν στράτευμα ἦλθεν. ἐνταῦθά τε διεσκηνημένοι ἐστρατοπεδεύσαντο ἅπαντες πρός τε Ὀρόντῃ τῷ ποταμῷ καὶ αὐτοῦ οὐ πολλῷ ἄποθεν. [4] Χοσρόης τε Παῦλον παρὰ τὸν περίβολον στείλας τοὺς Ἀντιοχέας χρήματα ᾔτει, δέκα χρυσοῦ κεντηναρίων ἀπαλλαγήσεσθαι ἐνθένδε, ἔνδηλός τε ἦν καὶ τούτων ἐλάσσω ἐπὶ τῇ ἀναχωρήσει ληψόμενος. [5] καὶ τότε μὲν ἥκοντες παρὰ τὸν Χοσρόην οἱ πρέσβεις, εἰπόντες τε ἀμφὶ τῇ διαλύσει τῆς εἰρήνης πολλὰ καὶ πρὸς ἐκείνου ἀκούσαντες ἀνεχώρησαν. [6] τῇ δὲ ἐπιούσῃ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν Ἀντιοχέων ὁ δῆμος ῾εἰσὶ γὰρ οὐ κατεσπουδασμένοι, ἀλλὰ γελοίοις τε καὶ ἀταξίᾳ ἱκανῶς ἔχονταἰ πολλὰ ἐς τὸν Χοσρόην ὕβριζόν τε ἀπὸ τῶν ἐπάλξεων καὶ ξὺν γέλωτι ἀκόσμῳ ἐτώθαζον: [7] καὶ Παῦλον τοῦ περιβόλου ἐγγὺς ἥκοντα παραινοῦντά τε χρημάτων ὀλίγων σφᾶς τε αὐτοὺς καὶ τὴν πόλιν ὠνεῖσθαι, ὀλίγου ἐδέησαν τοξεύσαντες κτεῖναι, εἰ μὴ προϊδὼν ἐφυλάξατο. διὸ δὴ ζέων τῷ θυμῷ ὁ Χοσρόης τειχομαχεῖν ἔγνω. [8] Τῇ οὖν ὑστεραίᾳ ἐπαγαγὼν ἅπαντας Πέρσας ἐπὶ τὸ τεῖχος ἄλλους μὲν ἄλλῃ προσβάλλειν τοῦ ποταμοῦ ἐκέλευεν, αὐτὸς δὲ τοὺς πλείστους τε καὶ ἀρίστους ἔχων κατὰ τὴν ἄκραν προσέβαλλε. ταύτῃ γάρ, ὥς μοι ἔμπροσθεν ἐρρήθη, ἐπιμαχώτατος ὁ περίβολος ἦν. [9] ἐνταῦθα Ῥωμαῖοι ῾στενοτάτη γὰρ ἡ οἰκοδομία ἐτύγχανεν οὖσα ἐφ̓ ἧς ἱστάμενοι πολεμεῖν ἔμελλον̓ ἐπενόησαν τάδε. δοκοὺς μακρὰς ἐς ἀλλήλους ξυνδέοντες μεταξὺ τῶν πύργων ἐκρέμων, οὕτω τε πολλῷ εὐρυτέρας δὴ ταύτας τὰς χώρας ἐποίουν, ὅπως ἔτι πλείους ἐνθένδε ἀμύνεσθαι τοὺς τειχομαχοῦντας οἷοί τε ὦσιν. [10] οἱ μὲν οὖν Πέρσαι ἰσχυρότατα ἐγκείμενοι πανταχόθεν τὰ τοξεύματα συχνὰ ἔπεμπον, ἄλλως τε καὶ κατὰ τὴν τῆς ἄκρας ὑπερβολήν. [11] οἱ δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι ἠμύνοντο δυνάμει πάσῃ, οὐ στρατιῶται μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ δήμου εὐτολμότατοι νεανίαι πολλοί. [12] ἐδόκουν δὲ οἱ τειχομαχοῦντες ἐνταῦθα ἐς τὴν μάχην ἐκ τοῦ ἀντιπάλου τοῖς πολεμίοις καθίστασθαι. ἡ γὰρ πέτρα, εὐρεῖά τις