Delphi Complete Works of Procopius

by Procopius of Caesarea

  XI

  Then Chosroes went to Seleucia, a city on the sea, one hundred and thirty stades distant from Antioch; and there he neither met nor harmed a single Roman, and he bathed himself alone in the sea-water, and after sacrificing to the sun and such other divinities as he wished, and calling upon the gods many times, he went back. And when he came to the camp, he said that he had a desire to see the city of Apamea which was in the vicinity for no other reason than that of his interest in the place. And the ambassadors unwillingly granted this also, but only on condition that after seeing the city and taking away with him from there one thousand pounds of silver, he should, without inflicting any further injury, march back. But it was evident to the ambassadors and to all the others that Chosroes was setting out for Apamea with this sole purpose, that he might lay hold upon some pretext of no importance and plunder both the city and the land thereabout. Accordingly he first went up to Daphne, the suburb of Antioch, where he expressed great wonder at the grove and at the fountains of water; for both of these are very well worth seeing. And after sacrificing to the nymphs he departed, doing no further damage than burning the sanctuary of the archangel Michael together with certain other buildings, for the following reason. A Persian gentleman of high repute in the army of the Persians and well known to Chosroes, the king, while riding on horseback came in company with some others to a precipitous place near the so-called Tretum, where is a temple of the archangel Michael, the work of Evaris. This man, seeing one of the young men of Antioch on foot and alone concealing himself there, separated from the others and pursued him. Now the young man was a butcher, Aeimachus by name. When he was about to be overtaken, he turned about unexpectedly and threw a stone at his pursuer which hit him on the forehead and penetrated to the membrane by the ear. And the rider fell immediately to the ground, whereupon the youth drew out his sword and slew him. Then at his leisure he stripped him of his weapons and all his gold and whatever else he had on his person, and leaping upon his horse rode on. And whether by the favour of fortune or by his knowledge of the country, he succeeded completely in eluding the Persians and making good his escape. When Chosroes learned this, he was deeply grieved at what had happened, and commanded some of his followers to burn the sanctuary of the archangel Michael which I have mentioned above. And they, thinking that the sanctuary at Daphne was the one in question, burned it with the buildings about it, and they supposed that the commands of Chosroes had been executed. Such, then, was the course of these events.

  But Chosroes with his whole army proceeded on the way to Apamea. Now there is a piece of wood one cubit in length in Apamea, a portion of the cross on which the Christ in Jerusalem once endured the punishment not unwillingly, as is generally agreed, and which in ancient times had been conveyed there secretly by a man of Syria. And the men of olden times, believing that it would be a great protection both for themselves and for the city, made for it a sort of wooden chest and deposited it there; and they adorned this chest with much gold and with precious stones and they entrusted it to three priests who were to guard it in all security; and they bring it forth every year and the whole population worship it during one day. Now at that time the people of Apamea, upon learning that the army of the Medes was coming against them, began to be in great fear. And when they heard that Chosroes was absolutely untruthful, they came to Thomas, the chief priest of the city, and begged him to shew them the wood of the cross, in order that after worshipping it for the last time they might die. And he did as they requested. Then indeed it befell that a sight surpassing both description and belief was there seen. For while the priest was carrying the wood and shewing it, above him followed a flame of fire, and the portion of the roof over him was illuminated with a great and unaccustomed light. And while the priest was moving through every part of the temple, the flame continued to advance with him, keeping constantly the place above him in the roof. So the people of Apamea, under the spell of joy at the miracle, were wondering and rejoicing and weeping, and already all felt confidence concerning their safety. And Thomas, after going about the whole temple, laid the wood of the cross in the chest and covered it, and suddenly the light had ceased. Then upon learning that the army of the enemy had come close to the city, he went in great haste to Chosroes. And when the king enquired of the priest whether it was the will of the citizens of Apamea to marshal themselves on the wall against the army of the Medes, the priest replied that no such thing had entered the minds of the men. “Therefore,” said Chosroes, “receive me into the city accompanied by a few men with all the gates opened wide.” And the priest said “Yes, for I have come here to invite thee to do this very thing.” So the whole army pitched their tents and made camp before the fortifications.

