Delphi Complete Works of Procopius

by Procopius of Caesarea

  XVIII

  Meantime Belisarius and the Roman army, having learned nothing of what was being done there, were going in excellent order from the city of Daras toward Nisibis. And when they had reached the middle of their journey, Belisarius led the army to the right where there were abundant springs of water and level ground sufficient for all to camp upon. And there he gave orders to make a camp at about forty-two stades from the city of Nisibis. But all the others marvelled greatly that he did not wish to camp close to the fortifications, and some were quite unwilling to follow him. Belisarius therefore addressed those of the officers who were about him thus: “It was not my wish to disclose to all what I am thinking. For talk carried about through a camp cannot keep secrets, for it advances little by little until it is carried out even to the enemy. But seeing that the majority of you are allowing yourselves to act in a most disorderly manner, and that each one wishes to be himself supreme commander in the war, I shall now say among you things about which one ought to keep silence, mentioning, however, this first, that when many in an army follow independent judgments it is impossible that anything needful be done. Now I think that Chosroes, in going against other barbarians, has by no means left his own land without sufficient protection, and in particular this city which is of the first rank and is set as a defence to his whole land. In this city I know well that he has stationed soldiers in such number and of such valour as to be sufficient to stand in the way of our assaults. And the proof of this you have near at hand. For he put in command of these men the general Nabedes, who, after Chosroes himself at least, seems to be first among the Persians in glory and in every other sort of honour. This man, I believe, will both make trial of our strength and will permit of our passing by on no other condition than that he be defeated by us in battle. If, therefore, the conflict should be close by the city, the struggle will not be even for us and the Persians. For they, coming out from their stronghold against us, in case of success, should it so happen, will feel unlimited confidence in assailing us, and in case of defeat they will easily escape from our attack. For we shall only be able to pursue them a short distance, and from this no harm will come to the city, which you surely see cannot be captured by storming the wall when soldiers are defending it. But if the enemy engage with us here and we conquer them, I have great hopes, fellow officers, of capturing the city. For while our antagonists are fleeing a long way, we shall either mingle with them and rush inside the gates with them, as is probable, or we shall anticipate them and compel them to turn and escape to some other place, and thus render Nisibis without its defenders easy of capture for us.”

  When Belisarius had said this, all the others except Peter were convinced, and they made camp and remained with him. He, however, associating with himself John, who commanded the troops in Mesopotamia and had no small part of the army, came up to a position not far removed from the fortifications, about ten stades away, and remained quietly there. But Belisarius marshalled the men who were with him as if for combat, and sent word to Peter and his men also to hold themselves in array for battle, until he himself should give the signal; and he said that he knew well that the barbarians would attack them about midday, remembering, as they surely would, that while they themselves are accustomed to partake of food in the late afternoon, the Romans do so about midday. So Belisarius gave this warning; but Peter and his men disregarded his commands, and about midday, being distressed by the sun (for the place is exceedingly dry and hot), they stacked their arms, and with never a thought of the enemy began to go about in disorderly fashion and eat gourds which grew there. And when this was observed by Nabedes, he led the Persian army running at full speed against them. And the Romans, since they did not fail to observe that the Persians were coming out of the fortifications (for they were seen clearly because moving over a level plain), sent to Belisarius urging him to support them, and they themselves snatched up their arms, and in disorder and confusion confronted their foe. But Belisarius and his men, even before the messenger had reached them, discovered by the dust the attack of the Persians, and went to the rescue on the run. And when the Persians came up, the Romans did not withstand their onset, but were routed without any difficulty, and the Persians, following close upon them, killed fifty men, and seized and kept the standard of Peter. And they would have slain them all in this pursuit, for the Romans had no thought of resistance, if Belisarius and the army with him had not come upon them and prevented it. For as the Goths, first of all, came upon them with long spears in close array, the Persians did not await their attack but beat a hasty retreat. And the Romans together with the Goths followed them up and slew a hundred and fifty men. For the pursuit was only of short duration, and the others quickly got inside the fortifications. Then indeed all the Romans withdrew to the camp of Belisarius, and the Persians on the following day set up on a tower instead of a trophy the standard of Peter, and hanging sausages from it they taunted the enemy with laughter; however, they no longer dared to come out against them, but they guarded the city securely.