καὶ ὑψηλὴ οὖσα καὶ ὥσπερ ἀντιτεταγμένη τῷ περιβόλῳ καθάπερ ἐφ̓ ὁμαλοῦ εἶναι τὴν ξυμβολὴν ἐποίει. [13] καὶ εἰ μέν τις ἐθάρσησε τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ ξὺν τριακοσίοις ἔξω τε γενέσθαι τοῦ περιβόλου καὶ τὴν πέτραν ἐκείνην προτερήσας καταλαβεῖν ἐνθένδε τε τοὺς ἐπιόντας ἀμύνασθαι, οὐκ ἄν ποτε, οἶμαι, πρὸς τῶν πολεμίων ἐς κίνδυνόν τινα ἡ πόλις ἦλθεν. [14] οὐ γὰρ εἶχον ὅθεν ὁρμώμενοι τειχομαχοῖεν οἱ βάρβαροι, κατὰ κορυφὴν ἔκ τε τῆς πέτρας καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ τείχους βαλλόμενοι: νῦν δέ ῾καὶ γὰρ ἔδει Ἀντιοχέας τούτῳ τῷ Μήδων στρατῷ ἀπολέσθαἰ οὐδενὶ τοῦτο ἐς ἔννοιαν ἦλθε. [15] τῶν μὲν οὖν Περσῶν, ἅτε Χοσρόου παρόντος σφίσι καὶ κραυγῇ ἐγκελευομένου μεγάλῃ, ὑπὲρ δύναμιν βιαζομένων καὶ οὐδένα τοῖς ἐναντίοις ἐνδιδόντων καιρὸν ὥστε διασκοπεῖσθαι ἢ φυλάσσεσθαι τὰς τοξευμάτων βολάς, τῶν δὲ Ῥωμαίων ἔτι μᾶλλον πλήθει τε πολλῷ καὶ θορύβῳ ἀμυνομένων, οὐκ ἐνεγκοῦσαι τὸ ἄχθος αἱ σχοῖνοι αἷς αἱ δοκοὶ ξυνδεδέατο, διερράγησαν ἐκ τοῦ αἰφνιδίου καὶ ξὺν ταῖς δοκοῖς ἅπαντες ὅσοι αὐταῖς ἐφεστήκεσαν ἐς τὸ ἔδαφος ἐξέπεσον πατάγῳ πολλῷ. [16] οὗ δὴ αἰσθόμενοι καὶ ἄλλοι Ῥωμαίων οἳ ἐκ πύργων τῶν ἐχομένων ἐμάχοντο, καὶ ξυμβάλλειν μὲν τὸ γεγονὸς οὐδαμῆ ἔχοντες, διεφθάρθαι δὲ ταύτῃ τὸ τεῖχος οἰόμενοι ἐς φυγὴν ὥρμηντο. [17] τοῦ μὲν οὖν δήμου νεανίαι πολλοὶ ὅσοι τὰ πρότερα πρός γε ἀλλήλους στασιάζειν ἐν τοῖς ἱπποδρομίοις εἰώθεσαν, ἐπειδὴ ἀπὸ τοῦ περιβόλου κατέβησαν, οὐδαμῆ ἔφευγον, ἀλλ̓ αὐτοῦ ἔμενον, οἱ δὲ στρατιῶται ξύν τε Θεοκτίστῳ καὶ Μολάτζῃ εὐθὺς ἐπὶ τοὺς ἵππους ἀναθορόντες οἳ δὴ ἐνταῦθά πη παρεσκευασμένοι ἐτύγχανον, ἐπὶ τὰς πύλας ἀπήλαυνον, Βούζην αὐτοῖς ἐπιθρυλοῦντες ξὺν στρατῷ ἥκειν, ἐθέλειν τε κατὰ τάχος δέξασθαι μὲν αὐτοὺς τῇ πόλει, ξὺν αὐτοῖς δὲ τοὺς πολεμίους ἀμύνασθαι. [18] ἐνταῦθα τῶν Ἀντιοχέων πολλοὶ μὲν ἄνδρες, γυναῖκες δὲ πᾶσαι ξὺν τοῖς παιδίοις ἐπὶ τὰς πύλας δρόμῳ πολλῷ ᾔεσαν: εἶτα πρὸς τῶν ἵππων ὠθούμενοι ἅτε ἐν στενοχωρίᾳ πολλῇ ἔπιπτον. [19] οἱ δὲ στρατιῶται τῶν ἐν ποσὶν οὐδενὸς τὸ παράπαν φειδόμενοι ἔτι μᾶλλον ἢ πρότερον ὕπερθεν τῶν κειμένων ἅπαντες ἤλαυνον, γέγονέ τε φόνος ἐνταῦθα πολὺς ἄλλως τε καὶ κατὰ τὰς πύλας αὐτάς. [20] Οἱ δὲ Πέρσαι, οὐδενὸς σφίσιν ἀντιστατοῦντος, κλίμακας ἐπιθέντες ἐπὶ τὸ τεῖχος οὐδενὶ πόνῳ ἀνέβαινον. ἔν τε ταῖς ἐπάλξεσι κατὰ τάχος γενόμενοι χρόνον τινὰ καταβαίνειν οὐδαμῆ ἤθελον, ἀλλὰ διασκοπουμένοις τε καὶ ἀπορουμένοις ἐῴκεσαν, ἐμοὶ μὲν δοκεῖ, προλοχίζεσθαι τὰς δυσχωρίας ἐνέδραις τισὶ τῶν πολεμίων ὑποτοπάζοντες. [21] τὰ γὰρ ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβόλου ἀπὸ τῆς ἄκρας εὐθὺς κατιόντι λοιπὸν ἀοίκητος χώρα ἐπὶ πλεῖστόν ἐστι. πέτραι τε λίαν ὑψηλαὶ ἀνέχουσιν ἐνταῦθα καὶ τόποι κρημνώδεις. [22] ἔνιοι δέ φασι Χοσρόου γνώμῃ γεγονέναι τὴν μέλλησιν Πέρσαις. [23] ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τήν τε δυσχωρίαν κατενόησε καὶ τοὺς στρατιώτας φεύγοντας εἶδεν, ἔδεισε μή τινι ἀνάγκῃ ἐκ τῆς ὑπαγωγῆς ἀναστρέψαντες πράγματα σφίσι παράσχωνται, ἐμπόδιοί τε γένωνται, ἂν ο�
�τω τύχοι, πόλιν ἑλεῖν ἀρχαίαν τε καὶ λόγου ἀξίαν καὶ πρώτην Ῥωμαίοις οὖσαν τῶν κατὰ τὴν ἕω πασῶν πόλεων, πλούτῳ τε καὶ μεγέθει καὶ πολυανθρωπίᾳ καὶ κάλλει καὶ τῇ ἄλλῃ εὐδαιμονίᾳ. [24] οὗ δή, περὶ ἐλάσσονος τἄλλα ποιούμενος ἅπαντα, ἤθελε τοῖς Ῥωμαίων στρατιώταις καιρὸν ἐνδιδόναι, ὥστε κατ̓ ἐξουσίαν τῇ φυγῇ χρῆσθαι. διὸ δὴ καὶ ταῖς χερσὶ τοῖς φεύγουσι Πέρσαι σημαίνοντες ἐνεκελεύοντο φεύγειν ὡς τάχιστα. [25] οἱ μὲν οὖν στρατιῶται Ῥωμαίων ξὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἄρχουσιν ἀπιόντες ᾤχοντο ἅπαντες διὰ πύλης ἣ ἐπὶ Δάφνην ἄγει τὸ τῶν Ἀντιοχέων προάστειον: [26] ταύτης γὰρ μόνης, τῶν ἄλλων κατειλημμένων, ἀπέσχοντο Πέρσαι: τοῦ δὲ δήμου ὀλίγοι τινὲς ξὺν τοῖς στρατιώταις διέφυγον. [27] ἐπεὶ δὲ Πέρσαι ἅπαντας τοὺς Ῥωμαίων στρατιώτας εἶδον πρόσω χωρήσαντας, καταβάντες ἀπὸ τῆς ἄκρας ἐν μέσῃ πόλει ἐγένοντο. [28] ἐνταῦθα δὲ αὐτοῖς τῶν Ἀντιοχέων νεανίαι πολλοὶ ἐς χεῖρας ἐλθόντες τὰ πρῶτα καθυπέρτεροι ἔδοξαν τῇ ξυμβολῇ εἶναι. ἦσαν δὲ αὐτῶν τινες μὲν ὁπλῖται, οἱ δὲ πλεῖστοι γυμνοὶ καὶ λίθων βολαῖς χρώμενοι μόναις. [29] ὠσάμενοι δὲ τοὺς πολεμίους ἐπαιάνιζόν τε καὶ Ἰουστινιανὸν βασιλέα καλλίνικον, ἅτε νενικηκότες, ἀνέκραγον. [30] Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ Χοσρόης ἐν πύργῳ τῷ κατὰ τὴν ἄκραν καθήμενος τοὺς πρέσβεις ἐθέλων τι εἰπεῖν μετεπέμψατο. καὶ αὐτὸν τῶν τις ἀρχόντων, ὁ Ζαβεργάνης, οἰόμενος ξυμβάσεως πέρι βούλεσθαι τοῖς πρέσβεσιν ἐς λόγους ἰέναι, ἐς ὄψιν τε τῷ [31] βασιλεῖ κατὰ τάχος ἦλθε καὶ ἔλεξεν ὧδε ‘Οὐχὶ ταὐτά μοι δοκεῖς, ὦ δέσποτα, Ῥωμαίοις ἀμφὶ τῇ τούτων σωτηρίᾳ γινώσκειν. οἱ μὲν γὰρ καὶ πρὸ τῶν κινδύνων ὑβρίζουσιν ἐς τὴν βασιλείαν τὴν σὴν καὶ ἡσσημένοι τολμῶσί τε τὰ ἀμήχανα καὶ δρῶσι τοὺς Πέρσας ἀνήκεστα ἔργα, ὥσπερ δεδιότες μή τις αὐτοῖς παρὰ σοὶ φιλανθρωπίας λελείψεται λόγος: σὺ δὲ τούς τε σώζεσθαι οὐκ ἀξιοῦντας ἐλεεῖν βούλει, καὶ φείδεσθαι τῶν οὐδαμῆ ἐθελόντων ἐσπούδακας. [32] οἱ δὲ προλοχίσαντες ἐν ἁλούσῃ πόλει τοὺς νενικηκότας ἐνέδραις τισὶ διαφθείρουσι, καίπερ ἁπάντων [33] αὐτοῖς πάλαι πεφευγότων στρατιωτῶν.’ ταῦτα ὁ Χοσρόης ἀκούσας, τῶν ἀρίστων πολλοὺς ἐπ̓ αὐτοὺς ἔπεμψεν, οἳ οὐκ ἐς μακρὰν ἐπανήκοντες οὐδὲν ξυμβῆναι φλαῦρον ἀπήγγελλον. [34] ἤδη γὰρ Ἀντιοχέας Πέρσαι βιασάμενοι πλήθει ἐτρέψαντο, καὶ γέγονε φόνος ἐνταῦθα πολύς. οἱ γὰρ Πέρσαι οὐδεμιᾶς ἡλικίας φειδόμενοι τοὺς ἐν ποσὶν ἅπαντας ἡβηδὸν ἔκτεινον. [35] τότε φασὶ γυναῖκας τῶν ἐν Ἀντιοχεῦσιν ἐπιφανῶν δύο γενέσθαι μὲν ἔξω τοῦ περιβόλου, αἰσθομένας δὲ ὡς ὑπὸ τοῖς πολεμίοις γενήσονται ῾πανταχόσε γὰρ ἤδη περιιόντες καθεωρῶντὀ δρόμῳ μὲν παρὰ τὸν ποταμὸν Ὀρόντην ἐλθεῖν, φοβουμένας δὲ μή τι σφᾶς ἐς τὸ σῶμα ὑβρίσωσι Πέρσαι, ταῖς τε καλύπτραις ἐγκαλυψαμένας τὰ πρόσωπα καὶ ἐς τὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ ῥεῦμα ἐμπεσούσας ἀφανισθῆναι. οὕτω πᾶσα κακοῦ τοὺς Ἀντιοχέας ἰδέα ἔσχεν.
Delphi Complete Works of Procopius Page 340