  Then Chosroes chose out two hundred of the best of the Persians and entered the city. But when he had got inside the gates, he forgot willingly enough what had been agreed upon between himself and the ambassadors, and he commanded the bishop to give not only one thousand pounds of silver nor even ten times that amount, but whatsoever treasures were stored there, being all of gold and silver and of marvellous great size. And I believe that he would not have shrunk from enslaving and plundering the whole city, unless some divine providence had manifestly prevented him; to such a degree did avarice overpower him and the desire of fame turn his mind. For he thought the enslavement of the cities a great glory for himself, considering it absolutely nothing that disregarding treaties and compacts he was performing such deeds against the Romans. This attitude of Chosroes will be revealed by what he undertook to do concerning the city of Daras during his withdrawal at this same time, when he treated his agreements with absolute disregard, and also by what he did to the citizens of Callinicus a little later in time of peace, as will be told by me in the following narrative. But God, as has been said, preserved Apamea. Now when Chosroes had seized all the treasures, and Thomas saw that he was already intoxicated with the abundance of the wealth, then bringing out the wood of the cross with the chest, he opened the chest and displaying the wood said: “O most mighty King, these alone are left me out of all the treasures. Now as for this chest (since it is adorned with gold and precious stones), we do not begrudge thy taking it and keeping it with all the rest, but this wood here, it is our salvation and precious to us, this, I beg and entreat thee, give to me.” So spoke the priest. And Chosroes yielded and fulfilled the request.

  Afterwards, being filled with a desire for popular applause, he commanded that the populace should go up into the hippodrome and that the charioteers should hold their accustomed contests. And he himself went up there also, eager to be a spectator of the performances. And since he had heard long before that the Emperor Justinian was extraordinarily fond of the Venetus colour, which is blue, wishing to go against him there also, he was desirous of bringing about victory for the green. So the charioteers, starting from the barriers, began the contest, and by some chance he who was clad in the blue happened to pass his rival and take the lead. And he was followed in the same tracks by the wearer of the green colour. And Chosroes, thinking that this had been done purposely, was angry, and he cried out with a threat that the Caesar had wrongfully surpassed the others, and he commanded that the horses which were running in front should be held up, in order that from then on they might contend in the rear; and when this had been done just as he commanded, then Chosroes and the green faction were accounted victorious. At that time one of the citizens of Apamea came before Chosroes and accused a Persian of entering his house and violating his maiden daughter. Upon hearing this, Chosroes, boiling with anger, commanded that the man should be brought. And when he came before him, he directed that he should be impaled in the camp. And when the people learned this, they raised a mighty shout as loud as they could, demanding that the man be saved from the king’s anger. And Chosroes promised that he would release the man to them, but he secretly impaled him not long afterwards. So after these things had been thus accomplished, he departed and marched back with the whole army.<
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  Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐς Χαλκίδα πόλιν ἀφίκετο, Βεροίας πόλεως τέτρασι καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα σταδίοις διέχουσαν, αὖθις ἐς λήθην τινὰ τῶν ξυγκειμένων ἦλθε, στρατοπεδευσάμενός τε τοῦ περιβόλου οὐ μακρὰν ἄποθεν, ἔπεμψε Παῦλον ἀπειλήσοντα Χαλκιδεῦσι πολιορκίᾳ τὴν πόλιν αἱρήσειν, εἰ μὴ τήν τε σωτηρίαν ὤνιον κτήσονται τὰ λύτρα διδόντες καὶ τοὺς στρατιώτας ὅσους ἐνταῦθα ξυμβαίνει εἶναι ξὺν τῷ ἡγεμόνι ἐκδοῖεν σφίσι. [2] Χαλκιδεῖς δὲ ἐς δέος μέγα πρὸς ἑκατέρου βασιλέως ἐμπεπτωκότες στρατιώτας μὲν ἀπώμοσαν ὡς ἥκιστα ἐπιδημεῖν σφίσι, καίπερ ἄλλους τε καὶ Ἀδόναχον τὸν τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἄρχοντα κρύψαντες ἐν οἰκίσκοις τισίν, ὅπως μὴ τοῖς πολεμίοις ἔνδηλοι ὦσι: χρυσοῦ δὲ κεντηνάρια δύο συλλέξαντες μόλις, ἐπεὶ πόλιν οὐ λίαν εὐδαίμονα ᾤκουν, τῷ τε Χοσρόῃ ζωάγρια δόντες τήν τε πόλιν καὶ σφᾶς αὐτοὺς διεσώσαντο. [3] Ἐνθένδε οὐκέτι ὁ Χοσρόης ἐβούλετο τὴν ἀποπορείαν ᾗπερ ἐληλύθει ποιήσασθαι, ἀλλ̓ Εὐφράτην τε ποταμὸν διαβῆναι καὶ χρήματα ὅτι πλεῖστα ἐκ Μεσοποταμίας ληίζεσθαι. [4] γέφυραν οὖν ζεύξας ἀμφὶ Ὀββάνης τὸ χωρίον, ὅπερ τοῦ ἐν Βαρβαλισσῷ φρουρίου τεσσαράκοντα σταδίους ἀπέχει, αὐτός τε διέβη καὶ παντὶ τῷ στρατῷ ὡς τάχιστα διαβαίνειν ἐπέστελλεν, ὑπειπὼν μὲν τὴν γέφυραν τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ λύσεσθαι, τάξας δὲ καὶ τὸν τῆς ἡμέρας καιρόν. [5] καὶ ἐπεὶ παρῆν ἡ κυρία, τινὰς μὲν τοῦ στρατοῦ ἀπολελεῖφθαι μή πω διαβάντας ξυνέβαινεν, ὁ δὲ οὐδ̓ ὁτιοῦν ὑπολογισάμενος ἔπεμψε τοὺς τὴν γέφυραν διαλύσοντας. [6] οἵ τε ἀπολειπόμενοι, ὡς ἕκαστός πη ἐδύνατο, εἰς τὰ πάτρια ἤθη ἀνέβαινον. Τότε δὴ φιλοτιμία τις Χοσρόην ἐσῆλθε πόλιν Ἔδεσσαν ἐξελεῖν. [7] ἐνῆγε γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐς τοῦτο Χριστιανῶν λόγος καὶ ἔδακνεν αὐτοῦ τὴν διάνοιαν, ὅτι δὴ ἀνάλωτον αὐτὴν ἰσχυρίζοντο εἶναι ἐξ αἰτίας τοιᾶσδε. [8] Αὔγαρος ἦν τις ἐν τοῖς ἄνω χρόνοις Ἐδέσσης τοπάρχης ῾οὕτω γὰρ τοὺς κατὰ ἔθνος βασιλεῖς τηνικαῦτα ἐκάλουν̓. ὁ δὲ Αὔγαρος οὗτος ξυνετώτατος ἐγεγόνει τῶν κατ̓ αὐτὸν ἀνθρώπων ἁπάντων, καὶ ἀπ̓ αὐτοῦ βασιλεῖ Αὐγούστῳ ἐς τὰ μάλιστα φίλος. [9] ἔνσπονδος γὰρ Ῥωμαίοις εἶναι βουλόμενος ἐς Ῥώμην τε ἀφίκετο, καὶ τῷ Αὐγούστῳ ἐς λόγους ἥκων οὕτω δὴ αὐτὸν τῆς ξυνέσεως τῷ περιόντι ἐξέπληξεν ὥστε οὐκέτι αὐτοῦ μεθίεσθαι Αὔγουστος τῆς ξυνουσίας ἐβούλετο, ἀλλ̓ ἦν τε αὐτοῦ τῆς ὁμιλίας εὐθὺς διάπυρος ἐραστής, καὶ ἐπειδὰν ἐντύχοι, ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι αὐτοῦ οὐδαμῆ ἤθελε. [10] χρόνος οὖν αὐτῷ ἐν ταύτῃ δὴ συχνὸς τῇ ἀποδημίᾳ ἐτρίβη. καί ποτε ἐς ἤθη πάτρια ἐθέλων ἰέναι πείθειν τε τὸν Αὔγουστον μεθεῖναι αὐτὸν ὡς ἥκιστα ἔχων, [11] ἐπενόει τάδε. ἐστάλη μὲν ὡς κυνηγετήσων ἐς τὰ ἐπὶ Ῥώμης χωρία: μελέτην γὰρ περὶ ταῦτα κατεσπουδασμένην τινὰ ἐτύγχανεν ἔχων. περιιὼν δὲ χώραν πολλὴν συχνὰ τῶν ἐκείνῃ θηρίων ζῶντα ἐθήρα, καὶ χοῦν ἐκ τῆς γῆς ξυναμησάμενος ἔφερεν ἐκ χώρας ἑκάστης: οὕτω τε ἐπανῆκεν εἰς Ῥώμην, τόν τε χοῦν καὶ τὰ θηρία ἔχων. [12] ὁ μὲν οὖν Αὔγουστος ἐς τὸν ἱππόδρομον ἀναβὰς ἐκάθητο ᾗπερ εἰώθει, Αὔγαρος δέ οἱ ἐς ὄψιν ἥκων τήν τε γῆν καὶ τὰ θηρία ἐπέδειξε, καταλέγων ἐκ ποίας ποτὲ χώρας ἥ τε γῆ ἑκάστη καὶ τῶν θηρίων τίνα ποτὲ εἴη. [13] ἔπειτα τὴν μὲν γῆν ἄλλην ἄλλῃ τοῦ ἱπποδρομίου ἐκέλευε θέσθαι, πάντα δὲ ἐς ταὐτὸ τὰ θηρία ξυναγαγόντας εἶτα ἀφεῖναι. [14] οἱ μὲν οὖν ὑπηρέται κατὰ ταῦτα ἐποίουν. τὰ δὲ θηρία χωρὶς ἀλλήλων γενόμενα ἐς ἐκείνην ἐχώρει τὴν γῆν ἣ δὴ ἐκ τῆς χώρας ὅθεν εἴληπτο ἐτύγχανεν οὖσα. [15] καὶ ὁ μὲν Αὔγουστος ἐπὶ πλεῖστον τὰ ποιούμενα ἐς τὸ ἀκριβὲς ἔβλεπε, καὶ ἐθαύμαζέ γε ὅτι δὴ τοῖς ζῴοις ἡ φύσις ἀδίδακτος οὖσα ποθεινὴν ποιεῖται τὴν πάτριον γῆν. Αὔγαρος δὲ αὐτοῦ τῶν γονάτων ἐκ τοῦ αἰφνιδίου λαβόμενος, [16] ‘Ἐμὲ δέ,’ εἶπε, ‘τίνα ποτὲ γνώμην ἔχειν, ὦ δέσποτα, οἴει, ᾧ γυνή τέ ἐστι καὶ παιδία καὶ βασιλεία βραχεῖα μέν, ἀλλ̓ ἐν γῇ τῇ πατρῴᾳ;’ [17] καὶ ὃς τῷ ἀληθεῖ τοῦ λόγου ἡσσηθείς τε καὶ βιασθεὶς ἀπιέναι τε ξυνεχώρει οὔτι ἑκούσιος καὶ προσαιτεῖσθαι ἐκέλευεν ὅτου ἂν δέηται. [18] ἐπεὶ δὲ τούτου Αὔγαρος ἔτυχεν, Αὐγούστου ἐδεῖτο ἱπποδρόμιόν οἱ δείμασθαι ἐν πόλει Ἐδέσσῃ. ὁ δὲ ξυνεχώρει καὶ τοῦτο. οὕτω μὲν ἐκ Ῥώμης ἀπαλλαγεὶς Αὔγαρος ἐς Ἔδεσσαν ἦλθε. [19] καὶ αὐτοῦ οἱ πολῖται ἀνεπυνθάνοντο εἴ τι φέρων ἀγαθὸν σφίσιν ἐκ βασιλέως Αὐγούστου ἥκοι. ὁ δὲ ἀποκρινάμενος Ἐδεσσηνοῖς ἐνεγκεῖν ἔφη λύπην τε ἀζήμιον καὶ χαρὰν ἀκερδῆ, τὴν τοῦ ἱπποδρομίου παραδηλῶν τύχην. [20] Χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον πόρρω που ἡλικίας Αὔγαρος ἥκων νόσῳ ποδάγρας χαλεπῆς τινος ὑπερφυῶς ἥλω. ταῖς γοῦν ὀδύναις ἀχθόμενος καὶ τῇ ἐνθένδε ἀκινησίᾳ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἰατροὺς τὸ πρᾶγμα ἦγεν, ἐκ πάσης τε γῆς ξυνέλεγε τοὺς περὶ ταῦτα σοφοὺς ἅπαντας. [21] ὧν δὴ ὕστερον ῾οὐ γάρ οἱ ἄκεσίν τινα τοῦ κακοῦ ἐξευρεῖν ἴσχυον̓ ἀπέστη τε καὶ ἐς ἀμηχανίαν ἐμπεσὼν τύχας τὰς παρούσας ὠδύρετο. [22] ὑπὸ δὲ τὸν χρόνον ἐκεῖνον Ἰησοῦς ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ παῖς ἐν σώματι ὢν τοῖς ἐν Παλαιστίνῃ ἀνθρώποις ὡμίλει, τῷ τε μηδὲν τὸ παράπαν ἁμαρτεῖν πώποτε, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἀμήχανα ἐξεργάζεσθαι διαφανῶς ἐνδεικνύμενος ὅτι δὴ τοῦ θεοῦ παῖς ὡς ἀληθῶς εἴη: [23] νεκρούς τε γὰρ κα
λῶν ἐξανίστη ὥσπερ ἐξ ὕπνου καὶ πηροῖς τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς οὕτω τεχθεῖσιν ἀνέῳγε, σώματός τε ὅλου λεύκας ἐκάθηρε καὶ ποδῶν πήρωσιν ἔλυσε, καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα ἰατροῖς πάθη ἀνίατα ὠνομασμένα ἐστί. [24] ταῦτα ἀπαγγελλόντων Αὔγαρος τῶν ἐκ Παλαιστίνης ἐς τὴν Ἔδεσσαν ἐπιχωριαζόντων ἀκούσας, ἐθάρσησέ τε καὶ γράμματα πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν γράψας ἐδεῖτο αὐτοῦ ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι μὲν τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ τῶν ἐνταῦθα ἀγνωμόνων ἀνθρώπων, αὐτῷ δὲ τὸ λοιπὸν ξυμβιοτεύειν. [25] ἐπεὶ ταῦτα ὁ Χριστὸς ἀπενεχθέντα εἶδεν, ἀντέγραψε πρὸς τὸν Αὔγαρον, ὡς μὲν οὐκ ἀφίξεται ἄντικρυς ἀπολέγων, τὴν δὲ ὑγίειαν τῷ γράμματι ὑποσχόμενος. [26] φασὶ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο αὐτὸν ἐπειπεῖν, ὡς οὐδὲ ἡ πόλις ποτὲ βαρβάροις ἁλώσιμος ἔσται. τοῦτο τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τὸ ἀκροτελεύτιον οἱ μὲν ἐκείνου τοῦ χρόνου τὴν ἱστορίαν ξυγγράψαντες οὐδαμῆ ἔγνωσαν: οὐ γὰρ οὖν οὐδέ πη αὐτοῦ ἐπεμνήσθησαν: Ἐδεσσηνοὶ δὲ αὐτὸ ξὺν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ εὑρέσθαι φασίν, ὥστε ἀμέλει καὶ ἀνάγραπτον οὕτω τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἀντ̓ ἄλλου του φυλακτηρίου ἐν ταῖς τῆς πόλεως πεποίηνται πύλαις. [27] γέγονε μὲν οὖν ὑπὸ Μήδοις χρόνῳ τινὶ ὕστερον, οὐχ ἁλοῦσα μέντοι, ἀλλὰ τρόπῳ τοιῷδε. [28] ἐπειδὴ τὸ γράμμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ Αὔγαρος ἔλαβε, κακῶν μὲν ὀλίγῳ ὕστερον ἀπαθὴς γέγονε, συχνὸν δὲ τῇ ὑγιείᾳ ἐπιβιοὺς χρόνον ἐτελεύτησεν: ὅστις δὲ διεδέξατο τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν αὐτοῦ παίδων, ἀνοσιώτατος γεγονὼς ἁπάντων ἀνθρώπων, ἄλλα τε πολλὰ ἐς τοὺς ἀρχομένους ἐξήμαρτε καὶ τὴν ἐκ Ῥωμαίων δεδιὼς τίσιν προσεχώρησεν ἑκούσιος Πέρσαις. [29] χρόνῳ τε πολλῷ Ἐδεσσηνοὶ ὕστερον ἀνελόντες τῶν βαρβάρων τοὺς σφίσιν ἐνδημοῦντας φρουροὺς ἐνέδοσαν Ῥωμαίοις τὴν πόλιν. αὐτῷ προσποιεῖσθαι ἐπιμελές ἐστι, τεκμαιρόμενος οἷς ἐν τοῖς κατ̓ ἐμὲ χρόνοις γέγονεν, ἅπερ ἐν τοῖς καθήκουσι λόγοις δηλώσω. [30] καί μοί ποτε ἔννοια γέγονεν ὡς εἰ μὴ ταῦτα ἅπερ ἐρρήθη ὁ Χριστὸς ἔγραψεν, ἀλλ̓ ὅτι ἐς τοῦτο δόξης ἄνθρωποι ἦλθον, φυλάξαι διὰ τοῦτο ἀνάλωτον ἐθέλει τὴν πόλιν, ὡς μήποτε αὐτοῖς πλάνης τινὰ σκῆψιν διδοίη. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ὅπη τῷ θεῷ φίλον, ταύτῃ ἐχέτω τε καὶ λεγέσθω. [31] Χοσρόῃ δὲ τότε προὔργου διὰ ταῦτα ἔδοξεν εἶναι Ἔδεσσαν ἐξελεῖν. καὶ ἐπεὶ ἐς Βάτνην ἀφίκετο, πόλισμα μὲν βραχὺ καὶ λόγου οὐδενὸς ἄξιον, ἡμέρας δὲ ὁδῷ Ἐδέσσης διέχον, ἐνταῦθα μὲν τὴν νύκτα ἐκείνην ηὐλίσατο, ὄρθρου δὲ βαθέος παντὶ τῷ στρατῷ ἐπὶ τὴν Ἔδεσσαν ἤλαυνε. [32] καὶ αὐτοῖς ξυνέβη πλάνῃ περιπεσοῦσι τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ ἐς τὸν αὐτὸν αὐλίζεσθαι χῶρον: [33] ὅπερ αὐτοῖς λέγουσι καὶ δὶς ξυμβῆναι. μόλις δὲ ἄγχιστα Ἐδέσσης γενομένῳ Χοσρόῃ ῥεύματός φασιν ἐς τὸ πρόσωπον ἐπιπεσόντος ἐπῆρθαι τὴν γνάθον. διὸ δὴ τῆς μὲν πόλεως ἀποπειρᾶσθαι οὐδαμῆ ἤθελε, Παῦλον δὲ πέμψας χρήματα Ἐδεσσηνοὺς ᾔτει. [34] οἱ δὲ ἀμφὶ τῇ πόλει μὲν δεδιέναι ἥκιστα ἔφασκον, ὅπως δὲ μὴ τοῖς χωρίοις λυμήνηται, ὡμολόγησαν δύο χρυσοῦ κεντηνάρια δώσειν. καὶ ὃς τά τε χρήματα ἔλαβε καὶ διεσώσατο τὰ ξυγκείμενα.