  Βελισάριός τε Νίσιβιν ὁρῶν ἐχυρὰν ὑπερφυῶς οὖσαν, ἐλπίδα αὐτῆς οὐδεμίαν ἔχων ἁλώσεως πέρι, πρόσω ἰέναι ἠπείγετο ὅπως τι ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς τοῖς πολεμίοις λυμήνηται. [2] ἄρας τοίνυν παντὶ τῷ στρατῷ ἐπίπροσθεν ᾔει. ἀνύσαντές τε ἡμέρας ὁδὸν φρουρίῳ ἐνέτυχον ὃ Σισαυράνων καλοῦσι Πέρσαι. [3] ἐνταῦθα πλῆθός τε οἰκητόρων ἦν καὶ ἱππεῖς ὀκτακόσιοι Περσῶν ἄριστοι φυλακὴν εἶχον, οἷς ἀνὴρ δόκιμος, Βλησχάμης ὄνομα, ἐφειστήκει. [4] Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ ἄγχιστά πη τοῦ φρουρίου στρατοπεδευσάμενοι ἐς πολιορκίαν καθίσταντο, προσβολήν τε τῷ περιβόλῳ ποιησάμενοι ἀπεκρούσθησαν, [5] πολλοὺς τῇ μάχῃ ἀποβαλόντες. τό τε γὰρ τεῖχος ἐς ἄγαν ἐχυρὸν ἐτύγχανεν ὂν καὶ οἱ βάρβαροι καρτερώτατα ἐνθένδε τοὺς ἐπιόντας ἠμύνοντο. διὸ δὴ τοὺς ἄρχοντας ἅπαντας ξυγκαλέσας [6] Βελισάριος ἔλεξε τοιάδε ‘Ἐμπειρία πολέμων πολλῶν, ἄνδρες ἄρχοντες, δέδωκεν ἡμῖν ἐν τοῖς τῶν πραγμάτων ἀπόροις προορᾶν τε τὰ ξυμβησόμενα καὶ δυνατοῖς εἶναι πρὸ τῶν δεινῶν ἑλέσθαι τὰ κρείσσω. [7] ἐπίστασθε τοίνυν πηλίκον ἐστὶ κακὸν στράτευμα ἐς γῆν πολεμίαν, πολλῶν μὲν ὀχυρωμάτων, πολλῶν δὲ μαχίμων ἐν τούτοις ἀνδρῶν ὄπισθεν ἀπολελειμμένων, [8] πορεύεσθαι. ὅπερ καὶ ἡμῖν ἔν γε τῷ παρόντι τετύχηκεν. ἐπίπροσθεν γὰρ ἰοῦσιν ἡμῖν ἐνθένδε τε καὶ ἐκ Νισίβιδος πόλεως ἑπόμενοι λάθρα τῶν πολεμίων τινὲς ἐν χωρίοις, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, κακουργήσουσιν ἐπιτηδείως αὐτοῖς πρὸς ἐνέδραν ἢ καὶ ἄλλην τινὰ ἐπιβουλὴν ἔχουσιν. [9] ἢν δέ πη καὶ ἄλλος ἀπαντήσῃ στρατὸς εἴς τε μάχην καθιστῶνται, πρὸς ἑκατέρους μὲν ἡμῖν ἀνάγκη τετάξεσθαι, πάθοιμεν δ̓ ἂν οὕτω πρὸς αὐτῶν τὰ ἀνήκεστα: ἐῶ γὰρ λέγειν ὡς καὶ πταίσαντες ἐν τῇ ξυμβολῇ, ἂν οὕτω τύχοι, ἐπάνοδον ἐς Ῥωμαίων τὴν γῆν οὐδεμιᾷ μηχανῇ τὸ λοιπὸν ἕξομεν. [10] μὴ τοίνυν ἀλογίστῳ σπουδῇ χρώμενοι ἐφ̓ ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐσκυλευκότες φαινώμεθα, μηδὲ τῷ φιλονείκῳ τὰ Ῥωμ
αίων πράγματα βλάψωμεν. τόλμα μὲν γὰρ ἀμαθὴς ἐς ὄλεθρον φέρει, μέλλησις δὲ σώφρων ἐς τὸ σώζειν ἀεὶ τοὺς αὐτῇ χρωμένους ἱκανῶς πέφυκεν. [11] ἡμεῖς μὲν οὖν ἐνταῦθα ἐγκαθεζόμενοι ἐξελεῖν πειρώμεθα τὸ φρούριον τόδε, Ἀρέθας δὲ ξὺν τοῖς ἑπομένοις ἐς τὰ ἐπὶ Ἀσσυρίας χωρία στελλέσθω. [12] Σαρακηνοὶ γὰρ τειχομαχεῖν μέν εἰσιν ἀδύνατοι φύσει, ἐς δὲ τὸ ληίζεσθαι πάντων μάλιστα δεξιοί. [13] συνεισβαλοῦσι δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ στρατιῶται τῶν μαχίμων τινές, ὅπως αὐτοί τε, μηδενὸς μὲν ἐναντιώματος σφίσι φανέντος, τὰ ἀνήκεστα τοὺς προσπεσόντας ἐργάσωνται, ἢν δέ τι ἀπαντήσῃ πολέμιον, εὐπετῶς ἀναχωροῦντες εἰς ἡμᾶς σώζοιντο. [14] καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐξελόντες, ἢν θεὸς θέλῃ, τὸ φρούριον, οὕτω δὴ παντὶ τῷ στρατῷ Τίγρην ποταμὸν διαβαίνωμεν, οὐ δεδιότες μὲν τοὺς ὄπισθεν κακουργήσοντας, εὖ δὲ εἰδότες ὅπη ποτὲ τοῖς Ἀσσυρίοις τὰ πράγματα ἔχει.’ [15] Ταῦτα εἰπὼν Βελισάριος εὖ τε λέγειν ἅπασιν ἔδοξε καὶ τὸ βούλευμα εὐθὺς ἐπετέλει. Ἀρέθαν τε ξὺν τοῖς ἑπομένοις ἐπὶ Ἀσσυρίας ἐκέλευεν ἰέναι καὶ αὐτοῖς στρατιώτας διακοσίους τε καὶ χιλίους ξυνέπεμψεν, ὧν δὴ οἱ πλεῖστοι τῶν ὑπασπιστῶν τῶν αὐτοῦ ἦσαν, δορυφόρους αὐτοῖς ἐπιστήσας δύο, Τραϊανόν τε καὶ Ἰωάννην τὸν Φαγᾶν καλούμενον, ἄμφω ἀγαθοὺς τὰ πολέμια. [16] καὶ αὐτοῖς μὲν Ἀρέθᾳ πειθομένοις ἅπαντα πράσσειν ἐπέστελλεν, Ἀρέθαν δὲ ἅπαντα ἐκέλευε τὰ ἐν ποσὶ ληισάμενον οὕτω τε ἐς τὸ στρατόπεδον ἐπανήκοντα ἀπαγγέλλειν σφίσιν ὁποῖά ποτε δυνάμεως πέρι τοῖς Ἀσσυρίοις τὰ πράγματα εἴη. [17] οἱ μὲν οὖν ἀμφὶ τὸν Ἀρέθαν Τίγρην ποταμὸν διαβάντες ἐν Ἀσσυρίοις ἐγένοντο. [18] οὗ δὴ χώραν τε ἀγαθὴν εὑρόντες καὶ μακροῦ χρόνου ἀδῄωτον, ταύτην τε ἀφύλακτον οὖσαν, ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς πολλὰ ληισάμενοι τῶν ἐκείνῃ χωρίων χρήματα μεγάλα περιεβάλλοντο. [19] τότε δὲ Βελισάριος τῶν τινας Περσῶν ξυλλαβών, ἐνδεῖν τοῖς ἐν τῷ φρουρίῳ τὰ ἐπιτήδεια παντελῶς ἔμαθεν. [20] οὐ γάρ, ὥσπερ ἐν Δάρας τε καὶ Νισίβιδι πόλει, ἐν δημοσίῳ τὰς ἐπετείους τροφὰς ἀποτίθεσθαι νενομίκασιν, ἀλλὰ πολεμίων στρατοῦ ἀπροσδοκήτου σφίσιν ἐπιπεσόντος ἐσκομισάμενοί τι τῶν ἀναγκαίων οὐκ ἔφθησαν. [21] ἄφνω δὲ πολλῶν ἐς τὸ φρούριον καταφυγόντων, τῶν ἐπιτηδείων τῇ ἀπορίᾳ, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, ἐπιέζοντο. [22] ἃ δὴ Βελισάριος γνοὺς Γεώργιον ἔπεμψεν, ἄνδρα ξυνετώτατόν τε καὶ τῶν ἀπορρήτων αὐτῷ κοινωνοῦντα, ἀποπειρασόμενον τῶν ἐν ταύτῃ ἀνθρώπων, εἴ πως ὁμολογίᾳ τινὶ δύναιτο τὸ χωρίον ἑλεῖν. [23] Γεώργιος δὲ παραίνεσίν τε ποιησάμενος καὶ πολλὰ ἐς αὐτοὺς ἐπαγωγὰ εἰπών, ἔπεισε τὰ πιστὰ λαβόντας ἀμφὶ τῇ σωτηρίᾳ σφᾶς τε αὐτοὺς καὶ τὸ φρούριον ἐνδοῦναι Ῥωμαίοις. [24] οὕτω Βελισάριος τὸ Σισαυράνων ἑλὼν τοὺς μὲν οἰκήτορας ἅπαντας, Χριστιανούς τε καὶ Ῥωμαίους τὸ ἀνέκαθεν ὄντας, ἀθῴους ἀφῆκε, τοὺς δὲ Πέρσας ξὺν τῷ Βλησχάμῃ ἐς Βυζάντιον ἔπεμψε, καὶ τὸν τοῦ φρουρίου περίβολον ἐς ἔδαφος καθεῖλε. [25] βασιλεύς τε οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον τούτους τε τοὺς Πέρσας καὶ τὸν Βλησχάμην ἐς Ἰταλίαν Γότθοις πολεμήσοντας ἔπεμψε. τὰ μὲν οὖν ἀμφὶ τῷ Σισαυράνων φρουρίῳ ταύτῃ ἐχώρησεν. [26] Ἀρέθας δέ, δείσας μὴ τὴν λείαν πρὸς Ῥωμαίων ἀφαιρεθείη, οὐκέτι ἀναστρέφειν ἐς τὸ στρατόπεδον ἤθελε. [27] πέμψας οὖν τῶν οἱ ἑπομένων τινὰς ἐπὶ κατασκοπῇ δῆθεν τῷ λόγῳ, ἐκέλευε λάθρα ὡς τάχιστα ἐπανήκοντας σημῆναι σφίσιν ὅτι δὴ πολύς τις πολεμίων στρατὸς ἀμφὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὴν διάβασιν εἴη. [28] διὸ δὴ Τραϊανῷ τε καὶ Ἰωάννῃ παρῄνει ἑτέρᾳ ἰοῦσιν ὁδῷ ἐπανήκειν ἐς Ῥωμαίων τὴν γῆν. [29] παρὰ μὲν οὖν Βελισάριον οὐκέτι ἦλθον, ἔχοντες δὲ ποταμὸν Εὐφράτην ἐν δεξιᾷ οὕτω δὴ ἐς Θεοδοσιούπολιν τὴν πρὸς τῷ Ἀβόρρᾳ ποταμῷ ἵκοντο. [30] Βελισάριος δὲ καὶ ὁ Ῥωμαίων στρατὸς οὐδὲν περὶ τοῦ στρατεύματος τούτου πυθόμενοι ἤσχαλλον, ἔς τε δέος καὶ ὑποψίαν οὔτε φορητήν τινα οὔτε μετρίαν ἐμπίπτοντες. [31] χρόνου τε σφίσιν ἐν ταύτῃ δὴ τῇ προσεδρείᾳ τριβέντος συχνοῦ ξυνέβη πολλοῖς τῶν στρατιωτῶν πυρετῷ δυσκόλῳ ἐνταῦθα ἁλῶναι: αὐχμηρὰ γὰρ Μεσοποταμία ἡ Περσῶν κατήκοος ὑπερφυῶς ἐστιν. [32] οὗπερ ἀήθεις ὄντες Ῥωμαῖοι καὶ διαφερόντως οἱ ἐκ Θρᾴκης ὁρμώμενοι, ἐν χωρίῳ ἐκτόπως αὐχμώδει καὶ καλύβαις τισὶ πνιγηραῖς ὥρᾳ θέρους δίαιταν ἔχοντες, ἐνόσησαν οὕτως ὥστε ἡμιθνῆτες τὸ τριτημόριον τοῦ στρατοῦ ἔκειντο. [33] ἅπας μὲν οὖν ὁ στρατὸς ἐνθένδε τε ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι καὶ ὅτι τάχιστα ἐς τὴν οἰκείαν γῆν ἐπανήκειν ἐν σπουδῇ εἶχον, μάλιστα δὲ ἁπάντων οἱ τῶν ἐν Λιβάνῳ καταλόγων ἄρχοντες, Ῥεκίθαγγός τε καὶ Θεόκτιστος, ὁρῶντες ὅτι δὴ καὶ ὁ χρόνος τὸ Σαρακηνῶν ἀνάθημα παρῴχηκεν ἤδη. [34] Βελισαρίῳ γοῦν συχνὰ προσιόντες ἐδέοντο σφᾶς αὐτίκα ἀφεῖναι, μαρτυρόμενοι ὡς Ἀλαμουνδάρῳ τά τε ἐπὶ Λιβάνου καὶ Συρίας χωρία ἐνδόντες κάθηνται αὐτοῦ οὐδενὶ λόγῳ. [35] Διὸ δὴ Βελισάριος ἅπαντας ξυγκαλέσας τοὺς ἄρχοντας βουλὴν προὔθηκεν. [36] οὗ δὴ ἀναστὰς πρῶτος. Ἰωάννης ὁ Νικήτου υἱὸς ἔλεξε τοιάδε ‘Ἄριστε Βελισάριε, στρατηγὸν μὲν οὔτε τὴν τύχην οὔτε τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐκ τοῦ παντὸς χρόνου γεγενῆσθαι τοιοῦτον οἶμαι οἶος αὐτὸς εἶ. [37] δόξα τε αὕτη οὐ Ῥωμαίων κεκράτηκε μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ βαρβάρων ἁπάντ�
�ν. [38] ταύτην μέντοι βεβαιότατα διαφυλάξεις τὴν εὔκλειαν, ἤν γε ζῶντας ἡμᾶς ἐς Ῥωμαίων τὴν γῆν διασώσασθαι δυνατὸς εἴης: ὡς νῦν γε ἡμῖν τὰ τῆς ἐλπίδος οὐκ ἐν καλῷ κεῖται. οὑτωσὶ γάρ μοι περὶ τοῦδε τοῦ στρατοῦ σκόπει. [39] Σαρακηνοὶ μὲν καὶ οἱ τῶν στρατιωτῶν μαχιμώτατοι Τίγρην ποταμὸν διαβάντες, ἡμέραν οὐκ οἶδα ὁπόστην ἄνω ἐς τοῦτο τύχης ἀφίκοντο ὥστε οὐδὲ ἄγγελον πέμψαι τινὰ παῤ ἡμᾶς ἴσχυσαν: Ῥεκίθαγγός τε καὶ Θεόκτιστος ἀποπορεύσονται, ὡς ὁρᾷς δήπουθεν, αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα τὸν Ἀλαμουνδάρου στρατὸν ἐν Φοίνιξι μέσοις εἶναι οἰόμενοι, ἄγοντά τε καὶ φέροντα ξύμπαντα τὰ ἐκείνῃ χωρία. [40] τῶν δὲ λειπομένων οἱ νοσοῦντές εἰσι τοσοῦτοι τὸ πλῆθος ὥστε τοὺς θεραπεύσοντάς τε καὶ κομιοῦντας ἐς Ῥωμαίων τὴν γῆν ἐλάσσους αὐτῶν παρὰ πολὺ τὸν ἀριθμὸν εἶναι. [41] τούτων δὲ τοιούτων ὄντων, ἤν τι ξυμβαίη πολέμιον ἢ αὐτοῦ μένουσιν ἢ ὀπίσω ἰοῦσιν ἡμῖν ἀπαντῆσαι, οὐδ̓ ἄν τις ἀπαγγεῖλαι τοῖς ἐν Δάρας Ῥωμαίοις δύναιτο τὸ ξυμπεσὸν πάθος. [42] τὸ γὰρ ἐπίπροσθέ πη ἰέναι οὐδὲ λόγῳ οἶμαι δυνατὸν εἶναι. ἕως οὖν ἔτι λείπεταί τις ἐλπίς, τὰ ἐς τὴν ἐπάνοδον βουλεύεσθαί τε καὶ πράσσειν ξυνοίσει. [43] τοῖς γὰρ ἐς κίνδυνον ἄλλως τε καὶ τοιοῦτον καθεστηκόσι μὴ τὴν σωτηρίαν διασκοπεῖσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐς [44] τοὺς πολεμίους ἐπιβουλὴν πολλὴ ἄνοια.’ τοσαῦτα Ἰωάννης τε εἶπε καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ πάντες ἐπῄνεσαν, ἔς τε θόρυβον καθιστάμενοι τὴν ἀναχώρησιν κατὰ τάχος ποιεῖσθαι ἠξίουν. [45] διὸ δὴ Βελισάριος πρότερον τοὺς νοσοῦντας ἐν τοῖς ὑποζυγίοις ἐνθέμενος, [46] ὑπῆγεν ὀπίσω τὸ στράτευμα. ἐπειδή τε τάχιστα ἐν γῇ τῇ Ῥωμαίων ἐγένοντο, ἅπαντα μὲν τὰ τῷ Ἀρέθᾳ εἰργασμένα ἔγνω, δίκην μέντοι λαβεῖν οὐδεμίαν παῤ αὐτοῦ ἴσχυσεν, ἐπεί οἱ ἐς ὄψιν οὐκέτι ἦλθεν. ἡ μὲν οὖν Ῥωμαίων ἐσβολὴ ἐς τοῦτο ἐτελεύτα. [47] Χοσρόῃ δὲ Πέτραν ἑλόντι Βελισάριος ἐσβαλὼν ἐς γῆν τὴν Περσίδα ἠγγέλλετο καὶ ἡ ἀμφὶ πόλιν Νίσιβιν ξυμβολή, φρουρίου τε τοῦ Σισαυράνων ἡ ἅλωσις, καὶ ὅσα Τίγρην ποταμὸν διαβὰν τὸ ξὺν τῷ Ἀρέθᾳ στράτευμα ἔπρασσεν. [48] αὐτίκα τε φυλακὴν ἐν τῇ Πέτρᾳ καταστησάμενος, ξὺν τῷ ἄλλῳ στρατῷ καὶ Ῥωμαίων τοῖς ἁλοῦσιν ἐς τὰ Περσῶν ἤθη ἀπήλαυνε. [49] ταῦτα μὲν ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ Χοσρόου ἐσβολῇ ξυνηνέχθη γενέσθαι. Βελισάριος δὲ βασιλεῖ ἐς Βυζάντιον μετάπεμπτος ἐλθὼν διεχείμαζεν.